Hunting Tactics Red Deer

*Introduction*

The Red Deer is a widely found deer species in European and other countries and is only exceeded in size by the Moose. It is therefore an always welcomed trophy in every hunt. For hunters specifically looking for this majestic animal with its distinctive antlers, they best roam the southern and western parts of the Hirschfelden reserve. Other than the Red Fox no animal will take their attention which makes this a great area for Red Deer hunting. Interestingly the very same is true for the Val-des-Bois reserve. South-west, many red deer, some foxes. Great areas!

*Spawning*

Red Deer females spawn in groups of five or six hinds. If you find less than that the group was split by spooking or path finding difficulties. The stags can travel alone or in a group of five hinds. If you encounter more than one stag in the same area, they have crossed paths randomly. They will likely come both to a call.

*Clothing*

There is camouflage clothing available that provides various advantages specifically against all deer species.

**Sense Reduction Values** (1 = some; 6 = excellent)

  Outback Outfit | 1 / 6 | 1 / 6 | 1 / 6

You will quickly see a big difference when using any of these outfits with the deer species when you have approached them with a regular outfit before. When in prone, the animals will almost step on you before they notice the danger and run. These clothes have the same effect on any map, environment and vegetation, as opposed to certain camouflage clothes which only unfold their advantages when in certain areas such as forests, but provide zero camouflage otherwise.

*Scent Eliminator and Wind Indicator*

This species has a sense of smell and will detect players around them. Especially when upwind, you will see close-by animals stick their nose into the wind, then run away. The  Scent Eliminator works against all animals with a sense of smell. Apply it when you want to get close to the animal of your choice. Also, make sure to pay attention to the wind direction by observing objects tossed around or by using  Wind Indicator. Use it and follow the smoke with your eyes to see in which direction it is blown. As a general rule of thumb, the wind will blow towards the North-East on all maps. If you are not sure about the wind conditions, apply the  Scent Eliminator just in case. It doesn't hurt to use it once too often if you want to be on the safe side and not regularly spook animals by your smell.

*Searching*

It is worth following tracks of heavy stags, because their weight/score relation is a bit higher than for some other deer species. The top scoring bulls are all above 200kg, most even over 210kg. Their roaming speed is high and they can spot you well. It is a bit harder to follow them crouching compared to other male deer. Because many herds have a bull in them you should always call any herd you locate towards you, and then check it out entirely for a good scoring male.

*Luring*

Use the  Red Deer Caller to lure this deer. The caller has the same luring effect for both males and females. In addition it also provokes vocal responses. Use this caller regularly and listen out for any activity. Responses can be from males and females. Call the animals in short frequencies. You cannot over-call. Always be aware of your environment, the animals can spread out and surprise you by walking in from a side. Also in dense areas you might be luring another herd without noticing. Try to lure the animals out of dense woodwork. The red deer blends nicely with the fall environment of Hirschfelden. You run the danger of spooking them, or a nearby  Fox or Roe Deer. Also dense vegetation makes a safe shot harder if you have no clear line of sight.

*Field Judging*

Look for long beams with a wide spread, with many ends. The largest Red Deer bulls have exaggerated antlers. If you feel you are seeing what would be a major score in real nature, the bull might still score medium to low. Once you have seen one of those incredibly large set of antlers, you won't be looking for anything else.

*Shooting the animal*

The shot must be well prepared. Search a good place where you can stay undetected. Avoid hasty shots. A good  spotting skill  will support you picking the right animal if there are severals. Wait until the animal of your choice has come close enough for a good shot, or until you can safely hit a vital from the side. It is not always possible to set up an ambush, or to move away on time. Stay alert for other animals (e.g. from a group) that might have come very close to your lure, and make sure to go for a shot before one of these could spook and flush everything around them.

*If the animal flees*

If you spook the animal of your desire, follow the tracks crouching. Use your optics and try to spot it, and also look for tracks or vocal signs. Do not go too fast. The animal can stop fleeing abruptly and return to roaming, and the roaming can be in any direction including coming right back at you. If you end up bumping into the animal it will flee again. Take your time. If the animal is worth it, a few more minutes will pay off.

Following a spooked Red Deer is hard. They encounter you from far away. It is essential to constantly glass the area. If you crouch after a high scoring stag and finally find a roaming track after many fleeing tracks, you have likely come too close already and spooked it again.

### Quick Start Locations

Start at the following lodge(s) for quickly finding this species.

 Maison du Néant