Elk/Red Deer

[J.G.W]

I've been seeing all the photos recently of guys in the US taking cow elk, making me kinda jealous that we don't have elk here in Australia. I shoot three or four red deer every year for meat, imagine the ammo I'd save if I was putting elk in the freezer!
Took this hind last weekend with my three girls. She'll keep us eating venison till about March.

Rifle was a Remington 700 .223 using Hornady 60gr V-max.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

That's awesome. I'd love to hunt in Australia. And it's really nice to see your kids involved.

 

[Capt RB]

It's great that you can have your family involved! Thanks for sharing

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

Something else I like, is that you killed that big deer with a little rifle. So many people think you need some type of cannon to get the job done. Are red deer tasty?

 

[J.G.W]

Something else I like, is that you killed that big deer with a little rifle. So many people think you need some type of cannon to get the job done. Are red deer tasty?

That's it Johnnie, 60gn smashing into the brain box at nearly 3000fps will do it every time. I use a .30 cal when I'm hunting stags though. Yes they are good eating, rusa are probably a little better but only just. We hang them in a cold room for 10 days before I break them down. I'll take some photos this week while I'm butchering.

What's on your critter hit list in Australia?

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

I've killed a lot of white tailed deer with my 22-250 the same way.
Stag have always fascinated me. Although, I met a couple from New Zealand one time out in Colorado who made fun of rich Americans traveling to New Zealand to hunt farm raised stag. But that type of thing happens in the USA as well. To be honest with you, it really wouldn't matter to me what I was hunting. I would just enjoy being someplace different, taking in the area and culture, and seeing critters I haven't seen before.

 

[J.G.W]

Each to their own but those big farmed stags do nothing for me, I'd rather a big heavy even free range stag (what we call a bush stag).

Let me know if you're ever thinking about heading out and I'll hook you up with the right people.

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

Each to their own but those big farmed stags do nothing for me, I'd rather a big heavy even free range stag (what we call a bush stag).

I'm with you 100%. I'm a firm believer in DIY, non-guided, non-outfitted, self reliant hunts. When I was growing up, hunting was a way of feeding the family. It still is, in my house. I would love to make the trip over there to do some hunting. It's a shame it cost so much to travel half way around the world.

 

[J.G.W]

I butchered this morning. I cut the best of the hind quarters into steak but made mince of most of it (what the chef ordered). There'll be backstrap on the table tonight!!

 

[JOHNNIE WALKER]

How much does one of those things weigh? The meat looks really nice

 

[J.G.W]

250lbs would be a really big hind, this one was probably around 150-160. A mature wild stag will weigh around 350lbs. A massive stag grown behind wire will top 500lbs but it would be rare.

 

[Classic12]

Those red meat look tasty