Before I go into the hunt cut a piece of towel and put it in your smock pocket. This is to wipe the lens in drizzle and I promise, fingers and wet clothing cannot clear a water of a scope at the very second you are trying to shoot.
Zero your rifle to the expanding ammunition you will be using on the day. Shoot 100m, 200m and 300m to see how your round performs.
Bring a deer call and if you are out for sika a simple fox caller (about £5) is absolutely invaluable this time of year. Blow it, wait and BELIEVE!
Please take this on board:
1). You will start out keen as mustard in the first hour. Keep thinking "The deer are here, the deer are here, I'm ready". Even after the 4th or 5th hour! So don't be looking for the perfect deer silhouette but instead moving brown, greys or red hues. Along hedgerows, under overhanging branches, out in the open and in along gulleys. There is no rule book and if the sun comes out it can push them far out into open ground even at 3pm in the day. Every stalk is different and you couldn't write the script honestly.
2). Keep walking with this in mind....when you see a deer that is in season, you have a 3 second countdown to take the shot. If you are lucky you will have longer. so deer spotted, onto sticks, identify target, squeeze trigger to bite point, breath and release shot. If the deer runs before you shoot then bark as loud as you can and 80% of the time it will stop to have a last look. BE READY FOR IT!
3). Listen for the thump of the round hitting the deer and immediately mark the shot site. The exact position the deer was standing when you fired. Now take a rock and mark it where you shot from. Wait for several minutes.
4). Secure all equipment into pockets and approach deer ready to shoot again. Walk up to your deer with your sticks out in front of you and touch the deer's eye. If the deer wasn't where you shot it then look around for hair and blood. Note type of hair and blood and begin the track. Deer found and you are happy it is dead then please try the following (number 5)....
5). Take a moment to let your emotions calm, take some heather or grasses and place it in the deer's mouth and thank it for offering itself to you. Don't worry about feeling remorseful, it is perfectly natural. It is a beautiful animal and you will be in awe with the coat. Begin your gralloch but I will leave my comments there.
6). Tuck a ziplock sandwich bag into your pocket for the the liver. It is the same as most liver in being an acquired taste but a great meal when you get home and a true hunter's meal. You get to relax with a nice meal before doing any skinning or butchering later that evening as most times you will be so tired when you get home you won't want to butcher for a few hours.
7). A good sharp knife (small but razor sharp) that is not a lock knife. You do not need a lock failing while out on the hill. Been there and hospitals are hours away from deer country.
Equipment wise: Definitely a good face veil and green neoprene gloves (where accepted).
A good stick, I have used a single hazel stick with v at the top for years and you don't need to be out of pocket at all. Test your rifle on it before the shoot.
8). Don't leave your smock in the kitchen where you cook food and if it's your permission don't go walking across garage forecourts for a coffee before the stalk. Residues of petrol (I believe) are the worst if the wind changes and for the following stalks where deer start becoming spooked. For sika I make sure I don't walk in cow pats in lowland and then tramp it up into the hills. I don't even use shower gel the night before to minimise scent. I won't eat curries, drink alcohol (Im tee total so that is sorted) or coffee or have mint type sweets. I take scent minimisation really seriously in the field and although I am probably a 6ft ball of walking smelly danger to deer, I do what I can and it gives me peace of mind.
9). Try and stay off the wire (barbed wire that is) and don't be afraid to cough. Just cough if you need too. You never know what will lift its head.
10). Bring a bottle of water and a snickers bar. If I have ever reversed into something or made a mistake it is always when I am shattered after a long drag and trying to drive home. It poses more risk than being drunk. Honestly take the time out to rehydrate and get the sugars up so you arrive home in the same state as you left that morning.
One last thing.........this happens to me still...........DON'T EXPECT TO GET ANY SLEEP WHATSOEVER THE NIGHT BEFORE A STALK!
I use the insomnia to visualise and find that I am most times able to make a reality of the stalk I think about and I believes it improves performance time in terms of getting onto sticks.
Oh and if washing clothing don't use detergent, just wash with the powder drawer empty. In fact don't wash your smock but try and leave it to air in your shed or garage. Deer see the soap powder on your clothing as bright neon blue light (I have read this). Take your smock (weather dependent) off BEFORE you begin the gralloch.