First Fallow

I've been a bit quiet on the shooting front lately, what with University etc, but when dad mentioned the prospect of helping out one of his friends with the Fallow cull I jumped at the chance and sorted lifts home for the weekend. An early start this morning saw 3 suspicious looking vehicles meet in a service station in the depths of Berkshire and we soon set off to the grounds. Neighboring estates were all out as well trying to get a few more deer in the chiller. It started slowly, with just countless family groups of Roe passing the highseats of each gun, and safe they were as it was the Fallow we were after.
2 or so hours passed, I was convinced I was frozen solid to the highseat it was that cold and then it happened. Watching a stoat through the scope, I looked up to see 11 Fallow does already half way across the field I was to cover taking me completely by surprise. A quick shuffle round and I was tracking them in the scope waiting for them to stop and go broadside. Not looking like they were going to stop I shouted and held on the lead doe. She was quartering as she looked at me so I placed the shot further forward than normal and squeezed off the shot. With a good reaction to the shot, and the rest of the deer standing there looking a little shell shocked, I cycled the bolt ready to take number 2. A combination of cold fingers and excitement caused me to tit about too much and the deer skipped off through the hedge and into safety. By this time the doe I had shot was wobbling around and was soon down about 50m from the shot of impact.
A long drag across a drilling soon had me warm again and it was time for some photos. The other guns had fared much the same, lots of Roe seen but the Fallow proved a little more elusive with just a handful down. I don't know if my dad's friends get on here but I'd just like to say thanks so much to them anyway for a brilliant day. The deer was shot through a Ruger VT in .308 and the gralloch showed very little left of the lungs.pwfallow.jpg
 
good on you glad to hear you are enjoying your sport. A good write up...
 
I've been a bit quiet on the shooting front lately, what with University etc, but when dad mentioned the prospect of helping out one of his friends with the Fallow cull I jumped at the chance and sorted lifts home for the weekend. An early start this morning saw 3 suspicious looking vehicles meet in a service station in the depths of Berkshire and we soon set off to the grounds. Neighboring estates were all out as well trying to get a few more deer in the chiller. It started slowly, with just countless family groups of Roe passing the highseats of each gun, and safe they were as it was the Fallow we were after.
2 or so hours passed, I was convinced I was frozen solid to the highseat it was that cold and then it happened. Watching a stoat through the scope, I looked up to see 11 Fallow does already half way across the field I was to cover taking me completely by surprise. A quick shuffle round and I was tracking them in the scope waiting for them to stop and go broadside. Not looking like they were going to stop I shouted and held on the lead doe. She was quartering as she looked at me so I placed the shot further forward than normal and squeezed off the shot. With a good reaction to the shot, and the rest of the deer standing there looking a little shell shocked, I cycled the bolt ready to take number 2. A combination of cold fingers and excitement caused me to tit about too much and the deer skipped off through the hedge and into safety. By this time the doe I had shot was wobbling around and was soon down about 50m from the shot of impact.
A long drag across a drilling soon had me warm again and it was time for some photos. The other guns had fared much the same, lots of Roe seen but the Fallow proved a little more elusive with just a handful down. I don't know if my dad's friends get on here but I'd just like to say thanks so much to them anyway for a brilliant day. The deer was shot through a Ruger VT in .308 and the gralloch showed very little left of the lungs.
View attachment 25413
Great story
 
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