Stag vs Deer: What’s The Difference?

Rural residents often come across deer. These four-legged ruminants are known for being skittish and hunting for sport and meat. People who have lived in rural areas with deer in their vicinity will likely have heard the terms deer, buck, doe, or stag. Some terms may overlap and can become confusing. We will explain the differences between a deer and a stag and what the names of these animals mean.

Comparing a Stag to a Deer

Stags are mature male deer. The term “deer” refers to any creature in the Cervidae family. Any male deer can be a buck, and any female deer can do. While buck can refer to young deer and older deer alike, the stag is more appropriate when referring to mature male deer.

Interesting side note: The term “stag”, although widely used in the world, is not universally used. People will often use “buck” to refer to a male deer. It is possible that people may not be familiar with the term “stag” and instead use “buck” for mature, large, fully grown deer.

These are the 4 Key Differences between Stag and Deer

Their sex, weight, and morphology are the most important differences between a deer and a stag. We have already said that stags are male deer. However, the term “deer” can also refer to any member of Cervidae.

A key distinction between deer and stags is their weight. Because they are mature males, stags are the largest deer. Sexually dimorphic deer tend to be heavier and larger than their female counterparts.

Stags do have antlers. However, not all deer have them. For example, does not have antlers female deer. However, not all stags are equipped with antlers. These are the main differences between a stag and a deer. However, there are many other differences. We will explore more differences among these animals.

Stag vs Deer: Sex

Stags only have males, while deer can have both males and females. The Cervidae family members are called “deer”, so the term is more general than a specific one. All ages of male deer are called bucks. All ages of female deer are called bucks.

The term “stag” refers only to a particular male deer, usually older, more mature and often antlered. However, stag cannot be used interchangeably with “buck” because it is too broad.

Stag vs Deer: Morphology

Antlers are not only for stags but also for all deer. This is why the morphology of a deer and a stag are very different. The fact that stags lose their horns each year and then regrow them in time for mating season is a puzzle.

When deer shed their antlers, the winter is the best indicator that they are a stag or doe, which might not be the most obvious. Stags will regrow their antlers once the warmer weather arrives in spring, and their bodies start to produce more testosterone.

Stag vs Deer: Weight

Stag deer are often the largest of all deer and will be the largest of any group. Stags are heavier than bucks and weigh more than bucks. Because they are mature animals, a stag has a larger body.

The largest deer can be between 24 and 26 inches high at the shoulder and weigh up to 990lbs. These larger and taller animals are likely to be stags.

Stag vs Deer: Maturity

The maturity of a stag is a major difference from a deer or buck. Stags are mature deer. They are often several years old and fully developed.

Stags are also notable because they are the most aggressive males within their herds. These large adult deer can grow their antlers to fight other stags trying to obtain mating rights. In the world of deer, stags and bucks are distinguished by their maturity.