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.

 

[Mossypaw]

Shoot a young beast now, perfect for the freezer. Only beaten by a young red/sika cross.

 

[Deerhunter22]

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

I didn’t think antlers would taste that great

 

[Deerhunter22]

Shoot a young beast now, perfect for the freezer. Only beaten by a young red/sika cross.

Well there’s a young spiker hanging about so think I’ll try for him then, need some freezer filler it’s running low

 

[John Gryphon]

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

Long after the hunt when the meat has been eaten you won`t remember the turds BUT you will remember the hunt with the antlers reminder on the wall.

 

[Bsmall1521]

You need any help shooting one and dragging it around, in exchange for a set of antlers?

 

[Leec6.5]

Avoid the rut like the plague!

meat simply not worth it

 

[Deerhunter22]

You need any help shooting one and dragging it around, in exchange for a set of antlers?

Cheers but nah I’d exchange some red stalking for sika or muntjac and Chinese though

 

[Deerhunter22]

Avoid the rut like the plague!

meat simply not worth it

Sounds about what I’ve heard, think I’ll take one of the nice reds if I can (touch wood) before the Rut kicks in should be out of velvet in the next month n a bit I hope

 

[Fabnosh]

Many years age I took a mid rut Red - when my physique could still cope with deer that are measured in stones! - and the game dealer processed the whole lot (prime cuts included) into burger and sausages and, despite the various spices and other stuff going into the mix, they still tasted naff. Quite how much of that taste was actually my psychological predetermination that they would be horrid isn't clear but given the option for personal consumption it'll always be the girlies for Red, Sika, Fallow and Roe. Muntjac and CWD I'm less picky about gender.

FN

 

[Mike1979]

Many years age I took a mid rut Red - when my physique could still cope with deer that are measured in stones! - and the game dealer processed the whole lot (prime cuts included) into burger and sausages and, despite the various spices and other stuff going into the mix, they still tasted naff. Quite how much of that taste was actually my psychological predetermination that they would be horrid isn't clear but given the option for personal consumption it'll always be the girlies for Red, Sika, Fallow and Roe. Muntjac and CWD I'm less picky about gender.

FN

I've been told the same with fallow ... but shot an absolute stinker last year. A local butcher processed him for me and to be fair the meat was fine ... a bit chewy but thats as the buck was 5 or 6 years old. Personally I would always take a pricket/spiker early on for meat and avoid rutting bucks or stags ... these can go to the game dealer

 

[Leec6.5]

Sounds about what I’ve heard, think I’ll take one of the nice reds if I can (touch wood) before the Rut kicks in should be out of velvet in the next month n a bit I hope

Hope you have the kit deal with them?

 

[hendrix's rifle]

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

If you want to shoot a nice red, knock yourself out. I've no interest because they tend to be chewy once they start aging and I have no interest in shooting them during/just before the rut. The best stag I've shot was a mercy kill post rut, old boy that was injured.

Seen plenty of 12/14/15 points but they can stay sowing their seed. Give me the option of a spiker or yearling hind over a mature stag/hind and I'll always take the spiker or yearling. No point shooting these 30+ stone stags unless you want the head or absolutely have to IMHO. As @Leec6.5 rightly says, I also hope you've got the kit to deal with them

 

[Deerhunter22]

Hope you have the kit deal with them?

Got quads and trailers

 

[Deerhunter22]

I've been told the same with fallow ... but shot an absolute stinker last year. A local butcher processed him for me and to be fair the meat was fine ... a bit chewy but thats as the buck was 5 or 6 years old. Personally I would always take a pricket/spiker early on for meat and avoid rutting bucks or stags ... these can go to the game dealer

So stags to the game dealer and a spiker for the freezer or hind when in season, sounds about what most are saying

 

[Deerhunter22]

If you want to shoot a nice red, knock yourself out. I've no interest because they tend to be chewy once they start aging and I have no interest in shooting them during/just before the rut. The best stag I've shot was a mercy kill post rut, old boy that was injured.

Seen plenty of 12/14/15 points but they can stay sowing their seed. Give me the option of a spiker or yearling hind over a mature stag/hind and I'll always take the spiker or yearling. No point shooting these 30+ stone stags unless you want the head or absolutely have to IMHO. As @Leec6.5 rightly says, I also hope you've got the kit to deal with them

I have been thinking about it, I want a nice red stag antlers truthfully but I’m also not one for trophy’s I much rather have good meat for my freezer
So I’ll maybe take a good head stag as some need to be taken off anyways between our land and the next there’s soo many but if I do maybe try hand it to the game dealer, I’ll shoot a spiker for myself

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Got quads and trailers

If you're taking it home you need to make sure you've got the kit there too.

I have been thinking about it, I want a nice red stag antlers truthfully but I’m also not one for trophy’s I much rather have good meat for my freezer
So I’ll maybe take a good head stag as some need to be taken off anyways between our land and the next there’s soo many but if I do maybe try hand it to the game dealer, I’ll shoot a spiker for myself

Nothing wrong with that at all, just doesn't tickle my fancy! Smelly stags to the dealers, if post rut you could mince it for burgers and the likes but its a lot of mince