So, readers may recall that prior to Christmas I went out after roe chasing cull targets, only to end up with 3 muntjac. A week later, I then had a lump of a Fallow from a group that had suddenly appeared in a location new to me, and I was lamenting the struggle to manhandle that by contrast to muntjac. Well yesterday, I caught up with the remains of that group once again and instantly regretted pulling the trigger!
I haven't been up to these permissions for a few weeks due to my wife's birthday celebrations, mine and a quick trip down into Devon to bag a red. The weather here has been driech, the ground absolutely sodden and after much umming and argh'ing as to which day this weekend would possibly be driest, I set off mid-afternoon yesterday to go have a look around. With 2 deer in the chiller (and the need to process all I shoot), I wasn't necessary looking for an animal, more a chance to catch-up on some jobs, relocate a trail camera and to say hi to the landowners, dropping off some processed venison.
So to the first permission, a lengthy good humoured catch-up with the landowner but then, it started to rain - bugger! Better get a shift on, so I head out through the top of the garden into the first field lamenting as I did that I was sadly out of condition - too much good food AND wine! To be honest, I was paying more attention to the wood line off to my right a field over when literally within a few steps, I saw a black lump further on up in the field off to my left, close to the fence line. As the thermal was in my hand I raised it immediately and yes, there was a stonking great fallow standing broadside
I didn't bother with the binos (new Draco's on test), mounted the .270, steadied and squeezed. Thwack - it lurched forward and dropped. Instantly, the one set of antlers I had seen at its feet in the scope became 3 more monsters as they stood and bolted away up the field. Seeing it was on the ground, I turned on my heels and headed back towards the corner of the wood I had just emerged from to see where they ran. I had barely covered half the ground when I suddenly realised that they had turned and were now running towards me. I quickly mounted again but, thought better! They were less than 50m but still running when they saw me and turned, heading back to the top of the field and out of sight without stopping. I don't do running shots but more importantly, I couldn't handle 2 of these monsters in either my car or chillers! They will be there another day as these were the same animals from those I had taken the animal in that second link!
Manhandling the beast back to the car was emotional as was loading it, unloading it again and doing the gralloch at the second farm. Boy was I pleased that commonsense stopped the temptation to squeeze the trigger again!
I haven't been up to these permissions for a few weeks due to my wife's birthday celebrations, mine and a quick trip down into Devon to bag a red. The weather here has been driech, the ground absolutely sodden and after much umming and argh'ing as to which day this weekend would possibly be driest, I set off mid-afternoon yesterday to go have a look around. With 2 deer in the chiller (and the need to process all I shoot), I wasn't necessary looking for an animal, more a chance to catch-up on some jobs, relocate a trail camera and to say hi to the landowners, dropping off some processed venison.
So to the first permission, a lengthy good humoured catch-up with the landowner but then, it started to rain - bugger! Better get a shift on, so I head out through the top of the garden into the first field lamenting as I did that I was sadly out of condition - too much good food AND wine! To be honest, I was paying more attention to the wood line off to my right a field over when literally within a few steps, I saw a black lump further on up in the field off to my left, close to the fence line. As the thermal was in my hand I raised it immediately and yes, there was a stonking great fallow standing broadside
I didn't bother with the binos (new Draco's on test), mounted the .270, steadied and squeezed. Thwack - it lurched forward and dropped. Instantly, the one set of antlers I had seen at its feet in the scope became 3 more monsters as they stood and bolted away up the field. Seeing it was on the ground, I turned on my heels and headed back towards the corner of the wood I had just emerged from to see where they ran. I had barely covered half the ground when I suddenly realised that they had turned and were now running towards me. I quickly mounted again but, thought better! They were less than 50m but still running when they saw me and turned, heading back to the top of the field and out of sight without stopping. I don't do running shots but more importantly, I couldn't handle 2 of these monsters in either my car or chillers! They will be there another day as these were the same animals from those I had taken the animal in that second link!Manhandling the beast back to the car was emotional as was loading it, unloading it again and doing the gralloch at the second farm. Boy was I pleased that commonsense stopped the temptation to squeeze the trigger again!
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.....one is bad enough Peter, but two.......good job you kept a sense of perspective.
