“What two species of deer do you think have been introduced to more continents than any other?” Asked Scandinavian Prohunter’s Stefan Bengtsson.
“Hmmmm…it would have to be either red deer or fallow deer based on my personal experience. I’ve hunted introduced red stag here in North America, South America and New Zealand, albeit they were introduced likely over a hundred years ago. I know red deer were also introduced to Australia.” Stefan nodded approvingly.
I continued, “Fallow deer, I have hunted in New Zealand and North America. But I know they also now exist in Africa, South America throughout parts of Europe. I almost hunted them in Australia, until I realized I did not have a hunting license in the area where we were to hunt them, so I became an observer and watched a couple of friends shoot them. I know there were originally basically two different subspecies of fallow deer, one that supposedly came from the Mediterranean with a scientific name of Dama dama and a second subspecies from Asia Minor Dama meopotamica. Based on research I did several years ago according to fossil records fallow deer first appeared 2.8 million years ago during the Pliocene and Pleistocene Era. There is some evidence today’s fallow deer are related to the giant Irish elk or “Megaloceros”, supposedly the the largest deer species ever! Based on what I’ve seen fallow deer can be white, dark brown, lighter colored brown and spotted. Their upper antlers tend to palmate and be many pointed. Males or stags have large Adam’s apple. This helps them make deep guttural grunting sounds, heard mostly during the breeding season. Such sounds carry better in wooded areas, compared to higher pitched sounds. Their venison is delicious. In the Robin Hood story, Friar Tuck loved “pasties” made from the fallow deer venison. And, I’ve read is the Romans in their travels to conquer land and people brought fallow deer with them to populate the area to provide future consistent and dependable sources of meat for their army and immigrants. That’s how fallow deer were supposedly introduced to Great Britain and numerous others areas in Europe as well as Scandinavia and other areas the Romans tried to or did conquer.”
Stefan nodded in approval. Before he could say anything I added. “The antlers particular on mature males are handsome and impressive!” Stefan smiled ever more.
“And I thought I was going to tell you some things about fallow deer you might not know. You are correct indeed your statements about fallow deer. Here in Sweden and across the bay in Denmark we very rarely see white and brown fallow deer. Mostly we see those with a reddish-brown spotted coats.” I nodded. “Several of the properties we manage here in Sweden have excellent fallow deer. We can hunt them here on the property where we live. But, have you ever hunted in Denmark?” I shook my head in a negative manner. “It’s just across the bay. Think it would be fun to go hunt in Denmark, especially since you’ve never hunted there.” I nodded in a positive manner this time. “We have access to an outstanding estate not far out of Copenhagen. It’s about an hour away. The property has been intensively managed for fallow deer for at least three hundred years. If you’re interested I call the gamekeeper and set up a hunt, day after tomorrow. That means we’ll do out best to take a red stag here in Sweden this afternoon or tomorrow. With the roar going on, I think we can do that.” Having hunted with Stefan and his wife Sophia (www.scandinavianprohunters.com) numerous times previously, I never doubted he would make it happen.
We did indeed take an excellent mature red stag the following mid-afternoon.
The following morning before first light, we crossed the long bridge separating Sweden from Denmark. All paperwork regarding my firearm, a .300 Win Mag shooting Hornady’s 180-grain SST Superformance, and hunting license had been taken care of the evening before.
We arrived at the fallow deer hunting estate in driving rain, just in time to head to the property’s hunting lodge to meet the resident gamekeeper, enjoy some delicious hot tea and have a look at skull and shoulder mounts of some of the outstanding animals taken on the property; red stags, roe deer, mouflon and fallow deer.
I was greatly impressed with the estate’s fallow deer taken in the past. I had previously hunted fallow deer in Texas as well as a couple of times in New Zealand. Those had been fun and successful hunts. Impressive antlers for the wall but also delicious meals for the table.
Driving rain kept us indoors until just before noon. Confined, I had ample time to ask about how we would be hunting, knowing some places in Scandinavia hunt from what we in Texas would call a raised deer blind, while others truly “stalk” not unlike what we call “still-hunting”. I was thrilled when the gameskeeper said we would be stalking. He further explained that I had booked the hunt to pursue a mature “representative” fallow stag, so that is what we would be looking for.
After many stories, cups of coffee and hot tea the rain quit. We headed afield, walking from the lodge. The woods comprised of various species of what appeared to be oaks, but also several other species of trees I could not identify, were relatively open but with occasional stands of tall grasses and clumps of underbrush.
We walked slowly through and beneath ancient trees, their trunks reminding me of live oaks on my own property in Texas. I knew the trees had to be a minimum of 400 years or older. No doubt these were older, likely having been saplings back in the late 1400’s and early 1500’s. I remember walking past them wishing they could tell me all the things they had seen and heard during their lifetime!
We saw numerous fallow deer, but mostly does, fawns and young bucks. We took the opportunity to see how close we could get to them before being detected, mostly within less than 200-yards.
Rain clouds, several times, made good on their threats. In spite of being wet to the bone, I was no less excited with anticipation of our seeing a mature fallow. Even so, I could see growing concern and exasperation in the eyes of the gamekeeper.
Walking toward the backside of a pond, suddenly our guide stopped, excitedly pointed toward a deer feeding under the widespread limbs of an ancient tree. It was undoubtedly a buck, but was it a stag that fit into the category I was after. We moved quickly toward a small motte of trees where we would have a better view of the buck and be at least partially hidden.
The gamekeeper stared through his binocular. As he did, I set up my shooting sticks, then asked Stefan to support my right arm and elbow to further steady my aim. Awaiting our guide’s decision, I prepared for a solid rested shot.
The fallow stag looked huge of body with impressive antlers. After looking at the stag from several angles, the gamekeeper gave me a thumbs up to shoot.
My crosshairs, thanks to Stefan’s assistance, were locked on vitals. I pushed safety to fire, let out all my breath, started applying pressure to the .300 Win Mag’s trigger which when it broke sent a 180-grain SST Hornady bullet on its mission.
I saw the bullet hit right where I had held the crosshairs. The stag started to run. As he did I bolted in a second round, and was about to squeeze the trigger a second time when the stag fell. I kept crosshairs on on my stag. Had he moved a single muscle, I would have shot a second time.
Moments later at the downed stag’s side I marveled at the size of his body. Huge, if not monstrous! Over the years I have weighed a lot of animals. There was no doubt the fallow deer at my feet weighed well over 300-pounds. His extra large body had made his antlers look smaller. Hmmmm..
I looked at the gamekeeper fearing I had shot a stag with antlers considerably bigger than what had been planned, which when hunting in Europe can get rather expensive. I could see my guide was really looking at antlers…..
After a few rather anxious moments, at least on my part, he turned and smiled. Next, he broke three small, leafy branches from the tree we were under, dipped all three in the stag’s blood. He laid one where my bullet had hit the animal, tucked the second in the deer’s mouth. Then handed the third to me to wear on the right side of my “jaeger hat” in respect of and to honor the animal whose life I had taken. Having done so he grabbed my right hand and shook it, while complimenting me on me on my shot and the grand fallow stag I had taken.
Having previously hunted in Europe I truly appreciated the respect shown to the animal and the hunter.
Just before dark Stefan and I headed back to Sweden and the 300-year old home Stefan and Sophia call home. It is there they “house” visiting hunters. After a meal fit for royalty, we adjourned to sit by the comforting, tongue-loosening fire, aided by a wee dram or five.
Scandinavian red deer and fallow stag “in the salt”, meat aging, it was time to plan another adventure…what could we possibly do next?