When to hunt

[Deerhunter22]

Hi, so I have Red deer and Roe on my ground, ive never taken a Red ever but was chatting to a guy today who said wouldn't even bother shooting one in the Rut if you want the meat to eat which I do. I plan to take a Red or Two this season for the freezer, am I better to hunt them come early September/pre rut I mean I could take them now there's tonnes around but I don't want to shoot it in velvet. Or should I wait till after the Rut and take one ? Apart from them stinking of **** during the Rut will the carcass be wasted and not really taste good if taken in the Rut ?

Cheers

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Shoot a young spiker that fits the cull plan. Still tasty, no way near as heavy as a mature stag so far easier to deal with and you're still knocking em off. They still aint light work mind

If you've never shot one, make sure you have a plan for extraction and don't shoot it in a location too far from a track

 

[Deerhunter22]

Shoot a young spiker that fits the cull plan. Still tasty, no way near as heavy as a mature stag so far easier to deal with and you're still knocking em off. They still aint light work mind

If you've never shot one, make sure you have a plan for extraction and don't shoot it in a location too far from a track

The red deer come and go between my land and the surrounding fields and head up the muir etc so cull plan wise its pretty much whatever turns up but id like to get a nice stag not just a spiker to which we have many pass through on our land, extraction wise there's a quad and trailer so thats all good but yeh they'll not be getting shot in the clearfell less there close to the ride or path in, I was meaning to get at will a red deer be wasted meat if I shoot one in the rut or not and if so I suppose id be better to take one earlyish September, yeh I want a nice antlers but I also want edible tasty meat

 

[Malxwal]

Young red that's been feeding on grass, yum. Antlers taste s**t.