With today being St. Patrick’s Day, I thought it would be fun to look at an animal that hails from the Emerald Isle. I decided to go with the red deer (Cervus elaphus), Ireland’s only native deer and its largest native land mammal. The red deer ranges across much of Europe, into western Asia, and Northern Africa where it has the distinction of being Africa’s only deer species. Red deer have been introduced to various locations in New Zealand, Australia, and North and South America. The red deer features prominently in European cultures and as a result, many figures of the species exist. In picking a specimen to represent this iconic species in my collection I went with the 2010 Papo stag, let’s take a closer look and see if I made the right choice.
Like many wide-ranging species the red deer is divided up into many sub-species, some of which might also be distinct species of their own. The American elk (C. canadensis) was until recently classified as a sub-species of red deer. The Scottish red deer (C. e. scoticus) is the sub-species native to Ireland and is found today only in Killarney where they number 600-700 individuals. Introduced red deer from mainland Europe can be found elsewhere in Ireland and efforts are in place to conserve the genetic purity of the native sub-species. I can’t say with certainly what sub-species the Papo red deer represents but I would guess it’s probably the Central European red deer (C. e. hippelaphus).
Red deer are considered the 4th largest species of deer, but sizes vary between sub-species. The largest sub-species (C. e. elaphus) can reach 1,100 lbs. (500 kg) while the smallest (C. e. corsicanus) can weigh as little as 180 lbs. (80 kg) or smaller. Generally speaking, red deer weigh between 260-530 lbs. (120-240 kg) with the lower end representing a small hind (female) and the upper end representing a large stag (male). Stags have a shoulder height of 43-51” (109-129 cm). The Papo stag measures 4” (10.16 cm) from nose to tail, stands 5.5” (13.97 cm) to the top of its antlers, and has a shoulder height of 3” (7.62 cm) which puts the figure at about 1/17 in scale.
The Papo red deer is presented with a regal posture, thick flowing mane, and impressive set of antlers. These features are what drew me to the Papo figure vs. the multitude of other red deer figures out there. It is reminiscent of the stags depicted in 19th century artwork that might adorn a European hunting lodge. He looks great from every angle which makes him perfect for photography and display.
The thick neck mane indicates that this is a stag in the autumn breeding season (rut). The antlers conform nicely to red deer antler anatomy, with the tines at the ends of the antlers forming what is called a crown or cup, and bez tines adjacent to the brow tines. Only stags grow antlers, and the antlers are lost in late winter and begin growing anew in early spring.
The stag’s head is held high and alert with his ears perked forward. The neck and shoulders appear thick and well-muscled, and musculature is conveyed nicely across the entire figure. The legs appear strained and ready to give flight, with sculpted tendons taught and ready. The left hindleg is positioned forward of the right and slightly bent with only the tip of the hooves making contact with the ground, the other three limbs are firmly planted. A small tail is sculpted on the backside, and no scrotum is present but there is a sheath.
The Papo stag is detailed with a wavy coat of hair that nicely follows the contours of the animal’s body. The hair sculpted onto the mane appears thicker and wavier than it does elsewhere and some portions of the body where the hair would be short, such as the lower legs and face, are smooth. The figure is entirely brown and darker along the back with a paler underside.
A white or yellowish patch should be present on the rump but isn’t. This stag has its autumn/winter coat and in life spots are sometimes visible on the summer coat. The muzzle is dark brown, and the eyes and hooves are painted black with a shiny finish. It appears that the dew claws that should be present behind the hooves are absent, but it could also be that they’re “obscured” by the hair sculpted there.
The Papo red deer stag is a stately and handsome figure of a culturally and scientifically important species. The red deer is, after all, the type species of deer for which the entire deer family (Cervidae) gets its name. In picking a representative for this species, mediocrity won’t do, and the shelf presence of this figure is unlike that of any of its contemporaries. But, if this one doesn’t do it for you, there are plenty of other figures to choose from. The Papo red deer, usually advertised simply as stag, is still in production and retails for about $8.
