Erik Hamburger
Well-Known Member
I was out in a High Seat last Wednesday when a roe buck walked very slowly from right to left behind me, and came within 5 yards. The animal seemed quite thin, his head was hanging low, every step appeared slow and laboured, and it didn't seem to be alert. It was a 4-pointer but didn't seem well. I knew a buck had been injured by another stalker in the same area a week before and wasn't found, despite bringing in a Bavarian Mountain Hound to track it. However I couldn't see any injuries, neither was it limping. I decided it was a cull buck and tried to get it to turn around so I could take a broadside shot (by now some 70-80 Yards away). Making a few noises, it hardly responded and wasn't alarmed, neither did it respond to a few very load shouts. It simply kept on walking in a straight line, along the field margin of a rape field, away from me, slowly slowly, until out of sight. With its head hanging low a back-headshot was out of the question.
Any ideas? was this buck 'drunk' on rape, or ill?
Any ideas? was this buck 'drunk' on rape, or ill?