Grupy wiekowe byków jelenia szlachetnego (Cervus elaphus L.), w ramach których powinna być prowadzona ich selekcja osobnicza na Warmii i Mazurach

The aim of the paper was to distinguish age groups of red deer stags in compliance with age classes (I−III) operational in game management practices in order to carry out individual selection of red deer populations living in the Warmia and Mazury regions. The parameters taken for analyses were, among others: the sum of points on the CIC scale, antler weight, length of beams and body weight. Moreover, the rate of growth of body weight and the selected features of antlers were analysed to identify age groups of stags. The analysis of the data from measurements of all stags harvested in the Olsztyn Province during three hunting seasons 1988/1989, 1989/1990 and 1990/1991 showed that the sampled group contained selective, shootable and prospective stags, i.e. non−selective stags below 10 years of age culled contrary to the selection criteria. Stags from the last two groups formed the class of strong stags, i.e. stags with antlers developed above the standard for a given age. The experimental material presented in this paper consisted of antlers collected from 1704 red deer stags including 405−546 antlers from non−selective (strong) stags.