Out for a couple of hours..........

martin · April 15, 2010

I done my chores for the day(grocery shopping trip)so I thought I would just pop over the market gardens for a couple of hours before taking the dogs out.I grabbed all my gear without actually forgetting anything this time..lol,and got to the gardens around 1600hrs,the sun was up,but there was a keen breeze blowing down the valley,and,after a quick hello to the farmer I got myself settled in between a couple of hawthorn bushes looking out over a sunlit bank.It was bound to produce,or so I thought,but,I had heard that the other farmers son has been out with a rifle and shot 3 Roe a couple of weeks ago.Now I have hit this place pretty hard for the farmers as they were taking a bit of a beating from the Roe/Muntjac/Rabbits and the new interlopers that have arrived recently....Hares all of which are doing a lot of damage to the crops,but,the place won't be able to sustain two people shooting the Deer,now I know it is his fathers livelihood,but,I had it all under control,and they both told me how happy they were,so,I am hoping he will get bored soon(fingers crossed).Anyway,I had been watching the slope for a good hour and a half,and the time was a bit against me now,so,I decided to slowly make my way back to where I parked the truck.I luckily didn't take m usual route and I came out into the next field looking up over a small plantation of xmas trees to a small open area in amongst the Hawthorn/Blackthorn bushes about 165yds away,and,as I carefully peeped round the xmas trees I saw two Muntjac feeding,both had the head down,so,I got the rifle up on the sticks and put the crosshairs on the Buck which was the farthest one away,I squeezed off a round and I was happy with the connection although he did run on into the wood(hard little buggers)the Doe never moved a muscle,she just carried on feeding as if she hadn't heard the shot,and,as she turned side on I took her as well.I waited around 5/10 minutes,and then I headed up the valley to get my prizes.I came across the Doe first,and,she was stone dead from a neck shot,but,when I got to where the Buck had been there was a pile of pins there and the smallest piece of meat you could imagine(you know what I'm talking about Foxhunter)but,absolutely no blood at all,now I would normally get the whippet to track it out for me,but,she couldn't be trusted to work a whole wood without a lead,and,because it is so dense I would have to let her run free,and,I'm afraid that she would certainly find aDeer,but,not necessarily the one I wanted......maybe a GSP might be on the cards in the future.I worked my way through the wood as best I could,but,unfortunately came up with nothing,no blood to follow at all.I think the bullet must of just creased his brisket,but,I will take her up there tomorrow and walk her through the top part of the wood just to see.Here is a few pics for you...........

The Doe........

The pins.......

and the piece of meat......

cheers......Martin

Yokel Matt · April 16, 2010

Shame about the buck mate - it is damn thick around there ain't it :yes: I hope the other chap gets board as well mate... it can't handle the three of us :whistling: :laugh: