Participating in axis deer hunts is a great way to spend a holiday or a weekend outing at Squaw Mountain Ranch. Many people know the axis deer by its other names: the chital or spotted deer. Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or a beginner, an axis deer hunt is a great way to test your skills. Axis deer are prized for their unmistakable spotted pattern and would make a great addition to any trophy room. Before deciding if you would like to add an axis deer to your trophy room, learning about them will help you while on your hunt.
What is an Axis Deer?
SMR offers axis deer hunts because we know that many hunters prize them. The axis deer are native to the Indian subcontinent. Their other name, chital, comes from the Hindi word, which means “spotted.” They are the only member of the genus axis, yet they’re related to many of the common deer you may see in your yard. The reason people prize the axis deer is because of its spotted fur. Axis deer don a light brown to medium brown coat with white spots all over their body. Their spots are neatly arranged in rows and reach to the bottom of their necks.
Their necks are white on the front, but brown on the back. Bucks have large, 3 pronged antlers that can reach the length of 40 inches. Unlike the bucks, does don’t have antlers. Bucks shed their antlers when they choose to unlike other animals in the deer family. Axis deer were almost extinct at one time, but through conservation effort, their wild population has increased to 6,000 and their captive population has reached almost 40,000! Bucks weigh around 220 pounds and does weigh 100 pounds on average.
Learning the Habitat Facilitates Axis Deer Hunts
Axis deer hunts are interesting because of the varied habitats they like. From tall grass to forests, axis deer love it all. In their native environment, axis deer enjoy moving together through tall grass and forests without a lot of brush. Because Squaw Mountain Ranch makes sure not to over graze certain parts of the ranch, you may even have a difficult time spotting an axis deer. They like to hide in taller grasses and can be quite hard to spot.
Axis deer have great camouflage for hiding in tall grass. Their brown fur helps them blend into it, and their white spots break up their pattern. Axis deer are browsers, meaning they enjoy eating fresh leaves, shoots, and fruits. They occasionally partake in shrubs and woody plants as well. They don’t graze very often if they have an ample supply of low trees and bushes. Like many other deer, axis does do protect their offspring and nurse them until they grow up.
Mating and Activity of Axis Deer
Knowing the mating season and the activity of axis deer will help you on axis deer hunts. Compared to other animals, axis deer don’t have a rut or set mating season. Axis deer breed throughout the year. Though breeding takes place year-round, axis deer tend to mate more often in warmer climates. Besides using their antlers to assert dominance, bucks use them to attract a mate.
In the wild, a female axis deer prefers males with antlers that have become hard with age. After shedding their antlers, male axis deer begin to regrow new antlers, however, they are velvety and soft. During the summer, the axis deer is active. In warmer weather, however, an axis deer is most likely to be found in a forest or under a shade tree. They begin foraging in the late afternoon and continue until about midnight. While browsing, they move slowly in groups picking at vegetation.
When moving to a new location, deer in a group walk single file so it’s common to find a line of tracks with multiple different hoof sizes. The axis deer forms herds led by a female, but axis deer in a herd owe no loyalty to the herd and come in and out of it as they please. Herds are small and are usually no larger than 15. They are vocal animals and communicate by making a sound similar to a bark when they sense danger.
Why Squaw Mountain Ranch is the Best Location for Axis Deer Hunts
One of the things our team at SMR prides itself on is our dedication to providing the best hunt possible, and out axis deer hunts are no different. We maintain our ranch to a high standard to give all of our animals a fair chance. One way we do this for our axis deer hunts is to make sure the grass on our ranch can grow tall. It gives the animals a fair chance while being hunted, and it gives our hunters a better experience.
Our ranch also hosts a variety of food and water sources for axis deer so they get to be big and strong. Besides all of this, our dedication to trophy hunting has led us to be as knowledgeable as possible when it comes to our animals. Our knowledge of our animals gives us the ability to give hunters of all experience levels a great time.
Guided Tours Available for All Level Hunters
Among all the other hunts we offer like Texas whitetail hunts, elk hunts, red stag hunts, and exotic animal hunts, we can give you a guided tour for axis deer hunts! Our mission at SMR is to offer the best experience possible, and that’s why we offer guided tours to our patrons. We even offer assistance to any of our patrons with disabilities. On a guided tour, we will supply you the knowledge you need to get a new trophy. We focus on information during our guided tours, allowing hunters to take control of their hunt. Everyone deserves a shot at their dream trophy, which is why we offer very affordable prices.