Wednesday stalking

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

No work on at the moment so decided on a day out with the rifle .Pulled up a spot that i havnt decided whether or not i like yet as its been a none producer for me .Arrived at 7am ,just as the first dung spreader set off across the fields towards the area i was to stalk .Oh well i was here so a boundary walk was in order .

This area is part of a large valley really but i only have the one side ,134 acers sloping down to a railway line .

My access is from the top only and care is needed not to spook deer as you appear on the skyline .

I made my way left handed to arrive right with the breeze to where i believed the deer would be .A long double hedge seperates two fields with a spinney at the top end .I glassed the area from the top and could see a single deer sat under the hedge at the top of the furthest field .Planned a stalk that would take me to the said hedge and off i went ,stopped now and then to glass ahead .Nothing else seen so i got through to the hedge and glassed again .Sure enough there was the ass end off a deer still sat where id seen it .It was going well and in my mind i could already see the deer lead out ,head shot and had planned the drag back .Well thats as far as it got because just as i was going to slide into position for a shot a cock pheasant ahead of me cocked up and by christ ,what a switched on deer.It was up on its feet and through the hedge without stopping or even a look back !.

Nothing i could have done ,just nature looking after its own .

I saw the same doe go down acoss the next field ,taking 4 others with it that were bedded the other side the hedge .Nothing for it but to move to another area .

Drove to the next bit of ground which i havent had long and set off into the wind .This farm is divided by a lane,one field wide either side , with 4 fields across the end of it in a line .

Gateways are well positioned in the boundary end of each field so a circuit is do-able .Nothing up the right side or the top so a walk back down with the wind at my back

Typical really as there was 5 does with 2 buck kids right out in the middle of a new ley .I had spied them well before they got my scent ,from 3 fields away but even as i stood glassing them ,the older dose shuffled together as they do and as one, they moved off towards the boundary and into a big field of newly germinated rape .Well luck deserted me yet again and i had to be content with watching them skip way again .

I remembered a phone conversation with a lady farmer that i had a while back and gave her a ring .

The conversation was on the lines of 'bloody deer in the rose garden 'so i tested the water for a look around .

Permission granted on the back of the old foxdropper charm and off i drive to this location .

I have this farm anyway but she blows hot and cold on the subject of deer but i had caught her at the right time it seemed .

Pulled up by an old quarry that i knew to be a favourite daylight haunt of a few does .Stalked along the track to the quarry very carefully as they can appear anywhere here .Got to the lip of the quarry and peered over ,just in time to see 3 does vacate the bushes to the left side and stand just in ,just out of view behing the hawthorn .

Right ,all is not lost here as they saw something but dont know what so i get settled and wait .Sure enough ,after a few minutes,a doe steps forward into the open and i take her through the chest ,a quick bolt of the rifle and as predicted the next steps forward to meet the same followed by the last which was a copy of the second.3 does down in maybe 4 seconds .Waited a few seconds for any to move but they all fell after only a few steps .Went down to inspect my handy work and was pleased with the shooting .Gralloched them and dragged each one the short distance to the truck .Id like to say that it was due to my knowledge of the ground but the truth is luck played a big part in this hunt .

The 3 can be made out in a line if you look carefully .

Edited November 7, 2008 by foxdropper

[SNAP SHOT 194]

good going.....

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Nice write up mate Looks like youll be needing a hand sorting those does out ??

[longrange 0]

nice result, and an excellent, account of the day!

you know, this is one of the reasons, i have cancelled 2 of my monthly sporting mags!

there are better stories, tales, great advice, and more knowledge, on this site, than you

can imagine! and the people, who tell it, dont go about with sponsered by ,on there backs?

 

keep em comin!

[biffo 0]

nice going

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Cheers people .

[Guest remmy]

nice one foxdropper good read and a fine bit of work there,its nice when you get into a few rgds remmy.

[sounder 9]

well done mate nice write up

ATB ray

[Deker 3,478]

A bit of luck never goes amiss, but good write up, good shooting and a great looking bit of land!!

[outdoors kid 1]

good result in the end mate