as some of you may know i recently won a free stalk from a thread on here, offering a member of the armed forces a free stalk as a Christmas present. so thought id do a quick write up and say a big thanks at the same time to colonel
i arrived the night before, having never stalked in my life i was feeling a bit nervous and very excited! meeting Dave for the first time my nerves were put at ease as we chatted and had a laugh over a brew, iv gotta say what a top bloke! after a few drinks and laughs we called it a night due to the 4.30 start the next day.
we started early and arrived in position before first light dave went to his high seat and then it was just me in the quiet of the woods waiting for the daylight and hopefully a Muntjac or two. after about an hour and a half wait i was starting to doubt myself thinking i was making to much noise and i was out of luck, when at about 40-50 yards a muntjac doe walked slowly out in front of me. it seemed close enough to reach out and touch, i flicked the safety off and boom down she went i had my first deer.
dave was brilliant taking me through the gralloching process and showing me whats what and how to dress the deer. we put the animal in the truck and decided to go for a walk about, it was on the way back me up front and dave behind that from our left a decent size CWD was flushed from some reeds. it ran in a semi circle away from us i took up a good steady position on a gate post a few feet to my left thinking it would stop for a look around. after a few seconds of running it stopped at about 150 yards presenting the perfect broad side shot couldn't ask for better, my shooting position was good, my breathing was good, i flicked the safety off and went to line up the shot, then bugger! i realised id left the scope on 4x mag being a newbie this threw me and by the time id changed it was on the move again.
so my first day stalking and i nearly had two different species in the same day, one of which (the CWD) id never even seen in the flesh before! but i was more than happy with then muntjac id already grassed. a top day with a top bloke couldn't ask for better.
thanks colonel.
i arrived the night before, having never stalked in my life i was feeling a bit nervous and very excited! meeting Dave for the first time my nerves were put at ease as we chatted and had a laugh over a brew, iv gotta say what a top bloke! after a few drinks and laughs we called it a night due to the 4.30 start the next day.
we started early and arrived in position before first light dave went to his high seat and then it was just me in the quiet of the woods waiting for the daylight and hopefully a Muntjac or two. after about an hour and a half wait i was starting to doubt myself thinking i was making to much noise and i was out of luck, when at about 40-50 yards a muntjac doe walked slowly out in front of me. it seemed close enough to reach out and touch, i flicked the safety off and boom down she went i had my first deer.
dave was brilliant taking me through the gralloching process and showing me whats what and how to dress the deer. we put the animal in the truck and decided to go for a walk about, it was on the way back me up front and dave behind that from our left a decent size CWD was flushed from some reeds. it ran in a semi circle away from us i took up a good steady position on a gate post a few feet to my left thinking it would stop for a look around. after a few seconds of running it stopped at about 150 yards presenting the perfect broad side shot couldn't ask for better, my shooting position was good, my breathing was good, i flicked the safety off and went to line up the shot, then bugger! i realised id left the scope on 4x mag being a newbie this threw me and by the time id changed it was on the move again.
so my first day stalking and i nearly had two different species in the same day, one of which (the CWD) id never even seen in the flesh before! but i was more than happy with then muntjac id already grassed. a top day with a top bloke couldn't ask for better.
thanks colonel.
