About the Rusa Deer
Info About the Rusa Deer
The rusa deer is a medium-sized species native to Indonesia. Highly adaptable and cautious, they are known for their large ears, coarse coats, and the impressive lyre-shaped antlers of the males. These social grazers thrive in grassland and wooded habitats across the Indo-Pacific.
Behaviorally, they are highly sociable herd animals but are notoriously shy and primarily semi-nocturnal. They spend the bright daylight hours resting in thick, protective vegetation and emerge into open plains at dawn and dusk to graze on grass, leaves, and fallen fruit. Interestingly, they rarely drink water directly; instead, they extract the vast majority of their required hydration straight from the moisture-rich plants in their diet.
During the peak of the mating season (the rut), stags become intensely vocal, emitting deep, husky growls to ward off rivals and attract females. Rather than locking antlers as aggressively as some other deer species, rusa stags will plow through vegetation, adorning their antlers with large bundles of grass and twigs to intimidate competitors and establish dominance.
Males are called stags or bucks, and females are hinds or does.
Rusa Deer Subspecies
Rusa deer have 2 subspecies, the Javan and the smaller Moluccan.
Description of the Rusa Deer
- Size: Males are significantly larger than females. They stand from 32 to 43 inches at the shoulders. Males typically weigh from 250 to 353 pounds. Females weigh from 110 to 176 pounds.
- Antlers: The male’s antlers usually have 3 tines (points) per side.
- The Javan Rusa deer grow antlers from 28 to 38 inches long.
- The Moluccan subspecies grow antlers up to 16 inches long.
Recommended Calibers
Use a minimum of a 6.5mm caliber to hunt rusa deer.
Where to Hunt Rusa Deer
You can hunt free-range Javan rusa deer in 3 main locations:
- New Zealand, North Island
- Australia – Queensland and Southern Australia
- The island of Mauritius in Africa
- Texas offers rusa deer hunts on some private hunting ranches.
What is Considered a Trophy Rusa Deer
A trophy Javan Rusa Deer is measured by the following characteristics:\
- Antlers:
- Antler Points: A classic symmetrical 3-point-per-side structure (brow tine, inner top tine, and outer top tine).
- The “Rusa” Rule: Unlike sambar deer, a true trophy rusa must have an outer top tine that is significantly longer than the inner top tine.
- Antler Length: Main beams measuring over 28 inches are considered high-quality trophies, while lengths reaching from 34 to 38 inches represent world-class trophies.
- Mass and Color: Heavily pearled, thick-beamed antlers with a very dark, near-black coloration and ivory-white tips.
- Age and Body Size: Mature stags aged 6+ years, featuring a coarse, rough mane around the neck and throat, and a body weight from 280 to 350+ pounds for Javan Rusa. The smaller Moluccan subspecies weighs from 130 to 177 pounds.
Cost to Hunt Rusa Deer
It costs from $2,500 to $8,500 to hunt rusa deer depending on the country and subspecies you hunt.
Australia – Queensland & South Australia
- Moluccan Rusa: The smaller Moluccan sub-species is hunted around Brisbane, with 3-day guided hunts starting from $4,000 to $6,400.
- Javan Rusa: Because Javan Rusa grow much larger antlers, pricing varies by antler size:
- Up to 145 inches SCI: Approximately $6,800
- 145 to 160″ SCI (Gold Medal Class): Approximately $8,300
New Zealand
- A rusa trophy fee sits between $4,000 and $7,500.
Texas
- The cost to hunt a rusa deer on a Texas game ranch typically ranges from $5,500 to $16,500+ for an all-inclusive package, depending on the tier of the ranch, accommodation luxury, and the antler trophy class.
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