Finally bagged my 1st solo deer

Well a few months after passing my DSC1, THAT miss on fieldsports TV and 15 stalks and highseat outings I finally shot my 1st solo deer today!! :D

It seems that I may just be learning the more I go out as I decided to re-visit the spot I wrote about the other day where I spotted the Roe deer. There is a particular crossing point that seems very busy and today was no exception, although I did think I'd missed the chance yet again at one point.

I slowly stalked around some lakes on the permission into a position where the wind was in my face which was perfect to approach the spot again. As I got about 200 yards away from the crossing I spotted a munty doe on the ride to the left around 20 yards past it bobbing in and out of the vegetation along the edge. She was slowly heading my way so I got up onto the sticks and thought I'd wait for her to get into range as I still had 30 - 40 mins of decent light left. She disappeared into the undergrowth, then I saw what I assumed was the same doe walk across the crossing point I was headed for, followed by a buck, then a few seconds later a youngster!!

This is where my inexperience showed as I thought the way they were yomping across meant they were on a mission to get to a certain feeding area on the adjacent land and one of them was the doe I was watching. I decided to head for my now favourite spot which has the crossing 80 yards from a big bush that breaks up my outline nicely. I got the sticks up and lowered my roe sack to the floor and it was at this point that I realised that the 1st doe I had watched had not actually been one of the 3 that had crossed just before. She was actually 40 yards to my left with a buck and the last I saw of these 2 were their tails aloft bounding through the cover away from me!!! :doh: Mental note for the future, once you get into position have a good look around before assuming it's clear and playing with your sack!! :lol:

After cursing myself and thinking that was game over I settled in and switched back on just in case. I decided to give the buttolo a go after being shown a technique by Uncle Norm to try to imitate a fawn calling for it's mother. It may be coincidence, but I am going to claim a perfect piece of calling, as 10mins after the 2nd series of calls a Munty doe appeared out of the brambles about 70yds to the front right of me along the ride unaware of my presence (for the time being!!)

As I had my Limulus (TM) quad sticks aiming down the center of the ride, I had to pick them up and move them around by just a smidge to get into position on the doe. (The only real issue with them as they are steady as a rock!) As I set them down one of the legs rested on one of those hollow weed stem things. I had her in my sights waiting for her to turn broadside for the ideal shot as she was front on but quartering slightly, and as I rested on the sticks further the hollow stem gave way and let off the slightest of cracks! Just enough for her to look up and stare straight at me!! I knew at this point I wasn't going to get the ideal shot so took aim front center of her chest with the thought that the bullet would still hit the vitals, and had a chance of not going straight on and breaking the guts. She dropped on the spot to the shot but I re-loaded just in case. I gave it a few minutes as I could hear something else in the same area and thought they might be like busses, but with the light starting to fade I thought it best not to attempt my 1st gralloch in the dark! :lol:

It turned out to be a good choice because when it came to opening her up the bullet had gone in where I aimed, made a mess of the vitals on the way through, expanded on hitting the rib cage behind the front leg but not produced an exit hole. All this shock had (as I have read it can do) seemed to have popped the diaphragm and sucked the rumen into the cavity and burst it open!! :cry: Lets just say it's a good job it wasn't going to a dealer and was for my own consumption. I did start to take a couple of pics and thought about doing a step by step of my 1st gralloch but with the failing light and the smell I knew it wasn't a good idea!! :D In the end I did a partial skinning/field butchering job too and cut through the spine just below the backstraps to keep the rear end and discarded the rest.

So there you have it, sorry I went on a bit, but I wanted to share the whole experience with you guys as without a lot of help on here I wouldn't have managed it,

Cheers


Stratts

 
Ah, the resident story teller with another gripping instalment - many congratulations on your first - always special.

I too enjoy Stratts' write-ups. Their commendable honesty bring back memories and I hope will give encouragement to other new stalkers.
Perhaps we should persuade him to submit an article to 'Sporting Rifle' :confused:?
Honest accounts from a genuine new stalker could assist in bringing them back down to earth ? Or is that a little over optimistic ?
Iwould of course claim to have made his acquaintance before he was famous :D.
Keep them coming Stratts and congratulations.
 
A big Waidmannsheil for a stalk you wont forget!
The first solo one is always a special one, as the solo gralloching was going to be:eek:...

I still remember me doing so, or better staying in the forest, dead deer in front of me, getting all the needeful or useless tools ready and picking out a small handmade brochure how to gralloch...:oops:
Now, 23 years later, its the important part of the job to get some excellent venison ready for me, you or the game dealer!

I enjoyed your write up, please keep us informed about your further development.
Atb for the next stalks and a very interesting 2014,

Michael
 
Well done, I enjoy reading your write ups.
Do you have a link to the field sports episode? I'd like to watch it ?
 
Congratulations on your first solo buck! It really is a big confidence boost, well done! Caught the episode of you on Fieldsports Britian, I'm sure you took a little stick for the miss :D

To the first of many I'm sure
 
Aaahhh, somehow I havent watched this episode, good to be updated now!

Somehow funny to watch yourself on TV, isnt it?
I just saw myself on fieldsportschannel, "Hello Charlie"....:D Man, was I looking good!
 
well done stratts

nice to see you break the duck, and long may it continue.

regards

bob.
 
Well done Stratts, we may have to change your name to Strutts now....

Congrats, the first of many, I am sure.
 
Thanks guys sorry I waffled on a bit I do tend to get carried away when typing!! Not sure I'm elequent enough for journalism though but thanks for the ego boost!!

Yes I took some flack over the vid but I still enjoy reliving the experience even if I do look chubbier on film, lol.
 
Well done mate, just goes to show the more you go out the more you learn your ground and the behaviour & movements of the deer there. Then the easier it becomes, you'll have a freezer full in no time
Wingy
 
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