Good result

Good result this afternoon. Spied this family group from the road, but they turned out to be the doe & followers I've been watching for the last year, plus a buck in velvet. I won't shoot a doe with followers at any time of the year, so she was left in peace & I was just about to give up & head off. 3 or 400 yards further along though, I spotted a pair of does in some marshy cover & decided to stalk in from the opposite side to this. Managed to get within 200 yards or so & they dropped back into cover. Mentally slapped myself for being a heavy-footed fool (although in fairness the frost & dead grass was pretty tough to move quietly through) I got myself a few yards further along & waited for 45 minutes or so to see if anything else would show. The family group didn't seem aware of me, so I wondered if it was just coincidence that the pair I was stalking took cover. Another 20 minutes saw the original pair reappear at 180 yards, followed by 4 others!!!!!! They were all facing away from me & shoulder-deep in rushes, but just as I was beginning to think the chance of a shot was remote, one moved into the open & presented me with a perfect side-on view. Off the sticks at 180 was a bit far for a neck shot, but a high shoulder shot dropped her where she stood without even a kick. It was pandemonium at the shot as the remainder took flight in all directions! All I could do was stand still & try to avoid panicking them even more. Safe stalk, and a good clean kill with another beast lardered. I'm a happy man :thumb:

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Thanks Pete. It's always good to get one grassed, isn't it?

It was a damn sight colder than I realised though! Even with gloves on my fingers were freezing & my toes have only just begun to warm up again :eek:
 
Every step took about 3 times as long as it needed to. I was wincing at every one, too :rofl:

It just goes to show you that patience is the key. I had absolutely no idea that there were more than the two I was stalking in the area & when they stepped out they had no idea I was there, even though I was fairly exposed. makes it far, far more satisfying when you have to work for it, I reckon. I definitely earned that one :thumb:
 
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