Went over end of July to do a DMQ2 witnessed stalk with Lee Cooper near Banham in Norfolk. I was hoping to get a good bronze buck that Lee had been keeping an eye on as likely prospect for me.
We set out on a glorious dry sunny Sunday evening to one of Lee's permissions. After checking my gear and the .308 we set off over a nearby bean field only to pull up sharp 20 yds from the truck when we glassed the neighbouring barley field edge and saw a doe looking straight at us.
At first I thought “Well that’s game up”, but we stood stock still and having the wind in our favour, she then put her head down and continued to feed. We figured there had to be a buck nearby.
Just then the buck stood up and Lee whispered to me that “ That’s the one we're after”. But the buck only showed momentarily and it was not enough for a safe shot. So I decided to stalk across the field to the edge get a better angle, hoping that the buck had not seen or winded us and fled. I set up my sticks quietly and glassed the edge.
Right on que he showed himself broadside for an easy shot to the vitals. He only went 20m and Lee sent his BMH in to find him in the barley, dead as a dodo.
The buck in question is an old buck and was almost verging on abnormal as the photo shows.
I did the field grolloch and checked for signs of disease before disposing of the grolloch as per DMQ2 requirements. Talk about a text book stalk. Just shows how occasionally things can go exactly according to plan. It could not have been easier, although being patient and keeping calm definitely paid off.
Full credit to Lee for having done his field work and knowing the whereabouts and condition of deer on his permissions. It became very obvious to me over the weekend, that Lee is a true deer manager and cares passionately about what he does.
Previously Lee had offered to put me up for the night at his place fully expecting that we would need a couple of stalks to find the Roe buck, but having succeeded on our first try, I opted to stay on and try for a red stag, as the Monday was the 1st August.
Lee said he knew where the reds were likely to be on another permission. So after a very pleasant evening with Lee and his very pregnant wife we retired for an early start.
We arrived in the dark and quietly approached a high seat looking out over a sugar beet field edged with woods, where reds had been spotted recently. As dawn broke it became obvious that we were not in luck this time, so we opted to go for a stroll to see if anything else was showing elsewhere on the permission.
Just as we exited the field we glassed a very good Roe buck out over the next stubble field at about 300m. Lee decided to have a go at squeaking him in with the buttalo caller. Luckily the buck took the bait and came bounding over towards us. (I used the same technique myself in Scotland a week later to good effect)
At about 100m he pulled up sharp quartering away from us and presenting a perfect broadside for another textbook shot to the shoulder from my .270. Once again I could hardly believe my luck and was rewarded with a good representative buck who I will have shoulder mounted.
Thanks again to Lee for a very enjoyable couple of stalks.
He made me look good and you cannot ask more than that from a PH.
Cheers
50/50
We set out on a glorious dry sunny Sunday evening to one of Lee's permissions. After checking my gear and the .308 we set off over a nearby bean field only to pull up sharp 20 yds from the truck when we glassed the neighbouring barley field edge and saw a doe looking straight at us.
At first I thought “Well that’s game up”, but we stood stock still and having the wind in our favour, she then put her head down and continued to feed. We figured there had to be a buck nearby.
Just then the buck stood up and Lee whispered to me that “ That’s the one we're after”. But the buck only showed momentarily and it was not enough for a safe shot. So I decided to stalk across the field to the edge get a better angle, hoping that the buck had not seen or winded us and fled. I set up my sticks quietly and glassed the edge.
Right on que he showed himself broadside for an easy shot to the vitals. He only went 20m and Lee sent his BMH in to find him in the barley, dead as a dodo.
The buck in question is an old buck and was almost verging on abnormal as the photo shows.
I did the field grolloch and checked for signs of disease before disposing of the grolloch as per DMQ2 requirements. Talk about a text book stalk. Just shows how occasionally things can go exactly according to plan. It could not have been easier, although being patient and keeping calm definitely paid off.
Full credit to Lee for having done his field work and knowing the whereabouts and condition of deer on his permissions. It became very obvious to me over the weekend, that Lee is a true deer manager and cares passionately about what he does.
Previously Lee had offered to put me up for the night at his place fully expecting that we would need a couple of stalks to find the Roe buck, but having succeeded on our first try, I opted to stay on and try for a red stag, as the Monday was the 1st August.
Lee said he knew where the reds were likely to be on another permission. So after a very pleasant evening with Lee and his very pregnant wife we retired for an early start.
We arrived in the dark and quietly approached a high seat looking out over a sugar beet field edged with woods, where reds had been spotted recently. As dawn broke it became obvious that we were not in luck this time, so we opted to go for a stroll to see if anything else was showing elsewhere on the permission.
Just as we exited the field we glassed a very good Roe buck out over the next stubble field at about 300m. Lee decided to have a go at squeaking him in with the buttalo caller. Luckily the buck took the bait and came bounding over towards us. (I used the same technique myself in Scotland a week later to good effect)
At about 100m he pulled up sharp quartering away from us and presenting a perfect broadside for another textbook shot to the shoulder from my .270. Once again I could hardly believe my luck and was rewarded with a good representative buck who I will have shoulder mounted.
Thanks again to Lee for a very enjoyable couple of stalks.
He made me look good and you cannot ask more than that from a PH.
Cheers
50/50