Visitor today

[220]

Have a bit of hog sign that started appearing a few weeks back, put out a couple of cameras last week hoping to get a bit of an idea on their movements and times.
Was in the sheep yards reasonably early this morning drenching and foot bathing a mob of ewes, I checked the cameras once I finished, I should have done it before I started on the sheep. This boy was wondering around at 8am.


Probably close to 26" antler length so a good representative of Aus sambar, they only ever grow 3 points a side the number doesn't change with age they just increase in length, they are similar in size to elk averaging just a little smaller.
Camera is on the edge of about 10acres I ploughed in preparation for sowing some forage oats later this month. No doubt the visits will increase, last time I had oats in the same spot I had 5 different young stags visiting regularly and I dont know how many hinds but a few times I had pictures with 2 hinds both with young in tow in the one shot.

[BrokenolMarine]

I love checking our game cams, you never know what you will find. Beautiful, just beautiful.

[Hatchdog]

That looks to be a healthy animal. Looks well fed.

[DsGrouse]

lovely looking animal

[220]

Sambar are a bit unusual in they can breed year round. They dont have a rut, although most calves seem to be born spring or fall. They are solitary animals, male calves almost always go out on their own by the time a hind has birthed her next calf, sometimes you will see a hind with a young calf at foot and yearling female calf still with her.
With no rut and no fixed calving period we dont have a season for them and are allowed to hunt them year round. Like all deer in Aus they are introduced but in my state at least we have a closed hunting season for most species when calves/fawns are born and still dependent.
Antler growth is similar and you can find stags in hard antler and velvet at anytime of the year.