Patience Does Pay

[Philluk 181]

Well after watching the weather day in day out and getting out for a bit here and there ive not had the busiest season. Ive not done a write up for a while so I thought I would try.

 

Driving down the road past one of the farms I shoot i was due on a certain farm and as i drove to it I always look in the field to the right and have often had a fox for the farmer but on this occasion there were about 20 fallow, having already informed the farmer i was going i left them in favour of the new land i had recently got and was booked into. when i parked i walked down the side of the stream and at the bottom i stood and had a look around as the glasses moved right handed there was no sign, so 3 steps later i did the same thing and as i glanced around i saw miss roe looking at me, bu@@er i thought i have been clocked already, with the wind coming at me i froze and did not move for what seemed ages but i guess was only 5 - 10 mins and as she was looking i kept still just looking down my fogged up glasses watching her watching me. Then she started chewing and dropped her head to eat and i slowly keeping my glasses on her began to lower my body and got to the ground, laying down i had cover of longer grass and enough under growth to undo the bipod and point the gun in her direction. I picked her up fairly quickly through the scope but still unsure of me but happy enough to eat, then as i scouted around i spotted another one some 20 feet behind her, as the bank had a slight incline it was enough for me to take a safe shot and as the thud called out she dropped in an instant and her mate legged it away. I continued on walking the wood at a slightly faster rate as i knew there wouldn't be any others but as i cleared the thicker areas some 300 yds further i saw a further 5 roe all grazing in a bit of a clearing and looking up but watching away from me, cautious i thought as there was one female alone to the right and i would take her but something i didn't like was the fact they kept looking back which was away from me and then they were looking anxious as they kept looking back and ran in my direction i froze as they ran past some 10 feet away, i waited and kept looking where they went and where they were and could hear voices which got louder and louder and then saw 2 lads one in camo the other a grey tracksuit and they came towards me and as i stood up it frightened the cr@p out of them and we had a few words their lost excuse didn't wash with me.

 

Driving out of the farm i drove back up past the area of fallow i saw earlier which were still there, now i had worked out if i crawled along the hedge to the right, which is not in the picture i could climb through the hedge and drop down below them, but would i get the shot or the angle be too high, i had nothing else to do so i set off to start crawling. i wish someone had told me not to, i was concerned about the angle but thought i would see, i got to where the hedge line joins and you can see the deer and the angle, the woods behind are mine and are private. it took me 45 mins to crawl the first part and i got wet, put my hand in fox shat, banged me teeth on the binos several times. i had a bit of a break here and could sort of stand which i did which felt really good, my cry of relief nearly scared the deer away. ok here goes part 2 crawl along the hedge you can see in the pic from right to left i made my way along and stopped every 10 mins to get breath and avoid the noisy crows, and to rest and some 45/50 mins later i had covered the 200 yds crawl, i worked out i could swim it quicker. now as i looked i could see nothing but hedge and grass and as i stood higher they had gone, probably boredom oh FFFFFFFF i thought but could see some heads to the left area marked 2 so i dropped and carried on crawling, now i looked as dirty as a mud wrestler ( not that ive seen a mud wrestler) but there was mud everywhere all over me, hands, face how it got there god only knows but as i stood slowly and as i looked through the hedge i had a good shot, all i needed was a steady bit of hedge to rest on and had a few attempts to find one. Then it was serious time and lining up on the one to the right a nice female which was looking around she looked at me and it was time to go, as she dropped the others jumped and ran a few feet and stopped looking at the one on the ground which gave me enough time to reload, line up on her mate and put her in the same club, the others then ran away without looking back.

 

A nice white stag was in the herd one i have watched for many years.

 

The old keeper that I used to go with many years ago once said to me, "if you aint got patience you aint gotta hope" That went a long way that day.

 

 

[jeppi26 1,855]

Good read that mate and some good shooting keep at em

[sussex 5,777]

Good day phil ..well done

[hutchey 147]

Nice one Phil.

[Sussex Stalker 7]

Good write up Phil, glad you have managed to get out.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Sussex Stalker

[jf1970 328]

I really enjoyed reading that. You would want a lot of Patience round my way as well especially with this bloody weather lol. Is it common to see numbers like that out during day?

[leslie harold gedge 1,390]

do you ever take the white ones out phil

[Philluk 181]

Hi Guys

 

In reply yes I do take out the white ones, I have to just to keep numbers equal, but they are useful as when they are in woods they give the others away, there is a big white stag and I have watched him many times and about 3 years ago he was caught up in barbed wire and I cut him free, he is in that pic above but as it was taken on my phone you cant see him very well. I do most of the shooting round here but I know there are odd places where others shoot and im hoping they leave him as well.

 

As far as numbers go I try to split up herds as there are a couple where I know there are 70 plus in there, ive tried to split them up and it works sometimes but they get back together in certain safe places.

 

The white one below is from last season.

 

The group pic is one place I go and have to be careful and only use high seat as there is a busy footpath on 3 sides and a country house which is split into flats on the other, due to the woods being walked all day the deer leave and hide in this field, ive seen 50 there most weeks but have had several high seats stolen so now or damaged so I use a temp one and put it up in the morning and the deer walk away and I return later and wait and take high seat away. I took that picture as I was about to put the seat up, then they walk into the other field behind.

[The one 8,513]

Good reading and good going mate

[jf1970 328]

Yep good read and pics. I can only dream about numbers like that.if i get into double figures for the season i am doing well.

[Philluk 181]

It is the number of deer, and we do have a lot around here in places, but its getting land is the key what I will say is don't give up, always go out of your way to help farmers and do things, even saying hello goes a long way, stop for a chat if you see them, some farmers rarely go far so a chat is god for them when they are not busy, knock on doors, ask if they like pheasants venison and even if you have to buy it do so and take it round to them.

 

Ive been after one bit of land for 2 years and ive just got it. its about 3 miles of woodland and unshot and full of deer but I have kept at the owner taking sausages etc gets me in and then wham ask the question and its a yes.

 

it goes under the original heading above.

Edited February 14, 2014 by Philluk

[jf1970 328]

Sounds like you have a good bit of land to go on. Atb for the rest of the season.

[seprim 32]

Nice read that Phil

thanks for posting

Andrew

[glogin 87]

Thanks for sharing