270Buck
Well-Known Member
I was out on one of my grounds this morning, I was sitting about 80 yards from the woods.
A small muntjac buck stepped out of the woods at about 6.30am, did not get ready for the shot quick enough and he disappeared from sight!! I thought my chance had gone!!!
A few minutes later he reappeared no more than 30 yards in front of me. He stood broadside and I aimed at the the heart and lungs, a bit low with hindsight as I had not accounted for the very low range!!! Nonetheless he reacted to the shot as predicted with his back legs kicking out.
He ran for cover and came directly to my position where I was sat in the hedge. He spotted me move and made his way back in the direction of the boundary along a double hedge thick with brambles and blackthorn!!!
I had a smoke and waited the customary 5 minutes. I went to where the strike mark should have been and no paint and pins!!! So I looked in the hedge where I had last seen him, there was lots of arterial blood so I knew I had hit him well. I looked as far as I could but as he went directly into the brambles and blackthorn, I knew it would be difficult to find without a dog. Problem is I don't have a deer dog!!
I know a good friend whom I met on the SD who has a young GWP, I text him at about 7am. He was also out stalking but was about 40 minutes away. Unfortunately I had a prior engagement which would have taken me up to midday so I arranged for him to come to my house then and we would start the search again.
He arrived at 12.00, we jumped in his truck with one of my 6 year old twin daughters and went back to the point where I found some blood.
He worked his GWP and within 2 minutes he had found him stone cold dead tucked very deeply into the brambles no more than 2 foot from the edge of the double hedge. The first question my daughter asked was "Why is he sticking his tongue out?"
Unfortunately the flies had been at work, his fur and entry and exit wounds were laden with eggs. A quick gralloch and back home to tidy him up.
Moral of the story is if you don't have a deer dog, always have a back up plan if you do lose a deer!!
If it was not for the SD I would not have met this member I would have possibly lost the deer which is no good for anyone.
On my Christmas list this year is a deer dog!!
"A dog is for finding deer, not just for Christmas"
Cheers
Ross
A small muntjac buck stepped out of the woods at about 6.30am, did not get ready for the shot quick enough and he disappeared from sight!! I thought my chance had gone!!!
A few minutes later he reappeared no more than 30 yards in front of me. He stood broadside and I aimed at the the heart and lungs, a bit low with hindsight as I had not accounted for the very low range!!! Nonetheless he reacted to the shot as predicted with his back legs kicking out.
He ran for cover and came directly to my position where I was sat in the hedge. He spotted me move and made his way back in the direction of the boundary along a double hedge thick with brambles and blackthorn!!!
I had a smoke and waited the customary 5 minutes. I went to where the strike mark should have been and no paint and pins!!! So I looked in the hedge where I had last seen him, there was lots of arterial blood so I knew I had hit him well. I looked as far as I could but as he went directly into the brambles and blackthorn, I knew it would be difficult to find without a dog. Problem is I don't have a deer dog!!
I know a good friend whom I met on the SD who has a young GWP, I text him at about 7am. He was also out stalking but was about 40 minutes away. Unfortunately I had a prior engagement which would have taken me up to midday so I arranged for him to come to my house then and we would start the search again.
He arrived at 12.00, we jumped in his truck with one of my 6 year old twin daughters and went back to the point where I found some blood.
He worked his GWP and within 2 minutes he had found him stone cold dead tucked very deeply into the brambles no more than 2 foot from the edge of the double hedge. The first question my daughter asked was "Why is he sticking his tongue out?"
Unfortunately the flies had been at work, his fur and entry and exit wounds were laden with eggs. A quick gralloch and back home to tidy him up.
Moral of the story is if you don't have a deer dog, always have a back up plan if you do lose a deer!!
If it was not for the SD I would not have met this member I would have possibly lost the deer which is no good for anyone.
On my Christmas list this year is a deer dog!!
"A dog is for finding deer, not just for Christmas"
Cheers
Ross
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