Doe/hind cull progress?

[Sol]

Shoot the doe then the two kids

Curious when doing this Is the doe usually dropping instantly? My shot placement rarely drops deer with the .222 I could, but I like behind the shoulder and Its not given me any issues yet out of the 20 or so deer in the last year I've had one deer stay still long enough too shoot the second, that particular deer didnt drop but was wholloped hard and was standing in place expiring.

I guess I shot a spiker in november and the doe and kid also stayed around but the kid was pitifully small so I left those ones.

 

[Chris Richardson]

Curious when doing this Is the doe usually dropping instantly? My shot placement rarely drops deer with the .222 I could, but I like behind the shoulder and Its not given me any issues yet out of the 20 or so deer in the last year I've had one deer stay still long enough too shoot the second, that particular deer didnt drop but was wholloped hard and was standing in place expiring.

I guess I shot a spiker in november and the doe and kid also stayed around but the kid was pitifully small so I left those ones.

generally wether the doe drops instantly or runs on a short distance the kids will hang around ( I tend to head and neck shoot a lot ) , ive big numbers of roe to cull so generally shoot the doe first then follwers , the .222 is a great roe round though just wish we could use it south of the border

 

[Sol]

Well huh, that's weird how deer can vanish and appear from anywhere.

Turns out there's anywhere from 5-7 deer living in that field.
Small Buck + Doe
Doe + Injured Fawn
Medal Buck

Where are the two other fawns I previously seen/saw? so that likely means there's another 2 deer perhaps even three I had the mother of the injured fawn within 100yds but her kid was in the wood as it couldn't jump over.
Medal Is a nice one without a doubt and Its also the one that slipped past me in a massive green field at last shooting light, that was depressing....! but this year is certainly his year so not a bad thing.
Coin toss for whoever gets him incoming.

 

[Nickb]

Well huh, that's weird how deer can vanish and appear from anywhere.

Turns out there's anywhere from 5-7 deer living in that field.
Small Buck + Doe
Doe + Injured Fawn
Medal Buck

Where are the two other fawns I previously seen/saw? so that likely means there's another 2 deer perhaps even three I had the mother of the injured fawn within 100yds but her kid was in the wood as it couldn't jump over.
Medal Is a nice one without a doubt and Its also the one that slipped past me in a massive green field at last shooting light, that was depressing....! but this year is certainly his year so not a bad thing.
Coin toss for whoever gets him incoming.

How do you know its a medal when its still in velvet ?

 

[Sol]

How do you know its a medal when its still in velvet ?

I guess In theory I dont, no one can predict that however It still has the trophy head look too it.

Its a blurry zoomed in photo but there was enough quality in it that Its pretty easy too tell Its a bloody big thing, cant even see the ears in the photo there's that much length and mass too them even in velvet, aware Its going too shrink once It sheds but Its still a big fella.

 

[Tim.243]

How do you know its a medal when its still in velvet ?

How do the guides pick out which Bucks to leave or shoot as they all start from their first set then year by year!
It is such a wide open question with no real answer from anyone as you just have to wait.

 

[Nickb]

How do the guides pick out which Bucks to leave or shoot as they all start from their first set then year by year!
It is such a wide open question with no real answer from anyone as you just have to wait.

I know its impossible to tell when its in velvet thats my point.

Also I dont think the area she is in produces many medals.

 

[Mickeydredd]

Well huh, that's weird how deer can vanish and appear from

I was down this weekend, Roe deer everywhere.

 

[Tim.243]

I know its impossible to tell when its in velvet thats my point.

Also I dont think the area she is in produces many medals.

These are in hard antler from last night which one could make a medal buck when they come clean next time around?
Answer not many if they get in one of the fields I can shoot lol

 

[Sheamus]

These are in hard antler from last night which one could make a medal buck when they come clean next time around?
Answer not many if they get in one of the fields I can shoot lol

Fancy farting like that at the end of the video

 

[Donkey Basher]

Out last night & finally the fallow appeared… in a big F off group

Eventually settled on one without any others behind it, not an ideal shot as quartering away but a shot nonetheless

The shot unsettled the group which split & I was looking for another shot but alas they were milling around & then trotted straight across the field towards me & through the hedge about 150 yards to my right without presenting another shot.

Oh well, one down at least!

Roe doe appeared right on last light, literally 3 mins before end ex, but decided to leave her as I was on Valentine supper cooking duty…

Mate collected my beastie on his way back from another seat - the bugger stuck two little knobs on its head & a ****le

So much for shooting does!

 

[Ruby Tuesday 2]

My doe cull started off well, but the wet weather and lack of activity of the other stalkers on other ground has meant that since the new year a lot of my local fallow have bunched up into a few bigger herds , take one and the rest sod off over the boundary .

 

[Sol]

I know its impossible to tell when its in velvet thats my point.

Also I dont think the area she is in produces many medals.

D&G Is great, but a lot of the commercial stalking Is for reds and any leases are usually Forestry Scotland what want low deer numbers, roe are obviously significantly easier too shoot than reds In most cases so they get the short end of the stick.
The ground produces a nice amount of medal heads each year there's a fella on the lease only for medal heads ideally golds and silvers, and he manages too shoot 3-6 a year in maybe 15~ trips, fella however If he spots a nice one will extend his trip happily he's happy too put the effort and time into waiting for them too come out.

Then me and my mate seen two medal heads as well, one missed, and one vanished into the night, those two deer are still alive as far as I'm aware no ones talked about shooting them.

Maybe not central belt but it honestly produces decently if the deer have a chance to actually mature, so I'm quite surprised too see a nice deer so close too home as that particular area tbh I shoot the hell out of.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Another doe, but according to Tim243 its the wrong species!

K

 

[Donkey Basher]

Have had two of the ‘right’ ones this week plus one of the ‘wrong’ ones this morning.

Out again this evening & hoping to catch up with some more of the ‘right’ ones…

 

[Donkey Basher]

Have had two of the ‘right’ ones this week plus one of the ‘wrong’ ones this morning.

Out again this evening & hoping to catch up with some more of the ‘right’ ones…

Got another ‘right one’ this afternoon stalking into a seat, hoped to make it two but after shooting the doe the fawn stayed too far back in cover to get a clear shot.

 

[Tim.243]

Another doe, but according to Tim243 its the wrong species!
View attachment 461088
K

Deer looks fine, not convinced about the breed of rifle

 

[chaz243]

I’ve found the fallow in Sussex have been extremely hard since does came in this season. Not moving about much or only moving well after legal shot time, so pretty much waiting until pitch black and nocturnal. Can always find them in woods but usually bunched up and not shootable behind thick cover. I had a cracking early season with lots of bucks, but does have been really tough. They also seem to have changed habits on many of my plots this year and some places they would always pull out year after year are not producing. I’ve also noticed I’ve hardly heard any shots this year from other stalkers on neighboring ground so I guess others finding it tough as well, or not getting out as much. Very unusual.

Ditto for me here in East Sussex. Deer seem to have completely changed their habits.Went to one of my patches yesterday after work and there were two hundred fallow standing looking at me .Non sufficient back stop for a shot.may try again later today if this rain stops .

 

[Mr. Gain]

Spoiler: I'm going to throw a little petrol on the fire.
#1 I've been lucky enough to have the use of a thermal-equipped drone this winter. It has enabled me to locate, count and sex all the deer in my ground (roe and muntjac). Numbers total well below 100 animals spread across 5 sites, so this is admittedly small-potatoes stuff.
Having this information has enabled me to focus my stalking efforts on those areas where there is still a surplus of does and not waste time stalking areas where numbers are already as I want them (or unwittingly overshooting does there).
Additionally, drone scouting has given me more reliable information about where to find any given group in a range of weather conditions than I had previously garnered from prediction and stalking alone.
I'm just a recreational stalker, but if I were doing this as a job, I would consider the drone (DJI Matrice 4T) a crucial piece of kit.
#2 When deer are in an unshootable spot, and I want to increase the chance of a result, I move them.
I try to nudge them off gently, walking upwind while remaining unseen and a couple of hundred yards off. A minute or so catching my whiff and they become uneasy and up sticks. Thereafter they will either go and lie up elsewhere (and I can usually guess where), or will take a predictable route back within the hour (often much less) and can be ambushed at a suitably safe spot. This is a bit like walking pigeons off a rape field. When stalking with a companion, I will position them to cover the likely exit route (safe arcs permitting). As roe will tend to put a natural horizon (hill or hedge) between them and a perceived threat before halting to take stock, that is where the rifle will wait. Anticipating this correctly is satisfying for both parties.
I sometimes choose to do "normal" stalking or high-seat sitting, too. I also understand that frustration is traditionally regarded as integral to deer stalking and good for the mind and soul (and I tend to agree). I just think technology and proactive tactics have their place, too.

 

[Tim.243]

Spoiler: I'm going to throw a little petrol on the fire.
#1 I've been lucky enough to have the use of a thermal-equipped drone this winter. It has enabled me to locate, count and sex all the deer in my ground (roe and muntjac). Numbers total well below 100 animals spread across 5 sites, so this is admittedly small-potatoes stuff.
Having this information has enabled me to focus my stalking efforts on those areas where there is still a surplus of does and not waste time stalking areas where numbers are already as I want them (or unwittingly overshooting does there).
Additionally, drone scouting has given me more reliable information about where to find any given group in a range of weather conditions than I had previously garnered from prediction and stalking alone.
I'm just a recreational stalker, but if I were doing this as a job, I would consider the drone (DJI Matrice 4T) a crucial piece of kit.
#2 When deer are in an unshootable spot, and I want to increase the chance of a result, I move them.
I try to nudge them off gently, walking upwind while remaining unseen and a couple of hundred yards off. A minute or so catching my whiff and they become uneasy and up sticks. Thereafter they will either go and lie up elsewhere (and I can usually guess where), or will take a predictable route back within the hour (often much less) and can be ambushed at a suitably safe spot. This is a bit like walking pigeons off a rape field. When stalking with a companion, I will position them to cover the likely exit route (safe arcs permitting). As roe will tend to put a natural horizon (hill or hedge) between them and a perceived threat before halting to take stock, that is where the rifle will wait. Anticipating this correctly is satisfying for both parties.
I sometimes choose to do "normal" stalking or high-seat sitting, too. I also understand that frustration is traditionally regarded as integral to deer stalking and good for the mind and soul (and I tend to agree). I just think technology and proactive tactics have their place, too.

Despite all the kit available deer are increase apart from muntjac the main limiting factor is the deer seasons set out a long time ago have not kept up with the changes in crops, farming/forestry practices. (England Wales) The ability and facilities to shoot more numbers of deer are in place just not the legislation /act.