So, belated update!
Sadly no fallow that Sunday as late harvest activity has persuaded them to be elsewhere
However, on my next outing I was surprised to discover a young roe buck where hitherto, I'd routinely been seeing a roe doe. Bang, 75m neck shot and JAK's got the second of my 3 UK Species

True, this was technically my 2nd roe buck with JAK in my possession but due to my advancing senility, I forgot I had him in my pocket in the "excitement" of the stalk - he is
MUCH smaller than you'd expect
So, back out again early the following Saturday to stalk before I did the Shoot feed - bet a lot of us are doing that at present! Unfortunately with all the rain, as light slowly increased, it was accompanied by pockets of mist in which, guess what, I bumped yet another young roe buck

Moreover, no sodding fallow - they obviously hadn't got the memo.
I set off for the other farm consoling myself with a nice cup of coffee and a sausage roll en route - well, it was more like tepid half measures and a sausage roll that had barely had the pastry warmed on its back. Needs must!
The owner (the late Alantoo's widow) is already busy about the poly tunnel as I stalk up through her garden and into the small wood at the top. Emerging into the wilting cover crop there's still nothing. I turn right and slowly make my way between some set aside and a field of just cut barley with ribbons of wet straw awaiting baling. The thermal picks up 2 rabbits 100m in front then something more promising - I freeze and both dogs sit at heel besides me. Hope quickly fades when I realise in the thermal view that its another roe but what sex. The mist is patchy and it's quite thick there - the roe slowly walks straight towards me - damm, it's a doe! Thoughts of a trio of roe bucks for JAK evaporated
We must have been frozen to the spot whilst the doe ambled past us, winded something and then backtracked to where she had come from for at least 15 minutes. At her closest, she was less than 30m with both dogs watching intently sat still by my side. We moved on. Another 45 minutes saw the other 3 fields hedges checked with no sign of the fallow. I suspect it'll be many weeks before they return with the straw yet to be bailed, the fields muck spread, ploughed and drilled for the next crop.
I head back to the first farm and catch-up with the young roe buck seen several hours before. He's couched down the bottom of a steep bare-earthed slope in a wooded valley; moreover, he's 3m the wrong side of the fence, off the permission

I watch him through binos for 10 minutes before relocating through the fence into a flattish portion at the top of the slope. Tricky to get the 5th leg to grip in the slippery mud but will prevailed and there he was, smack central in the scope at 75m.
STILL the wrong side of the fence. I wait. The dogs, left in the top field were now getting lonely and I turned around to see 2 heads peering through the wire down on me - at least they were sat. Minutes ticked by and finally the mind says enough - he'll be there for another day. I slowly back away, the buck completely oblivious that he'd been in my scope throughout.
I walked back towards the car but a quick check with the thermal showed something at the very bottom edge of the first field where the wooded valley started - the self same spot where I had taken that last young roe buck. I froze and watched. Thankfully the mist had gone and I was flipping between thermal and binos; there was clearly a deer there in the thermal but not in the binos!
I moved through the gate and went tight up against the hedge at the side of the farm access tracks - up on sticks and waited. The thermal then revealed that there were more than one animal on the fence line where could I see them - hell no!
There's a lot of movement but no sign. I then played the hunch that they were not going to come into the field, legged it down the track, put the dogs back in the car and tip-toed through the barns and through a gate into the wooded slope below the farm. I'd dumped some brash months earlier and thankfully this gave me some screening as barely 40m in front was a number of fallow does and calves, slowly heading towards me. Up on sticks and I wait - will the be a spiker or even a............... Nope, not a master buck but there was one nice fallow sorrel
The rest is history - it was an emotional recovery and the first use of my new petrol capstan winch but
BOY was I glad I had it! More details here:
For Sale. 2 Stroke Petrol Powered Capstan Winch. I have owned this for about 3-4 years, it was second hand when I bought it. I have used it to pull Sika out of some awful places. You are only limited by your length of rope. (Not included) Always run on Aspen so no problem with sticky carb or...
www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk
So, my three are all bucks:
muntjac, roe and fallow
I've just contacted
@kimh for instructions but JAK will shortly be on his travels once again from Gloucestershire to.......................
@John Gryphon it has been a pleasure Sir
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