Finally got to pick up my South Island Red Stag from 2014. I knew he would look good but the pedestal was icing on the cake.

Wow!

That is a beautiful mount.

Outstanding!

Thanks all. I took him and a Tahr. A great hunt and NZ is where I would go if we had to vacate the US.

Very nice.

I'd have to brag on that one too!

Beautiful stag! Congrats.

WOW! That's seriously a beaut!

Stunning! The taxi did a great job and you displayed in very well.

I don't blame you OSU. That is gorgeous! Congrats.

Yeah OSU as others have said that's certainly brag-worthy!

What's the story of the hunt? Did you get a guide?

I just saw the Meat Eater episode where Remy Warren dropped Rinella off on some public land and he tent camped. Shot a little feral lamb for camp meat and a nice stag. As he was waiting for the stag he shot to tip over an absolute MONSTER walked out and he had to hold off.

Awesome sounding experience all the way around. Stunning country. I'd love to hear your story I may have missed it!

I like those types of mounts. Take up a lot of space but well worth it.

Congrats you have something to be proud of.

Very nice!

Thanks guys. The trip was a retirement gift to myself. A group of my hunting partners went with us. We combined a 4 day hunt in the Southern Alps with another 7 days of touring the South Island.
We hunted with Kiwi Safaris and stayed in their lodge. Absolutely top shelf all the way around.
The hunt was tough for me as I wasn't accustomed to hunting mountains. Lost both my big toe nails due to inadequate toe box room in my Danner boots (which remained behind, by the way). My buddy's wife is a DDS and she heated up a paper clip, stabbed each nail and received the pressure. I felt like dancing...

The mountains aren't extremely high (7K') but very steep with lots of grass covered gravel that slides out from under you. I watched this stag for over a mile coming down a mountain. He was all rutted up and was looking for a girlfriend. We watched him go into a valley and put a stalk on him to about 135 yards. He was thrashing the hell out of a tree with his antlers and my guide told me that if and when he pauses to take the shot. One round of 30-06 Trophy Bonded tip and he went down like a fat kid on a teeter totter.

The Tahr was much tougher than the stag to kill. He absorbed 3 rounds of the Trophy Bonded Tips before tipping over.

A final shout out to the people of NZ. Wonderful people and who largely understand hunting and what it does for animal populations. They like us Yanks and I enjoyed my time there thoroughly.

I have some more photos and a short video clip of where I was standing when I shot the Tahr. I'll find them and get them posted. Thanks again for all the kind words. It was a bucket list item and worth every penny.

Fabulous! Looks like you had the perfect niche for it too!

Big fuggeen house you live in too

NICE work. The Southern Alps give up nothing to the Rockies, as far as ruggedness.

yeah, it's a bit bigger than the one I grew up in.

Nice stag, congratulations.

Thanks Scotty.
T_Inman, you've been there and know how tough it is to get around. It's a shame its so far away as it becomes unavailable to many but that also keeps it as we saw it.

Wow! Very nice!!

Very nice... I'm drooling on myself.

Perfect place for that mount, never seen that before.

Beautiful trophy, congratulations! I'm a huge fan of pedestal mounts whether mounted as you do or on a wall.

Seems like you have the perfect place to park it as well.

And congrats on a great trip and your retirement. What's next on the list? <grin>

If things fall just right, I may try to go to Namibia in 2018. Otherwise, a bull elk hunt is next . Not sure when or where just yet...

Good Lord, that's a beautiful animal and mount, congratulations Sig.

Thanks gunner!

You have the right to brag, when you bring home a nice one like that. Taxidermist did a good job too.

That is nice!!

That's a beautiful mount and where you have it makes it look like a show piece! Congrats on a great stag!

Looks great!!