Eventually managed to start the season last week. Spent a few days getting my fridge up and running, a few outings to see what bucks are around and taking a client out for a morning. Having spent a few hours on top of the hill in the last few weeks whilst working on the cold room, there are a few too many bucks around and a good number of Sika including a few nice stags.
Had a colleague join me and the Mrs at the self-catering on-site accommodation , something I do not usually do but it was very nice to start stalking the moment you left the doorstep or straight onto the quad parked in the garden if travelling any distance. With only an hours light left on the Thursday evening, my colleague headed in one direction whilst I headed in another. A number of bucks were seen but it was nice to be out knowing we had a couple of days to stalk with no pressure so none were taken.
Friday am and we were out again, with Si heading for a usual good spot where he’s taken a number of bucks in the last couple of years and it wasn’t too long before he had a yearling ready to be picked up whilst in the meantime, the Mrs and I headed over the hill to have a look in the other valley to see if I could get sight of the “good” buck, one of the farmers see most mornings. No sign of the buck, but a good view of some Sika prickets, and the infrequent sight of a fallow doe and kid disturbed by the earlier shot. It was quite comical to see the doe head straight across the large field of oats with the kid trying to keep up
so after a bit of a hike we headed back to collect the bike and the buck shot earlier. A quick drive and I was back at the larder with the chiller’s first patient 
Having only just finished refurbishing and building the chiller then checking it would get down to temperature the day before, I was still unsure it would hold temperature with no issues so was pleased to see it holding as it should throughout one of the year’s hottest days.
After a nice rest, Si headed for another favourite place and ended up watching the nicest buck he’s seen in this area but at a distance across a field of oats with no chance of calling it any closer. Besides some hinds, a stag wandered out in front of him, a day out of season. Again it was possibly the best stag he's seen here. After also seeing a couple of cull bucks he returned empty handed but with lots of memories. I on the other hand, we headed to the opposite side of another hill, passing up a small 6 pointer on the way to check out a couple of distant stubbles. Creeping into the last stubble, a nice buck was spotted on the woodland edge some 150yds distant. Having taken only a few good bucks from this area despite having a good number, I thought it was maybe time for me to take a decent one.
So decision made, and being a good buck, I wanted him a bit closer so decided to give the call a try. Despite some interest, there was obviously something else more interesting, out of sight and more likely a doe that he was following. So I set up on my usual sticks from a kneeling position, but luckily for him, he carried on quartering away not presenting a shot before entering the woodland. I didn’t mind, to shoot a nice buck there needs to be a bit of a story/memory and bumping into him for the first time probably wasn’t quite right.
However, my call did have an effect as a second buck appeared from the woodland edge a little closer, some 130yds. This was a smaller buck, ideal for a cull animal so after a couple of peeps with no sign of willingness to close the gap on me, I set up once again, but this time, the 100g from the .243 struck home, a little forward and through both shoulders…. First buck to me.
Having not heard from Si, I decided to take this one straight back to the larder giving me half hour or so to check the bottom fields, were I had seen last year’s best buck, between my ground and the neighbours. A quick ride showed a couple of animals out so we parked up short and made our way around to an old high seat position. A few calls and a deer must have come running in but out of sight behind the hedge we were against. A few moments later, a doe rushed through about 30yds away pursued by a nice buck. They entered the woodland some 100yds away and kept appearing to my call but would not come back towards me which to happen due to a distant footpath and lack of backstop. Light was fading so we decided to give him best and head back, but unknown to us another buck had approached from the rear and was working his way around to get a fix on us. This was another nice cull buck and this time with a backstop and from a prone position using my short sticks, buck number 2 of the evening went down to a 40yd neck shot. A quick gralloch and we were back at the larder at which point my colleague turned up, memories but no deer. So back in the digs, we decided on the next morning’s venues and retired for the night.
A 5am start next morning meant a bit of a walk for Si but I was off over the hill again to try and pick up the “good” buck, the farmer often sees. It was a 20yd walk to the quad parked at the bottom of the garden then a half mile ride over the hill, stopping to scan now and again. With no initial sign, I decided to head for a gateway some 600yds from the hill top whereby I could see into the next field underneath some woodland. I did just that, stopped some 15yds from the gateway, grabbed rifle and sticks and went to the gateway. To see a little better, I climbed the gate and scanned the field and valley. Was this the buck? Some 500yds away I could make out a buck, not a big one but you know farmers….
I thought about it but decided if I tried for him, by the time I got to where he was, he could be anywhere, so decided against it. Scanning around for a few minutes, I looked back to the buck and he had now entered the wheat which circled barley in the centre of the large field in front of me. Still some 500yds away he seemed to be heading my way but I thought, no chance, no way is he going to cross to my side. Anyway, I watched him cross the wheat, into the barley and before long he was some 250yds away, still heading my direction. I was still undecided as it looked a 6 pointer, but a small one. At this point the land fell away and I lost sight of him but thought I’d stay put and wait and see. Ten minutes later, I could make out the tips of his antlers still heading just to my right. Again, having taken far too few bucks in the last 2 seasons, I made the decision to take this one should he present a shot when he entered a grass headland. At 40yds again, my third buck was taken with another neck shot.
After sorting him out, I thought I’d get back to the top of the hill and pick up Si on the radio. Half way back, just as I approached a gateway at the bottom of the downland, a small buck stood and watched me from 50yds before turning and moving out of sight. The chiller was on so thinking to make the best use of the electricity, I completed the 5yd stalk to the gate and over to await his expected appearance. On que he did just that and started to head up the hill. A shout made him stop and the .243 took buck number 4. Back on the hill and a call on the radio confirmed nothing to collect but again stories of stags and bucks.
After an afternoon kip, I decided to leave my rifle and spot from the hill top for Si who wasn’t having the best of luck. I did just that and found it a view to behold. From where I was, I could see a field oats containing Roe, including a buck that looked average from where I was, a number Sika hinds and prickets. Off to the right hand side of the field, a nice 6 point stag wandered out into the field, waving it’s antlers in pursuit of flies. After a while it laid up and continued it’s antler waving, then after some 5 minutes, a fallow doe stood up and proceeded towards the stag to check out the situation. At this point, I though “now find a muntjac”, which was highly unlikely as they are few and far apart down here even if the Mrs had seen a nice buck that morning up close, crossing the road early morning only a mile from where I was sitting.
Anyway, after a period we decided to move on and picked up a small buck in a field of wheat but Si had to get around him for a shot. He got to within 50yds of him, just out of sight in a dip in the field before he was clocked, and the buck make a hasty dash for some woodland. There was just enough light left a call near the farm and within seconds, a young buck came charging in to where Si stood in a gateway. He should have stopped him earlier but it contrived to end up some 5yds distant before bolting. He did stop but again just not quite right for a shot.
Next morning I had arranged for a usual client to look for a buck so went back to where I nearly shot the one a couple of evenings earlier. We got to the spot about 5.45am and set up for a call. But before I could, there on the horizon with a distant village as background was the buck following a doe. I checked with Craig to see if he would want this one and once confirmed, I relayed what could be his arc of fire, fully expecting the doe along with the buck to at some point head back across the stubble. Unfortunately, they both disappeared out of sight along a hedgerow some 75yds away and fearing they would get into a field behind, I decided to give him a call. Within seconds there was a deer quite close behind the hedge but what seemed to have come from a different direction. Was it him? So after a minute or so, I decided to cut through the hedge in the hope the buck would return across the stubble where Craig was set up only to find the buck stood some 10yds behind us
, giving me a good look and time for a bit of video.
Having lost that one, we headed to where a couple of young bucks and a malformed one was spotted earlier, passing a single shootable but sky-lined buck on the way which was watching a group of Sika. As they were making their way down to a track we waited to see whilst I filmed, if the group contained a pricket. Each passed across the track at a distance of about 60yds, giving me some nice film of 4 hinds and 3 calves. On we travelled managing to pick up one of our target bucks in some downland woodland. After a bit of a stalk on some steep terrain, Craig got a good cull buck with a shot that was a little forward. At the sound of the shot, another buck just above us barked, and with some re-adjustment a second cull buck was taken.
At this point, Si had just got back to the digs but with nothing to pick up, all that was left was to get the quad, get numbers 6 and 7 into the chiller and get ready for home. We are off again tomorrow for a day, to get to some areas I haven’t been to this year. Hopefully there’ll be something special waiting.
If anyone is looking for a day with plenty of bucks around, drop me a PM and I’ll try to accommodate with some
Had a colleague join me and the Mrs at the self-catering on-site accommodation , something I do not usually do but it was very nice to start stalking the moment you left the doorstep or straight onto the quad parked in the garden if travelling any distance. With only an hours light left on the Thursday evening, my colleague headed in one direction whilst I headed in another. A number of bucks were seen but it was nice to be out knowing we had a couple of days to stalk with no pressure so none were taken.
Friday am and we were out again, with Si heading for a usual good spot where he’s taken a number of bucks in the last couple of years and it wasn’t too long before he had a yearling ready to be picked up whilst in the meantime, the Mrs and I headed over the hill to have a look in the other valley to see if I could get sight of the “good” buck, one of the farmers see most mornings. No sign of the buck, but a good view of some Sika prickets, and the infrequent sight of a fallow doe and kid disturbed by the earlier shot. It was quite comical to see the doe head straight across the large field of oats with the kid trying to keep up
so after a bit of a hike we headed back to collect the bike and the buck shot earlier. A quick drive and I was back at the larder with the chiller’s first patient Having only just finished refurbishing and building the chiller then checking it would get down to temperature the day before, I was still unsure it would hold temperature with no issues so was pleased to see it holding as it should throughout one of the year’s hottest days.After a nice rest, Si headed for another favourite place and ended up watching the nicest buck he’s seen in this area but at a distance across a field of oats with no chance of calling it any closer. Besides some hinds, a stag wandered out in front of him, a day out of season. Again it was possibly the best stag he's seen here. After also seeing a couple of cull bucks he returned empty handed but with lots of memories. I on the other hand, we headed to the opposite side of another hill, passing up a small 6 pointer on the way to check out a couple of distant stubbles. Creeping into the last stubble, a nice buck was spotted on the woodland edge some 150yds distant. Having taken only a few good bucks from this area despite having a good number, I thought it was maybe time for me to take a decent one.
So decision made, and being a good buck, I wanted him a bit closer so decided to give the call a try. Despite some interest, there was obviously something else more interesting, out of sight and more likely a doe that he was following. So I set up on my usual sticks from a kneeling position, but luckily for him, he carried on quartering away not presenting a shot before entering the woodland. I didn’t mind, to shoot a nice buck there needs to be a bit of a story/memory and bumping into him for the first time probably wasn’t quite right.
However, my call did have an effect as a second buck appeared from the woodland edge a little closer, some 130yds. This was a smaller buck, ideal for a cull animal so after a couple of peeps with no sign of willingness to close the gap on me, I set up once again, but this time, the 100g from the .243 struck home, a little forward and through both shoulders…. First buck to me.
Having not heard from Si, I decided to take this one straight back to the larder giving me half hour or so to check the bottom fields, were I had seen last year’s best buck, between my ground and the neighbours. A quick ride showed a couple of animals out so we parked up short and made our way around to an old high seat position. A few calls and a deer must have come running in but out of sight behind the hedge we were against. A few moments later, a doe rushed through about 30yds away pursued by a nice buck. They entered the woodland some 100yds away and kept appearing to my call but would not come back towards me which to happen due to a distant footpath and lack of backstop. Light was fading so we decided to give him best and head back, but unknown to us another buck had approached from the rear and was working his way around to get a fix on us. This was another nice cull buck and this time with a backstop and from a prone position using my short sticks, buck number 2 of the evening went down to a 40yd neck shot. A quick gralloch and we were back at the larder at which point my colleague turned up, memories but no deer. So back in the digs, we decided on the next morning’s venues and retired for the night.
A 5am start next morning meant a bit of a walk for Si but I was off over the hill again to try and pick up the “good” buck, the farmer often sees. It was a 20yd walk to the quad parked at the bottom of the garden then a half mile ride over the hill, stopping to scan now and again. With no initial sign, I decided to head for a gateway some 600yds from the hill top whereby I could see into the next field underneath some woodland. I did just that, stopped some 15yds from the gateway, grabbed rifle and sticks and went to the gateway. To see a little better, I climbed the gate and scanned the field and valley. Was this the buck? Some 500yds away I could make out a buck, not a big one but you know farmers….
I thought about it but decided if I tried for him, by the time I got to where he was, he could be anywhere, so decided against it. Scanning around for a few minutes, I looked back to the buck and he had now entered the wheat which circled barley in the centre of the large field in front of me. Still some 500yds away he seemed to be heading my way but I thought, no chance, no way is he going to cross to my side. Anyway, I watched him cross the wheat, into the barley and before long he was some 250yds away, still heading my direction. I was still undecided as it looked a 6 pointer, but a small one. At this point the land fell away and I lost sight of him but thought I’d stay put and wait and see. Ten minutes later, I could make out the tips of his antlers still heading just to my right. Again, having taken far too few bucks in the last 2 seasons, I made the decision to take this one should he present a shot when he entered a grass headland. At 40yds again, my third buck was taken with another neck shot.
After sorting him out, I thought I’d get back to the top of the hill and pick up Si on the radio. Half way back, just as I approached a gateway at the bottom of the downland, a small buck stood and watched me from 50yds before turning and moving out of sight. The chiller was on so thinking to make the best use of the electricity, I completed the 5yd stalk to the gate and over to await his expected appearance. On que he did just that and started to head up the hill. A shout made him stop and the .243 took buck number 4. Back on the hill and a call on the radio confirmed nothing to collect but again stories of stags and bucks.
After an afternoon kip, I decided to leave my rifle and spot from the hill top for Si who wasn’t having the best of luck. I did just that and found it a view to behold. From where I was, I could see a field oats containing Roe, including a buck that looked average from where I was, a number Sika hinds and prickets. Off to the right hand side of the field, a nice 6 point stag wandered out into the field, waving it’s antlers in pursuit of flies. After a while it laid up and continued it’s antler waving, then after some 5 minutes, a fallow doe stood up and proceeded towards the stag to check out the situation. At this point, I though “now find a muntjac”, which was highly unlikely as they are few and far apart down here even if the Mrs had seen a nice buck that morning up close, crossing the road early morning only a mile from where I was sitting.
Anyway, after a period we decided to move on and picked up a small buck in a field of wheat but Si had to get around him for a shot. He got to within 50yds of him, just out of sight in a dip in the field before he was clocked, and the buck make a hasty dash for some woodland. There was just enough light left a call near the farm and within seconds, a young buck came charging in to where Si stood in a gateway. He should have stopped him earlier but it contrived to end up some 5yds distant before bolting. He did stop but again just not quite right for a shot.
Next morning I had arranged for a usual client to look for a buck so went back to where I nearly shot the one a couple of evenings earlier. We got to the spot about 5.45am and set up for a call. But before I could, there on the horizon with a distant village as background was the buck following a doe. I checked with Craig to see if he would want this one and once confirmed, I relayed what could be his arc of fire, fully expecting the doe along with the buck to at some point head back across the stubble. Unfortunately, they both disappeared out of sight along a hedgerow some 75yds away and fearing they would get into a field behind, I decided to give him a call. Within seconds there was a deer quite close behind the hedge but what seemed to have come from a different direction. Was it him? So after a minute or so, I decided to cut through the hedge in the hope the buck would return across the stubble where Craig was set up only to find the buck stood some 10yds behind us
, giving me a good look and time for a bit of video.Having lost that one, we headed to where a couple of young bucks and a malformed one was spotted earlier, passing a single shootable but sky-lined buck on the way which was watching a group of Sika. As they were making their way down to a track we waited to see whilst I filmed, if the group contained a pricket. Each passed across the track at a distance of about 60yds, giving me some nice film of 4 hinds and 3 calves. On we travelled managing to pick up one of our target bucks in some downland woodland. After a bit of a stalk on some steep terrain, Craig got a good cull buck with a shot that was a little forward. At the sound of the shot, another buck just above us barked, and with some re-adjustment a second cull buck was taken.
At this point, Si had just got back to the digs but with nothing to pick up, all that was left was to get the quad, get numbers 6 and 7 into the chiller and get ready for home. We are off again tomorrow for a day, to get to some areas I haven’t been to this year. Hopefully there’ll be something special waiting.
If anyone is looking for a day with plenty of bucks around, drop me a PM and I’ll try to accommodate with some
