I decided this weekend I would take myself off to Sussex to my little piece of Roe stalking that I keep for myself, and where I occassionaly take my friends.
Once I was finished on this area I tavelled down to another area I have in Dorset, and so I decided to get up at 3.20am on Saturday, and make my way to Sussex first. It was already light by the time I had reached the farm, but I was not in any particular hurry. As soon as I stopped the truck I noticed two Roe Does standing no more than 80yds from the truck in small field next to some farm buildings. So the omens looked good, but this is June and not to my mind the greatest of times to find bucks as easily as one would like.
By 7.30am I had counted 7 does, some with fawns at foot in only 4 fields out of the whole farm I had looked over or sat in a high seat waiting to see what might come along. No matter I thought, so I made my way back up to the Farm. I decided to take another look at the back of a small wood I call Tennis Court Wood. And as luck would have it spotted a buck some way off browsing along the opposite wood edge. The wind was NW and only slight, but not good for an approach. On nearing the buck and at about 200 yds I could see through the bino's he was a particular buck I had seen last year, and wanted him gone, but did not catch up with him, i was hoping that this old friend would show again, and if lucky I might be able to get onto him.
The buck walked back into the wood, and dissapeared through the dense wall of verdent green undergrowth. Now what to do ............. near by is a high seat, so I decided to climb into it and wait, although it is a seat not designed for taking animals from the opposite wood edge, its just a bit rangy for a deer as small as a Roe. But not a ridiculous range, it is about 200plus yds.
As luck would have it after about 5 minutes the old boy appeared again, he really was enjoying munching on the fresh green shoots of the brambles. At first I could only see the two white tips of his antlers, but as he stepped more into view I could see head, neck and the greater part of his body. On turning broadside I put a 270 calibre 130g speer bullet through him and he dropped to the shot, and although for a brief moment through the scope I could see the surrounding vegetation move slightly, I knew the bullet had found the mark.
His head is poor, nice pearling, but a true cull buck. It made the morning, and for once I had the camera with me and took some piccies.
I had dragged him out of the edge of the wood and across a wide ditch that skirts the woodland edge to gralloch him and take some Photos, but the view is across the highseat, which ia against the tree in the middle of the picture.
This was the only Buck I saw, over two outings, but plenty of Doe's about with fawns.
Once I was finished on this area I tavelled down to another area I have in Dorset, and so I decided to get up at 3.20am on Saturday, and make my way to Sussex first. It was already light by the time I had reached the farm, but I was not in any particular hurry. As soon as I stopped the truck I noticed two Roe Does standing no more than 80yds from the truck in small field next to some farm buildings. So the omens looked good, but this is June and not to my mind the greatest of times to find bucks as easily as one would like.
By 7.30am I had counted 7 does, some with fawns at foot in only 4 fields out of the whole farm I had looked over or sat in a high seat waiting to see what might come along. No matter I thought, so I made my way back up to the Farm. I decided to take another look at the back of a small wood I call Tennis Court Wood. And as luck would have it spotted a buck some way off browsing along the opposite wood edge. The wind was NW and only slight, but not good for an approach. On nearing the buck and at about 200 yds I could see through the bino's he was a particular buck I had seen last year, and wanted him gone, but did not catch up with him, i was hoping that this old friend would show again, and if lucky I might be able to get onto him.
The buck walked back into the wood, and dissapeared through the dense wall of verdent green undergrowth. Now what to do ............. near by is a high seat, so I decided to climb into it and wait, although it is a seat not designed for taking animals from the opposite wood edge, its just a bit rangy for a deer as small as a Roe. But not a ridiculous range, it is about 200plus yds.
As luck would have it after about 5 minutes the old boy appeared again, he really was enjoying munching on the fresh green shoots of the brambles. At first I could only see the two white tips of his antlers, but as he stepped more into view I could see head, neck and the greater part of his body. On turning broadside I put a 270 calibre 130g speer bullet through him and he dropped to the shot, and although for a brief moment through the scope I could see the surrounding vegetation move slightly, I knew the bullet had found the mark.
His head is poor, nice pearling, but a true cull buck. It made the morning, and for once I had the camera with me and took some piccies.
I had dragged him out of the edge of the wood and across a wide ditch that skirts the woodland edge to gralloch him and take some Photos, but the view is across the highseat, which ia against the tree in the middle of the picture.
This was the only Buck I saw, over two outings, but plenty of Doe's about with fawns.