| Summary: | Authors analyzed data of 9 trophy parameters (weight of the antler, length of main beam, length of brow tine, length of bay tine, length of tray tine, circumference of coronet, lower circumference of main beam, upper circumference of main beam, number of total tines) of 6868 red deer stags shot between 1997 and 2007 and estimated ages were between 4-16 years, from two counties of Hungary (5946 from Somogy and 921 Bcs-Kiskun). General linear model was used to evaluate age and county effects on the trophy parameters. Age was a significant source of variation for all studied traits while county affected most of the studied parameters. Consequently the dataset was analyzed separately for each county. Low to high correlations (adjusted for age effect) were found both in Somogy (r=-0.04 - 0.80) and for Bcs-Kiskun (r=-0.06 - 0.70). Using principal component analysis (with orthogonal rotation) 4 factors were extracted which accounted for 73 % and 75 % of total variance in Bcs-Kiskun and Somogy county respectively. The first factor represents the circumferences of the trophy, the second factor the main tines (brow, bay, tray) of the antler. The third and fourth factors represented the number of total tines of the trophies and the length of main beam respectively. These identified factors could be considered in selection/evaluation of the trophies in Hungarian red deer instead of the traditionally used measurements in order to maintain type and quality of the red deer trophy in Hungary.
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