Lucky muntjack... for me, not the muntjack

Popped over to Wiltshire on Saturday afternoon to meet up with Foxdropper and zero a new batch of ammo for the 6.5 in preparation for a crack at the reds in the next few weeks. I'd given the sauer a right good scrubbing and was expecting it to need some re-doping but my last three rounds of my old batch clover leaved a half inch above the bull at 50 meters.

Taking it back to 100m I put 3 of the new stuff in the mag, 120 gr Noslet BT - all our local place has on the shelf with nothing on the horizon for the next god knows how long. First shot and the rifle kicked like a mule and needed some adjustment... about £30 later I had right on, very accurate rounds but I prefer the other stuff.

Obviously intimidated by my marksmanship FD got off to a shaky start but pulled it together after some encouragement and tips
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Once we were both confident FD had in mind to visit a market garden as it wasn't too far from where we were zeroing. He hadn't been there for nearly a year and the cover changes so often with the seasonal produce it was a bit of a gamble but we were relieved to see maize wasn't the cash crop and carrots, spuds and brassica were on the menu. Working the outskirts of the ground and avoiding where possible the furrows and claggy soil we headed towards a narrow strip of game cover which in previous years and given up a few deer and the odd glimpse of a munti dashing around the feeders. The evening was getting on and time scanning with the bins was conflicting with the urgency of getting where we wanted.

After one such glassing the bins were rested and we sett of in unison only for FD to stop dead and slowly bring his bins up. With him stopping so suddenly I'd just frozen on the spot so as not to impede any chances he had but a few moments the bins rested back on his chest and he uttered those immortal words "I could have sworn i'd just seen a munti but the b*****ds vanished".

Edging forward it was my turn to suddenly stop as I also saw what looked like the back of something running up one of the turnip furrows before disappearing back into thick stuff. Arghhh! Infuriating but brilliant at the same time. Then we both spot what is obviously a munti moving behind some withered stalks and he kindly motions for me to have the opportunity should it pause for a shot. Up on sticks the bugger has vanishes again like scotch mist before I can even find it through the brush. It was getting touch and go now on the light front, we were both scanning furiously 50 meters from the rough, me through the scope on 3x to maximise the light and field of vision when he popped out again. I could tell it was a buck but didn't hang about to gauge him - as far as I was concerned he was broadside and not moving so I went front and centre with the illuminated dot and let him have it. A connection like a wet rug being whacked with a bat signified a solid hit and he dropped where he stood. It had happened quite quickly and as FD didn't see the shot asked me what he was like as we walked towards it... "alright.. small munti buck - I'm not looking forward to skinning it already". Happy to say the least when we found him as he was much bigger that I first thought.

In my haste i'd left my camera in the truck with the target gear so had to take these today.







I'm pretty ****ed off with myself as during the gralloch we were talking how good he'd look mounted - obviously not connecting the dots I brisket stuck him and ran the knife up his throat before I realised what i'd done.

Thanks for the shot mate - the ball ache skinning him is well worth the price!
 
Thick beams a nice munty head that one, worth getting scored and mounting the skull.
​Well done and good luck on the reds
 
Thanks gents - any idea of whether he'd make a medal or not? I've looked at the measurement criteria on another thread and i'm still none the wiser, length is 11-11.5 cm so promising on paper but its the other stuff I'm not sure about.
 
Muntjac are a nightmare to judge from photos. Looks a nice mature beast. Well done.
I'd say that it doesnt look to have the girth or the span between the antlers to make a high medal.
You've also got to have very good symmetry to make a gold.
Look on the CIC website and send it off to one of their measurers. I think they have a couple in your part of the world
 
Thanks gents - any idea of whether he'd make a medal or not? I've looked at the measurement criteria on another thread and i'm still none the wiser, length is 11-11.5 cm so promising on paper but its the other stuff I'm not sure about.

Tony Dalby Welsh is near you and worth a visit. The classes are so close together not much separates a gold from nothing but its free to measure. Good luck
 
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