The Lads First Solo Buck

David Brown

Well-Known Member
Last week I took a trip down to the Borders to take my lad to visit his grandparents. He has been keen to try for a Roebuck all summer but the population was devastated up here by the bad winter of 2010 . I therefore contacted an old pal,Tam, from that area ,who shot his first Red ,Wild Goat and Sika with me here, to see if he could set me up with a chance. True to the spirit of mutual co-operation Tam confirmed that it would be his pleasure to give me an evening stalk. My lad has always had me looking over his shoulder when out before so this was to be his first time sitting out on his own. Tam put him in a box overlooking a newly replanted huge area of spruce restock while I sat in a high seat a bit away above some early thicket stage trees full of that wonderful willow herb. I felt sure I would be able to hear any shot from Angus and told him I would walk down the road to him when I heard a report. As it got dull as light began to fade ,I saw two Does briefly raise their heads above the purple mass of flowers and decided I would move to join my lad as it would soon be too dark to see. As I approached his position he saw me coming and walked over to the road. " I have shot a Buck but can't find it" he said. After taking his shot he had looked down at the rifle action as he recycled a round and when he looked up he had become disorientated so wasn't sure where the Buck had been standing. He had walked round the immediate area with no signs to be seen and was wishing he had his pup with him. We walked over to a dark green patch of rushes where he was sure the deer had been and started to look for sign. It seemed a long way from the box looking back but he was positive the deer was there when he fired and it had vanished from the field of vision with the recoil and hadn't run off. I asked which direction it had been facing when he fired and walked about ten yards to a steep down slope beyond the rushes in that direction. Sure enough there it was shot perfectly ,stone dead and now a bit stiff! His relief and pleasure were seen in equal measure and he set about the gralloch with gusto. Tam and his other guests soon arrived and they gave him much praise, so important for a youngsters confidence. He was the only one to get a shot that night but the amount of sign in the area on the very sandy mounds shows the place has a good population. Angus learnt a lot of important lessons that night , not the least to mark the area in your mind before a shot and keep your eyes up when reloading. I would like to thank Tam publicly for his generosity and recommend him to anyone looking for a go at woodland Roe.


David
 
Hi dave really nice to see yous again and your more than welcome any time cheers tam
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