On Saturday I thought I'd take my chance at one more buck to finish the season. On this occasion it was not any old buck, I was after something specific. An elderly, ex-shooter type chap who is a family friend had requested some antler to make a walking stick (I'll probably end up making said stick). So in my mind, a substantial 4 pointer to make a thumb stick. Nothing too thin and spindly - something to grab 'old of!
I set off in the dark towards a couple of fields I thought might give me some options. Before light would allow identification, my trusty lurcher had me waiting for 40 minutes in a hedgerow after alerting me to 4 deer which were bedded down up wind of us, at about 150 yards. After waiting for a bit of day light and the initial fog to clear I could clearly see the inevitable. The set of 8 ears I had picked up through the binos all belonged to does - bugger!
We soldiered on and came into a couple more does, and by chance the perfect buck!
Once over the initial excitement of now being able to see the deer, Smudge finally sat down. We accessed the bucks position as he fondled some branches and concluded we should relocate. Another 50 yards up a hedge row and I set up, awaiting a nice broadside. This shot presented itself and the buck was taken at 150 yards.
The buck took off into a large field margin/boundary which consisted of rough grass, overgrown Hawthorne/Blackthorn and some Oaks. As I approached I heard a bit of a rustle and then silence. I was then presented with the image you see (minus all of the associated deer stalking tackle).
The buck appeared to have run about 8 yards from where he was shot, directly into a tree of which his head was laid right against. Having done this, he had perfectly shed his antlers at the same time. The antlers were underneath his head.
I've not shared a stalking tail before, but I found this one so ironic/satisfying that I felt somebody should know. When I presented my other half with the freshly cast antlers I was met with a look of disgust. She doesn't get it!
I set off in the dark towards a couple of fields I thought might give me some options. Before light would allow identification, my trusty lurcher had me waiting for 40 minutes in a hedgerow after alerting me to 4 deer which were bedded down up wind of us, at about 150 yards. After waiting for a bit of day light and the initial fog to clear I could clearly see the inevitable. The set of 8 ears I had picked up through the binos all belonged to does - bugger!
We soldiered on and came into a couple more does, and by chance the perfect buck!
Once over the initial excitement of now being able to see the deer, Smudge finally sat down. We accessed the bucks position as he fondled some branches and concluded we should relocate. Another 50 yards up a hedge row and I set up, awaiting a nice broadside. This shot presented itself and the buck was taken at 150 yards.
The buck took off into a large field margin/boundary which consisted of rough grass, overgrown Hawthorne/Blackthorn and some Oaks. As I approached I heard a bit of a rustle and then silence. I was then presented with the image you see (minus all of the associated deer stalking tackle).
The buck appeared to have run about 8 yards from where he was shot, directly into a tree of which his head was laid right against. Having done this, he had perfectly shed his antlers at the same time. The antlers were underneath his head.
I've not shared a stalking tail before, but I found this one so ironic/satisfying that I felt somebody should know. When I presented my other half with the freshly cast antlers I was met with a look of disgust. She doesn't get it!
