Deer in thick cover.

[Graeme]

Hi Folks.

The woodland manager that looks after the estate were I have permission to shoot is giving me a hard time over the amount of damage being done to mature larch and fir.

I know there is a large amount of red deer in the woodland but the problem is that there is no way of shooting through the dense cover.

The only time the deer break cover is in the dark and return before daylight.

We applied for a night shooting permit in January only to be turned down because of not enough damage to justify night shooting. We tried driving the woodland through with beaters but this was unsuccessful.
We have asked for two paths to be cut in the trees to give shooting opportunities but this option was a dead end from the start, "forest manager doesn't see the need for them"

Anyone got any ideas of how to get them out of cover during daylight.??????

Thankyou all in advance

Graeme

 

[c18rch]

Think this thread is in the wrong place. You might have more luck in one of the other sections.

Have you tried salt licks?

 

[Cris]

Difficult to say without seeing the ground and if possibilities exist outside the forest cover. You also need the cooperation of the forest manger to create opportunities through good forest design making use of resources the deer themselves need or find attractive.
Seprising that driving them has not worked. Has been a management technique for a long time with difficult to access ground.

 

[stratts]

Is the woodland manager and forest manager the same person? If so seems strange that he's giving you a hard time yet not cutting the rides to give you a chance?! If they are not prepared to do it, but will allow you to, maybe the only way is to cut some areas yourself where you know they are and put licks out to get them in those areas!

Maybe with highseats too if it's do-able!!

 

[Overlay]

Hi Folks.

The woodland manager that looks after the estate were I have permission to shoot is giving me a hard time over the amount of damage being done to mature larch and fir.

I know there is a large amount of red deer in the woodland but the problem is that there is no way of shooting through the dense cover.

The only time the deer break cover is in the dark and return before daylight.

We applied for a night shooting permit in January only to be turned down because of not enough damage to justify night shooting. We tried driving the woodland through with beaters but this was unsuccessful.
We have asked for two paths to be cut in the trees to give shooting opportunities but this option was a dead end from the start, "forest manager doesn't see the need for them"

Anyone got any ideas of how to get them out of cover during daylight.??????

Thankyou all in advance

Graeme

Hi Graeme

perseverance is the name of the game, put some stealth cameras up, they will break cover somewhere in daylight, you just have to be at the right place at the right time.

ask if you can strim out some of the ground cover on the floor of the racks, and open areas to get a safe backstop for a shot and keep monitoring with cameras that will give you a good movement idea.

they will slip up sometime, providing you keep it quiet and the cameras will tell you where to strip out a rack or two.

change your set up of stalking times and just wait on the areas you have had confirmation of activity

good luck

atb

phil

 

[Kiwi hunter]

If they won't come out then find the significant game trails through the trees (there must be some) and sit and wait or move slowly along them just after first light or before dark. When you think you're going slow, go even slower.
Cheers, Hayden

 

[jimmy milnes]

Mmmmmm! !! So he won't help by doing some clearing work as you have suggested but giving you a hard time for not killing the deer, the manager doesn't have a "friend" who shoots by any chance does he ? Or maybe I'm just a suspicious person.
Try some feed stations with pony carrots in and as said previously some mineral licks.
Regards
Jimmy

 

[Timbo61]

@Kiwi hunter.
I have to admit to having a quite chuckle on reading about this "thick cover".
I think until you have hunted the kaimais, you haven't seen thick cover.

 

[finnbear270]

Mmmmmm! !! So he won't help by doing some clearing work as you have suggested but giving you a hard time for not killing the deer, the manager doesn't have a "friend" who shoots by any chance does he ? Or maybe I'm just a suspicious person.
Try some feed stations with pony carrots in and as said previously some mineral licks.
Regards
Jimmy

I think your forest manager might be a bit short of the old common sense.

 

[User00003]

three things IMHO.

a. be there to shoot at very last light..that is, KNOW where they come out over/under the fences, they are habitual in this
b. as per A but before the crack as* of dawn.
c. find the open spots in the woodland, they will not live all daylight hours in deep/dense and dark woodland, they need to feed, dry, etc. during the day too, so somewhere in the woods you will find open areas where they graze and dry themselves, rut and so on...find these areas and set up either a highseat or take up a downwind position on the ground at early morning and late evening,,even during the day..sometimes you can catch them with their pants down!

 

[glenure]

Get on Google Earth. You may be surprised how many open areas there may be so they do not have to come out.
Are they going out on to neighbouring land? If so can you get them there?
Do as the previous posts have suggested (Find trails, clear areas, high seats, licks, carrots, etc ) then get several safe mates (Not condoms!) for a multi-ambush!