Probably the last look on does

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

A free day Friday so decided to have a look out first light .The daughters boyfriend who works for me ,has been on to me about shooting a deer for sometime now and having shot paper with me i knew he was ready for the real thing albeit under full instruction. He has always been into airguns and now has a shotgun with quarry respect top of conversations.

He arrived 15 minutes early on his scooter so a cup of tea was in order before the off .Drove to a spot just out of town to where there is a few deer and where the landowner has asked for a beast for the table,arrived at 6.15 am to a perfect start for the time of year,sun and strong positive wind to make choosing the route easier.Anyway off we went with the wind at our backs to turn right at the boundary and follow down the stream to the lower ground that is bordered by another ,meeting stream, that runs right handed to a copse and where i hoped to see deer .The hedge along the stream zig-zags a lot before you get a view of the copse so its possible to cover ground swiftly here .Got to a glassable position and spied the backs of 3 roe out in a clearing with a bramble patch between us ,perfect .One was a buck in velvet and a handsome lad too ,black faced and sturdy looking ,one to look for later in the year hopefully.

To get to a shootable position here you have to half stoop up a ditch to a grass bank then crawl over to view and this is what we did .

The buck was half hidden now but another doe was out .The order appeared to be a doe and two follower does and a doe on her own and she was the intended target .My mate had my bins whilst i looked through the scope for the shot ,not my preferred method but i fully intended to take her soon.No broadside was going to happen as they were all grazing ass on .I whistled and all heads went up to try and detect the source and this was when i shot her in the neck at maybe 70 yds ,possibly a bit further.She went down perfectly and we watched as the others ran out the back of the copse to jump the stream and away onto neighbouring land .A good sized doe and it was apparent that she wasnt the mother of any of the followers as they never dithered or even looked back as you would expect from her own followers .Pleased with shot ,i then talked my young mate through the gralloch .

Onto another place now as the sun was well up and warm and i knew the deer would be in place .Another circuit to get the wind right and sure enough there were 7 deer lead along a hedge in the sun,including another good buck that i 'd seen before.The stalk here was longer and harder with 200 yds on our knees down a hedge towards them .Wind was perfect .We had to pause for a while as eyes fell upon us before resuming the cud chewing and staring at nothing in particular that deer are good at . Got to within 100 yds and waited talking in whispers about the line up before us .From left to right there appeared to be doe,doe follower ,buck follower ,doe ,mature buck then 2 doe followers both of which were fast asleep .I wanted to wait for a stood up broad side for the young man so we waited ,and waited but never bored with so many to study infront of us .I planned to take out two followers if possible but said nothing .Eventually the left hand doe stood up ,urinated and started to browse triggering the rest one by one to rise.My mate had the rifle by now and was waiting to be instructed as to a target.One of the followers on the left was very weedy so i whispered its location and the shot was taken ,very calmly i have to say and spot on in the chest .A bit of milling about until the buck follower stood broadside and i instructed that to be taken as it too was very small for its age .Still they stood and as i had my eye on the dam to these two from the start i told him to shoot that also .Three good shots and three beasts down.Watched as the rest gathered themselves to leave through the hedge.Showed my mate the gralloch on one then watched as he did the other two himself with a bit of help .Very pleased with himself as was i .Got waylaid by the farmer on the way out who managed to blag the buck kid for himself He was pleased with the result though as thewinter wheat has taken a bashing of late .

[ArchieHood 3,692]

Master and Mentor.

[martin 332]

Well done to the lad,and you for your tuteledge.

 

Martin

[crazycanuck 3]

Sounds like a great outing! Wouldn't it be great if they all turned out that way.

Keep up the good work with the young feller!

[lofti 579]

QUALITY

[Yokel Matt 918]

Great going mate Nice obliging group - that’ll be him addicted!... now he’ll be popping round to go out shooting not to see your daughter!