Deer Doldrums

[Stalker62]

Just sat sitting in my study this morning, contemplating the brave new world the UK has just launched into, and I got to thinking.




Always dangerous.

When did I last shoot a deer? It feels like a lifetime ago.

I dig out the Game Book, and flick back (too many pages actually), to find it was a Red Stag up on Harris, on the 11th October last year.

This may be the longest I have gone without shooting a deer. In my defence, it may also be the longest I have gone, without actually deploying after deer.

So what's happened?

Two operations, a Safari to Africa, and dipping my toe




into long-range target shooting, that is what's happened. No biggie in the scheme of things, but suddenly it is almost a year since I stalked a deer.


For those readers (and there are plenty) who do not know what a deer is, it's a horse-like thing that pulls Santa's sledge...




I draw some comfort that the coming weeks, will mean I can once again, get out with a rifle.

There is an up-coming trip to the Highlands, and I am due on Islay early next year - so it is not as if I have 'given up'...not yet anyway.

Anyone else becalmed in the deer doldrums?

 

[Mike L]

No, 2 nice roe bucks this week so far

 

[Stalker62]

No, 2 nice roe bucks this week so far.

@Mike L


Unless you have images to prove this, then it doesn't count.

That is the rule of the internet.












Herewith is my image of my Stag from last October...

 

[finnbear270]

Still making the effort, even though the mileage to the stalking has increased exponentially, had enough in freezer to bung my foxing grounds farmer a Haunch.

 

[wytonpjs]

Out every week but we had a concerted push to get 70% of our buck cull down in the first 2 months on one of the largest grounds I stalk due to pressures on that ground through the Summer months. As a result, after a flurry of animals in April/May, it’s quietened down a lot although I have still managed 2 roe bucks and 2 muntjac bucks in the last 2 weeks. It’s very annoying to see these every time I stalk - roll on 1 Aug…….

 

[willie_gunn]

2 muntjac in the last two weeks.

I try to get out most weeks if I can, but shall miss out this weekend as we are visiting Kent for a fundraising quiz that is being run by the local church in memory of my father and another parishioner, which should be a good evening.

 

[Camdig]

This year I have only taken one Roe buck normally I would be on at least a dozen, the incredibly wet start to the year back logged so much work I couldn't get a minute and when an opportunity to go stalking came along the rain put a stop to it.
Hopefully now am on top of the back log of jobs I can catch up on bucks, had plenty young Sika buttons/spikers in February and March so not too long ago will do my best for a stalk in morning.
Picture added for evidence

 

[Donkey Basher]

20 April last deer I shot, early season took young roe bucks & a couple of fallow.

Not shooting bucks till 1 August when I will be out after the prickets & any roe bucks that are on the fields.

D-Day will be 1 November then full on till end of March!

 

[Mr. Gain]

No doldrums here fortunately, to the extent that the last 5 outings have produced 6 roe bucks and 1 muntjac buck. Such a run of luck can't possibly last... but I do so very much hope it does!

 

[Ratel]

Just the odd Munty and one Roebuck. Plenty of Fallow about but next month into the young bucks. November on a major hit on Fallow does and fawns, hope we get better weather this year for getting about and extraction.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Ive been out every week, sometimes twice a week and more than happy with the bag but........July 16th in for a hip operation. A real bummer, will miss the roe rut, miss harvest, miss the start of the fallow bucks, miss the nice munty bucks in hard antler. Hopefully won't be out of action for too long though.

 

[8x57]

If the doldrums had doldrums that's where I am currently becalmed as far as actually shooting deer. My freezer is almost bare of venison.

I've stalked numerous times on my little patch of ground and recorded in my little deer diary literally dozens of deer sightings of both roe and fallow. I've often got within 20 -30 yards of deer, why only on Wednesday I got with 10 yards of a black fallow doe and stood watching her for about 15 minutes before she spotted me and ran off. (I have the photographs on my phone to prove it.)

I don't shoot the roe as they are in low numbers and only just started showing up on this ground a few years ago. The muntjac for some reason like the neighbours gardens but never venture on to my patch.
It's a difficult place to stalk and even more difficult to take a safe shot, and I've had to deny myself taking a shot on safety grounds numerous times despite lifting the rifle to the deer.
It's also a place where the deer must have an almanac and only appear when they know that they are not in season. Two months ago I was seeing nothing but fallow bucks on one particular area of the ground. Now I am only seeing does on the same area. You can almost guarantee that it will be the same when the bucks season opens next month but by November it's sods law that the does will have decided to go elsewhere.

None the less every now and again the planets align and some poor fallow forgets the month, or that they should be elsewhere, and makes the mistake of venturing between me and a safe backstop at the very moment that I have woken from my slumber in my elevated sleeping perch.
While I may not shoot large numbers of deer every day out in the woods in search of the elusive fallow is a religious experience in the church of the green woods.

The new challenge this year is going to be how it turns out when a large section of my shooting ground is clear felled in the coming months.

 

[Silvius]

I am either succeeding in being patient waiting for only ideal conditions and not stirring up all my favourite spots pre rut or I am becalmed in lethargy. I guess we shall see when either a gentle breeze arrives on a sunny morning when I am free or when the rut arrives.

 

[Nickb]

I tend to shoot my roebucks April and May then pretty much leave alone apart from the odd 1 later in year. Should be busy with pigeons/ crows , rabbits through the Summer.
Shot 13 bucks so far and happy with that.

 

[Stalker62]

Ive been out every week, sometimes twice a week and more than happy with the bag but........July 16th in for a hip operation.

@Keith Edmunds

On our recent four-man Safari - half of us had a 'new' hip. Yomping around like young boys they were.

My wife's oldest friend (only 60) had a new hip last Wednesday, out on the Thursday, doing really well.

It is an operation that will absolutely change your life.







Good luck with it.

 

[mike308]

No doldrums here still out regularly. Roe bucks this time of year, though I haven't shot as many this year. I've taken on some new ground and still trying to find my way round.
Here's a couple of photos for the doubters to prove that I have been out.

 

[finnbear270]

Some on here may ask for a time & date stamp with your fizzog in view.

 

[willie_gunn]

Ive been out every week, sometimes twice a week and more than happy with the bag but........July 16th in for a hip operation. A real bummer, will miss the roe rut, miss harvest, miss the start of the fallow bucks, miss the nice munty bucks in hard antler. Hopefully won't be out of action for too long though.

Mrs G had a hip replacement 10 years ago.

As @Stalker1962 says, it is a life-changing operation.

She had a half-knee replacement on her other leg earlier this year, and that too has resulted in a dramatic improvement, mobility-wise.

Be sure to pay attention to the physio, and follow the regime they recommend - it can make a world of difference in terms of recovery.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Mrs G had a hip replacement 10 years ago.

As @Stalker1962 says, it is a life-changing operation.

She had a half-knee replacement on her other leg earlier this year, and that too has resulted in a dramatic improvement, mobility-wise.

Be sure to pay attention to the physio, and follow the regime they recommend - it can make a world of difference in terms of recovery.

Glad it went well and fingers crossed. I can still get about with the aid of Naproxen and Co-codamol but strangely it's gralloching that is now really painful. Likewise trying to rotate in a high seat. Walking has been 'okay' but it's more a case of living with pain than really 'okay'. Hopefully I can hobble about for the end of the roebucks.

 

[hendrix's rifle]

It's been about a month since I last shot a deer however, in my defence, the last stalk/Trip I did, I was more focused on my wife getting her first deer (which she did, nice young roe buck).