Hunting the King

Red deer are the most wellknown deer worldwide, probably due to their impressive antlers. As a result, they appear on many coats of arms, crests and walls across the world. For centuries, royals of all cultures have hunted these deer, as success in the hunts, and the resulting trophies, were a sign of power and status.

POPULATIONS of mostly wild red deer exist across Australia, with very few still being farmed as a viable meat export. However, red deer farming still exists in New Zealand for meat and trophy hunting, with many record-book heads coming from these fenced populations.

Physical characteristics

Reds (Cervus elaphus) are the fourth-largest extant deer species, behind the moose, elk or wapiti, and sambar deer. Here in Australia, they are the second largest of our six species. Stags range from 135kg to 200kg,