Closest Deer Encounter Yet

kieran222

Well-Known Member
I was out stalking a few weeks ago and stalking along a woodland track I saw a roe doe about 40 yards up the track. I trotted forward 5 or 6 yards stopped and continued doing this as I froze to observe it. It kept coming towards me until it stopped beside me and I mean beside me. I could have reached down and touched it. It stopped beside me and must have realised something wasn't right, it turned round and circled round me at about 5 yards and continued on it's way. It looked like a year old doe, probably pushed out by it's mum recently.
I have been close to them before but never had one come into touching distance when stood out like that. It looked perfectly healthy.
 
It could be it was hand reared by someone and recently released back into the wild.
I doubt it. If that was the case it would've known exactly what the human being was. In this instance I should think it was just inexperienced and puzzled, but couldn't detect a threat because the OP remained motionless.
 
Lemme set the scene, A nice woodland, a squirrel feeder out at about 50m, me, sat in my super swanky hide chair, tripod in front of me with the BRNO set up on it, I've already bagged a few squirrels at this point. I hear a twig break to the side of me and I look though the side window of the hide chair. I'm at eye level with a deer, almost nose to nose. It stayed there for about a minute before sauntering off, not a care in the world, followed by 3 companions.
 
It is not unusual to see Roe or Muntjac directly under your high seat.
That, btw, makes for a quite difficult and skillful shot!
But seriously, my closest encounter was a Roe doe shot at some 5 yards, on the other side of a nice hedge, in otherwise quite open farmland.
 
I trotted forward 5 or 6 yards stopped and continued doing this as I froze to observe it.
I meant it trotted 😁 but can't get the edit button on my phone.

It was amazing and did get it on thermal video (crap footage) but as it got in by my legs didn't get that bit. The video file isn't supported on here but if I get it converted I will post it.
 
Sounds like a great experience but I wonder... could the doe have been "rape blind"? It's not a condition I know very much about but I believe affected roe sometimes walk up to humans. The OP mentions that it looked perfectly healthy. Again, I am not sure that rape blind roe present with any other symptoms or appear obviously unwell. I am sure others here on S/D might know more and will offer a perspective on this and I'd be interested to learn more.
 
It is not unusual to see Roe or Muntjac directly under your high seat.
That, btw, makes for a quite difficult and skillful shot!
Last time I tried a shot like that I nearly shot myself in the foot. Missed the deer, too.
Sounds like a great experience but I wonder... could the doe have been "rape blind"? It's not a condition I know very much about but I believe affected roe sometimes walk up to humans. The OP mentions that it looked perfectly healthy. Again, I am not sure that rape blind roe present with any other symptoms or appear obviously unwell. I am sure others here on S/D might know more and will offer a perspective on this and I'd be interested to learn more.
Wrong time of year, I think.
 
Not deer related, but while lying in wait for rabbits alongside a hedge one evening with my 22lr on its bipod, a rabbit emerged by my elbow and started grazing between me and the end of the barrel.
He'd heard about your shooting had he?
;)
 
few years back stalking in oxfordshire, spied some muntjac in a field other side of a brook, slid down into the brook along 10 yds slid up through the stinging nettles in me swanni, rifle out the front settled on for a shot looked through the scope could see nothing a complete blank slowly looked up Muntjac doe 6 inches in front of the barrel grazing away 20 mins lay up later grassed a muntie buck other side of the field, that little doe was oblivious to me being in the nettles
 
Shot a sika hind one night during a night shoot. It was shot fine but ran into a patch of trees. So went in with the dog and headtorch. Before we found the hind I noticed a roe buck lying down. I thought there must be something wrong with it because we were so close. I went closer and grabbed it, it kicked like fcuk, caught the back of my hand with it's cleats so I soon let go. The dog was keen to go and try but I said "err no, let's get the hind". Still not sure why we were able to make contact with it but the way it kicked there wasn't much wrong with it
 
I was at Burley Hants there is a big field in front of I think it is the Manor Hotel. I was told after 6:pm a herd of over 50 Red deer come out and feed on the huge field so I went out and stood in the field. Sure enough they arrived and I thought I would freeze when an 8 pointer and 3 hinds approached, they kept coming and when it was abreast of me and he touched and smelt my elbow sleeve. I thought I would touch him but when I saw his 8 point antlers so close to my head I chickened out and he and hinds just sauntered by.

That was an incredible expierence, I keep thinking was it because I froze he smelt me and if I had touched him would he have jumped in fright and perhaps hit me with the antlers? We will never know as I do not feel like repeating it again.
 
Heard something below the high seat, which leans against a tree out in the field, A group of about 7 fallow bunched up below, and nothing I could do about it, they had come directly from behind. With my damaged hearing and them on grass, I am glad my fellow stalkers were not witness to the event.

BC.
 
Was climbing Griomabhal, a hill on the Isle of Lewis, in literally zero visibility and purely on compass bearing. As I reached the summit I looked up from the compass. Standing side on a couple of yards away was a red stage with a full set of coat hangers. We looked at each other for a couple of seconds and as I contemplated my demise it shot off. I have a vivid memory of all the muscles along it's flank standing out as it decided not to gore me to death and chose flight instead. Once my heart rate had come back down to double figures I set off again, dropping down into the corrie. I'd only gone about 50 yards when a golden Eagle flew up in front of me. Needless to say these experiences only happen once in a lifetime and are to be cherished.
 
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