Red Deer

Deer, which belong to the genus Cervus, live in many parts of the world. Hungarian hunters are confident, however, that the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) living in the Carpathian Basin is unique and unrepeatable. For us, the Red Deer is the king of the woods!

The graceful appearance and noble movement of the Red Deer evokes admiration in the beholder at first sight. It is an extremely intelligent game animal with really sophisticated senses: it has sharp vision, excellent hearing and a good sense of smell, which means that a hunter requires great skill to get anywhere near it to stalk it.

An absolutely striking feature makes it stand out among other cervid species: it is a breathtaking experience when the organ-like cry of a stag overheated by testosterone and roaring with an outstretched neck echoes throughout the forest. This makes the hunter’s hair stand on end and gives him goose bumps.

The best of the population in Hungary are in South Transdanubia (in the counties Zala, Somogy, Baranya and Tolna); this is where the trophies came from which Hungarian game management can rightly be proud of: five among the top ten CIC positions were stags shot in Hungary. Such huge trophies are really amazing to see in life size.

Speaking of trophies: the most precious feature of the Red Deer for us, hunters, is their many-branched antlers. A trophy over 22 pounds is considered to be excellent, but some extraordinary individuals may have antlers weighing over 26 pounds, which has a really great prestige value and can fill the hunter with great pride.

Most probably all of the above have contributed to the fact that the Red Deer and Hungarians have always been inseparably linked: according to a Hungarian legend, our ancestors reached the Carpathian Basin chasing and following a miraculous deer, and then they settled and established their homeland there. Ever since then, the Red Deer stayed with us and still lives with us in this beautiful area and is part of the ancient rite called hunting.