Do stalkers do much walking?

One day last may, when I had my first day more than a mile away from my house after the first lockdown, we stopped on a path and a half grown leveret lolopped past W_G and stopped for several seconds level with me, I could look into its bright yellow eyes, before it suddenly clocked that it shouldn't be there and ran off, but not at full tilt. It wasn't panicked. I wish I could have taken a photo but I couldn't move.

That was the kind of moment that makes stalking so special. We saw that leveret come from the wood ahead of us, making its way along the track, sniffing the air and nibbling the tips of blades of grass. I guess some might have thought “we’re here for deer, press on”, but to see a leveret come past us, completely unaware until it finally caught our scent, was truly magical. Those memories will stay for a lifetime.
 
We saw that leveret come from the wood ahead of us, making its way along the track, sniffing the air and nibbling the tips of blades of grass. I guess some might have thought “we’re here for deer, press on”, but to see a leveret come past us, completely unaware until it finally caught our scent, was truly magical. Those memories will stay for a lifetime.
If I manage to take a deer then fine. I do not operate under the pressures of a professional and our cull plan is not demanding.
It is what I see when I am out in the countryside that brings me joy, and this can range from a field mouse, to a hedgehog to a bird of prey.

The days of me driving at 0400 hours to catch the first tube train out of Cockfosters at 0500 hours; to get to the office by 0615 hours are thankfully an unpleasant memory.

A lifetime of do so, has left me with an "interesting" Circadian rhythm.

So if 0400 hours nowadays, finds me sat in a High Seat with a TI, looking for nothing in particular - then I count myself lucky.
 
The neighbour, who has the revier came over to see me. His hand has swollen up and he is unable to carry anything so for him I went out at 20.00 sat in a doe box overlooking a freshly planted field, and at 22.45 out came the sounder he was after, he asked me not to take a big one but take a frischling just to move them on, the 6.5x57R then did the business 60 metre shot but it still ran 25 metres, tough little things.
 
I wouldn't call myself a stalker as I got my FAC during lockdown and haven't been out yet. However I have managed to increase the time I spend on my feet usually walking or running 6 to 20 miles a day.
 
Most of my stalking has been hill Roe and I'd likely walk at least 7-10 km a day including drag back to the cars lol.

My stalking buddy was on the verge of getting his finger cut off as he used to just point up the hill at some distant deer and I'd be expected to hike off and come back with it.
 
When I lived in Germany, our Jaegermeister had a very large set of lederhosen.
He only walked up the steps to his high seats.
 
I did two stalks yesterday, a zero session and moved some cows. My Fit Bitch says I did 24507 steps, 11.5 miles, Wednesday I did a hike over the Moor carrying a decent day pack, 24229 steps, 11.37 miles.................This stalker does a lot of walking, and at 63 I feel absolutely bloody marvellous!
 
Hate all forms of exercise unless it's to a pub or I have a rifle on my shoulder. Shocking indictment I know, but you did ask.

Shocking indeed, but we are all different. But without a certain level of fitness, you would really struggle to stalk and drag in Devon, especially the areas on and around Dartmoor where I shoot, beat, pick up and stalk. But each to their own. 👍
 
I sometimes sit in a high seat, but I’m always thinking...what’s on the other side of the wood, in the next ride, over the brow of the hill, so I have to go and look. As a result I’m on my feet walking, scanning and stalking far more often than in the high seat probably in the ratio of 10:1. I walk between 10,000 and 18,000 steps every day, walking my dogs if I’m not out shooting, so it keeps me mobile, something I’m keen to maintain now I’m 67.
 
Shocking indeed, but we are all different. But without a certain level of fitness, you would really struggle to stalk and drag in Devon, especially the areas on and around Dartmoor where I shoot, beat, pick up and stalk. But each to their own. 👍
I'm sorry but where did I say I wasn't fit? How do you think I get stags back to the larder in Scotland?
 
That's right and I think you underestimate just how tiring riding around on a comfy quad bike can be at times. Why sometimes I even have to get off to open a gate!
 
Generally the morning stalk is a walk the evening stalk is a sit in a high seat , I much prefer the morning stalk
 
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