Had a decent season on my own, but I do love taking my dog stalking with me.
He’s just over two, headstrong, driven and excitable when out somewhere new. Have a tough permission I’ve been taking him out on and we have had a few close, but no shot calls. Had I been on my own the end result would have no doubt been different, but always considered it as a learning experience for both.
Until today we were eight visits for one roe doe, but something clicked this morning.
Having left the truck, we moved slowly through the first wood where nothing showed. Then onto the second where we found three roe mooching about. Historically this is where he let himself down spinning around and tugging with excitement - not today as he sat beautifully and watched them intently. Got up on the sticks, found a doe in the scope, but passed her up due to only a headshot available in the cover.
We continue, but now are in a thinly wooded gulley with open hills either side. I spot two fallow on the opposite bank and we move slowly to a gap in the trees - sticks open and Dex without command sits and watches. We wait and two mins later a doe is broadside in my crosshairs. Boom, good boiler room strike, but she runs. While Dex’s tail is sweeping the leaf fall with excitement, we wait for a few minutes before I let him off requesting him to find it. Straight across the gulley and he’s in the field - he’s picks up the strike site while I catch up. I see the splash - it’s not much - the copper has pencilled through again…
5m horizontal he finds more blood, then 10m then further out - he runs on but pegs left picking up the scent on the wind finding his prize. Probably a good 50m track overall, with the doe running in an L shape - l must have walked straight past her.
I drag the doe to a suitable gralloch spot and while doing so see the other doe across the other side of the gulley watching. Dex is off the lead, but he’s close. The second doe presents a perfect broadside and I send another TTSX - she jumps and I see her run 30m and crash into a holly bush.
Dex is on it and he’s straight to her.
Kidney as a treat.
Busy but very special morning - I hope it’s sunk in.
He’s just over two, headstrong, driven and excitable when out somewhere new. Have a tough permission I’ve been taking him out on and we have had a few close, but no shot calls. Had I been on my own the end result would have no doubt been different, but always considered it as a learning experience for both.
Until today we were eight visits for one roe doe, but something clicked this morning.
Having left the truck, we moved slowly through the first wood where nothing showed. Then onto the second where we found three roe mooching about. Historically this is where he let himself down spinning around and tugging with excitement - not today as he sat beautifully and watched them intently. Got up on the sticks, found a doe in the scope, but passed her up due to only a headshot available in the cover.
We continue, but now are in a thinly wooded gulley with open hills either side. I spot two fallow on the opposite bank and we move slowly to a gap in the trees - sticks open and Dex without command sits and watches. We wait and two mins later a doe is broadside in my crosshairs. Boom, good boiler room strike, but she runs. While Dex’s tail is sweeping the leaf fall with excitement, we wait for a few minutes before I let him off requesting him to find it. Straight across the gulley and he’s in the field - he’s picks up the strike site while I catch up. I see the splash - it’s not much - the copper has pencilled through again…
5m horizontal he finds more blood, then 10m then further out - he runs on but pegs left picking up the scent on the wind finding his prize. Probably a good 50m track overall, with the doe running in an L shape - l must have walked straight past her.
I drag the doe to a suitable gralloch spot and while doing so see the other doe across the other side of the gulley watching. Dex is off the lead, but he’s close. The second doe presents a perfect broadside and I send another TTSX - she jumps and I see her run 30m and crash into a holly bush.
Dex is on it and he’s straight to her.
Kidney as a treat.
Busy but very special morning - I hope it’s sunk in.
️ great work from the both of you.
