So whilst I'm still awaiting my fac variation to allow me to shoot my new permission, I thought I'd start prepping for when I can.
It was a decision to properly cement this in as my replacement hobby since motorbikes are out (family tragedy and 2 young kids). Time to ditch the motorbike wardrobe in the garage, and replace it with a chiller. I managed to find a decent drinks chiller for £50, and I 3D printed some risers for a hanging bar. Add a temperature sensor and it's all there.
During the chiller setup, I saw someone online mentioning a cancellation for a stalk and included carcass. Perfect!
We met up over in West Sussex, and after a bit of a run down on my experience (let's call that brief and detailed
), we drove into the first bit of woods and parked up.
The plan was set. We were to walk up, ignoring anything on the right due to the lack of backstop, and focus left. Wind was bad, blowing from behind us. Nonetheless, if we see something he will hang back and I was to go forward alone and take a shot if safe and possible.
We get 300m and already we have fallow ahead. I move forward but with the wind, they're off in a flash. This happens once more before we change direction and follow the wood down.
We next see a bunch of fallow, including some nice big bucks, moving into the valley below us. Probably our best opportunity. I crouch as low as possible and move forwards. Thermal, rifle, sticks. It's all feeling a bit of a juggling act. I can see them but I've also been told never to shoot through branches so I press on trying to get closer. It's dire. In my head I'm thinking I'll swiftly and silently beat them to a clear spot ahead, but as I close they cotton on and make a run for it. I head back and he asks what my assessment of that opportunity was. "Clumsy". He said that's exactly the right word.
What I should have done is just find a small window through the trees, and just wait for them to come into it rather than try and put myself into a window to see them where they are. Let them do the moving. Ok, I'll file that away.
My rifle doesn't sling well on my back, so I'm constantly trying to hold that safely on my shoulder whilst simultaneously working a thermal, whilst holding my sticks. I've basically decided I hate sticks. The sling I can work on at home, but the sticks are just annoying. Also, despite the drizzle, my glasses are steaming up and when I look through the scope, I need to ensure they're right up my nose or I'm looking over the top of them. Contacts next time. All lessons learnt.
We head back to the car and drive up to another area, a farm up the road.
As we walk up, I spot something on the crest of the hill. "that's a fox", he says. "careful not to spook it or if there's fallow in the valley it'll spook them too". As we get closer and it turns, we realise it's actually a Roe. He tells me to get ready to shoot and I tell him there's no backstop. "Good, well then stalk forward until you get one from the valley". I think I passed that little test.
As I move forward slowly, I see there's actually a buck lying off to the left. I can only see the head and don't fancy a headshot. I'm on the sticks and it stands. Perfect. Chest shot and we hear the impact.
His dog in training is straight on it and we have success.
After a short drag back, we go through the gralloch and everything is good there. It's not the fallow we were after but we take it.
We don't stop there, going elsewhere after fallow but after laying prone in soaking wet grass and drizzle, all we see are Does. For this bit though, I left my sticks in the car and just went down to my knee for any potential shots. It felt SO much better. I hate sticks, despite 3 out of 4 of my shots on deer being from sticks.
It doesn't matter though. Ultimately it was the experience I was after and to come away with a carcass to test the fridge is just the cherry on top.
The missus has very mixed feelings about having a carcass in the house. City girl, so she actually believed me when I jokingly said I'd brought it home all butchered and in food packaging. I've got some privacy frosting for the front of the chiller coming today, to save her the eyeful when she wants to use the washing machine in the garage. And to save me the earful. She certainly appreciates a good venison pie though.
It was a decision to properly cement this in as my replacement hobby since motorbikes are out (family tragedy and 2 young kids). Time to ditch the motorbike wardrobe in the garage, and replace it with a chiller. I managed to find a decent drinks chiller for £50, and I 3D printed some risers for a hanging bar. Add a temperature sensor and it's all there.
During the chiller setup, I saw someone online mentioning a cancellation for a stalk and included carcass. Perfect!
We met up over in West Sussex, and after a bit of a run down on my experience (let's call that brief and detailed
), we drove into the first bit of woods and parked up. The plan was set. We were to walk up, ignoring anything on the right due to the lack of backstop, and focus left. Wind was bad, blowing from behind us. Nonetheless, if we see something he will hang back and I was to go forward alone and take a shot if safe and possible.
We get 300m and already we have fallow ahead. I move forward but with the wind, they're off in a flash. This happens once more before we change direction and follow the wood down.
We next see a bunch of fallow, including some nice big bucks, moving into the valley below us. Probably our best opportunity. I crouch as low as possible and move forwards. Thermal, rifle, sticks. It's all feeling a bit of a juggling act. I can see them but I've also been told never to shoot through branches so I press on trying to get closer. It's dire. In my head I'm thinking I'll swiftly and silently beat them to a clear spot ahead, but as I close they cotton on and make a run for it. I head back and he asks what my assessment of that opportunity was. "Clumsy". He said that's exactly the right word.
What I should have done is just find a small window through the trees, and just wait for them to come into it rather than try and put myself into a window to see them where they are. Let them do the moving. Ok, I'll file that away.
My rifle doesn't sling well on my back, so I'm constantly trying to hold that safely on my shoulder whilst simultaneously working a thermal, whilst holding my sticks. I've basically decided I hate sticks. The sling I can work on at home, but the sticks are just annoying. Also, despite the drizzle, my glasses are steaming up and when I look through the scope, I need to ensure they're right up my nose or I'm looking over the top of them. Contacts next time. All lessons learnt.
We head back to the car and drive up to another area, a farm up the road.
As we walk up, I spot something on the crest of the hill. "that's a fox", he says. "careful not to spook it or if there's fallow in the valley it'll spook them too". As we get closer and it turns, we realise it's actually a Roe. He tells me to get ready to shoot and I tell him there's no backstop. "Good, well then stalk forward until you get one from the valley". I think I passed that little test.
As I move forward slowly, I see there's actually a buck lying off to the left. I can only see the head and don't fancy a headshot. I'm on the sticks and it stands. Perfect. Chest shot and we hear the impact.
His dog in training is straight on it and we have success.
After a short drag back, we go through the gralloch and everything is good there. It's not the fallow we were after but we take it.
We don't stop there, going elsewhere after fallow but after laying prone in soaking wet grass and drizzle, all we see are Does. For this bit though, I left my sticks in the car and just went down to my knee for any potential shots. It felt SO much better. I hate sticks, despite 3 out of 4 of my shots on deer being from sticks.
It doesn't matter though. Ultimately it was the experience I was after and to come away with a carcass to test the fridge is just the cherry on top.
The missus has very mixed feelings about having a carcass in the house. City girl, so she actually believed me when I jokingly said I'd brought it home all butchered and in food packaging. I've got some privacy frosting for the front of the chiller coming today, to save her the eyeful when she wants to use the washing machine in the garage. And to save me the earful. She certainly appreciates a good venison pie though.
