Sunday morning I went out for a morning stalk with Wayne Davies. Got the text the other day from Wayne to say to be at his for 3.30am, so it was going to be an early start for me. Set my clock for 2.07am (a lot of thought went in to whether it would be 2.07 or 2.10, every minute counts). Anyway arrived at Wayne’s and we set out on the drive to the ground. We arrived around 4.30, checked a few fields from the car before we got out and started our stalk. Wayne said that these couple of fields had been productive in the past. Anyway after a couple of minutes we spotted a roe doe on the other side of the field so stalked around to near where the doe was and crossed into the next field. After another minute or two Wayne spotted a Roe buck, so started to stalk in a bit closer but all of a sudden the buck put his head up, staring at something further along the hedge line and took off. We stalked on a bit further but couldn’t see the buck at all. Just then we spotted a larger buck on the other side of the hedge which Wayne said wasn’t on his permission, but within about 20seconds the buck had stepped through the hedge to join the does which were already on our side of the hedge. My luck was in. So off we set again trying to get a bit closer and get a safe shot, without spooking a doe which was lying down by the hedge and appeared to be looking straight at us. As we got in position for a safe shot Wayne set the sticks up and I took the shot. He dropped where he had stood. It was still only about 5.30am. This was a nice larger buck. Wayne did the gralloch and we set out back to the car with the buck.
On the way back to the car we were going back through the first field when we spotted something in the corner, it was another buck. So we made our way back round so that we wouldn’t be winded on our approach. Wayne decided on a route to get a safe shot. Anyway due to the contours of the field we lost sight of the buck for a short time and when we got into a position where he should have been visible, he couldn’t be seen anywhere. We assumed that he must have lay down, but couldn’t see him anywhere. Wayne then started making some noises to try and get him to stand up, but no success. So he moved around the side and said that I should be ready on the sticks as he was going to try and get him to stand (I still didn’t know where he was or if he was still there at all). Eventually the buck stood up after Wayne whistled but by the time I got the cross hairs on him he was off. I kept the scope on him, hoping that he would stop and he did, I took the shot and he dropped. We had thought that he was a young buck but on closer inspection he might have been older than we first thought. It was now about 6.15. Wayne did the gralloch and we got a few photos. No surprise that I didn’t need to be asked to smile.
So off we went in the truck to another permission where the deer had been doing some damage to the local gardens and Wayne was keen to get something there. Anyway by this time it was about 6.45 and we passed our first dog walker. About 0.5 miles further down the road Wayne stopped the truck and we spotted a doe and a buck along the hedge. Unfortunately the walker was heading in our direction, so Wayne didn’t want to take a shot. We went on to another field where Wayne spotted another Buck but decided that the first one might be an easier option. We headed back to the other one and had a look to see where the dog walker had gone, but he had gone off in another direction so the coast was clear. I got ready to take the shot and fortunately I had a wall to rest on this time. So as soon as he turned I took the shot and he dropped. This was a younger buck. I couldn’t believe my luck, beautiful morning, lots of deer about and to get three nice bucks in great company.
Thanks Wayne for a great morning out, you know that I will be expecting this from now on .
On the way back to the car we were going back through the first field when we spotted something in the corner, it was another buck. So we made our way back round so that we wouldn’t be winded on our approach. Wayne decided on a route to get a safe shot. Anyway due to the contours of the field we lost sight of the buck for a short time and when we got into a position where he should have been visible, he couldn’t be seen anywhere. We assumed that he must have lay down, but couldn’t see him anywhere. Wayne then started making some noises to try and get him to stand up, but no success. So he moved around the side and said that I should be ready on the sticks as he was going to try and get him to stand (I still didn’t know where he was or if he was still there at all). Eventually the buck stood up after Wayne whistled but by the time I got the cross hairs on him he was off. I kept the scope on him, hoping that he would stop and he did, I took the shot and he dropped. We had thought that he was a young buck but on closer inspection he might have been older than we first thought. It was now about 6.15. Wayne did the gralloch and we got a few photos. No surprise that I didn’t need to be asked to smile.
So off we went in the truck to another permission where the deer had been doing some damage to the local gardens and Wayne was keen to get something there. Anyway by this time it was about 6.45 and we passed our first dog walker. About 0.5 miles further down the road Wayne stopped the truck and we spotted a doe and a buck along the hedge. Unfortunately the walker was heading in our direction, so Wayne didn’t want to take a shot. We went on to another field where Wayne spotted another Buck but decided that the first one might be an easier option. We headed back to the other one and had a look to see where the dog walker had gone, but he had gone off in another direction so the coast was clear. I got ready to take the shot and fortunately I had a wall to rest on this time. So as soon as he turned I took the shot and he dropped. This was a younger buck. I couldn’t believe my luck, beautiful morning, lots of deer about and to get three nice bucks in great company.
Thanks Wayne for a great morning out, you know that I will be expecting this from now on .
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