Had a very successful day using the muntjac calling technique Gerald Collini showed me. call I was at the wood in Buckinghamshire where I manage the deer numbers. It was my first visit since there had been lots of timber cutting and the woodmen had created several new rides with their huge timber trucks. These rides had foot deep mud with a hard crust and so criss-crossed the wood the deer had to cross them - so lots of slots to show activity. I settled down in area with lots of slots heading into thick holly cover. I was partly concealed by a tree trunk and holly bush looking towards the area of heavy holly cover, with 180degree view. I called with the buttolo and immediately there was barking from the holly cover. I called again and the barking came closer. I caught a glimpse of a buck, but he stayed semi-hidden. I called again (three squeaks) and there was a higher pitched bark to the right of the buck. A large doe came out of the holly and stood looking around giving me a good shot at the base of the neck, which took her down. She was quite heavy and probably half -way through pregnancy carrying two young. On butchering, found she was very well-padded with quite a lot of of fat. Just about to start the process of making smoked biltong with some of the best meat.
Calling muntjac
- Thread starter loosehead
- Start date
Good stuff, I had an outing with Gerald last spring, very educational. Since then I have called in so many Muntjac it's unblievable, not all have been shot but a fair percentage have been taken using the method used by Gerald. I have become quite proficient using the Buttalo and the cherrywood, as well as several other types of call, I had been calling Muntjac for a couple of years before the outing with Gerald, with limited success, but since then I have developed a passion for these fantastic little deer, and my calling technique has also developed over time, I feel it adds a new dimension to the sport, it doesn't always work but I recon on between 70/80% of times the method is used deer have been called into shooting range, I have had several deer come into within 5yards of me, only a week or so ago i called a young cull buck in to 15 yards and took him from the sitting position, very exciting when they come charging in, my younger brother has also started to call and he shot his first called Munjac a few weeks ago, its not rocket science, but there is a technique I feel, out again tomorrow, weather conditions are favourable, so with a bit of luck another Muntjac will fall to the call.
deerwarden
Well-Known Member
What is the technique you guys have used, there are many new stalkers on the site who could benefit from your success and fell the thrill you have. The site is a great springboard to share new found prowess and techniques, especially for those with limited numbers of deer to their credit, and having to spend hard earned cash for paid stalking if they have no permissions of there own. I know as I had to pay for each and every stalk as I was hooked on the very first outing I did 38 years ago. deerwarden.
The method I use, having stalked with Gerald several times, is to find an area where I can sit/stand in cover with a good view across open or lightly wooded ground in towards areas of heavier cover, where you have reason to believe the muntjac might be resting. Settle down for a while in your cover before calling; then give three or four sharp roe alarm calls with a Buttolo - each a second apart. Wait, listen and watch. The key is for them to come and investigate the sound without any chance they will spot you. Have your rifle up on sticks or bipod (if prone) ready as you will probably only have a short window for a shot. If no reaction to first set of calls, repeat the sequence after 4 or 5 minutes and again wait. Often if you see or hear a deer approaching another less strident call might help call it in. I only repeat the calls about three times in any one area and then move on if no reaction. It doesn't always work but is a good way of finding deer which may be in heavy cover or meandering in areas you have settled down in. Certainly worked like a charm last week as two muntjac approached and barked on hearing the alarm, and the does came out and gave me the chance of a safe shot.
Steyer 6.5
Well-Known Member
how do you get in touch with Gerald? Ive visited his website but i didnt see he did outings???
Steyer, try the contact form on this page: http://www.geraldcollini.co.uk/contact-me/ That's how I originally got in touch. He's a top man and stalks with him are great. I learn something new every time I go out!
Last edited:
Steyer 6.5
Well-Known Member
I agree it would be great to see a video of the calling technique in action.
That said, looking on Gerald's website I found the following video from 4 years ago:
Hopefully someone can confirm whether or not this is still the technique that he uses.
Uncle Norm
Well-Known Member
An excellent video by Gerald but they are not usually as cooperative as that buck. Be ready as often the first chance is the only chance you will get for a shot. Once the tail is flagged up that is usually the last you will see of them. Not always though. Fascinating.
Exactly my experience, Uncle Norm. The one I shot last week only emerged from cover cuatiously but luckily couldn't see me against the holly bush and tree background and stood looking around for long enough to get a safe shot. The buck that barked only briefly showed himself. And sometimes, they are just not interested, but it is worth trying if you think munties are in heavy cover that you can't enter without spooking them.
outandabout
New Member
hi I am looking to buy +p/p muntjac head and neck skins raw {taxidermy } Southampton
I went out for a sit on Sunday afternoon, my primary target spiecies was Fallow, but as I had taken my wife with me for the first time( she was keen to see what the attraction was) and no Fallow were showing, I decides to give the cherrywood a try, it was a nice sunny evening, quite warm with a gentle sw breeze, so I gave a few peeps of the cherrywood, nothing, so a few peeps more, still nothing, on this occasion the call failed, as dusk approached and the daylight faded I decided to give it five more mins until 6.30pm, my wife was happy with this as she was starting to feel the chill, we were just about to vacate the highseat when a Muntjac buck appeared from the right hand side of the wood not 60yrds in front of us, without stopping it started to cross the ride to the next section of wood, this is a wide ride, about 70yrds, with a ditch, then a grass track, another ditch then rough grass to the wood with a couple of small trees, the Munty crossed the first ditch, the track, then the other ditch, behind one of the trees and stopped out of sight for a second or two, needless to say I was ready with the Sako, with the other block of wood only 10yrds away the Munty buck thought he was home and dry and stepped out from behind the tree, I sent the 123gr Sako sp, he jumped and ran forward, dissapearing into the wood.
The shot reaction was good and I was confident that the buck would be laying just inside the ajacent block of wood, so rifle unloaded we climbed out of the highseat and proceeded to the shot site, at the site paint and pins were clear to see in the torch light, and Quill,my GWP, who had been laying quietly under the seat was clearly onto the blood scent, Pam, my wife stayed at the point of impact while Quill and I set off to find the deer, with her head down off she went on the 10yrd long line, she covered the ground at a rate of knots and found the deer, dead some 40yrds inside the wood,not a long track by any means, but needless to say I was well pleased, I returned triumphant to the shot site with my prize.
On inspection I found a perfect heart/lung shot,the exit wound being about the size of a 2 pound coin, the .308 had caused no significant meat damage, entering and exiting behind both shoulders, the diaphram still intact, with the munty buck grallocked and secured in the Roe sack we made our way back to my pickup, and home. So although the call had failed, we still managed to put a deer in the bag.
Pam had wittnessed her first deer shot on her first stalk and had enjoyed the outing.
Quill had behaved impecably and done what was asked of her, so as you can imagine i'm a happy man.
I don't for one second consider myself an expert on the calling technique,or deer stalking in general, but I have had a good success rate by using the method similar to the Gerald Collini method, I think I tend to call a little softer and try to make the sound a little more realistic than the sound in the video posted, not that i've ever heard a Muntjac make the call sound.
I will one day try to capture the event on camera, maybe when I take someone out and Im not shooting myself.
Its difficult enough to shoot them, without trying to film the event at the same time.
The shot reaction was good and I was confident that the buck would be laying just inside the ajacent block of wood, so rifle unloaded we climbed out of the highseat and proceeded to the shot site, at the site paint and pins were clear to see in the torch light, and Quill,my GWP, who had been laying quietly under the seat was clearly onto the blood scent, Pam, my wife stayed at the point of impact while Quill and I set off to find the deer, with her head down off she went on the 10yrd long line, she covered the ground at a rate of knots and found the deer, dead some 40yrds inside the wood,not a long track by any means, but needless to say I was well pleased, I returned triumphant to the shot site with my prize.
On inspection I found a perfect heart/lung shot,the exit wound being about the size of a 2 pound coin, the .308 had caused no significant meat damage, entering and exiting behind both shoulders, the diaphram still intact, with the munty buck grallocked and secured in the Roe sack we made our way back to my pickup, and home. So although the call had failed, we still managed to put a deer in the bag.
Pam had wittnessed her first deer shot on her first stalk and had enjoyed the outing.
Quill had behaved impecably and done what was asked of her, so as you can imagine i'm a happy man.
I don't for one second consider myself an expert on the calling technique,or deer stalking in general, but I have had a good success rate by using the method similar to the Gerald Collini method, I think I tend to call a little softer and try to make the sound a little more realistic than the sound in the video posted, not that i've ever heard a Muntjac make the call sound.
I will one day try to capture the event on camera, maybe when I take someone out and Im not shooting myself.
Its difficult enough to shoot them, without trying to film the event at the same time.
keeperstweed
Well-Known Member
a very good write up mate, well done....
Similar threads
