A hard stalk ,and a schoolboy error.

[comanche 2,986]

Thanks to a forester friend l have some new permission . Its a condition of some of his grants that a deer control plan is in place- the remit at the moment being " lf it's in Season shoot it". There are a lot of deer but bad access and a vital good neighbour policy have made it hard going. Especially as the go ahead has come near the end of the Season for fallow.

We'll get high seats in place over the Summer but for now it's a matter of footslogging . More to get to know the ground than anything . Several times l've had deer in my sights ; safe shots but the wrong sex or too bunched up . 

A couple of evenings ago l determined to do better . One good thing is that the new ground borders my old permission ,separated by a narrow road. 

I spotted a bunch of fallow but the only viable   approach was to sleeve my rifle and take a detour of about a mile  on the road and work back along the edge of some parkland. Then sneak closer under the cover of a ghyll, and of course hope they would still be in the same place.

They were but to get a shot with a safe backdrop meant crawling like one of those toy plastic soldiers through some very wet grass . Not that l could get much wetter as it was piddling with rain anyway . As usual in these situations the dog also went into stalking mode and followed a few yards behind me;stopping when l did and hanging back as l took aim at a young buck.

One hundred and twenty ish yards from a prone position; l felt confident .

Then a doe strolled behind the Buck and stopped. Soon there were others.  I kept my eyes on the one l knew was a buck and willed that there be a moment when it was standing in the clear .

The moment came  , 100gr of Sako's finest whizzed from the old CF2 .

The Buck executed the sort of perfect spinning capriole that would've won points in Spanish dressage and plonked down.

The rest of the herd pranced and panicked but gathered again a long shot away. It was too gloomy by now to pick another even if had l been  been more confident of the ground so l waited for them to move off.

I checked the Buck and pulled it across two fields to the roadside by a route that wouldn't  cause concern to anyone looking out from a couple of nearby cottages . Then walked back through the rainy darkness to my friend's yard to fetch my van. As l did so l realised that l ached all over . Not so much from any exertion- though l'm sure a weedy old bloke like me shouldn't  really be dragging fallow deer about-but from the intensity of the stalk.

Tonight's foray nearly ended a bit embarrassingly. 

A fairly straightforward approach took me to within 70 yards of a roe buck.

Crouched behind a sparce hedge l took aim,pulled the trigger and heard a click.

Schoolboy error. Guess who hadn't chambered a round.

The buck looked up. I sunk further into the ground feeling like  an idiot but managed to gently work the bolt without causing it any more suspicion.

I was lucky, the Buck not so much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2023 by comanche

[FLATTOP 4,429]

Great write up and pictures mate well done sounded like an intense evening but got your reward at the end of it.

[comanche 2,986]

28 minutes ago, FLATTOP said:

Great write up and pictures mate well done sounded like an intense evening but got your reward at the end of it.

Thanks FT. I'm not the most experienced stalker- still learning(like remembering to load the rifle) - but the landowner not knowing we are old friends - actually suggested contacting me  to the forester for some extra help  because  l've done other pest work  work for her  and she doesn't like some of the other people who pester her for stalking.

That's  really good but it does add a bit of performance pressure.

Edited April 13, 2023 by comanche

[Flacko 1,744]

Enjoyed that mate what dog you have with you 

[Stavross 15,492]

Nice write up that, be nice to get a high seat set up for the doe’s

[comanche 2,986]

2 hours ago, Flacko said:

Enjoyed that mate what dog you have with you 

Thank you. Mum a collie, father a stray lurcher . 

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Wish I had ground like that , lucky chap.

I know what you mean getting older and dragging deer but I cant help myself

Looks like you have plenty fallow to cull.

[comanche 2,986]

1 hour ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Wish I had ground like that , lucky chap.

I know what you mean getting older and dragging deer but I cant help myself

Looks like you have plenty fallow to cull.

It is coveted ground but full of problems. 

Annoyingly only the odd fallow crosses the road onto my main permission with its small fields, hedges , lovely sloping ground, plenty of safe shooting angles for foot stalking and no need for upholding   diplomatic relations with neighbours 

The bxggers know where they are safe that's for sure

The ones in the picture are just a fraction of the fallow population .The Aspirational Target for culling on the form is scarey.

I came to stalking ( big thanks to a fellow THL member who helped me ) late .

I always though l would like to do proper stalking when l was older .

Then a few years ago l realised that l had already been "older" for some time so went for it - while l still can drag fallow about 

Naively l reckoned it would be a purely one for the pot  recreational pastime kept separate from the paid pest control l do for a living . 

Not so sure now

 

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Good honest account there mate .You need a quad bike though .I’m used to dragging deer but fallow now a bit daunting if ever I’m lucky enough to grass one .

[bell 3,595]

Great posts ….enjoyed the moment and the honesty