I was out Saturday morning. Took a young buck in the morning and went for an explore with the rifle in an area I'd not walked through previously (still getting to know the ground). It was an area of mature plantation with good breaks and a landy track.
Sun shining and only the faintest breeze.
I ended up in a wide patch of tall grass, about 100m by 400m, surrounded by mature pine forest and spotted a doe on the far side feeding. The breeze was very light but perceptibly from behind me, so I figured she'd wind me. Anyway I watched her for a bit, feeding away. It was great to watch and see her react to picking up my scent. Immediately alert, almost coiled like a spring ready to act, head twitched 90 degrees left, then straight ahead, then 90 degrees right and off like a train.
As I headed back to where I'd left the car I passed a stream that borders the landy track and there are low new growth trees about 4 or 5 feet tall along the edge of the landy track. I spotted an ear flick out the corner of my eye and froze. In to view came another nice doe feeding away in the stream bank just below me. The breeze was back in my favour now. I had the cover of the trees and kept her in view as she moved closer and closer, feeding away. Just for fun I moved slowly so we were both in full view of each other, still she wasnt bothered. When she was just over 5 metres away I gave her a low whistle, she looked me straight in the eye and then bolted.
Not the first lassie to do that, and she'll not be the last either.
Fabulous to get so close to watch these great animals.
Sun shining and only the faintest breeze.
I ended up in a wide patch of tall grass, about 100m by 400m, surrounded by mature pine forest and spotted a doe on the far side feeding. The breeze was very light but perceptibly from behind me, so I figured she'd wind me. Anyway I watched her for a bit, feeding away. It was great to watch and see her react to picking up my scent. Immediately alert, almost coiled like a spring ready to act, head twitched 90 degrees left, then straight ahead, then 90 degrees right and off like a train.
As I headed back to where I'd left the car I passed a stream that borders the landy track and there are low new growth trees about 4 or 5 feet tall along the edge of the landy track. I spotted an ear flick out the corner of my eye and froze. In to view came another nice doe feeding away in the stream bank just below me. The breeze was back in my favour now. I had the cover of the trees and kept her in view as she moved closer and closer, feeding away. Just for fun I moved slowly so we were both in full view of each other, still she wasnt bothered. When she was just over 5 metres away I gave her a low whistle, she looked me straight in the eye and then bolted.
Not the first lassie to do that, and she'll not be the last either.
Fabulous to get so close to watch these great animals.