Well, that took two years!

pazmino

Well-Known Member
It's been two years since a conversation with a friend first put the idea of deer stalking into my head. Coming from a family with absolutely no history of shooting or stalking, I was starting from scratch!

It's taken two years: Reading up about it. Joining the BDS. Deciding to try for the DSC1. Joining a local gun club to start getting some shooting practice. Trying, failing, and eventually succeeding in finding an experienced stalker (Thank you Ian!) who was willing to show me the ropes and let me accompany him stalking, and who's been absolutely invaluable. Passing the DSC1. Getting permission from the local farmer to stalk on his land. Choosing a rifle and finding it at a price I could afford. Buying a scope on eBay in the US and eventually getting someone to bring it over. Buying an old fridge and squeezing it into my shed. Putting up my first high seat.


And it all finally came together just after dawn three weeks ago when, sitting up in the high seat, a small herd of fallow does emerged from the bushes, and one stopped long enough for me to take a shot. Wasn't the greatest of shots if I'm honest, but my heart was beating so fast I'm just glad I hit the animal at all, and fortunately it only went a few yards before dropping.

Gralloching took me the best part of an hour, and I was very conscious of my total lack of experience, but the DSC1 and a fair number of YouTube videos paid off, and I eventually got it done. Then busted a gut dragging it back to the car, and into an old water tank I've sawn in half for transporting the carcasses. Butchered it a week later.


We had our first venison stew last week, and have another 35lbs of meat in the freezer. I think my wife might just be starting to come round!


Few photos attached.

High seat.jpgFirst deer from high seat.jpgFirst deer - in fridge.jpg
 
Congratulations and well done for your perseverance! I know exactly what it's like coming from a non-shooting world and trying to get into this although you seem to have a managed it a lot faster than I did. You'll find that 35lbs of venison vanishes faster than you'd anticipate. My wife said the other day that she didn't really realise how much meat we ate until we started working our way through whole large animals. It certainly puts it into perspective.
 
Hiya

Congratulations for starting out on a long road and your first success - long may it continue. Please share the adventures along the way!
Cheers

L
 
Congratulats! It's hard to get into if you start from scratch - I can vouch for that as I'm in the same position. I'm hoping perseverance and the help of a couple of very generous stalkers I've met here will lead to the same results. Nice work, hats off to you.
 
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