Write Ups

Write ups of your recent trips and event reports.
As some maybe aware, my lad suffers from CFS/ME. He’s a really bright lad but unfortunately doesn’t have the energy to attend school. He has hospital schooling at home two days a week. He’s 15 at present so in the middle of GCSE. Fingers crossed he will be able to achieve a pass in maths and hopefully English. He was quite upset when we explained to him he wouldn’t be able to do all his exams, it’s a massive deal for kids today, it’s drummed into them at school that they MUST pass all there exams. Finley turned 15 in October 2023. He really enjoys clay and game shooting with me. He wanted to apply for his shot gun certificate. At 15 you’re pretty limited on what you can do with your own certificate, but I thought it would give him a...
Nothing more exciting than a deer stalk, so for those of you reading hoping for more saucy tales, I'll have to disappoint. I'd spied a roe doe in the far corner of a field, tucked right in about 500 yards away. The wind was awful for me, straight into my back - I had to get to where the doe was to start my stalk proper. I deliberated and decided to slowly stalk into her. Chances are she'd wind me, but hopefully gently move off rather than charge off. That was the plan. I work my way round the field, periodically checking and she's still there. As I start to approach her, I lose sight of the doe because of the topology of the land - not too fussed, and last see the doe wasn't moving. At this point, nature calls. I'm sure some of you...
Well it was for me anyhow. Epic as in I found my deer and was moments away from a shot....twice! Up at 04:00, not raining, good. Get in car at 04:30, raining, meh. As soon as I arrive I see three groups a thousand yards away on the lee side of a forest, just how I was hoping for. I moved in under cover of darkness and end up just 80 yds away waiting for light. Spooked them once! They settled and I waited Soon after the first robin sang I was just starting to see their shapes but barely the reticle of the Leupold that @alberta boy sent me. Conscious that as light increased I to would be exposed I stayed motionless. They were quite calm however as time marched on I noticed they started to look my way more and more. I carefully kept drying...
What a day today was, very bright but with a strong easterly wind. We set off this afternoon to try for Fallow does but they were so jumpy with the wind and usual plethora of off piste walkers it was hard going. We had a good stalk into some does but they were 400yds away and we could get no closer. Laid in a good spot hoping they would feed closer but no they fed away and couched up in the lee of the big wood on our boundary and beneath one of our high seats. We spotted a herd of fifty plus does a bit later but they were so skittish they buzzed off when we were half way to them. It wasn't anything we did they were just so jumpy they wouldn't stay in one spot and moved on to three different owners land in twenty minutes. Well luck was...
A quick check of my Game Book, tells me that I was last out with a rifle on the 21st December - knocking on for three months. I will not bore you (actually I probably will) with the details, but I drive a 110 and she has spent the best part of two months waiting for new front half-axle, diff locky things changing. Long short. I get dicked about by the (latest) garage which lets me know towards the end of February, that they cannot now fit her in (as promised) for the end of December.😖 "Don't worry sir, I have spoken to a friend of mine. He is a Landrover wizard although he is hard to get hold of..." Eventually the "Wizard" returns my messages. "I will phone you tomorrow, when I have the diary in front of me". Two weeks of nothing...
Out tonight, got my first fallow and only my second deer. Bloody windy, and they were behind the high seat so the shot was taken at my 4-5 o'clock. They wandered into a gap in the branches though, with this one separating slightly from the group. A touch high, but it worked. It was my longest field shot, and over my 100m zero so I went for a bit of hold over. Obviously a bit too much but as I say, it worked.
Met Pete straight from work and we were off. Aiming for two different high seats we split up either side of the forestry. During my walk to the seat I notice that the farmer had removed some sheep from the fields and the gate was open. Risking not getting to the seat in time I had a little peak into the grass field as i creeped down the hedge, there they were. A herd of reds out in the open grazing. At this point I’m struggling to keep the wind right. Eventually everything works out and a stag calf presents the shot. Later that night back in the yard we catch up again. Pete had been successful on a Roe Doe, and a good evening had by all. If you’re looking for stalking opportunities with some lovely accommodation in the South...
The rain came in hard over night, the time of abatement according to the MetOffice kept getting pushed right as I checked worriedly throughout the evening. This could seriously jeopardise the planned for first light launch onto the stalking ground. No deer has been shot from a warm bed though, so better to be up and out, I can just sit in the truck and wait for the rain to peter out. 0530, quick coffee, met check (no change - 80% precipitation decreasing to 60% by 0800), kit check and I'm off by 0600. By the time I get to the stalking ground, it's still raining, so I read the news, prep the kit as far as possible and wait till its 'clear' by 0730 and then launch out. I've got a mind on a woodblock that's holding some Roe and Muntjac...
On Monday morning, 19th Feb, I had reason to visit a place between Newbury and Kingsclere. I travelled from Andover using country roads for about twenty miles in total, none that would lend to any speeds and mostly just enough room for two vehicles to pass. Starting from a few miles the other side of Andover the number of Muntjac road kill I saw, at least a dozen, possibly more, was horrific, most were easily identifiable but some were small deer too small for Roe and too early for Roe kids so naturally assumed they were also Muntjac. On one particular stretch of less than a mile there were five. What struck me was that they were all on the side of the road, so from that I gathered they had either been hit and killed and moved to the...
I've just sat down with a nice brew and a slice of cake 😋 after being out foxing. my little shoot is still not dry enough to get onto the field's yet so I'm having to resort to baiting spots where I can get a safe shot on. we have a central track and I've put baits out on both sides of it at a measured 300yds so I can cover both spots at once. it's a lovely still night and we set up at 8.30 on the tailgate shooting rest on the l200.we decided not to call first but just wait awhile.the first fox just appeared out of nowhere on the bait to the lefthand side of the track,I think the hedge must of sheilded it from the thermal? nice steady aim of the rest,cross on its nose and at 300 it should hit dead center,down it went👍. around half an...
Nice dry night for a change with enough wind to help out! a bit colder must get them on the move also vixens will be building up their condition. Not changed the formula of 95gn round 1" high in the .243 when it had the Kahles on top now the Drone 10 in a very long time, block of ground split into 4 fields on foot with the sticks. First 2 around 120 third 150 and the last one not budging at 186 front on. There is an old pit where the forth one was shot so the others went for a ride and all at rest together.
Back out yesterday afternoon for Fallow, nice and sunny watching 70+ enjoying the warmth of the sunshine over the boundary! No matter there may be some others, yes there was a group of does feeding out in the open in a bit of a dip, the only way was a hike around on the low side then use the hedge for cover as I came up the slope. That was my plan but the 2 dog walkers who should have crossed the foot bridge carried on and on and on following where I had planned, cut straight across and the group legged it... Nothing else but to wait for last light, they did come out but right in the furthest field! To work the wind I had a long walk for any chance of a shot but always a chance. Mid sized doe came clear of the group quick re-load she...
So it had got to that time of Leap Year again and I'm congratulating myself for living this long , to celebrate , a visit to Prague was in order . We took in the sights , admired the architecture and were in awe of the statues . But honestly, no one is interested in any of that , are they ? A 10 minute walk from the square and we have the CZ shop , I say ,"shop" but it was more boutique . (From the web) As a tourist , it seemed fitting to purchase a t-shirt and some spare parts for the 527 . A spare extractor and a couple of extractor collars or as we know them , Unicorn tears . There was something I desperately wanted to see , the rifles from their custom shop and they didn't disapoint. So , after asking permission, I...
The revival of my goat thread got me thinking I should write up last weekend. My eldest son has been bugging me to let him take an animal - he’s been on a couple of hunts with me but only as an observer. Having recently turned 12 and gotten his minor’s permit he can legally shoot under my supervision. Not sure what groups he can print but he can hit small steels at 80y with open sights and 200y with a scope so decided it was time. Loaded some 55gr SPBTs in the 222 and set off to see what we could find. While I was glassing from a hilltop across and around the his young eyes spotted a black and white goat on a far hill top under a tree, similar area to my previous post in fact. So we checked the wind and drove round to the top of the...
So I was moving some cattle when I spot a small mob of goats. These f*ckers moved in uninvited a few months ago and with the slump in prices are pretty undesirable. I thought I’d made it clear to them they should leave when I put a bomb up them last month but about 10 were back again. So raced back home and grabbed a rifle, and headed up the top of the hill. They were camped under a tree over half way up. 2 in the afternoon, hot, humid and stormy. Very strong westerly wind so I came in from the east and got off the bike at the crest. Probably about 200m off, they never heard me due to the wind. I stalked down the rest of the hill and there was a pretty conveniently placed rock and clump of grass about 70m from them. This...
After a fantastic sunny weekend on my hunting ground, I managed to harvest the deer of my dreams. It feels extra special because my great-grandfather started the hunting ground. In Sweden it is common to lease the hunting rights instead of owning the land. Because my great-grandfather, grandfather and father have managed to have such a good relationship with all the landowners, we have soon leased for 100 years. To be able to hunt on the same land my great-grandfather did makes everything more special. After only seeing roe deers and some hares in the first two days, my hopes were low to see some fallows. But there, on Sunday morning, they appeared. A bachelor club of 6 stags. The only problem was that they were 300 meters away...
My son has just turned 15 and is struggling a bit with normal life and school. He has been diagnosed with M.E / chronic fatigue syndrome. He / we are all learning to live with it and manage some sort of normal existence. The level of maturity he is showing and the way he is coping with this is commendable. A couple of weeks ago he become the proud owner of one of stuart Mitchell Portland 90 knives. He was so excited to receive this, he was desperate to get out in the field and try it. Unfortunately life was against us and his M.E / CFS chucked us a curve ball and his sleeping pattern turned him nocturnal ( great for him when he wants to come out foxing ). Saturday evening about 830pm he wakes up and starts his day!!. I have a chat...
What a week it’s been! Last Friday we headed up to Southwick from Cornwall for a little break away. Monday-Wednesday we did the standard tourist attractions. One of which was a 4x4 deer park tour at Bainlock Deer Park. It was a fantastic experience and our guide was very knowledgeable. The on-site cafe and food were great. Highly recommend If you’re in the area. Thursday was my day out. I headed up to St Johns Town of Dalry. The aim of this trip was to stalk some goats within the hills. It was a fantastic experience, weather was brutal with heavy hail and snow. Wind was blowing and fingers were frozen! We put some serious effort into keeping up with the goats who maintained a steady 500 meter distance between us and them. What...
Last year on TSD, I asked for some mentoring in the stalking world. A very kind member reached out to me & offered to give me some guidance. This afternoon we went out to a very nice but very muddy woodland with plenty of tracks, fallen Birch & tangles underfoot. Making our way through, we see a flash of a Muntjac ahead, it was gone as quickly as it appeared. We move on through and make our way up the bank, stopping half way up and looking back down. This is where I now see why thermals are so valuable. My mentor spots a signature back down the bank where we had just been, I struggle multiple times to spot it in the tangle and fallen tree cover, minutes go by as I scan with my binoculars. Finally I see it (some of it), I only...
Hello all , had a message from the land owner he was concerned about the amount of squirrels about, so thought we thought we better get on with it asap , so we have been filling the feeders up on a regular basis, there all placed around 40 metres from a couple of shooting boxes we have in different locations in the main woodland that we control deer in , The woodland is almost unrecognisable as it’s had a major problem with ash dieback, probably 90% of the wood is now newly planted hardwood trees, due to a re planting program over the last 4 years, So up early last Wednesday morning for a scheduled squirrel cull (.22 rimmy zeroed in ), had the best morning ever with squirrel after squirrel coming to the feeder 24 in total, making all...
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