Stag ID please

[RobinP]

I think this is a Roe Deer stag:



Of course as soon as I got out of the car it legged it

First I've seen in this part of Herts

Robin

[ViperaBerus]

The antlers are far too big to be Roe. Looks like Sika to me.

[RobinP]

Originally Posted by ViperaBerus

The antlers are far too big to be Roe. Looks like Sika to me.

Good point! Also the ears and mane had a Sika look about them. Wonder where it came from?

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by RobinP

I think this is a Roe Deer stag:



Of course as soon as I got out of the car it legged it

First I've seen in this part of Herts

Robin

I think your pic may be a black (melanistic) fallow buck with a very 'poor' head (ie. it isn't palmated). Sika deer have a distinctive white rump patch. Also they tend to only have eight points (exceptionally ten) on their antlers. The deer in your pic has at least ten points, but the head doesn't look heavy enough and the tines are too short for a mature sika. The shape of the deer looks more like a fallow than sika to me.

Cheers
Jonathan

[faz]

i think ist a fallow deer just by looking at the tail its quite long where a sika deer has a much shorter tail but the antlers in your picture says sika ?

[RobinP]

I ruled out Fallow on size alone but the darkish-grey/brown colour may have exaggerated its' size I suppose. Fallow is a much more likely candidate from these parts though.

[salukiwhippet]

Yep, fallow buck (only sika and reds have stags) with a pretty poor head.

James

[Dogghound]

I agree Fallow, Its only a young one hence the small antlers.