Fallow Deer Hunting

A popular head with our hunters, fallow are frequently hunted in New Zealand and are the second most widespread deer across both islands.  The 'paddle' antler are an attractive trophy for your wall, almost resembling a tiny moose.  

Your fallow trophy - our approach

Fallow can be tricky to hunt.  Unlike some of the other deer species, this is an animal that has sharp eyes and will often spot an eager hunter from high on an open ride.  However, a fallow stag is not prone to stand around and watch you.  A wet day is often a good day for fallow.  As always, your guide will ensure a sneaky approach, although they are a little easier to hunt once they hit full rut in mid April.  Our guides insist the best place to catch a fallow in on a face that catches the early morning sun.

Character and characteristics

The distinctive paddles will often give a fallow buck away as he watches from a warm valley. Small in body size and always alert,  his distinctive croak and grunting sound carries well in the valleys and ridges and is often hard to pinpoint the source of. Usually timid, the fallow buck is extremely aggressive during the rut when the hunters can occasionally witness vicious and even fatal fights between the bucks of this species.  Fallow can exhibit any one of three colour phases.  Hunters tend to prize black or chocolate brown, followed by the spotted menil and the white fallow.