Hog Deer

[piggy]

Took this pic earlier this year and thought you all might like to see.
The Hog Deer is the smallest species of deer in Australia this is a good example of a mature male.

 


Cheers

Paul

[joevan125]

Cool!!!!!

[magnus]

Paul. Thanks for sharing! Never saw one of those before. Sure looks yummy! Lol! Is that typical antler size or do they get bigger? Magnus

[KentuckyTJ]

Interesting. What is the body weight of a mature male?

[bofish-IL]

I can see why they call it a hog deer, very thick looking deer

[Mudd]

It kinda looks like a whitetail but then again not too much.

Thanks for sharing.

God bless,Mudd

[doug g]

Very differnet looking.

[benny]

WOW!!!! Nice stag. My dad has one life size mounted. The main beams measure 16" long. The hog dear is one of few animals you have to have a tag for in australia.

[rushlush]

Neet looking!

[Txnrog]

Wow, that is a big one. We have a couple floating around here in Tx, but I haven't seen one that big.

Closest relative to the Axis (chital as you fellas call it) - hence the horn configuration. . .

[DannyBows]

Cool looking Deer!

[the longbowkid]

can you hunt them?

[stickbowmaniac]

very interesting looking deer.

[poison arrow]

In my part of Florida we have some huge whitetails and some real small deer called Key Deer. Their racks can fit in your pocket. Most breeds of dogs are bigger than Key Deer. Of course for that reason they are protected. It is funny to see a herd of them they look just like minature whitetails.

[piggy]

Hog Deer in Australia can ONLY be hunted from the first Day of April until the last day in April.
They are the only Deer species in Australia that require tags to hunt them, if you are lucky enough to take a deer in Victoria you must take the animal to a checking station where they record all your personal details, date, time and location where taken. They measure the shoulder height, length and girth of every deer taken and antler if a Stag.
All stags are photographed (I believe this is in part to recognize if stags have been taken Illegally). The reproductive condition of the hind is recorded and the lower jaw bone is removed so every animal can be aged.

A mature male weighs approx 88 pounds and is 2.2 foot high
A mature female weighs approx 66 pounds and is 2 feet high

The Stag pictured would be considered an excellent stag to most hunters
There are a number of public areas available to hunt Hog deer and also a Ballot is held in several areas, private property is the bow hunters best chance at securing a Hog deer but gaining access is difficult mainly due to the deer being heavily poached.

Forgot to mention they are the best eating of ALL the deer found in Australia

Cheers

[Benny Nganabbarru]

[piggy]

You can see buy the stag in this pic how small they are compared to the grass and why they are difficult to hunt, they just pop their head down and disappear into the grass.
 

[tradtusker]

Those are neat pics Mate, Nice size deer too!

you taken one with a bow?

[piggy]

Not yet mabey in the future, I have not really hunted them with the bow mainly camera.
I am usually on another deer hunt with some great mates around April every year and would rather catch up and hunt with my mates than chase Hog deer.
Going away twice in the space of a month would be stretching my luck with the wife.

[TxAg]

Oh yeah...Axis porcinus


Just kidding, I had to look that up.  Cool deer!