2016 from the view of a recreational stalker

My goal this year was based entirely on numbers. Not numbers of deer but numbers of outings. I'm happy to say that I did manage to get out stalking at least once a week, just.

Looking at the diary for 2016 it has been a relatively successful year. I cover a couple of farms and a estate based around Lincolnshire where the quarry is exclusively Roe and Muntjac and a small block of forestry outside of Dumfries which has Roe and transient Red. The landowners have different objectives and happily I think I have achieved those for them. Highseats have been built, land studied more carefully and new paths covered.

Last year I managed a total of 31 deer: 11 Roe Does, 10 Roe Bucks, 6 Muntjac Bucks, 3 Muntjac Does and 1 Red Stag. Through my outings I have learnt more when I haven't been successful than when I have. Most of the time this was when reccying land with just notepad and binos. I have had the great pleasure of being taken out by Colin (Solway Stalker) who put me on to a fantastic beast. I probably learnt more lessons during that day that at any other time this year. Lessons I have taken on board so thank you Colin.

My experience of the SD, avoiding the off topic section, has been great as always. The people whom I have brought from and sold to have been honest and honourable. I'm indebted to those that take the time to provide information to my questions and help point me in the right direction.

This year I would like to partake in more deer stalking and less deer shooting; Over 50% of the deer taken were from a highest (due to the flat nature of my ground) and whilst I'm performing a role it is less enjoyable than being on the ground. Goals for 2017 are to stalk Fallow and Boar

Here's to a great 2017 and best of luck to you all,

James

P.s. A picture of the Roe and Muntjac heads I thought worth keeping. A picture of my heads and my friends heads from 2016. He shot 34 overall...IMG-20170108-WA0005.jpgIMG-20170108-WA0003.jpg
 
Congratulations, for a recreational stalker, that's a hell of a lot of stalking! Did you freeze all the heads whole? In which case, you have yet more work ahead of you, good luck. You appear to have some very dark or almost black roe too.

Anyway, good luck with the fallow and boar in 2017. Puts me to shame. I'm on one muntjac doe, one rabbit, one pheasant and three squirrels this season! But I'm not quite done yet...
 
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theres a serious belter of a head in the left hand group, and above, the two that look black?? or is that a trick of the light?

Anyway, lovely little synopsis there, thanks for sharing.
 
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After quite a frenetic start to the Buck season we decided to keep all our heads in bags in the chiller so some of them have been held at 1'c for 8 months. I started to boil mine out and the dark ones are only dark because they are wet and were removed from the Burco for the picture.
 
Hi James
Nice to hear you enjoyed your day with us so much , your day on stags was one of the best for the season , along with the last day of the stag season strangely enough , one i think we will both always remember
All the best for 2017
Colin
 
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