Snow Stopping Stalking?

User00004

Well-Known Member
Just wonder if anyone out there is having problems due to the snow we are currently getting thrown on our doorstep at the moment?

I had been away for 3 weeks, so last Saturday I was going to go onto the ground just to look for unwelcome signs of visitors but also to look for slots, crap and just general positive signs of Deer activity.

In Inverness there was about 1-2" of snow and that was it, my bit of ground a 20 min drive away but up some 3-400' had 12" if snow, I did not risk driving through the gate onto the ground, I though that this would have been a recipe for disaster with not knowing exactly where the track stopped and the ditch started and also the risk of falling trees/branches due to the weight of the snow.

I was hoping to get out this Saturday and have a good look about, but today, I've woken up to a 2" fall over night and it's still coming down and not due to stop all day.

If only I had Quad....... :cry: :cry:

TJ
 
We struggle on our patch in cotswolds. With past experience we have not even tried to get there for the last week or so. A front wheel drive van, loaded with kit along steep B Roads and farm tracks equals little chance of arriving safely. The fallow will still be there this Saturday - Hopefully!
 
Hi Stu
Went out last sunday and bandit country came with me, we split up and i had a bloody long wait in the wood with '-' temps. Chris spotted 2 fallow but no safe shot. I had a fallow in the cross hairs but shooting in a hardwood with small branches everywhere . no shot. The chris came through the wood to me and disturbed 3 roe does, and again in crosshairs but no safe shot. Then the buggers nearly ran over me, could of clubed them over the head with my sticks they were that close.
Thats stalking.

Jonathon
 
Hi TartinJock

I also have stalking about 15-20 mins NW of Inverness and will be hoping to get there at the weekend. A couple of my mates tried it last weekend but couldnt get near it so ended up at another two estates we have in Moray but even one of these was a no goer. Fingers crossed for the weekend but I woke up to around 2-3 inches of snow this morning so I am not hopefull + I cant find my snow suit from the last time it was used last year.

Remmy7
 
Ask JayB about the snow, as long as he has his quad stalking seems to be the last thing on his mind :lol:

Sorry mate couldn't resist :D
 
I was out yesterday down here in Oxfordshire and, whilst the snow was okay originally, the subsequent rain and then the freeze has made it much worse. Now if you're anything over Size 0 your feet break through the crust with the sound of crunching cornflakes!!

I'm out again Saturday and Sunday this weekend so hopefully the snow will have thawed and my luck will be in ;)

willie_gunn
 
I'll have you know Mr Legal that I have ventured forth in the snow, look here is a photo of my footprints :eek:

DSCF0743.jpg



John
 
I went out this morning, got onto my ground, just, only to be stopped 100m in by fallen trees, the weight of the snow had obviously broke it under the weight of it, many self seeded trees also are bent over the tracks throughout the ground......

There was a good 12"-18" if snow on top of 2' of heather, so it was extremely difficult to get around, my thighs and knees are feeling it now.

I saw plenty of tracks, Roe, Red and Sika, but unfortunatley due to me struggling like a think possesed through the snow, I saw 4 Red Stags, well, 1 Stag and 3 Spikers, nice to see, just the wrong species and sex :cry: (equipped with the .243, only want the Roe)the harsh weather has obviously brought them down. I'm going to put up a couple of high seats when I return in November, free standing ones at some prime places, although I could see the obvious tracks used on the ground, this snow had confirmed my thoughts that the same crossing point get used very often.

I'll be up again once the snow has gone I think, due to the inaccessability of the ground now, any carcass retreval would be a nightmare if not dangerious, also the issues of broken legs/ankles with not knowing what your putting your leading leg onto. Before any of that though, I'm going to have to go up with the chain saw and clear the track of the fallen trees and the self seeded Pine trees.

Although there was no shot fired today, it was really nice to get up to the ground and see it under a totally different form, the snow changed it completley and it also gave the chance to see just how much deer movement there actually is on the ground, so it was educational to say the least.

A good day out, learnt something too.

TJ
 
TJ
I know what you mean about seeing your ground in a different light. Their movements seem to take on a different light when you can see them more clearly.

Jonathon
 
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