A $40,000 trophy red stag believed to be the victim of a poaching incident may have actually fallen at the hands - or antlers - of another deer.
Yesterday, Wairarapa Police issued a statement appealing for information relating to the death of a deer which they believed had been shot and killed in Ruakokoputuna, near Martinborough, over the weekend.
However, the deer's owner now believes it was wounded by another stag and died of blood poisoning.
A large wound on its hind originally appeared to be the result of a gunshot, but there was no exit wound and no bullet fragments could be found during a post-mortem.
The deer was about 6-years-old, weighed more than 200kg, and had more than 40 points on its antlers.