stalking in the snow

sika

Well-Known Member
im booked to go stalking (woodland/hill for red,fallow,roe ) wed thurs this week.im just wondering if its still worth going due to the weather conditions (snow) any input would be a help
 
where you going to mate
so far today 3 inches of snow has fallen
its not stopped since 8 am
i know they have to eat but there is no way they can in this...
its 20 inches deep in the shallow parts
 
The only deer I have seen over the past few weeks were underneath the tree canopy, feeding on grass that wasn't snow covered.
Woodland stalking can be a bit more challenging, the deer have no cause to come out into the open areas, as there's little incentive of food. Also if the snows thawed and frozen, it can be really crunchy under foot.
 
where you going to mate
so far today 3 inches of snow has fallen
its not stopped since 8 am
i know they have to eat but there is no way they can in this...
its 20 inches deep in the shallow parts
im going to gatehouse on fleet 40 west of dumfreise
 
Stalking is nearly impossible though we did get one yesterday morning.
I am ambushing deer on beat crops game crops and feeders.
Though I am taking great care to only target doe followers.
 
I am with jon on this walking stalking is not really on but you can still sit out and get a few of the edges. But if i was paying i would contact my agent see if he thinks it will be ok.
 
The only deer I have seen over the past few weeks were underneath the tree canopy, feeding ......

Got a roe doe and later a sika calf on Fri am both feeding the edge of trees, using my snowshoes and 4sticks. Rgds JCS
 
I always find it easier to walk and stalk in the snow among the trees - noise apart.

I find it much easier to see deer - or more usually parts of deer.

The problem then is threading a bullet through the trees to find the right part of the deer! Patience usually pays off but seeing bobbing tails legging it is not uncommon.
 
I was out last saturday and the lad i was out with got a wee doe but we had bumped a few first and then on our way back we saw about 6 differnt sets of track heading from our wood so its hard work but when you hit its the best feeling (The harder the challange and all that)
Scotland007Medium.jpg
 
I love stalking in snow but up north when I went up to get my trail cam the other weekend and have a wander there was about 18 inch lying. That was hard work tramping to go and get the cam and forget any stalking but I did end up to my tits in a ditch that had filled with snow. If I didn't have my sticks I'd still been stuck there!
 
I went out for a few hours on Friday afternoon. I saw a group of 18-20 fallow in a bunch just inside the wood as I parked the car. It was just about impossible to stalk, a big creaking crunch with every step. Didn't bother to go out the rest of the weekend.

My buddy was up in west Tyrone on Saturday. He saw a lot of Sika out feeding in the open at around lunchtime. He dropped two Sika prickets and had them back in the Disco before 2pm, something of a luxury.

It gives to thaw here from Thursday onwards, the deer will want to be out feeding if the snow clears at all.
 
Sika I was talking to a keeper friend of mine ,who lives at Stranraer last Thursday and he hadn,t got any snow . If i was you i would call the stalker and ask him the conditions .

Chill
 
Theres not been much snow in this area and I don't it's forecast, but hard frosts, that sound like your walking on conflakes. Check before you comit or find a sheltered hill face.

Best of luck
T
 
Tunskeen what area are you talking about i was in east ayrshire this morning m77 and it was closed because of very heavy falls of snow.
 
Tunskeen what area are you talking about i was in east ayrshire this morning m77 and it was closed because of very heavy falls of snow.

I was in Newton Stewart today, the only snow I had seen were flurries driving through Dalmellington area
 
I went out last week Friday and Saturday, very very cold, everything frozen, deer were off long before i could get close, to be honest if I had managed to get into position it would have to have been DEAF and SHORT SIGHTED. Every step was like waling on a box of crackers and well my greens looked great as everything else was white. Still had a great two days
 
I stalk on a farm in Northumberland that also has a pheasant shoot and the roe usually gather around the pheasant feeders in the snow so can be relatively easy to get if you can get in range without being heard. I havent been out with this snow fall though because I can't get my car anywhere near my stalking, it's 3ft deep up here!
 
Sika;- being closer to the sea there's usualy less snowfall, but as usual there's always exceptions to the rules, I used to visit Stranraer half a dozen times each winter and was always amazed when the big artics going onto the ferry with up to a foot of snow on the roof, yet in Stranraer the sun was shining and not a hint of snow, Gate house of fleet is such a lovely area and now the A75 has a lot of by-passes it's a treat to drive up there, just wish I was going too, anyway snow or not I'm sure you'll have a memorable time, give my regards to the galloway irish, lovelly folk.... callie
 
Back
Top