2 pointer ?? Red stag

Deer Hunter DL

was out stalking hinds on sunday morning and seen 2 stags one 6 pointer very big strong animal and another with just 2 very straight antlers and the same size as the big 6 pointer , i`m just wondering how this could be ,is the 2 pointer a very strong young stag or a mature stag with a bad head ???

jwshooter

Deer Hunter DL wrote: »

was out stalking hinds on sunday morning and seen 2 stags one 6 pointer very big strong animal and another with just 2 very straight antlers and the same size as the big 6 pointer , i`m just wondering how this could be ,is the 2 pointer a very strong young stag or a mature stag with a bad head ???

he could have been a very good pricket last years calf or a switch a animal that should be culled on the spot .id make a point of looking for him next sep .

Tackleberry.

jwshooter wrote: »

he could have been a very good pricket last years calf or a switch a animal that should be culled on the spot .id make a point of looking for him next sep .

A Switch ? whats that.
i shot my first red this year, a nice pricket, and wow its tasted lovely. i kept its head i include a pic:

jwshooter

a switch is a mature stag.its mostly see in it reds but i have a few shot hibreds with a switch head its a single long spike on each side .he is a dangerous stag to other deer and should be culled,off now to whack a few hinds

Deer Hunter DL

well i`d say he wasn`t last years looked way to big and strong i`ll be keeping an eye on him till next sept

kerryman12

Would Rangers be of the same opinion as JW re switch stags, I wonder?

I guess there is too much risk of guys shooting spikers on the spot instead.

John Griffin

Of course a switch should be culled, but you'd be surprised how many people call very good prickets, switches. Shooting good prickets is bad practice. Switch deer are rare. They are usually very old stags going back or very poor second or third heads and usually have brow tines.

kerryman12

Thanks John, can you give me your opinion on Tackleberry's picture?
Also are you talking about only during the Stag season or up to the end of Feburary?

John Griffin

Tackleberry's head is not a switch, it is a very fine pricket(first head). I've heard of multipoint first heads in some parts of the country also. And he boiled the head for too long;):)
There is no reason to shoot a stag out of season simply because he is a switch. Switch stags are also known as murder stags. During the rut a switch can do a lot of damage to other rutting stags due to the shape of its antlers and it's strong physical build. This is not a problem at this time of year and they will be shedding antlers in a couple of months and may not be a switch in its next head. The best time to cull stags is pre rut to during the rut and this is the time to take out the undesirables before they can do any damage to other stags or pass on poor traits.

kerryman12

thanks John

Now that I sit back and think about it, of course what you say makes sence.

Regards