Another Three

[sussex 5,777]

What a difference a day makes . Yesterday it was blowing a gale & chucking down , this morning was like a summers day .Setting of at 6.15 I was up in the highseat fifteen minutes later , I new I would bump a few deer getting in the seat but the deer were tracking down from the top of the valley into the woodland all day yesterday so I thought it worth the chance .As daylight broke it was only twenty minutes or so before the first group picked there way through the scrub and bracken heading towards the woodland at the bottom , not a buck amongst them , this scenario was acted out five times , the only buck that appeared was one of the big boys , big body & a decent head he had free passage .Cursing I never took the camera up in the seat I could have got some tidy photos as they passed within twenty yds of the seat .One thing that did please me was almost every deer stopped and used the salt lick I had put out earlier this year .This didn't alter the fact I never got a shot but it was an enjoyable hour& half .

Leaving the seat & making my way round to the main entrance I glassed up the two big fields , there were deer in both , the top field was not a runner because the deer were right at the top and there was no way to get a sensible shot so I passed them by and got in position to stalk down the hedge , across by means of a ditch (with water) up to a mound covered in bracken , through the bracken on hands & knees to peer out on 30 odd deer ,a big buck , lots of doe's and several prickets , sorrels & assorted bucks all standing well away from the big boy ...100m on a bipod it was a case of pick a victim ..a pricket was selected & as I put the dot on him a young buck set about him .As I watched the chase it was clear the buck was limping , not that it stopped him bashing the pricket , but the bottom of a back leg was missing , so this was a game changer for him ...now only 60odd metres away as soon as he stopped he dropped .. checked , gralloched & loaded I was off again , by 1pm I decided to have a bit of lunch , wash the buck out & hang him in the chiller before returning to do the afternoon shift .

On returning the bunch that were in the top field had increased in number , but crucially they had dropped into the big hollow in the middle .this gave me a chance to come in at the bottom of the field and virtually walk up the middle of the field only getting down low for the last 100m or so ..this plan normally goes tits up when one of the deer has walked up the hollow & see you , barks a warning & everything has it on there toes ..not today ...every thing is still laying down taking a few rays & catching up on there sleep,the odd one or two are grazing but in the hollow ...a pricket laying down was the choice , 80m of the bipod it was an instant end ..the hollow emptied in a split second which scuppered my plan of a double , cant complain though the walk up the middle plan worked for once ...

Him sorted I started to the high seat I had put up on my way out , again there were deer in the field that I would disturb getting to it but it was still early 3.30 so it wouldn't be to much of a problem , especially as there was a major rutting stand on the slope ...in the seat after the deer had exited it wasn't long before a couple of doe's made an appearance & in the hedge was a white buck ..not shootable he was trashing a bush but as I focused on him with the binos I could see a mass of electric fencing entangled on his head ..I waited as long as possible in case he came clear , ignoring a couple of other young bucks , in the hope I could get him .With the mass of wire in big loops there is only one slow end for him , my way at least it would be quick but he never showed .Just as I was loosing the the light I rattled the antlers , the two bucks looked , the darker one came for a better look & promptly paid the price for being nosey ..more gralloching , loaded up I was on the way home with the idea to change plans so I can return in the morning to see if I can get a chance at the white buck ..

 

Foot note ...managed to tip the quad out the back of the van when the ramp moved , this was hairy to say the least , managed to get my foot trapped under it as it tipped over , which then took quite a time to free myself , not having a phone after last weeks river dip I had to cut the deer of the back to relive the weight ..then managed to get it of its side back on four wheels ..all seems ok ..I've got a split head . swollen ankle and lost pride ...could have been worse ... can only load one pic on this post ,

[air gun ant 1,666]

Nicely done again mate.

[j j m 6,540]

well done mate

[The one 8,481]

You certainly get your share mate

[seprim 32]

Nice read rich - thanks for sharing

Andrew