The roar or rut — from mid-March to the end of April — is when stags are most vocal, calling to attract the attention of hinds. They are less cautious than at other times.
It makes stags easier to stalk and thousands of deerstalkers across the South are preparing to go bush to bag a stag.
The Firearms Safety Authority, which chairs the Recreational Firearms Users Group, has begun a public information campaign reminding hunters everywhere of rule No4 of the Firearms Safety Code: to identify their target beyond all doubt.
Authority communities and corporate director Mike McIlraith said an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 New Zealanders were involved in big-game animal hunting each year and the roar was the key event for many each year.
‘‘The roar is a fantastic time of year for hunters to get out into the hills after a trophy animal, but hunting safely and making sure everyone gets home in one piece still must be the most important goal of every trip.
‘‘The consequences of not fully identifying your target beyond all doubt can be catastrophic.
‘‘Our message to hunters is a really simple one — if you are not sure, then don’t shoot.’’
Mr McIlraith said while hunting fatalities were rare, research had shown that misidentification of the target was the largest firearms-related risk to New Zealand deer hunters and 80% of the time this involved members of the same hunting group.
The authority said hunters should not feel pressured to take a shot.
‘‘Instead, hunters should take the time to analyse their target, wait and see if it is a hind or stag, how old is the animal, how many points does its antlers have?
‘‘Identifying your target means never firing at sound, shape, colour or movement alone.’’
He said good hunters always slowed down and ran through some simple mental checks, including ‘‘can I see the whole animal, or could this be another hunter?’’.
‘‘Taking a little extra time to identify your target and check the firing zone is the key to safer hunting.
‘‘No meat or no trophy is better than no mate,’’ he said.
