I'd like to thank all those who are part of the Drummuir Deer Management Group. They have offered an accompanied stalk facility to Serving Members of the armed forces. Alan, who is on this site had mentioned a couple of months ago about the possability of it, after several PM's to one another and a couple of phone calls, it's going to happen.
I was invited up as I'm going to be heading it up from work so I could get a look around the ground, see what's on offer and of course meet Alan. It was arranged for today, early start for a meet up and the chance of a Buck to boot.
We met at 5am, Alan was there with Ian Christie also from this site. We drove the short distance to the ground and immediatley came accross a nice Buck. It was on the dirt track about 100m from the road and we were in 2 separate vehicles, would not have been very sporting to have shot the nice fella, so we drove on slowly and off he went.
We parked up, brief on the ground and the surrounding area, quick coffee and off we went. Lovely ground, woodland with open areas and some open grassed/farmed areas. We walked down the track with not much to be seen but behind us was the Battle of the Bark as two roe decided to have a "Who can do the loudest" competition, we never saw them, but atleast they were on the ground.
We continued down and then round up to a wood, we decided, well, Ian did, good move, not 50m into it, a Roe again, unfortunatley, spotted us, and then noted a Doe......
We continued through the wood, stopped at a good clearing hoping for a Buck to emerge and take some warming sun, it never happened so we moved on. We bumped the Doe again, well, suspect the same Doe as earlier.
Continuing through the wood, we hit a track and followed it, deciding to take another track off to the left, well, Bug**r me, not 10m off it, a Buck looking straight at us about 50m away, Alan said to take the shot, as I moved into position, it took off, ran towards us and stopped 10m away, as I brought my rifle round to reposition, off he went.... As he ran off, a cracking Buck came from over the top of the horizon, about 150m away, but not a clear shot due to all the trees and small twigs/branches in the way, he was heading down the wood keeping parrallel to us, into dead ground, he was a bonnie looking lad through the bins and was not aware of us yet, Alan said to go for it. I moved forward to a slight rise hoping to get an overlook on the dead ground, just short of the rise, I got the nod he was off, I looked up to the left and there he was full speed away, Oh Well!!!
We continued round and eventually came back to the vehicles. After sorting the kit out a coffee and chat, quick roll, bit of Pi** Taking, we were off, Alan and Ian were going to take me for a drive around the whole Estate. What a cracking place, plenty of different stalking areas, it's broken down into 6 areas, each has different enviroments for stalking. Fantastic.
We got back to my motor, another chat and then time to part company.
I'd like to thank everyone at the DMG for the Offer they have put accross to us, I will endevour to make it as successful as I can from my side. Initial feelings from work is that it will be a great success.
Many Thanks.
TJ
I was invited up as I'm going to be heading it up from work so I could get a look around the ground, see what's on offer and of course meet Alan. It was arranged for today, early start for a meet up and the chance of a Buck to boot.
We met at 5am, Alan was there with Ian Christie also from this site. We drove the short distance to the ground and immediatley came accross a nice Buck. It was on the dirt track about 100m from the road and we were in 2 separate vehicles, would not have been very sporting to have shot the nice fella, so we drove on slowly and off he went.
We parked up, brief on the ground and the surrounding area, quick coffee and off we went. Lovely ground, woodland with open areas and some open grassed/farmed areas. We walked down the track with not much to be seen but behind us was the Battle of the Bark as two roe decided to have a "Who can do the loudest" competition, we never saw them, but atleast they were on the ground.
We continued down and then round up to a wood, we decided, well, Ian did, good move, not 50m into it, a Roe again, unfortunatley, spotted us, and then noted a Doe......
We continued through the wood, stopped at a good clearing hoping for a Buck to emerge and take some warming sun, it never happened so we moved on. We bumped the Doe again, well, suspect the same Doe as earlier.
Continuing through the wood, we hit a track and followed it, deciding to take another track off to the left, well, Bug**r me, not 10m off it, a Buck looking straight at us about 50m away, Alan said to take the shot, as I moved into position, it took off, ran towards us and stopped 10m away, as I brought my rifle round to reposition, off he went.... As he ran off, a cracking Buck came from over the top of the horizon, about 150m away, but not a clear shot due to all the trees and small twigs/branches in the way, he was heading down the wood keeping parrallel to us, into dead ground, he was a bonnie looking lad through the bins and was not aware of us yet, Alan said to go for it. I moved forward to a slight rise hoping to get an overlook on the dead ground, just short of the rise, I got the nod he was off, I looked up to the left and there he was full speed away, Oh Well!!!
We continued round and eventually came back to the vehicles. After sorting the kit out a coffee and chat, quick roll, bit of Pi** Taking, we were off, Alan and Ian were going to take me for a drive around the whole Estate. What a cracking place, plenty of different stalking areas, it's broken down into 6 areas, each has different enviroments for stalking. Fantastic.
We got back to my motor, another chat and then time to part company.
I'd like to thank everyone at the DMG for the Offer they have put accross to us, I will endevour to make it as successful as I can from my side. Initial feelings from work is that it will be a great success.
Many Thanks.
TJ