Hi all. No really a hunting question but I'm clearing stock from an old deer farm and the hinds are heavily pregnant, I want to know when I could shoot the hinds without causing distress/harm to the fawn. (after they're bore obviously) They're Red/Wapiti cross in the Auckland area. Any advice is welcome. Alan
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #1 - Nov 27th, 2018 at 5:04am
Depend wnen the stag was removed from the hinds. 2 cycles was normal mating practice when we were farming and i would guess it still is ? The article below says stag in 10 march removed by 10 may at latest , i would say that is 2 and half cycles ?
This might give you a better idea, hope it helps .
seen first lot of wee tackers in paddocks today....MOST farm animals.sheep,goats,calves can be weaned in about 8 weeks..... so end of January sounds about right for the first lot,dont hunt alot over this period myself but if a hind is targeted the fawn is targeted too.....would probably take the fawn first now as they taste good and easy to carry LOL.
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #3 - Nov 27th, 2018 at 8:33am
just looked back 48mths and found our son shot a hind (his first deer bush stalked the hard way) on 3rd of January that had fawn with her and comments at the time is it was borderline/touch n go if the wee fella would be old enough to survive on its own...man 4 years have gone fast.
Thanks for all the help. I'm happy to leave the fawn as long as I can but just want to get some of the hinds for steaks as the stags are quite old now. Looks like sometime Feb/March may be the go.
I'm not worried about the carry Micky, There's a tractor and forklift to do the lifting for me. This is one just step away from going to the supermarket.
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #6 - Nov 28th, 2018 at 12:36am
an old stag shot now should be primo eating...they are putting on weight and growing velvet....very relaxed time for them,not stressed like during rut/roar....lots of prime eating and just be pedantic about removing silverskin from steaks....use a mincer for all the other bits eg if it dont look like really good steak...make it mince. venison mince is great stuff just mince it course eg use biggest holes you can on cutting blade.
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #7 - Nov 28th, 2018 at 12:43am
an old stag shot now should be primo eating...they are putting on weight and growing velvet....very relaxed time for them,not stressed like during rut/roar....lots of prime eating and just be pedantic about removing silverskin from steaks....use a mincer for all the other bits eg if it dont look like really good steak...make it mince. venison mince is great stuff just mince it course eg use biggest holes you can on cutting blade.
Why mince it course? Never heard that.
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #8 - Nov 28th, 2018 at 5:28am
an old stag shot now should be primo eating...they are putting on weight and growing velvet....very relaxed time for them,not stressed like during rut/roar....lots of prime eating and just be pedantic about removing silverskin from steaks....use a mincer for all the other bits eg if it dont look like really good steak...make it mince. venison mince is great stuff just mince it course eg use biggest holes you can on cutting blade.
or just take the velvet, sinews and tail cash it in and buy some decent meat.
an old stag shot now should be primo eating...they are putting on weight and growing velvet....very relaxed time for them,not stressed like during rut/roar....lots of prime eating and just be pedantic about removing silverskin from steaks....use a mincer for all the other bits eg if it dont look like really good steak...make it mince. venison mince is great stuff just mince it course eg use biggest holes you can on cutting blade.
or just take the velvet, sinews and tail cash it in and buy some decent meat.
I don't know about that, got 98kg of great sausages off the old stag last month, as well as some great fillet & backstrap. Shame about my diet
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #10 - Nov 28th, 2018 at 6:19am
we like our mince to have a bit of guts to it.....too fine and its just mush,cut it larger and it has more substance to it....personal preference wev'e tried it both ways and course wins hands down...bit like store bought bulk bag sausage verses a deli one.
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #11 - Nov 28th, 2018 at 6:21am
Pre-rut weaning is when calves and hinds are separated before the rut, usually in February-March, when the calves are 3-4 months of age.
The advantages of pre-rut weaning are that it allows-
optimisation and prioritisation of feeding management for different stock classes well before the onset of winter;pre-winter accustomisation of calves to desired grazing systems;simplification and implemention of a targeted health management regimen for calves (e.g. anthelmintic treatments);simplification of mating management of hinds (especially for setting up single-sire mating programmes); andterminatation of lactation to allow hinds to improve BCS before mating (i.e. improve mating success).
Disadvantages of pre-rut weaning may include the following things:
stress on young calves due to physical separation from dams; growth rates can be checked for several weeks;compromisation of feed planning for newly weaned calves in dry conditions; and.physical injury of young calves if there has been no prior habituation to yarding/handling.
Post-rut weaning
Post-rut weaning (May-June) is when calves and hinds are separated after the rut, usually in May-June, when the calves are 6-7 months of age.
The advantages of post-rut weaning include:
reduced workload on farm prior to rut;less stress on calves ; andmuch lower risk of severe pre-winter growth checks in calves.
Disadvantages of post-rut weaning may include:
compromisation of hind BCS may be by lactation leading into the rut, leading to negative impacts on pregnancy rate and/or conception date;calf removal at the start of winter being complicated by bad weather;limited opportunities to habituate calves to winter management regimens;pre-weaning health treatment of calves being complicated by the presence of hinds; andsorting of hinds into mating groups being complicated by the presence of calves.
Pre and Post Rut Weaning evidence from on farm studies
Natural weaning
Natural weaning is when hinds and calves are left to their own devices. Most calves will be naturally weaned between August-September, when they are 9-10 months of age.
The advantages of the natural weaning approach are:
minimal social disruption and minimal stress on offspring;that simplicity of farm design (e.g. minimal paddock subdivision) doesn’t suit early calf separation; andthat it suits a very “hands-off” farming style.
However, natural weaning systems have the following major disadvantages :
very limited flexibility around feed management to optimise both reproductive performance of hind and growth performance of calves;affords limited opportunities to habituate young stock to handling and to conduct health treatments; andsub-optimal tameness of calves (could be important when sending young stock for slaughter).
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #12 - Nov 28th, 2018 at 6:58am
an old stag shot now should be primo eating...they are putting on weight and growing velvet....very relaxed time for them,not stressed like during rut/roar....lots of prime eating and just be pedantic about removing silverskin from steaks....use a mincer for all the other bits eg if it dont look like really good steak...make it mince. venison mince is great stuff just mince it course eg use biggest holes you can on cutting blade.
or just take the velvet, sinews and tail cash it in and buy some decent meat.
I don't know about that, got 98kg of great sausages off the old stag last month, as well as some great fillet & backstrap. Shame about my diet
I meant get better meat then scummy venison Its taken me many years to work out its crap meat but us silly hunters wreck ourselves lugging it out and feed the crag to our families to justify going hunting
much more enjoyable now hunting to make $$$ then for a feed.
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #13 - Nov 30th, 2018 at 7:53am
an old stag shot now should be primo eating...they are putting on weight and growing velvet....very relaxed time for them,not stressed like during rut/roar....lots of prime eating and just be pedantic about removing silverskin from steaks....use a mincer for all the other bits eg if it dont look like really good steak...make it mince. venison mince is great stuff just mince it course eg use biggest holes you can on cutting blade.
or just take the velvet, sinews and tail cash it in and buy some decent meat.
I don't know about that, got 98kg of great sausages off the old stag last month, as well as some great fillet & backstrap. Shame about my diet
I meant get better meat then scummy venison Its taken me many years to work out its crap meat but us silly hunters wreck ourselves lugging it out and feed the crag to our families to justify going hunting
much more enjoyable now hunting to make $$$ then for a feed.
Depends how much you get of it. I hardly ever get out for a deer these days, so it tastes like heaven to me. If I smell wild pork cooking though..... My mate I hunt pigs with has a habit of sussing out where the big ones are. I give away heaps and still end up eating the shit 5 nights a week. Yet deerstalkers go out of there way to get wild pork. 😂
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Re: When would a fawn be weaned Reply #14 - Nov 30th, 2018 at 12:21pm
true that maddoghunter!! freezer full of wild pork/bacon veno and duck. I find it all tastes average on a good day let alone when you have it a few times a week. Just the smell of duck meat makes me shudder and dry reech now.
pity pigs dont have a good market like deer do for human consumption and petfood could make an alright living with a good team of dogs but a large bufferzone and very few processors that take them make it not worthwhile. deer on the other hand....