Deer Hunting In Portugal

Deer hunting in Portugal produces some of the finest red and fallow deer trophies to be found on the Iberian Peninsula.

Spanish Red Deer Trophy Minimums

The red deer that occur in Portugal belong to the Spanish or Iberian red deer subspecies and are listed as such in the RW & SCI record books.

European Fallow Deer Trophy Minimums

The fallow deer that occur in Portugal belong to the European fallow deer subspecies and are listed as such in the RW & SCI record books.

Iberian/Spanish Red Deer Habitat And Requirements

The Spanish red deer is found in hilly deciduous forests and scrublands of several areas, including the Algarve, eastern Alentejo plus central, eastern and far north Portugal, as well as in south western Spain.

Iberian/Spanish Red Deer Social Structure

• Mature red deer usually stay in single-sex groups for most of the year. During the rut, mature stags compete with each other for hinds and then try to defend as many as 20 hinds from rival stags. Stags challenge opponents by belling and walking in parallel, assessing each other's antlers and body size. If neither stag backs down, a clash of antlers can occur, which can result in injuries.

Red Deer Gestation Period

• Approximately 250 days
• Fixed breeding season with mating occurring from August into early winter.

Red Deer Gender Identification

• Iberian red deer stags are smaller in the body from other European red deer, weighing 120-180 kg. Stags have a thicker necks than females and no neck mane, unlike other European subspecies.
• Only stags have antlers which start growing in March, are completely developed on mature stags in July and are shed towards the end of the year.

Red Deer Hunting Methods

• Good trophies are obtained when individual stags are glassed and stalked.
• Local hunters often hold driven hunting days with beaters and dogs.

A Good Red Deer Trophy

• The desired trophy is a mature stag with a set of antlers which has matching brow, bez and trez tines and three points in the crown.

Red Deer Shot Placement

• As red deer shot placement is similar to many African antelope plains game species, go to Shot Placement On Plains Game.

Portuguese Red & Fallow Deer Gallery

More On Hunting In Portugal

• Book A Red Deer Hunt In Portugal
• Red Deer & Fallow Deer Hunting In Portugal
• Wing-Shooting In Portugal
• Wild Boar Hunting In Portugal

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Page Updated: May 2020