Hi All, thought I would put a write up on here now we have ended the season of Red and Fallow on my new ground.
Stalking since my last write up as been again, constant. at least every Saturday morning, sometimes evening as well. however due to the change in seasons the deer movement changed and things started to quieten down in the usual places for me. My friend has taken a big shine to this stalking job and has been joining me most outings, helping with the jobs on the ground etc also.
the storey has been a few blanks, wind directions stopping play etc etc.
My friend and I have been concentrating on trail cams, finding the right spots for them etc and getting to know the ground and movements of the deer now things have quietened down, budling our own high seats and putting them up in the hot spots and places where elevation is needed. we are getting to know our deer now and can predict movement of our residents quite well for some of the land, other areas are not quite so easy to read, especially now the cattle have retuned. some of our resident deer don't mind them, others wont go anywhere near a spot with cattle.
Saturday 21st of march was the last successful stalk for us on the Red.
Standard morning for us, up and out the door 30 mins before legal time, up across the woods to check the normal long shot spot. thermal tells the same story again, this area has quietened down now the seasons have changed, just a couple hares having breakfast.
we push on up and round the outside of the wooded cutting and I spot something in the thermal between the oaks and signal to my friend to stop and move tight to the hedge, 2 deer up ahead 100 yards away in the field grazing, they look medium size so I'm expecting the 2 resident Fallow does. we walk backwards and in through a gap in the cutting into the track and continue on very slowly, trying to make as little noise as we can under foot as the leaves are now all dry and crunchy. we get to a point I can see them clearly with the thermal and yes its the 2 doe's. I'm not going to take them just yet so we want to let them move off. a swirl of the wind and we have been winded and they trot off across the field and over the fence in to woods beyond.
we carry on across the top of the field into the woods the Fallow have just gone into, through this wood checking the thermal as we go, its getting light now so we can see quite well. we reached the end of the woods and I climbed up the bank to my left, this looks out into a sloping away grass field, this field is steep with a flat top, down into a narrow gully at the bottom that we cant see from this point, and then up over the opposite side to a hedge line about 300 yards away. i can see 2 more hot spots in the thermal up against the hedge line, looks like Roe!
now this hedge has gaps in it that have been trampled through by cattle over the years, my mate whispers to me, DEER, in the gap! i look with the thermal and yes its some Red! that's what we want! its 6 red hinds behind the hedge walking slowly to the gap, filtering through and grazing, but also slowly heading down over towards the gully out of sight. just to my right is a gap used by the deer to cross out of the field and into the wood we are standing in, off we go and I'm over the fence into the field, i say to my mate I'm off tot he left and down over field keeping tight to the left tree line, hopefully i can get one across the valley! my mate stays behind and says if they come up to this crossing iv got them before they cross out into the woods.
off i go, slow as possible, i can see now its fully daylight, the red have gone behind a big oak that down the bottom growing in the gully. i stop and set up sticks, rifle on, ranged checked to the field behind the tree and its 230 yards. these deer aren't stopping and they drop down out of sight. rifle off and on sling again, stick back in hand, i take 3 steps forward and the words F*** me cam out of my mouth at normal volume. bounding up over the field towards me is a group of what i think at the time is about 20 red! they stop, look at me trying to make out what they are looking at against the trees. I'm trying not to panic and cock this up, trying to set sticks and rifle up with this heard or Red 75 yards in front of me and all eyes are on me! guns up and I'm eyes on, i need to pick one, but they really aren't up for standing still. jostling about, pushing each other, all staked up so a shot just isn't possible, I pick a spiker, he is huge but he will NOT stand still. i whistle they all, stop and look, again no shot on anything, to staked up, then they split one half staying put the other half moving on up hill, one hind is out n the open looking at my, that's my chance, BANG, Thwack. she is down. the herd now re group and take off down across the field into the gully, up over the other side, I'm off across the field to try and get a better view to take a shot across at them when they stop. do they stop do they hell! until they get on top of the far hill 435 yards away i ranged it, all skylined! they know they are safe!
my friend hopes the fence, i wont repeat what he was saying but you can probably guess! he was very proud of himself, he got the retreat of the herd all on video, he counted 47!
we walk over to the downed hind, shot was good, and leave her to bleed where she fell, laying in the frosty grass.
we continue on the stalk as far as the ground goes but nothing more to be seen. off home to collect the quad, back we go to gralloch and bring her home. she is for the game dealer 51.6KG on the hook she was.
the last weekend on the hinds was a blank, nothing seen at all.
April, 1 months of stags now, they just upped and left! its like they new it was time to go. we had been seeing a few on the cams etc but they just disappeared, hinds dwindled down to 2 resident groups we have now one of 6 and one of 13, a few singles etc.
so we moved onto Roe bucks, we had been seeing a few on the cams. we have a couple of really nice big strong lads on here, they are really nice animals. but we also have a few lesser ones coming on and trying to claim territory, one was sent packing quite quick and has taken up residence on my own land and i will let him have it and see what he becomes.
we also had one buck 6 point come into what we call long shot field and he pushed out a better looking buck to my amazement, now this lad needs to go! we watched him for 3 months, got to know his routine etc.
i wanted my mate to have this one.
Saturday 9th March
today we had a plan, build a high seat, get it put up in the most awful place to out up a home made wooden double high seat that 2 of you can just lift you could imagine!
we did it, its up. pulleys, ladders winches and quads but its up!
then an afternoon/evening in another high seat we have in long shot now. again a wooden home mad but free standing version.
we got the build done and got it into place faster than expected. went home for some lunch and go through some of the cam photos of late and mark a few for the coming winter cull.
we decided to head out at about 4pm, this buck has a routine of 6pm onwards to come out and have a mooch and feed before moving off into some woods so we wanted to get into place in plenty of time to let things calm off.
this free standing seat is backed by holly bushes and hazel thicket, nothing big so hence the free stand, we can approach it from behind, we got to the seat and into it and set up camp, looking up across the field, the field undulates, half of it is totally useless from this place due to not being safe but Roe are small and i cant do my long shot on them, Red yes, Roe no, but the 1st half out to 100 yards is fine and a good back stop.
mate has the 30-30 with a new copper load I'm trying for it, iv got the .270. iv got thermal in hand, mate has his binos, we keep looking into the woods etc and a good hour and a half passes and then i scan the tree line to my left and see some heat just slipping behind a big oak, i whisper to my mate to location and he looks with glass, nothing. all quiet! then there he is! out he pops, walking slowly through the grass in a dip in the field, i check with the rifle scope its our lad alright, right on time. 6:05pm! he is hidden by the grass and way the field undulates but he is going the right way to open out and in a safe spot. iv already heard the hammer cock to my right so my mate is ready, we are both watching through scopes now, we get a full side view but he isn't stopping, he has somewhere to be! i shout! he stops, he looks, I'm deaf in my right ear! the 30-30 boom rings out over the valley, he does a back flip and lays still in the grass.
My mate is saying did i get him, oh my god iv got him! we do the obligatory hand shake, let the moment pass and climb down out of the seat and up to the buck. he is quite small but in good condition 6 point. we drag him down to the seat, do the gralloch and carry him home. take his head off, mate will be putting that on his wall for his 1st Roe buck!
15.1KG on the hook this one was.
we have a few more bucks to decide on this year spread over the ground, but for now the deer rifles fall silent on this spot, we will eak out the bucks over the next few months and work on management of the land and getting to know the resident animals.
I haven't had stalking like this in a long time, iv fallen in love with it all over again. i look forward to many more years of management of this little spot of heaven in Devon.
thanks for reading!
Stalking since my last write up as been again, constant. at least every Saturday morning, sometimes evening as well. however due to the change in seasons the deer movement changed and things started to quieten down in the usual places for me. My friend has taken a big shine to this stalking job and has been joining me most outings, helping with the jobs on the ground etc also.
the storey has been a few blanks, wind directions stopping play etc etc.
My friend and I have been concentrating on trail cams, finding the right spots for them etc and getting to know the ground and movements of the deer now things have quietened down, budling our own high seats and putting them up in the hot spots and places where elevation is needed. we are getting to know our deer now and can predict movement of our residents quite well for some of the land, other areas are not quite so easy to read, especially now the cattle have retuned. some of our resident deer don't mind them, others wont go anywhere near a spot with cattle.
Saturday 21st of march was the last successful stalk for us on the Red.
Standard morning for us, up and out the door 30 mins before legal time, up across the woods to check the normal long shot spot. thermal tells the same story again, this area has quietened down now the seasons have changed, just a couple hares having breakfast.
we push on up and round the outside of the wooded cutting and I spot something in the thermal between the oaks and signal to my friend to stop and move tight to the hedge, 2 deer up ahead 100 yards away in the field grazing, they look medium size so I'm expecting the 2 resident Fallow does. we walk backwards and in through a gap in the cutting into the track and continue on very slowly, trying to make as little noise as we can under foot as the leaves are now all dry and crunchy. we get to a point I can see them clearly with the thermal and yes its the 2 doe's. I'm not going to take them just yet so we want to let them move off. a swirl of the wind and we have been winded and they trot off across the field and over the fence in to woods beyond.
we carry on across the top of the field into the woods the Fallow have just gone into, through this wood checking the thermal as we go, its getting light now so we can see quite well. we reached the end of the woods and I climbed up the bank to my left, this looks out into a sloping away grass field, this field is steep with a flat top, down into a narrow gully at the bottom that we cant see from this point, and then up over the opposite side to a hedge line about 300 yards away. i can see 2 more hot spots in the thermal up against the hedge line, looks like Roe!
now this hedge has gaps in it that have been trampled through by cattle over the years, my mate whispers to me, DEER, in the gap! i look with the thermal and yes its some Red! that's what we want! its 6 red hinds behind the hedge walking slowly to the gap, filtering through and grazing, but also slowly heading down over towards the gully out of sight. just to my right is a gap used by the deer to cross out of the field and into the wood we are standing in, off we go and I'm over the fence into the field, i say to my mate I'm off tot he left and down over field keeping tight to the left tree line, hopefully i can get one across the valley! my mate stays behind and says if they come up to this crossing iv got them before they cross out into the woods.
off i go, slow as possible, i can see now its fully daylight, the red have gone behind a big oak that down the bottom growing in the gully. i stop and set up sticks, rifle on, ranged checked to the field behind the tree and its 230 yards. these deer aren't stopping and they drop down out of sight. rifle off and on sling again, stick back in hand, i take 3 steps forward and the words F*** me cam out of my mouth at normal volume. bounding up over the field towards me is a group of what i think at the time is about 20 red! they stop, look at me trying to make out what they are looking at against the trees. I'm trying not to panic and cock this up, trying to set sticks and rifle up with this heard or Red 75 yards in front of me and all eyes are on me! guns up and I'm eyes on, i need to pick one, but they really aren't up for standing still. jostling about, pushing each other, all staked up so a shot just isn't possible, I pick a spiker, he is huge but he will NOT stand still. i whistle they all, stop and look, again no shot on anything, to staked up, then they split one half staying put the other half moving on up hill, one hind is out n the open looking at my, that's my chance, BANG, Thwack. she is down. the herd now re group and take off down across the field into the gully, up over the other side, I'm off across the field to try and get a better view to take a shot across at them when they stop. do they stop do they hell! until they get on top of the far hill 435 yards away i ranged it, all skylined! they know they are safe!
my friend hopes the fence, i wont repeat what he was saying but you can probably guess! he was very proud of himself, he got the retreat of the herd all on video, he counted 47!
we walk over to the downed hind, shot was good, and leave her to bleed where she fell, laying in the frosty grass.
we continue on the stalk as far as the ground goes but nothing more to be seen. off home to collect the quad, back we go to gralloch and bring her home. she is for the game dealer 51.6KG on the hook she was.
the last weekend on the hinds was a blank, nothing seen at all.
April, 1 months of stags now, they just upped and left! its like they new it was time to go. we had been seeing a few on the cams etc but they just disappeared, hinds dwindled down to 2 resident groups we have now one of 6 and one of 13, a few singles etc.
so we moved onto Roe bucks, we had been seeing a few on the cams. we have a couple of really nice big strong lads on here, they are really nice animals. but we also have a few lesser ones coming on and trying to claim territory, one was sent packing quite quick and has taken up residence on my own land and i will let him have it and see what he becomes.
we also had one buck 6 point come into what we call long shot field and he pushed out a better looking buck to my amazement, now this lad needs to go! we watched him for 3 months, got to know his routine etc.
i wanted my mate to have this one.
Saturday 9th March
today we had a plan, build a high seat, get it put up in the most awful place to out up a home made wooden double high seat that 2 of you can just lift you could imagine!
we did it, its up. pulleys, ladders winches and quads but its up!
then an afternoon/evening in another high seat we have in long shot now. again a wooden home mad but free standing version.
we got the build done and got it into place faster than expected. went home for some lunch and go through some of the cam photos of late and mark a few for the coming winter cull.
we decided to head out at about 4pm, this buck has a routine of 6pm onwards to come out and have a mooch and feed before moving off into some woods so we wanted to get into place in plenty of time to let things calm off.
this free standing seat is backed by holly bushes and hazel thicket, nothing big so hence the free stand, we can approach it from behind, we got to the seat and into it and set up camp, looking up across the field, the field undulates, half of it is totally useless from this place due to not being safe but Roe are small and i cant do my long shot on them, Red yes, Roe no, but the 1st half out to 100 yards is fine and a good back stop.
mate has the 30-30 with a new copper load I'm trying for it, iv got the .270. iv got thermal in hand, mate has his binos, we keep looking into the woods etc and a good hour and a half passes and then i scan the tree line to my left and see some heat just slipping behind a big oak, i whisper to my mate to location and he looks with glass, nothing. all quiet! then there he is! out he pops, walking slowly through the grass in a dip in the field, i check with the rifle scope its our lad alright, right on time. 6:05pm! he is hidden by the grass and way the field undulates but he is going the right way to open out and in a safe spot. iv already heard the hammer cock to my right so my mate is ready, we are both watching through scopes now, we get a full side view but he isn't stopping, he has somewhere to be! i shout! he stops, he looks, I'm deaf in my right ear! the 30-30 boom rings out over the valley, he does a back flip and lays still in the grass.
My mate is saying did i get him, oh my god iv got him! we do the obligatory hand shake, let the moment pass and climb down out of the seat and up to the buck. he is quite small but in good condition 6 point. we drag him down to the seat, do the gralloch and carry him home. take his head off, mate will be putting that on his wall for his 1st Roe buck!
15.1KG on the hook this one was.
we have a few more bucks to decide on this year spread over the ground, but for now the deer rifles fall silent on this spot, we will eak out the bucks over the next few months and work on management of the land and getting to know the resident animals.
I haven't had stalking like this in a long time, iv fallen in love with it all over again. i look forward to many more years of management of this little spot of heaven in Devon.
thanks for reading!
