c'mon then.. highlights of 2013?!

flyingfisherman

Well-Known Member
So im sat here, listening to the rain beat on the windows, looking through some pics from last year. I seem to remember doing a thread for 2012 so thought i would carry on the tradition...

For me, well, shooting my first grouse was probably the best, in fact that day of being on a moor on a glorious day with friends and being given the gun for the last drive.

Leading on from that, my first ever full driven grouse day. Better fun than i think any pheasant day ive ever had..

Another great one was a weekend up in Wigtown with FordbankB&B. Lots of good laughs, too much drink and some good fun shooting.


Getting a friend his first fallow was another one which i will remember for a while, if for nothing more than the follow up!


Being lucky enough to shoot in the CZ Republic.


And finally, getting rid of my house down south, buying one up here and sat here in front of a stove with a fully functioning gun room!







 
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Looks like you had a good year old chap! :tiphat:


Highlight of 2013 for me was 2359.59hrs on the 31st of December.
 
Looks like you had a good year old chap! :tiphat:


Highlight of 2013 for me was 2359.59hrs on the 31st of December.

That good? Hopefully 2014 will be better for you.

For me, I shot my first deer on my own and gralloched it on my own with no help from anybody cos there was no one around to help me. I didn't do a very good job of the gralloch.
and also this year I learned how to gralloch deer properly and not take forever.
 
First hunt "across the pond". Expertly guided by Sikamalc to a perfect representative roe buck (he measures a solid Aluminum, by my estimation). I shall be back, that is for sure.
IMG_12843.JPG
 
Lets see on the whole fairly positive but highlights have to be, shooting my first grouse walked up an unforgettable experience, securing another silver medal roe buck at the cla from the 2012 season, securing my secondment to the usa with work and moving there at the end of december with my family.
 
@Cootmeurer.. Solid aluminium! haha, he certainly looks like a really nice representative. Do you have plans and shoot more on the UK species list now you've had a go at Roe..?

@Taff.. Did you source any shooting out there? NZ is still at the top of the list for places i want to visit..
 
If I stick to stalking-related matters, early 2013 was a series of highlights. It started in February when I shot my first deer with Sikamalc, after several unsuccessful attempts starting in 2012 both in his company and with others, including a really frustrating missed shot at a muntjac. In fact, I believe I shot the fallow pricket with the exact same rifle that appears in Cootmeurer's photo. What took a bit of lustre off that occasion was the fact that my first rifle, which I'd ordered in September 2012, was due to be delivered in time for that trip, but turned up the next week! Nevertheless, when it did turn up, it didn't disappoint, and in March a member of the SD invited me to "help" with his roe doe cull (I use inverted commas because let's be realistic here, he was just being nice to me!). On that occasion, I didn't distinguish myself as much as the rifle did, because my first shot at a deer with my own rifle resulted in not one, but two does dropping stone dead. As I had decided to squeeze the trigger, a doe behing the target one made a slight dash forward, just in time to catch the bullet exiting the first one's chest in the neck. As my generous host said, "take a picture of that because you're never going to see it again".

A month after that, I successfully stalked my first muntjac in the bluebell woods courtesy of Willie_Gunn, a very different and heart-pumping stalk that I'm hoping to repeat in March. But then, my luck ran out. Subsequent attempts to add my first roe buck to 2013 tally came to nothing, apart from the fact that all experience chalked up comes in handy at some point. Besides, it wouldn't do to fall victim to hubris so early in my stalking career.

Anyway, my first proper year of deerstalking ended with the arrival of Young Pine Marten, who has been the crowning glory of my 2013 (he turned over by himself for the first time yesterday, but he has yet to master keeping quiet during the night). I shall resume my deerstalking adventures in February with a trip at the CWD with Malc, a return to the woods after munties in March, I'll see about another attempt at roe bucks in July perhaps. But first, I have to make one last foray to the foreshore to shoot a duck this season, as I have brought back precisely no small game whatsoever so far, and indeed haven't fired a shot.

Finally, I have now met quite a few people through this site, stalked with some, drunk with some, corresponded with all, and intend to carry on building a little network of people who share my passion, because they're thin on the ground to the point of invisibility in my usual circles.

Happy 2014 everyone!
 
My year starts 1th April and ends 31st March too early for any summary :stir:

I have to say that since I've been stalking, I don't really know when my hunting season starts and ends. I mean, wildfowling is from 1st September to 20th February, which was always my season before. I suppose if I extend that to 31st March, I include roe does in that campaign. So I suppose that means that the season now starts on 1st April and ends on 31st March too, really. Which means that I have three opportunities left to make something of the 2013-2014 season. Two of which may involve deer. And I have nothing planned for the 2014-2015 season yet.
 
I managed my best roe buck to date, taken off my own land. However for me it was my first trip to Africa, with a close friend of mine. We had the trip of a life time and cant wait for the next!View attachment 36608
 
for me
1 securing new ground that is all mine and i have the say so who helps manage it.
2 shooting an 8p red stag.
3 getting confirmation that i have a bronze medal formosan sika stag trophy
4 meeting some quality blokes i now call friends from off the SD.
 
Bit of a disappointing year for me in one sense as I have only managed 1 outing. After at least 5 or 6 outings each of the previous two years that has been frustrating but can't be helped and since I did manage to shoot a nice wee buck that day it will probably be the only year I can expect to boast of a 100% record!

That single outing with Colin (Solway Stalker) was a highlight though. First time at Forrest Estate (nice!) and the first time I've taken the beast home to butcher myself and enjoy the venison. That was probably the real highlight as it's the first time I feel I've done the whole thing properly and was not half as hard as I thought it would be so no fears about doing so again in the future!

Another highlight was getting a trophy on the wall, after the wife relented and then agreed it looked quite nice (think it's just because deer are suddenly 'on trend'!).

And sneaking in at the tail end is deciding to get a dog! He arrives this weekend so will hopefully be the source of a few of the coming year's highlights as well.

Targets for this year are simple - more stalking, DSC1, get my FAC, get my first rifle, more stalking. Still never shot a doe either! That would be nice.
 
Another highlight was getting a trophy on the wall, after the wife relented and then agreed it looked quite nice (think it's just because deer are suddenly 'on trend'!).

That's never happening for me, Mrs PM's only just let me put my signed photo of Errol Flynn up in a corner where nobody looks... So I'm thinking, if I have the chance, of preparing whole skulls of interesting things like CWD or munty bucks and putting them on little stands on shelves in the library, more like a zoological specimen than a traditional trophy. Something along the lines of an 18th century curiosity cabinet.
 
Hi all, Having lost my stalking in early 2012, when a new keeper started on the ground, a friend sent me a message in March 1013 to say that some stalking he had lost 5 years previous, had been offered back to him. I congratulated him on his returned ground and he said "I thought we could share it". A TRUE FRIEND.
 
Flyfisherman, I was in the far north so no deer, and below us, the does have fawns, we bagged some possums with the 22 , and was offered some ducks with the 270 but declined, spent every evening sea fishing with a light spinning rod, had some good sport, but was put to shame by another member of here's girl friend, who semmed to be a fish magnet.
 
That's never happening for me, Mrs PM's only just let me put my signed photo of Errol Flynn up in a corner where nobody looks... So I'm thinking, if I have the chance, of preparing whole skulls of interesting things like CWD or munty bucks and putting them on little stands on shelves in the library, more like a zoological specimen than a traditional trophy. Something along the lines of an 18th century curiosity cabinet.

Never say never! Rather than the traditional mount on a shield which she thinks is a bit OTT I just hung the bleached trophy direct on the wall. To be honest I'm inclined to agree it looks a bit more in keeping with our (her!) other decor and I'm more than happy with it...

roe trophy.jpg

Anyway, it creates a nice juxtaposition with the 'trophy' she bought me last Christmas when she was trying to be funny!

deerhead.jpg

Keep fighting the good fight!
 
I managed my best roe buck to date, taken off my own land. However for me it was my first trip to Africa, with a close friend of mine. We had the trip of a life time and cant wait for the next!View attachment 36608

Couldn't agree more matey!! It was an unreal trip at the end of what was a pretty shocking summer for me!

Took my first roe buck unaccompanied off my own land was something rather special, and definately won't be forgotten anytime soon
 
Breaking both my legs and knees in July in a car wreck :/ lol in all seriousness I couldn't wait for 2013 to end , hopefully I'll recover a bit more and be able to stalk some more , ( just as I pick up a load of ground I'm not longer able to get out there .... Typical! )
 
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