Rookie mistake

So, this may be a long one. The story starts yesterday evening, I took the new rifle out to a spot where the farmer had seen some red deer. Had a slow stalk down a path for around 20 mins before getting to my spot and deploying the new trigger sticks, rifle out of the way with binos out I started my scanning. 15 minutes later I clocked 2 foxs walking up a bank around 40 yards to my right. Little buggers, 308 isn't conditioned for fox so decided to watch them for around 20 mins or so with them now being 50 yards infront of me eating something. Sat watching them I noticed them eating something, after a further 10 mins I noticed them pull what appeared to be a leg up, then I saw antlers. Walked over to them to find local poachers been out again, a 9 point stag sat there slowly rotting. Gutted to say the least. Rings farmer with no answer so I walked back to the farm yard and had a chat with him. He isn't happy to say the least however is happy another ones shot. Funny folk eh. Back to a different spot coming on for half 4 or so overlooking a valley with a row of evergreens on a rise around 120 yards ahead with a stream running down the middle of it. Nice little spot and had 180 degree vision around for around 700 yards up towards the top of said valley. Rolls a smoke, lit it and decided to have a glance at my phone to see who text me. Looks back up to see 2 deer stood 270ish yards away, binos up and now I'm getting excited. Sat there until 5:15 with them laying down, unfortunatly on next doors land, with the cold and fog coming in I decided to get the Mrs pick me up and back home. Rifle dryed and away, tea on I had a chill out before she asks what my plans are in the morning. 'We're going to look at that wedding venue arnt we?' Yes she says, but we can get up in the early hours of the morning if you want and go out for a couple of hours. Winner, cheers love :D So, alarm set for 6am this morning I wake up, get dressed, take the dogs for a quick stroll then back home. 6:50am by now. Grabs rifle, sticks, rope and knifes and put everything in my bag except the rifle, out within a couple of minutes. Stopped off for some breakfast and a coffee knowing it would be a while longer before we could get anywhere. Up to the farm for 7:20 And it's just going light, on the way in I spys a big dog fox, again, little bugger. With the snow coming down I picked up my rifle, bag and sticks and we headed off. Stalked to the far side where i had seen the 2 stags previous I decided to wait there. At around 8am sure enough a couple of stags came out, followed by another 3. Winner. Waiting for them to come down across the wall suddenly they turn and run up the hill. Pain in the arse, sit a bit longer before moving a bit further down. About 50 yards down the ride I spot movement on the other side of the valley, 16 hinds had come out. Sits still for half an hour before they move off and by now I'm thinking it's not my lucky day. Back to the car and I went to next doors farm. On arrival I met the lady owner and had a catch up with her (i shoot foxes for her but no permission for deer) said there's a couple of foxs I've seen and will sort this weekend but other farmer has a deer problem. 'I know, there's too many of them. I love seeing them but watching 30 come across is just too many' brilliant, do you mind if I go and shoot one or 2 then? Yep not a problem just drop me a couple of steaks when your done! Winner! I know this lands cleared as I rang up a while before when wanting to shoot the 223 there, might be a good day after all? Has a chat with Mrs who is driving me around at the minute (fractured knee, makes life difficult!) And she says we will go up now. Even better, pulls car around and up a banking on the other permission and starts a long walk up a steep hill where the deer were. There's a wind turbine at the top of said hill to it helped cover up the swearing and cursing for the hill being so steep. Got to the top, walked around the turbine and couldn't see a thing. It was a snow blizzard. Great, where we were right on the tops allowing a massive wind to come through blinding us with snow. Walked slowly to a line of trees that run down the hill and stalked through the trees wondering where the 20+ deer have gone. Just my luck, not there. Or so I thought. After a precarious 15 minutes of stalking on the outskirts of this small wood I picked something up through the now heavy snow. It can't be? Binos Up, sure enough it was. Now there were 3 stood there so deciding which one to take took a few seconds, decided on the far left with the clearest shot and he also didn't have a great head for a big lad. Backstop? Yep absolutely fine, about 400ft of banking behind it. Sticks up, safety off and click. Dam. Closed the bolt AND then put the mag in knowing I would be walking and banging it about. Bolt back chambered a round and on him again, bang. The 150g federal drops him, a solid hit. Winner. The other deer, probably 15 of them scattered and I sat down, tried drying my hands and rolled a smoke still watching this stag. He then got up so I was straight on the sticks ready for another shot before falling down again, this time leaving a very visible pool of blood in the snow. Wait another few minutes. From out of nowhere he jumped up and ran about 30 yards to the edge of a banking and dropped. Down a 10ft banking into a holly bush. They never do what you want do they? So, left him another couple of minutes before going down the bank, sticks in hand and prodded his eye. No reaction, dead. Turns around and high fives the Mrs, not knowing how she isn't cold as she's nesh. At this point it's half 11 and we have to be at the wedding venue for 1pm for a looksie. A picture or 2 and I get my gloves and knife out of my bag. Bled it out, waited a few minutes before starting the gralloch. Gralloch done and now to find a way out, the only way being over a wall and through a stream. Oh dear, this is where the rookie mistake comes in. He was a heavy lad and getting him over the wall wasn't easy. Got a strap around him and started dragging. After 40 yards I had to cross a stream and up another steep bank. What have I done? How the hell am I going to get it up here? Anyway, hauled it up the banking and dragged it to somewhere I could access it with the Jimny. She walked up and some 35 minutes later came back, didn't realise how far we had gone! Head off and legs off now it's at the car I lift it up and put it in the back with some food grade bags of my old man. Head and legs off to make it fit a bit better and back home. It is now sat in my chiller which I will get a picture of at some point soon (don't want to go out I've been soaked once) in this experience ive realised, Mrs wasn't cold because of the deer hunter jacket I bought her, should have got myself one! You can have the best plan in the world but don't expect it to pan out the way you want and my dogs won't let you in the house because there too busy sniffing you :rofl: So, missed the wedding venue thing and she was happy that we had been out and been successful. She's quite getting into this shooting malarkey and absolutely loves deer(not eating them though) she is happy coming out at silly o'clock in a morning, me leaving our yearly holiday to go stalking and dealing with my purchases :rofl: So, hope you enjoyed the read and thanks for reading :D
Now for the pics, the stag is a good cull animal being a pricket albeit a big one, he was as big a size as the 12 pointer next too him.
Big thanks to Mike at calton moor for helping with everything to get to this point and sharing his knowledge and wisdom with a mere mortal! Also a thankyou to Rob at monarch country products for advice on moving them and the knifes/saw and bits I've had off him! IMG-20180121-WA0006-300x400.jpg
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Very nice. Sounds like you had a great time. Glad your other half enjoys it so much!

Really can't beat a Suzuki too!
 
Great story! Enjoyable read. When you said your 308 isn’t conditioned for fox, does your license conditions say Deer and AOLQ?
 
Nice write up, very enjoyable read. Thats how memories are made. I done the same the other week, and shot 3hinds then had to drag them all out.
 
So, this may be a long one.

The story starts yesterday evening, I took the new rifle out to a spot where the farmer had seen some red deer. Had a slow stalk down a path for around 20 mins before getting to my spot and deploying the new trigger sticks, rifle out of the way with binos out, I started my scanning. 15 minutes later I clocked 2 foxes walking up a bank around 40 yards to my right. Little buggers, 308 isn't conditioned for fox so decided to watch them for around 20 mins or so with them now being 50 yards in front of me eating something.

Sat watching them I noticed them eating something, after a further 10 mins I noticed them pull what appeared to be a leg up, then I saw antlers. Walked over to them to find local poachers been out again, a 9 point stag sat there slowly rotting. Gutted to say the least. Rings farmer with no answer so I walked back to the farm yard and had a chat with him. He isn't happy to say the least however is happy another one’s shot. Funny folk eh.

Back to a different spot. Coming on for half 4 or so, overlooking a valley with a row of evergreens on a rise around 120 yards ahead with a stream running down the middle of it. Nice little spot and had 180 degree vision around for around 700 yards up towards the top of said valley. Rolls a smoke, lit it and decided to have a glance at my phone to see who’s texted me. Looks back up to see 2 deer stood 270ish yards away, binos up and now I'm getting excited.

Sat there until 5:15 with them laying down, unfortunately on next door’s land. With the cold and fog coming in I decided to get the Mrs to pick me up and back home. Rifle dried and away, tea on, I had a chill out before she asks what my plans are in the morning. “We're going to look at that wedding venue aren’t we?” “Yes,” she says, “but we can get up in the early hours of the morning if you want and go out for a couple of hours.” Winner, cheers love!

So, alarm set for 6am this morning, I wake up, get dressed, take the dogs for a quick stroll then back home. 6:50am by now. Grab rifle, sticks, rope and knives and put everything in my bag except the rifle. Out within a couple of minutes. Stopped off for some breakfast and a coffee, knowing it would be a while longer before we could get anywhere. Up to the farm for 7:20, and it's just going light. On the way in I spy a big dog fox, again, little bugger. With the snow coming down I pick up my rifle, bag and sticks and headed off.

Stalked to the far side where I had seen the 2 stags previously. I decided to wait there. At around 8am, sure enough, a couple of stags came out, followed by another 3. Winner. Waiting for them to come down across the wall, suddenly they turn and run up the hill. Pain in the arse, sit a bit longer before moving a bit further down. About 50 yards down the ride I spot movement on the other side of the valley: 16 hinds had come out. Sit still for half an hour before they move off and by now I'm thinking it's not my lucky day.

Back to the car and I went to next door’s farm. On arrival I met the lady owner and had a catch up with her (I shoot foxes for her, but no permission for deer). Said there's a couple of foxes I've seen and will sort this weekend but the other farmer has a deer problem. “I know, there's too many of them. I love seeing them but watching 30 come across is just too many.” Brilliant. “Do you mind if I go and shoot one or 2, then?” “Yep, not a problem, just drop me a couple of steaks when you’re done!” Winner!

I know this land’s cleared, as I rang up a while before when wanting to shoot the .223 there. Might be a good day after all? Have a chat with the Mrs, who is driving me around at the minute (fractured knee, makes life difficult!), and she says we will go up now. Even better.

Pulls car around and up a banking on the other permission and starts a long walk up a steep hill where the deer were. There's a wind turbine at the top of said hill, too. It helped cover up the swearing and cursing for the hill being so steep. Got to the top, walked around the turbine and couldn't see a thing. It was a snow blizzard. Great, where we were was right on the tops, allowing a massive wind to come through, blinding us with snow. Walked slowly to a line of trees that run down the hill and stalked through the trees wondering where the 20+ deer have gone. Just my luck, not there. Or so I thought.

After a precarious 15 minutes of stalking on the outskirts of this small wood I picked something up through the now heavy snow. It can't be? Binos Up, sure enough it was. Now there were 3 stood there, so deciding which one to take took a few seconds. Decided on the far left with the clearest shot and he also didn't have a great head for a big lad. Backstop? Yep absolutely fine, about 400ft of banking behind it. Sticks up, safety off and click. Damn. Closed the bolt AND then put the mag in knowing I would be walking and banging it about. Bolt back, chambered a round, and on him again. Bang. The 150g federal drops him, a solid hit. Winner.

The other deer, probably 15 of them, scattered, and I sat down, tried drying my hands and rolled a smoke, still watching this stag. He then got up so I was straight on the sticks ready for another shot before he fell down again, this time leaving a very visible pool of blood in the snow. Wait another few minutes. From out of nowhere he jumped up and ran about 30 yards to the edge of a banking and dropped. Down a 10ft banking into a holly bush. They never do what you want do they? So, left him another couple of minutes before going down the bank, sticks in hand and prodded his eye. No reaction, dead. Turns around and high fives the Mrs, not knowing how she isn't cold as she's nesh.

At this point it's half 11 and we have to be at the wedding venue for 1pm for a looksie. A picture or 2, and I get my gloves and knife out of my bag. Bled it out, waited a few minutes before starting the gralloch. Gralloch done, and now to find a way out, the only way being over a wall and through a stream. Oh dear, this is where the rookie mistake comes in. He was a heavy lad and getting him over the wall wasn't easy. Got a strap around him and started dragging. After 40 yards I had to cross a stream and up another steep bank. What have I done? How the hell am I going to get it up here? Anyway, hauled it up the banking and dragged it to somewhere I could access it with the Jimny.

She walked up and some 35 minutes later came back, didn't realise how far we had gone! Head off and legs off now it's at the car I lift it up and put it in the back with some food grade bags of my old man. Head and legs off to make it fit a bit better and back home. It is now sat in my chiller, which I will get a picture of at some point soon (don't want to go out I've been soaked once) in this experience. I’ve realised, the Mrs wasn't cold because of the Deerhunter jacket I bought her. Should have got myself one!

You can have the best plan in the world but don't expect it to pan out the way you want and my dogs won't let you in the house because there too busy sniffing you. So, missed the wedding venue thing and she was happy that we had been out and been successful. She's quite getting into this shooting malarkey and absolutely loves deer (not eating them though). She is happy coming out at silly o'clock in a morning, me leaving our yearly holiday to go stalking, and dealing with my purchases.

So, hope you enjoyed the read and thanks for reading.

Really enjoyed reading this. thanks for sharing.
 
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