The Morning After The Night Before....

Getting up at 4.30 am after a few sherberts the night before I set off down to Dorset. Remarkably id had the presence of mind to get my kit & thermous ready before bed so i was packed up and gulping coffee whilst trundling down the A37 before it dawned on me I should have considered how sensible it was to be driving. I certainly didn't feel great but that wasn't unusual as I suffer from a low pain threshold when it comes to hangovers. With the throbbing sensation getting worse in my head I stopped off at the 24hr MacD's in Poundbury to get some stodge but when I couldn't even choke down a McMuffin I knew it was going to be a long day. Fighting the urge to sleep in the carpark I went to the ground, kitted up and made my way to the highseat.

Dawn birdsong and scent of damp foliage and douglas fir was great - the mist and drizzle made the dawn linger and I spotted a nice Roe buck nibbling the tops of some beech saplings that were poking out the 'protective' sleeves. He didn't pay me much attention but no doubt come April it'll be a different story.

Sat in the highseat I was acutely aware of how rough I was starting to feel. Periodic dry-retching and a knawing hunger was adding to my woes when I spotted movement way off to the left. The bins revealed a small group of sika about 170 meters away which were a job to make out - stalking in forestry is as frustraing as it is rewarding as at that distance there is a hell of a lot timber between you. Picking an individual out the group was hard work as they were in view one minute, obstructed the next or one infront of another. After 20 minutes or so they hadn't really moved and i'd selected a hind that was a little more distant from the others to avoid the risk of a Quigley. It was cat and mouse with the trees waiting for an unobstructed shot and when a chance finally came I took it. At the shot the group scattered and I struggled to pick my beast out, they paused briefly and I saw one looking a little peaky so I cycled the bolt ready to send an insurance shot knowing how tough these animals can be but sods law the spent casing pinged loudly off one of the metal highseat ladder rungs and after that they never looked back.

After a ten minutes spent meticuloulsy marking the strike spot I decended the seat where, dispite only being 15ft higher everything looked completely differet! No pins and no blood and where I thought there should be so I cast a wide circle and found her lying 30 meters or so further on.

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I dragged her to cleaner area under an oak tree, the effort making me wobble a bit, an got cracking with the gralloch. Having recklessly splashed out on a new gralloching knife (£5.75) I went to scrape the flesh from the esophagus but it was so bloody sharp to sliced straight through it releasing a generous blob of ripe pea soup to my absolute delight.

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Once I'd recovered from vomiting I tied the end with a piece ot webbing that was coming off my roesack and finished things off, leaving her angled on the bank to help drainage. I pussy'd out of carrying her back to the car and called the owner to come to the rescue in his 4WD. Great morning that nearly never happened.

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Nice! It sounds a bit like one of my outings after a night on the booze except the bit where you managed shoot something.
Well done, good effort!!
 
Lol.....Well done Matt nothing's easy with a hangover. Where'd you get the knife from looks good for the money, did it do the job ok?
 
That piece of Dorset is a gem mate and i thank you for my times sat in those seats .You did well to steady the rifle from what you told me .That knife at that price has got to be way forward for you being of a forgetful nature . Your write up nearly puts me in the seat with you ,i said nearly .Speak soon mate .
 
Nice one Matt , hats off to you for going out with a hangover dont think I would have bothered..........
 
The knife is from a local 'Kitchen's' shop mate but they do them on ebay- saw one on youtube used by those kiwi guys and thought it would be one of those great things that never made it to this country. Very light, razor sharp. No sure how durable it will be but for a fiver who cares.

FD - There's more hinds there and a nice buck as well... have to organise another day trip. With any luck that new bit as well.

FH - Not bothering crossed my mind several times mate!
 
Hi & well done i ve the same knife but a mint colour. Sorry to nit pick but it might just be me but you left the deer to drain the wrong way as i was taught. Reason being blood in the pelvic looks bad & can't be removed & makes the beast look like it's been handled or dragged roughly. Don't mean to offend just dont like seeing it.
 
Mint hey... controversial. FoxDropper asked me to pick some up for him so he has 4 bright pink ones coming being the metrosexual, modern man he is. I hadn't split the breastbone and wanted to get as much claret out of her as possible before she went in the 4x4 so ass-down seemed the most effective at the time so it could escape out the bung end. Mind you I wasn't on my best form! Good point on the drainage though - no offence taken.
 
Nice one mate and it looks good hanging in the larder too,and the aitches are clean as a whistle so no detriment draining it backwards either.

Martin
 
I was not going to reply to this thread, but have had several Pm's regarding the contents of the post.

Now I am no prude, and enjoy a social drink with friends old and new, but it should be pointed out that you were more than likely over the limit whilst driving, and also being hung over does not really mix with handling a firearm.

I would offer a word of caution about posting such events on an open forum such as SD as the authorities patrol this site, and this is more than most would think as well!! Be safe, its not worth the risk of your FAC and someones life if you are over the driving limit.
 
I was not going to reply to this thread, but have had several Pm's regarding the contents of the post.

Now I am no prude, and enjoy a social drink with friends old and new, but it should be pointed out that you were more than likely over the limit whilst driving, and also being hung over does not really mix with handling a firearm.

I would offer a word of caution about posting such events on an open forum such as SD as the authorities patrol this site, and this is more than most would think as well!! Be safe, its not worth the risk of your FAC and someones life if you are over the driving limit.

Yes it's good to point that out,
I would hope that his condition was exaggerated for comedic effect!
I for one would always take the camera instead of the rifle and go on foot/get a lift if I'd had a drink the night before. Stay safe people :D
 
An incautious post indeed but I can't help admiring the honestly of it. That is if taken at face value and disregarding the suggestion its an unashamed and well considered (urine extracting) 'dig' at the more Best Practice ernest contributor.

K
 
I had hoped people would read between the lines a little if i'm honest... a bridge too far in a world where 'experience' is only google search away. Point taken and warning appreciated though sikamalc. Happy hunting.
 
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