So this morning i made my way up the Borders for an early morning stalk with Heppy123 of this forum. I took him up on the offer to go on my first stalk.
Some of you may have seen my posts about the BSA Monarch in .243 that i have restocked, pillar bedded and glass bedded, and the issues i had been having with getting zeroed. Well today after a successful zero on Friday evening i had my first stalk and the rifle had its first kill in my hands.
I set off at 0200 from South Northumberland with the Sun rising to my right on the way up to the Borders. As i arrived it was just beginning to peak over the horizon. The sky was clear with not a cloud in the sky, and the early morning mist was sat a top the fields and valley floors. I called Heppy (slightly earlier than planned as the drive went quicker than expected) and we met just outside of Coldstream and, following social distance guidelines, we headed off to the planned area.
We parked up our vehicles at the side of a rape field and after a quick run down on the plan for the morning we headed out. We skirted around the outskirts of the field to the first wooded area. The air was still with no wind, and the ground saturated with dew (i make reference to this as some idiot had forgotten his Lowas and was instead wearing his Meindl Desert Fox, which quickly soaked through.....) We stopped for a few moments and tried calling in the first wood but not much was happening, however it was still very early. The thermal spotter had picked up plenty of hares but no sign of any Roe.
We made steady progress through the wood and onto the valley floor with a stream running through. Crossing over the bridge we headed up onto the opposite side of the valley and skirted the tops through the wood to avoid spooking the sheep residing on the valley floor. The morning sun was up and bright and was slowly burning of the mist. If anything i was happy to be out in such a beautiful area after being cooped up for so long indoors. We stalked the woodline on the West side of the valley, before heading across the 100 yards or so to the other side, so the sun would be at our backs. We sat and waited for 20 mins or so and noticed two Deer coming up the valley floor from where we had just come. After a few minutes wait and through the Binos we saw that it was two Doe's. I was happy to see them and loved watching them come up the valley. They separated and one made its way in front of us, coming within 30 yards and didn't even pay us any attention.
Heppy then pointed out another deer moving North through the trees on the opposite side of the valley. I got the rifle mounted in the sticks, but the deer presented itself for only a moment and i couldn't identify it was a Buck or Doe so let it be. That was the first bit of excitement and the Adrenalin had kicked in a little bit. We moved on and i was called to spy another deer but again i could't see it amongst the thick undergrowth. We waited but it didn't show itself. We decided not to head across the open valley floor to see if we could get onto it, and instead pushed further South along the valley.
After about 20 mins we stopped and the thermals picked up movement on the west side of the valley again. I set the sticks up and we waited to see if it would make an appearance opposite our position, where it would have to come out of the woodline into a clearing. I was stood with my back to the sun, part hidden by a large bush. Heppy gave me the nod that it was a buck and to go ahead if i had a safe shot. I couldn't even see it!!! I had managed to position myself out of line of sight/fire. I readjusted a few paces to my right and manged to get onto just as it was crossing a fence. I waited as it took a few paces and stopped. Presenting a slightly quartering shot. I took aim and fired. The buck dropped on the spot. I reloaded and waited. the phrase i would use to describe the my current physical state would be "shaking like a s****ing dog". I calmed down and we made out way across to the shot site and there lay my first deer, and more importantly Roe Buck. A good size 4 point.
Heppy took me through the gralloch and i carried the Carcass back to the van. I had again made the wrong choice and had opted to leave the Roe sack in the van, so carried the carcass the 3/4 Mile back to the van. I loved every moment of this morning and will definitely be heading back up for another Stalk.
The carcass is currently hanging in my garage and will be butchered tomorrow afternoon after i get up after nighthsift. I have already printed off the step by step guide on how to butcher a Roe from this forum. vacuum sealer and bags ordered and i have managed to borrow a mincer off a kind neighbor. Note to self, tell the wife not to go into the garage next time you hang a carcass. She wasn't best pleased....
Until next time. Picture to follow.
Some of you may have seen my posts about the BSA Monarch in .243 that i have restocked, pillar bedded and glass bedded, and the issues i had been having with getting zeroed. Well today after a successful zero on Friday evening i had my first stalk and the rifle had its first kill in my hands.
I set off at 0200 from South Northumberland with the Sun rising to my right on the way up to the Borders. As i arrived it was just beginning to peak over the horizon. The sky was clear with not a cloud in the sky, and the early morning mist was sat a top the fields and valley floors. I called Heppy (slightly earlier than planned as the drive went quicker than expected) and we met just outside of Coldstream and, following social distance guidelines, we headed off to the planned area.
We parked up our vehicles at the side of a rape field and after a quick run down on the plan for the morning we headed out. We skirted around the outskirts of the field to the first wooded area. The air was still with no wind, and the ground saturated with dew (i make reference to this as some idiot had forgotten his Lowas and was instead wearing his Meindl Desert Fox, which quickly soaked through.....) We stopped for a few moments and tried calling in the first wood but not much was happening, however it was still very early. The thermal spotter had picked up plenty of hares but no sign of any Roe.
We made steady progress through the wood and onto the valley floor with a stream running through. Crossing over the bridge we headed up onto the opposite side of the valley and skirted the tops through the wood to avoid spooking the sheep residing on the valley floor. The morning sun was up and bright and was slowly burning of the mist. If anything i was happy to be out in such a beautiful area after being cooped up for so long indoors. We stalked the woodline on the West side of the valley, before heading across the 100 yards or so to the other side, so the sun would be at our backs. We sat and waited for 20 mins or so and noticed two Deer coming up the valley floor from where we had just come. After a few minutes wait and through the Binos we saw that it was two Doe's. I was happy to see them and loved watching them come up the valley. They separated and one made its way in front of us, coming within 30 yards and didn't even pay us any attention.
Heppy then pointed out another deer moving North through the trees on the opposite side of the valley. I got the rifle mounted in the sticks, but the deer presented itself for only a moment and i couldn't identify it was a Buck or Doe so let it be. That was the first bit of excitement and the Adrenalin had kicked in a little bit. We moved on and i was called to spy another deer but again i could't see it amongst the thick undergrowth. We waited but it didn't show itself. We decided not to head across the open valley floor to see if we could get onto it, and instead pushed further South along the valley.
After about 20 mins we stopped and the thermals picked up movement on the west side of the valley again. I set the sticks up and we waited to see if it would make an appearance opposite our position, where it would have to come out of the woodline into a clearing. I was stood with my back to the sun, part hidden by a large bush. Heppy gave me the nod that it was a buck and to go ahead if i had a safe shot. I couldn't even see it!!! I had managed to position myself out of line of sight/fire. I readjusted a few paces to my right and manged to get onto just as it was crossing a fence. I waited as it took a few paces and stopped. Presenting a slightly quartering shot. I took aim and fired. The buck dropped on the spot. I reloaded and waited. the phrase i would use to describe the my current physical state would be "shaking like a s****ing dog". I calmed down and we made out way across to the shot site and there lay my first deer, and more importantly Roe Buck. A good size 4 point.
Heppy took me through the gralloch and i carried the Carcass back to the van. I had again made the wrong choice and had opted to leave the Roe sack in the van, so carried the carcass the 3/4 Mile back to the van. I loved every moment of this morning and will definitely be heading back up for another Stalk.
The carcass is currently hanging in my garage and will be butchered tomorrow afternoon after i get up after nighthsift. I have already printed off the step by step guide on how to butcher a Roe from this forum. vacuum sealer and bags ordered and i have managed to borrow a mincer off a kind neighbor. Note to self, tell the wife not to go into the garage next time you hang a carcass. She wasn't best pleased....
Until next time. Picture to follow.
