and seeing as though I haven't hunted these fellas before I thought I would see what what the knowledge pool here holds. Any tips are much appreciated as my knowledge of deer stretchs only as far as what I have seen in videos and read about. heading out Sunday lunch and won't be back in till after new year so Happy New Year.Rusa help
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Bullwinkle
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2003 6:53 pm
- Location: Mackay
Rusa help
Righto boys and girls I am gunna I need as much help as possible with these fella's. I just got acsess to a place with a few Rusa on it and seeing as though I haven't hunted these fellas before I thought I would see what what the knowledge pool here holds. Any tips are much appreciated as my knowledge of deer stretchs only as far as what I have seen in videos and read about. heading out Sunday lunch and won't be back in till after new year so Happy New Year.
and seeing as though I haven't hunted these fellas before I thought I would see what what the knowledge pool here holds. Any tips are much appreciated as my knowledge of deer stretchs only as far as what I have seen in videos and read about. heading out Sunday lunch and won't be back in till after new year so Happy New Year.
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Bullwinkle
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2003 6:53 pm
- Location: Mackay
.Bullwinkle,
I have just got back from the silly season break so my message might be a bit late.
I chased Rusa on New Caledonia a few years back and might be able to give you a few hints. I assume you know that Rusa are about 4 months out with their rut compared to the other species. Many Deer rut around autumn, Rusa rut around late july/august so I would not be surprised if the stags have dropped or are soon dropping their antlers.
New Cal is a strange set up because of the sheer numbers of deer and you hunt only in the rut. In a weeks hunt I probably saw several thousand deer. This meant that there was always plenty of eyes to catch you out.
I found that the deer like the thick stuff and knew they were safe in there so hunting the edges of forests and thick vegetation proved to be the most sucessful. When the deer went out into the open country they tended to get right out in the open, this made it very hard to get close as there was always a female looking your way. Someone once described hinds/does as the animal equivalant of mothers in law. Always suspicious and trying to catch you out.
if you can find some country with broken timber or areas of good grazing country near thick stuff you should find the deer. They are fairly solid in the body so they probably need heavier gear than used for goats or fallow deer. Someone once suggested anything you would use on pigs will work well on the Rusa.
We tried roaring them but most stags roar and it is more of a here I am noise rather than the challenge of the reds. So if you roar at them they just think another stag so what. But in Australia with a lower deer density it may work.
I am prety sure they wallow, they did on New Cal during the rut, do not know if they wallow outside the rut, Sambar do and they are closely related.
A method I was shown for field measuring antlers. Take the distance from the tip of the nose to the base of the antlers and sort of flip it up the antlers. 2x the length is a reasonable stag (mid to high 20's length), 2.5x it is a good stag ( around 30 inches length). 3x it is an excellent stag probably with antlers well into the 30 inches length. My guide called the 3x stags heartbeats, get a shot at one and you take it in a heart beat as it is a big stag.
Please no one get on the "horn porn" bandwagon, it is just a method of determining the size of the antlers on the hoof. Trophies are personal goals and standards not determined by some book.
One day I hope to chase the Rusa in Australia and see if anything I learnt on New Cal applys over here.
Hope this is of some help, good luck i look forward to hearing how the trips go.
Daryl
I have just got back from the silly season break so my message might be a bit late.
I chased Rusa on New Caledonia a few years back and might be able to give you a few hints. I assume you know that Rusa are about 4 months out with their rut compared to the other species. Many Deer rut around autumn, Rusa rut around late july/august so I would not be surprised if the stags have dropped or are soon dropping their antlers.
New Cal is a strange set up because of the sheer numbers of deer and you hunt only in the rut. In a weeks hunt I probably saw several thousand deer. This meant that there was always plenty of eyes to catch you out.
I found that the deer like the thick stuff and knew they were safe in there so hunting the edges of forests and thick vegetation proved to be the most sucessful. When the deer went out into the open country they tended to get right out in the open, this made it very hard to get close as there was always a female looking your way. Someone once described hinds/does as the animal equivalant of mothers in law. Always suspicious and trying to catch you out.
if you can find some country with broken timber or areas of good grazing country near thick stuff you should find the deer. They are fairly solid in the body so they probably need heavier gear than used for goats or fallow deer. Someone once suggested anything you would use on pigs will work well on the Rusa.
We tried roaring them but most stags roar and it is more of a here I am noise rather than the challenge of the reds. So if you roar at them they just think another stag so what. But in Australia with a lower deer density it may work.
I am prety sure they wallow, they did on New Cal during the rut, do not know if they wallow outside the rut, Sambar do and they are closely related.
A method I was shown for field measuring antlers. Take the distance from the tip of the nose to the base of the antlers and sort of flip it up the antlers. 2x the length is a reasonable stag (mid to high 20's length), 2.5x it is a good stag ( around 30 inches length). 3x it is an excellent stag probably with antlers well into the 30 inches length. My guide called the 3x stags heartbeats, get a shot at one and you take it in a heart beat as it is a big stag.
Please no one get on the "horn porn" bandwagon, it is just a method of determining the size of the antlers on the hoof. Trophies are personal goals and standards not determined by some book.
One day I hope to chase the Rusa in Australia and see if anything I learnt on New Cal applys over here.
Hope this is of some help, good luck i look forward to hearing how the trips go.
Daryl
Sorry Lindsay 
, that is a reference to a comment I have seen on this site before refering to the mentality some people hold about big horns/tusks/antlers and their scores being the most important factor of the hunt. Some people get very touchy about trophy hunting and believe it against the spirit of the hunt.
I was just trying to give bullwinkle a useful method of field assessing rusa antlers. No weird conatations or suggestion that he should only shoot large antlered stags intended. Any deer is an acheivement with the bow.
daryl
, that is a reference to a comment I have seen on this site before refering to the mentality some people hold about big horns/tusks/antlers and their scores being the most important factor of the hunt. Some people get very touchy about trophy hunting and believe it against the spirit of the hunt.I was just trying to give bullwinkle a useful method of field assessing rusa antlers. No weird conatations or suggestion that he should only shoot large antlered stags intended. Any deer is an acheivement with the bow.
daryl
Maaaate dont get me wrong no criticism there at all with my comment - I'd just never heard the term horn porn and thought it was a good one. As you say, any deer with a bow is a trophy (and good eating) and I admire hunters who are at the stage of their 'careers' to be concentrating on chasing the big ones. I sure dont have a problem with trophy taking! Its not th be all and the end all of course but plays a role I'd think. Me, I'd be happy to connect with just about anything!
Lindsay
Lindsay
"So long as the new moon returns in heaven a bent, beautiful bow, so long will the fascination of archery keep hold of the hearts of men."
Maurice Thompsen, 1878.
Maurice Thompsen, 1878.
No problems Lindsay, I just know some people are sensitive to the topic. I think we all trophy hunt to some stage whether it is for a big set of antlers or a good skin or just to fill the freezer. We hunt until we find an animal that meets out requirements and then focus on taking it. A trophy means different things to different people.
New Caledonia was a great place for this. Most deer hunters have a preference for certain charecteristics in a set of antlers. This may include antler length, antler thickness, amount of tines, symetry of the antlers, spread of the antlers and overall shape of the whole head. For example I like a balanced head ie both antlers and all counterparting tines about the same length with the same amount of tines on each antler . I also like the antlers to be slightly overspread or wider than the accepted norm and with the Rusa like the square shapes heads rather than the lyre shaped ones. Note I did not mention I was after a huge head or a high scoring head. How do I know what I like? hours sitting on hills just watching and comparing different animals, another activity that is underrated, just watching deer and learning their habits.
On New Cal you basically spot from the hill tops until you find a rusa with a set of antlers that fits your likes and then stalk him. Most of the time I blew the stalks but I can honestly say I have had a chance at a world record head (he was shot by a rifle boy a few days later and would have shattered the bowhunting world record) that is what it is all about stalking the really big old boys. They know what is on their head and they make few mistakes. Just being in the bush at about 20 metres with an animal like this is an amazing experience. You know when it is a really big fella they just act different and have this aura about them.
While many will argure that big heads are over rated I would argue that they also are the toughest, smartest and most cunning animal in the bush and therefore are the most enjoyable to stalk. Sometimes you even get a chance at them, but often it because they made a mistake and you were able to capitalise on it.
Daryl
New Caledonia was a great place for this. Most deer hunters have a preference for certain charecteristics in a set of antlers. This may include antler length, antler thickness, amount of tines, symetry of the antlers, spread of the antlers and overall shape of the whole head. For example I like a balanced head ie both antlers and all counterparting tines about the same length with the same amount of tines on each antler . I also like the antlers to be slightly overspread or wider than the accepted norm and with the Rusa like the square shapes heads rather than the lyre shaped ones. Note I did not mention I was after a huge head or a high scoring head. How do I know what I like? hours sitting on hills just watching and comparing different animals, another activity that is underrated, just watching deer and learning their habits.
On New Cal you basically spot from the hill tops until you find a rusa with a set of antlers that fits your likes and then stalk him. Most of the time I blew the stalks but I can honestly say I have had a chance at a world record head (he was shot by a rifle boy a few days later and would have shattered the bowhunting world record) that is what it is all about stalking the really big old boys. They know what is on their head and they make few mistakes. Just being in the bush at about 20 metres with an animal like this is an amazing experience. You know when it is a really big fella they just act different and have this aura about them.
While many will argure that big heads are over rated I would argue that they also are the toughest, smartest and most cunning animal in the bush and therefore are the most enjoyable to stalk. Sometimes you even get a chance at them, but often it because they made a mistake and you were able to capitalise on it.
Daryl
Hi Lindsay, I think my whole trip cost about $4000 in 1997. I was young and single back then, probably could not afford to do that again.
That includes the airfares, hunt, trophy fee and taxidermy back in Melbourne.
If you are intrested I hunted with Jamie Bell, really top bloke who works hard to get you a good animal and his attitude is for his clients to enjoy themselves. If you want to hunt hard, he will. If you are not so fit, he will not wear you out to prove he is fitter than you like some guides do. I have also hunted red deer in Queensland with him, highly recommend him.
his contact details are:
Jamie Bell Safaris PTY Ltd,
P.O. Box 713, Seymour, Victoria, 3660 Australia.
Ph/Fax: International
61 3 5799 1421
Daryl
That includes the airfares, hunt, trophy fee and taxidermy back in Melbourne.
If you are intrested I hunted with Jamie Bell, really top bloke who works hard to get you a good animal and his attitude is for his clients to enjoy themselves. If you want to hunt hard, he will. If you are not so fit, he will not wear you out to prove he is fitter than you like some guides do. I have also hunted red deer in Queensland with him, highly recommend him.
his contact details are:
Jamie Bell Safaris PTY Ltd,
P.O. Box 713, Seymour, Victoria, 3660 Australia.
Ph/Fax: International
61 3 5799 1421
Daryl
