Whitetail Deer Hunting Gain a better understanding of the World's most popular big game animal and the techniques that will help you become a better deer hunter.

Deer in Ireland

Old 11-01-2005, 11:44 AM
  #1  
Spike
Thread Starter
 
oldgoat09's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Stafford, VA
Posts: 26
Default Deer in Ireland

My wife and I were in Ireland about a year ago. We toured the grounds of Bunratty Castle near Shannon. As we came around the corner we came upon this monster, and me without a gun!! I'm not sure what he is but he is sure beautiful.

oldgoat09 is offline  
Old 11-01-2005, 11:57 AM
  #2  
Typical Buck
 
bristowboy_20's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 763
Default RE: Deer in Ireland

looks like a stag
bristowboy_20 is offline  
Old 11-01-2005, 12:15 PM
  #3  
Dominant Buck
 
kevin1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ramsey , Indiana
Posts: 22,545
Default RE: Deer in Ireland

Red Deer .
kevin1 is offline  
Old 11-01-2005, 12:52 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The boonies
Posts: 166
Default RE: Deer in Ireland

wow! that is nice
ike1371 is offline  
Old 11-01-2005, 01:05 PM
  #5  
Nontypical Buck
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: collin county, TX
Posts: 2,320
Default RE: Deer in Ireland

No gun, dern the luck.
I'm glad you had a camera though.
Very nice, thanks for sharing.

PK
PKnTX is offline  
Old 11-01-2005, 02:55 PM
  #6  
Dominant Buck
 
Rebel Hog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: WC FL
Posts: 26,323
Default RE: Deer in Ireland

I believe it's called a Sika Stag.
Rebel Hog is offline  
Old 11-01-2005, 07:19 PM
  #7  
Nontypical Buck
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New Jersey USA
Posts: 1,279
Default RE: Deer in Ireland

Not a sika, thats a red stag. Sika stags are MUCH smaller and generally only have 6-8 points.
Bionicrooster is offline  
Old 11-01-2005, 08:00 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: houston texas
Posts: 298
Default RE: Deer in Ireland

Definatly a Red Stag which are native to western europe, definatly not a sika which are from Japan and are a darker brownish color as opposed to the red stags more reddish coat.
texhookem is offline  
Old 11-01-2005, 08:15 PM
  #9  
Dominant Buck
 
Rebel Hog's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: WC FL
Posts: 26,323
Default RE: Deer in Ireland


Ireland has three species, Red, Sika and Fallow Deer.






Sika Deer were first brought to Ireland in 1860 by Lord Powerscourt to his estate in Co. Wicklow. The breed arrived in Killarney in 1865 as game deer. One stag and two hinds were released in the Muckross Estate and today there are between 600 and 700 in the National Park area. The Killarney herd of Sika Deer is one of only three in the world that are nearest to the pure bred Sika. They are on the endangered species list since 1987 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The threat of Red Deer crossed with Sika hybridisation is the greatest worry now in the Killarney area. Hybridisation has occurred in most parts of the world, including other parts of Ireland.
The Sika Deer is the smallest of the three species of deer in Ireland. The summer coat is light brown with white spots. In contrast the winter coat is dark-grey and can look quite black from a distance. The rump patch is white at all times and flares out when the animal is startled.
The antlers are characteristically V-shaped and many have from four to six points, four being the most common. They begin to grow in the second year in April and finish in August. They are cast every year in April and new antlers begin to grow again. While growing they are covered in velvet to protect the antler and help supply minerals to the new bone.
Sika deer travel in small herds. The rut season begins in September and lasts about six weeks. During the rut the stag utters a high pitched scream which sounds like a whistle to mark out his territory and warn other stags to keep away
Calves are born in May/June and are covered with white spots. Sika calves stay with their mothers for one year until next year’s calf is born.
Rebel Hog is offline  
Old 11-01-2005, 10:02 PM
  #10  
Nontypical Buck
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New Jersey USA
Posts: 1,279
Default RE: Deer in Ireland

"The Killarney herd of Sika Deer is one of only three in the world that are nearest to the pure bred Sika."

That can be somewhat misleading, as there are quite a few populations of pure sika strain, it really depends on which subspecies you are talking about. For instance the Dombrowski and Manchurain are often inter bread and treated by many as the same sub species due to their common traits. The sikas in Japan and the outlying islands are mostly purebred stock. (as are the Vietanese species) The ones located in mongolia and manchuria are more likely to cross breed with each other, and of course those populations that have been introdused to non native areas (england/scotland/texas) are much more likely to be crossbread. In fact there are concerns from some scientists that some of the sub species may not even exist as a pure strain anymore due to cross breeding. The wild sikas in Maryland/Virginia are pure Yakushimea sikas, and since they are protected in japan, may be the only huntable wild population of them! Sorry for rambling but sikas are a bit of a fascination for me and I find there toxonomy and history very intriguing.

All that stated that stag pictured is one heck of a Red Stag for ireland, where they generally don't get as big as the ones you see in magazines from New Zealand or Argentina.
Bionicrooster is offline  

Quick Reply: Deer in Ireland


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.