I would like the give many thanks to Mike and the lads at Jelen Deer Services for an amazing stalk last weekend, I was taken out on Saturday evening for my first ever stalk by my guide Dan to a lovely piece of woodland just minutes from the Jelen office. After arriving at the stalking ground I was given a briefing on what the plan was for the evening, we checked my equipment and made our way cautiously through the woods.
After a short while Dan stopped me in my tracks and pointed out a lovely Roe buck in the distance just visible on a slight bend in the ride, but not in a shoot-able position.
I decided to take to my stomach and crawled slowly under the trees just to the side of the ride to try to gain a better view and shorten the distance between us.
After what seemed an eternity I arrived around 80 yds from him and laid there watching him through the scope, I had a good backstop when he lifted his head and turned broadside to me, I glanced back at Dan who had waited where we first saw him and saw him give me the thumbs up, I looked back into my scope and as I laid watching him I could feel my heartbeat seemingly booming in my head, I took a couple of slow deep breaths, held the exhale and squeezed my finger, the animal dropped on the spot, I laid there again watching the buck lay motionless, my heart rate still beating like a drum in my head.
After a few minutes I slowly got back to my feet and approached the deer, frantically trying to remember all the advice and training I’d received and read, I arrived, it still laid motionless, suddenly my memory came back, I checked for a blink reaction, nothing, Dan arrived and congratulated me.
We did a visual inspection on the hooves and around the mouth, Dan asked me if I was up to attempting the gralloch which I was and under his watchful eye I carried on, everything seemed to just fly by with Dan giving advice when needed.
The deer was a lovely 6 point roe buck, between winter and summer coats, it had a few ticks but was in excellent condition, what a fantastic beast for my first deer.
I can’t wait to get back down there again for another stalk, the stalking drug has definitely got hold of me and I can’t thank Mike, Dave, Dan and all the other lads enough for a wonderful experience, Thank you all
Scott
After a short while Dan stopped me in my tracks and pointed out a lovely Roe buck in the distance just visible on a slight bend in the ride, but not in a shoot-able position.
I decided to take to my stomach and crawled slowly under the trees just to the side of the ride to try to gain a better view and shorten the distance between us.
After what seemed an eternity I arrived around 80 yds from him and laid there watching him through the scope, I had a good backstop when he lifted his head and turned broadside to me, I glanced back at Dan who had waited where we first saw him and saw him give me the thumbs up, I looked back into my scope and as I laid watching him I could feel my heartbeat seemingly booming in my head, I took a couple of slow deep breaths, held the exhale and squeezed my finger, the animal dropped on the spot, I laid there again watching the buck lay motionless, my heart rate still beating like a drum in my head.
After a few minutes I slowly got back to my feet and approached the deer, frantically trying to remember all the advice and training I’d received and read, I arrived, it still laid motionless, suddenly my memory came back, I checked for a blink reaction, nothing, Dan arrived and congratulated me.
We did a visual inspection on the hooves and around the mouth, Dan asked me if I was up to attempting the gralloch which I was and under his watchful eye I carried on, everything seemed to just fly by with Dan giving advice when needed.
The deer was a lovely 6 point roe buck, between winter and summer coats, it had a few ticks but was in excellent condition, what a fantastic beast for my first deer.
I can’t wait to get back down there again for another stalk, the stalking drug has definitely got hold of me and I can’t thank Mike, Dave, Dan and all the other lads enough for a wonderful experience, Thank you all
Scott