Spot of culling

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

I’ve recently had a contact for a chap who collects deer .The only request was that we got 10 or more to make the trip from South Dorset worth while .Monday afternoon I got  home from work early and straight out to a spot I know there’s a few roe ,in fact it’s teeming with them .This was culling pure and simple ,no time to mess about with management or fancy shots .
In the second field there where 7 roe couched against the far hedge in the sunshine .The temp was just nice with a hint of a frosty night ahead .4 does and two mature bucks heavy in velvet and a pricket .Most had their eyes firmly shut fast asleep and a tiny bit of remorse passed over me but it didn’t last long .The roe are out of control and I’m getting text after text to get on the case .

Anyway I was well hid as i glassed the deer with an overgrown pond to my back and the bipod on the .243 bedded in the dirt nicely .

The deer were at about 140,150 ish and the more I studied the more I got used to the fact I was going to neck shoot the first .Cross hairs on the largest doe and she just slumped where she lay .The rest to their feet and just stood there .Next was a chest shot perfect side on that again fell on the spot .The deer made to jump the gate to their right but a doe was a bit slow following and I shot here back of the head .The ground rises behind them so all safe shots .Suspended gralloch in a tree for all three then on to cover more of the ground .A lone doe came towards me down a margin and let me get on sticks before she joined the bag to a neck shot .4 to the cause and a whole day to go

This morning I woke to minus 3 ,not cold by any standards but deer don’t move far until the sun gets on their backs .Over to the chicken farm and a stalk through the small wood .Thermal picked out a muntjac buck crossing an open area way down the  bottom near the swampy bit .A stalk put me on him and a whistle had him stopped ,the .243 did the rest .On the shot another muntie buck broke cover from a pile of brushwood .Did the 50 m dash and then stood as if nothing had happened .Mistake and muntie number two in the bag .

Gralloched and out the wood to see 3 roe does standing looking at me about 200 m away .Bumped from the other side the wood I guess .

Nature hasn’t been kind to roe in that curiosity often gets them killed and for this 3 it was the case .Bagged all 3 at varying distances ,all chest shots .Decided to stalk on before gralloching as the sun was up and movement seemed to be happening .Over the  road from this wood there’s a set of ponds and a nice banking which  the roe like to get out on early morning .It’s part of an old stone quarry that’s grassed over .

A buck and a doe were grazing along the dip facing away from me as I rounded the banking .At 120 m it was a formality for a bipod neck shot and I gralloched her ,carried her to the road ,gathered the others and did a suspending on the now drum tight does .

8 roe and two munties in the bag and time for breakfast .Not going to bore you with more tales but finished the cull   into the evening with 13 roe and 4 muntjac .Well pleased as were the the two landowners that were getting more than a little pissy with me .

Ive the use of a chiller trailer for the cull so made the most of it .Dealer to pic up tomorrow .Fallow cull on local estate so glad I checked the rifle .

 

 

 

[David.evans 5,323]

Great write up and I have to one Fukien great day out 

congratulations

[Deker 3,478]

Damn good session! 

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Nice little earner mate . Wouldn't fancy all the dragging though .Cracking result though

[BEARINATOR 2,867]

Good day out that FD 

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Knackering tbh .All romantic until the work starts .

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

1 minute ago, foxdropper said:

Knackering tbh .All romantic until the work starts .

I know , we hunt in the real world not the romantic version.

Pulling the trigger is the easy bit

[Dervburner 2,549]

On 08/02/2023 at 19:14, FOXHUNTER said:

I know , we hunt in the real world not the romantic version.

Pulling the trigger is the easy bit

Very true….

[villaman 9,983]

Can’t understand it when we have shit loads in Dorset 

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

1 hour ago, villaman said:

Can’t understand it when we have shit loads in Dorset 

Shit loads everywhere mate but very few killing them in number .If you want I’ll pass on my number but he wants numbers not just the odd ones .