Hog deer
Scientific name: Axis porcinus
- How weight is recorded: Carcass weight
Field notes
Appearance
Small compact deer with a stocky build and relatively short legs. Coat is uniform reddish-brown to dark brown; males are darker and larger than females. Bucks carry small, simple antlers with minimal points.
Size and weight
Males 45–55 kg and 75–80 cm body length; females 35–45 kg and 70–75 cm. Shoulder height 60–65 cm.
Habitat
Hog deer inhabit dense grasslands, reed beds, and scrubland near water sources in tropical and subtropical lowlands. They favour areas with tall grass and thick cover, typically below 1,000 m elevation.
Distribution
Native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, from southern India through Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. Prefers wetland grasslands and reed beds.
Diet
Grazes on grasses and sedges; also browses herbs, fallen fruit, and tender shoots. Diet shifts seasonally with water availability and vegetation growth.
Behaviour
Primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, most active at dawn and dusk. Solitary or in small groups; bucks are territorial. Move quickly through dense cover in a hunched posture when alarmed.
Hunting tips
Look for well-trodden paths through tall grass and tracks in mud near water edges; droppings are small, dark pellets clustered in feeding areas. Stalk into wind through dense cover at dawn or dusk, moving slowly and listening for movement. Use water sources and open clearings to glass for feeding animals at low light.
Carcass weight
This species is logged by carcass weight — the animal weighed dressed, the way hunting teams normally report it.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.