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Thanks gentlemen.
The rifle is indeed a Ruger M77 MkII RSI in .308, topped with a Leupold 2-7 x 28 Ultralight compact scope. The load consists of a 150gr Sierra ProHunter at a modest 2750fps, the ADI starting load, and invariably produces pass-throughs with side-on rib-cage shots.

That rifle is very handy for the hills, although I desperately need to build a rear mount for the Rigby .275 in my gunsafe and fit the little 1920s Mignon scope I acquired a while back. The Ruger can then return to its normal role as my CPM culling rifle.

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I was going to post "how the mighty have fallen!" But then you explained your temporary insantiy. Only joking, I think I have seen you use a plastic stocked rifle in the past on Queensland deer.

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It never ceases to amaze me that a rutting stag, black with piss and absolutely stinking, can produce such good eating venison. That stag was relieved of his back-straps, rumps, leg-roasts and blades as well as the head. We had the tenderloins for dinner that evening, yumm! What we didn't eat in camp was lodged in my Dad's freezer in Brisbane.

Also shot a yearling hind for a bit of extra meat in the second week.

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If you managed to take an Engel freezer's worth back to Darwin with you, you can add venison to your buffalo and boar diet. Plus all that delicious seafood.

As for rutting stags. A stag or buck during the rut will not eat due to love sickness so will loose a lot of condition that by the end, in late April or May, may even starve to death if they can't get enough quality feed to recover. So their late rut condition may not be good eating.

Many hunters are too squeamish to deal with a stinky stag or buck so leave it to rot, only taking the antlers. If this is the reason, they shouldn't be hunting, and instead hunt before the rut or after it.

I would NEVER kill a farm buck during the rut.

One of our members in the past was an expert butcher and also expert in game and hunting. He told me about the glands in the legs of a chital and fallow buck and probably reds and other species, which will "spoil" the meat if you touch the glands and then the meat. Most hunters know how a stag will rub its nose on its "calf" muscles and then on brush, or rub the leg directly. Marking its territory. So wash your hands thoroughly if touching any glands areas. Or a dirty stinky hide. Before touching any meat. If no water, tissues and hand wash sterile cleanser.

I also can have an extreme allergic reaction to a deer. Sometimes not, somethimes I become the elephant man in appearance. Wandered why the hit and miss in the past, but maybe it is the glands? The "miss" part has been adsent more in recent times, starts with an itching wherever the deer's blood has touched. I take allergy pills now BEFORE handling deer. Seeing I have pet farmed (eating) deer, it is a bit of a problem. Worse reaction ever though was to an impala in Zimbabwe, but don't remember any reaction to any other animal.

Same for waterbuck. Many claim waterbuck venison is unedible. My PH in 2001 when I shot my waterbuck, had the staff shampoo it thoroughly back at camp before skinning it. The waxy coating spoils the meat, but if washed well off on skin before skinning and butchering, the meat is as good as most antelopes.

Great to read of your enjoying the red stag venison. And get one pre-rut and utilising it.