My first stalk with the Devon Deer Stalker

Edchef

Well-Known Member
Some time ago I put my name down for a free stalk This one was kindly offered by Richard - Devon Deer Stalker on the SD
Never for a minute did i think there was a chance but I was wrong!

Contact was made and the day duly came Richard picked me up at the B and B and off we went around the edge of Dartmoor
Chatting to Richard on the way I quickly realised how little I knew and how much Richard did. I was fully briefed by the time we arrived and we set off. Signs of the presence of animals were duly pointed out to me and my expectations were high.
The weather threw everything at us and although I didn’t see any deer ,Richard had spotted movement in the woodland we had been watching. Dusk came all too soon and we squelched our way back up to the vehicle. I was assured that there were deer present in Devon!
0630 the next morning and Richard duly arrived at the Band B and we set off again The weather was vile but it stopped throwing it down after a few minuted and we set off again through woodland, up and out into small plantation but still no sign
Our next stop was a farm and we set off downhill - me with sticks and rifle praying I wouldn’t slip and submerge Richards .30-06 in the glorious Devon mud. we walked slowly along the valley bottom where Richard had assured me that both Red and Roe were present .
Suddenly there they were! Four Roe had got up about 30 metres in front of us. They paused very briefly and they were off up the hillside through the forestry You have guessed the next bit. I was painfully slow on the sticks and only just managed to get them in the scope for a moment before they bounded away What a memory though - four Roe in the scope at once! if anybody is still reading this I can tell you I AM HOOKED!!
I felt badly after Richard had gone to so much time and effort on my behalf but despite everything he has invited me back for another go in the Autumn.
Lastly I would like to thank Richard for the opportunity and experience he gave me , I am extremely grateful and the memory of those deer in the scope will stay with me for a long time
If you are reading this Richard I am practising with my sticks as often as possible! Thanks again
ED
 
You were more than welcome Ed, thanks for those kind words, you were great company.
Sod's law with the roe, but that's stalking!
Wish we had found a roe yesterday, much easier to extract!
See you in the Autumn.
Cheers
Richard
 
nice write up and yes its beep beep frustrating ,Sikamalc got me on a 6 pointer in Sussex doing the head down ,head up n look feeding routine and the second i squeezed the trigger head down :banghead:.Only about hundred yards away .Gave him a fright and me a bucket of frustration but by gum i cant wait to see another one and bring him home .Its the most addictive bunch of emotions going and your hooked for life .Well done to Richard for sharing his ground S.D at its best:tiphat:
 
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Ed you have a great teacher there. Richard is a top man and has in the past got me my first Roe Buck and red stag. Always a pleasure to stalk with him, although the extractions can be a bit of a drag!

BE
 
Ed you have a great teacher there. Richard is a top man and has in the past got me my first Roe Buck and red stag. Always a pleasure to stalk with him, although the extractions can be a bit of a drag!

BE
Richard did warn me - perhaps sort sort of winch might be in order for next time!!
 
Thanks for the kind words chaps.

BE, strike 3 deer today, 2 roe and a fallow buck in the same spot you shot your stag and fallow doe.
More interesting was what appeared with the fallow buck......a white red stag!
It would have been an easy shot, 100 yards broadside, but i let it walk, it was huge, made the fallow buck look like a roe deer!

Cheers

Richard
 
Amazing after the discussion of the white hart that day. Must come up again soon think with a camera as it would be a shame to kill such a rare beast.
 
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Pinched off Facebook - even I couldn't have not seen it!

 
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No white Fallow ,spooky to see 2 in the same place and then another in the same area .Used to think they were only on pub signs till that day.Just hope the red "white" stag doesn,t get targeted like the big deer on Exmoor .That would be such a shame ,soon as the animal was on T.V some git shot the poor animal .
 
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