The hybrid red-rusa deer theory

In Australian Hunter 87 my article ‘Genetics: natures playbook’ looked at the impact of genetics on red deer antler development, growth and form. It explored the impact of natural variation, accidents, heredity and hybridisation on the development of a stag’s rack.

In relation to hybridisation, I hypothesised that a particular herd in my local area seemed to include animals of a red-Moluccan rusa cross. At the time of writing, I had no absolute proof of the fact, just an inkling supported by a single head. However, thanks to the success of a mate recently taking an 8-point stag from the same herd, I think at long last I have my proof.

To recap
In 2016 my son Joseph and I grassed two 7-point stags from a herd on a mate’s property. The first, a typical head, was taken in March. It exhibited all the expected form and growth patterns of a red stag. The second, taken in September, bore antlers in the traditional red deer form but they were miniature. Even though both animals were bodily of a size consistent with a mature red stag, I could immediately see a conundrum in respect to their antlers.

It transpired that the district had once held a small population of Moluccan rusa deer. I concluded that the smaller rack could be an indication of a red-Moluccan hybrid resultant of a red stag having covered a Moluccan doe – or vice versa – at some point. When I compared the suspected hybrid to a Moluccan rusa head, it confirmed in my mind that the rack had the growth pattern/form of a red stag but the size characteristics of a Moluccan rusa. In fact, the comparative dimensions of the hybrid against the Moluccan indicated an almost perfect correlation. Based on this physical evidence I concluded that in this instance the genetic code of two species had merged to produce a hybrid presentation. I had always wanted additional proof to confirm my belief, and I reckon I got it after that successful hunt with my mate.

A hybrid 8
My regular hunting companion, Dave, and I had decided on one last ‘antler quest’ for the year. It was late August 2024, and there was plenty of venison in the freezer, so we were on the lookout for something to break Dave’s trophy duck. Dave is an accomplished shot and an experienced outdoorsman who I’ve hunted with for more than a decade. Over that time, he’d had ample opportunity to take a representative head but always declined, mostly due to his ethical ‘let em go and let em grow’ attitude and the fact that he would often be mentoring my son, allowing him to take the shot. He is indeed a gentleman! Anyway, in this instance we had a specific purpose for our hunt, and I still harboured the ulterior motive of wanting to see if another hybrid stag might be taken on the property.

We hit the ground late afternoon and began our circuit. One of the most productive parts of the property has always been an extensive stand of heavy timber following a ridge line down to a secluded dam. We had regularly bumped stags there in the past. The edge of the timber bordered a clear and open ridge face, and I suggested that Dave position himself in ambush along this natural escape route. I began stalking through the timber with the intent of trying to drive any deer toward Dave’s position by being a little noisy and deliberately working the wind to push my scent along and across the spine of the ridge. The tactic worked and in response to my obvious presence, first the cattle, and then the deer, began to move away from my position toward Dave. The echoing crack of a single rifle shot seemed to signal success!

Sometime later I found Dave looking very relaxed sitting on a log on the upslope of the clearing. I was perplexed, although he is an excellent shot, I could see no evidence of a grassed deer. I walked up and said in a cocky manner, “well where is the 10-point stag you bagged”? He just smiled and pointed, “up there.” Sure enough at the top of the rise under a tree was indeed a stag; an 8-pointer neatly despatched. Dave said that the stag had bolted out of the timber like a freight train, straight past him at a few metres simply going too fast for a shot. However, at the top of the rise he had done that oft fatal red deer thing and, oblivious to Dave’s presence, stopped to look back toward the source of his apprehension – me. Big mistake, Dave had his first representative head on the ground, and I had some additional proof for my hybridisation theory.

Confirmation
As soon as I saw the rack on this animal I was transported back to the morning in 2016 when Joseph had grassed his hybrid 7-pointer. In all respects it could have been the same animal; the proportions and visual impact of the antlers said it all. This stag was a mature beast, bodily typical of the reds on this block; solid and robust yet one look at his antlers was enough to convince me that here again was another red-Moluccan cross. His head gear, like that of the 2016 stag, simply did not correspond to an animal of his obvious maturity. Once again, the growth pattern and form of the rack was all red deer, but the slim, narrow, almost elegant presentation was all Moluccan rusa. I have no doubt that the two animals shared the same genetic inheritance from a common sire in the distant past.

By way of proof, or at least so as others can draw their own conclusions, I have provided photos of stags taken off the property. You will note that all are big bodied mature reds, in that respect they are all similar. However, when you look at their individual head gear it becomes obvious that they are indeed vastly different. Two animals are adorned with antlers which, although atypical in form, are growth wise commensurate with their level of maturity, and two are not. Looking at and comparing the two suspected hybrids, I believe the glaring similarities make a compelling argument in favour of my conclusion. Namely, that a hybrid strain exists in the herd inhabiting this particular property. It just goes to show that everything on the planet is a product of its genetic inheritance, which was exactly the point of my original 2023 article. Don’t you just love Mother Nature!