Brock Deer owner Elliot Brock offered 60 stags and 25 hinds at his on-farm sale in Merino Downs, West Otago this month.
The average stag price of $18,600 included a top price of $75,000.
"It was real good to see that after the first few big boys, the sale held up real well through the middle, right the way to the end."
Kelly and James Hudson, of Timaru, paid $75,000 for stag 152P121.
"He was a freak stag, a once-in-20-year stag with an enormous body and massive 11.8kg of tidy velvet and a real quiet temperament."
Syndicate Greg Oliver, of Palmerston and Criffle Station in Wanaka bought stag 358P121 for $70,000.
The average and top prices were down 20% on last year due to the velvet price being down 20%, Mr Brock said.
The hinds sold for an average of $2200 including a top price of $12,500.
"Considering the velvet price and the current market conditions, the sale was outstanding," Mr Brock said.
Foveran Deer Park owner Barry Gard said 7-year-old stag Robert Hay sold for the top price of $75,000 on his farm in Kurow this month.
Robert Hay had been used as a sire stag at Foveran Deer Park since it was a spiker, he said.
"He was well proven and we thought it was time to pass him on because we have plenty of his genetics in our herd."
Of the 41 stags on offer, 38 sold for an average price of about $6800, which was up on last year, he said.
Nearly 50 buyers registered for his 42nd annual sale.
"Which I thought was pretty good."
Rural Livestock deer agent Adam Whaanga, of Mosgiel, said he placed bids on behalf of clients to win stags 152P121, 358P121 and Robert Hay.
The $75,000 price tags were the joint highest price paid for a deer at an on-farm sale in the South this season.
His clients would have paid more for the stags if bidding had continued.
"I had more fuel in the tank but there was just no underbidders for those top ones."
If there had been underbidders, the stags would have sold for six figures, he said.
The sales this season lacked underbidders at the top end, he said.
A reason could be because deer farmers’ lack of cashflow.
Many farmers used their velvet income to buy new genetics, Mr Whaanga said.
"A lot of guys haven't sold their velvet and that's the difference."
