Had to attend a niece's wedding on Hamilton Island over the Easter weekend, so took the opportunity to slip down to another niece's property in the Brisbane Valley straight after for a taste of the 'roar'.

Managed to collect a nice 4x4 head in the scrubby creekline on the first afternoon: my first ever red stag! I was sneaking onto a roaring stag with hinds, when an unseen contender off to the side got my wind and bolted across the levee in top gear. Just as I got a comfortable lead on him through the scope, he performed a long graceful leap over the last patch of lantana at the edge of the overflow, and I shot him out of the air like a low-flying black-duck!

After a quick self-timed photo or two I continued after ol' prickle-top but the wind reversed just as the sun set and he beat me. I did get an enticing glimpse of top tines and heavy beams through the trees as he slipped away however!

Closed the bolt on 2 more 4x4 stags over the next couple of days, one popped out of a clump of lantana about 5 metres in front of me and roared right in my face! I let them be of course, but never saw the big guy again.

There's always next year!

Collecting the prime cuts: we ate venison steaks, stir-fry and stew for the next 4 days.

Meat-Ants doing a fine job of cleaning up the head.