I started my Roe buck season on the 7th May, I prefer to let my bucks clean off and put some weight on before I start to cull. I always find it helps to settle them in and for me to have time to assess what is on the ground. This has so far been a very successful season for me, and I have stopped culling at 25 bucks. Nearly every client has taken a buck whist out, one or two have missed and one client managed 3 bucks in two outings, so swings and roundabouts as usual.
I have 3 potential medals that I had seen over the first few days, none of which stood long enough to get a good look. The first was at the very end of March whilst driving off the ground one late evening. The buck certainly seemed to have the mass and the height, but I was cautious about getting to excited as it was about 180 yards in failing light.
The second time I saw this particular buck was in good light, but he was laying down on a headland on the far side of the field, so about 250yds. BUT I could see his head without the aid of binoculars and therefore summissed it was the same buck. This was on the 7th May.
I had seen two other very good bucks on the ground, one on the boundary and the other on what we call the mile. Both very good heads, quite young in my opinion. Along with several good 6 pointers who are too young to take, it appeared to be shaping up to a good buck season. We took most cull bucks very quickly, one in fact 6 minutes out of my truck, bit of luck there!
The big buck from early in the year had been seen by one of my guides and photographed at close quarters, and it appeared to all intense and purposes to be the same buck I had seen earlier and had moved to the other side of a large wood. I intended on letting him go as he appeared to be going back slightly, but had really no real interest in taking him for the moment.
I have several clients who I have known for a number of years, and are more friends now than clients. It was not until one of them expressed an interest in taking a really good buck that I decided to let him try for it. I am not in the habit of just letting good medal bucks go to anyone who can just afford to take one, I would rather let it go to a client or friend who is going to appreciate a buck of a lifetime.
And so it was that on this particular weekend two friends/clients arrived who I had been looking forward to seeing again. Two outings arranged, one evening, one morning.
The evening stalk I took Nick out and managed to grass a cull buck almost within a few feet of where he shot a nice 6 pointer 2 seasons back. Will was with Jason, one of my guides and although bucks were seen, no shot was taken.
The following morning Jason and Will stalked the area where we knew the big buck was to be found, and by around 6 am they had succeeded in taking him. Nick went on with Jason to another areas I have nearby and managed to take 2 further cull bucks in one morning. I on the other hand took the trophy buck back to the larder to cape him off quickly, as the heat of the day was begining to rise and I did not want any slippage on the cape.
I have this morning capped the head right off, and its now washed and lying in salt ready to fix in an acid and salt bath, prior to tanning. The head is boiling off so we will see what it comes out at. I have told Will it will go Gold CIC. I hope I am right, not to be too big headed, I have never been wrong yet
but there's always a first time.
Here are some photos prior to capping it off.
I have 3 potential medals that I had seen over the first few days, none of which stood long enough to get a good look. The first was at the very end of March whilst driving off the ground one late evening. The buck certainly seemed to have the mass and the height, but I was cautious about getting to excited as it was about 180 yards in failing light.
The second time I saw this particular buck was in good light, but he was laying down on a headland on the far side of the field, so about 250yds. BUT I could see his head without the aid of binoculars and therefore summissed it was the same buck. This was on the 7th May.
I had seen two other very good bucks on the ground, one on the boundary and the other on what we call the mile. Both very good heads, quite young in my opinion. Along with several good 6 pointers who are too young to take, it appeared to be shaping up to a good buck season. We took most cull bucks very quickly, one in fact 6 minutes out of my truck, bit of luck there!
The big buck from early in the year had been seen by one of my guides and photographed at close quarters, and it appeared to all intense and purposes to be the same buck I had seen earlier and had moved to the other side of a large wood. I intended on letting him go as he appeared to be going back slightly, but had really no real interest in taking him for the moment.
I have several clients who I have known for a number of years, and are more friends now than clients. It was not until one of them expressed an interest in taking a really good buck that I decided to let him try for it. I am not in the habit of just letting good medal bucks go to anyone who can just afford to take one, I would rather let it go to a client or friend who is going to appreciate a buck of a lifetime.
And so it was that on this particular weekend two friends/clients arrived who I had been looking forward to seeing again. Two outings arranged, one evening, one morning.
The evening stalk I took Nick out and managed to grass a cull buck almost within a few feet of where he shot a nice 6 pointer 2 seasons back. Will was with Jason, one of my guides and although bucks were seen, no shot was taken.
The following morning Jason and Will stalked the area where we knew the big buck was to be found, and by around 6 am they had succeeded in taking him. Nick went on with Jason to another areas I have nearby and managed to take 2 further cull bucks in one morning. I on the other hand took the trophy buck back to the larder to cape him off quickly, as the heat of the day was begining to rise and I did not want any slippage on the cape.
I have this morning capped the head right off, and its now washed and lying in salt ready to fix in an acid and salt bath, prior to tanning. The head is boiling off so we will see what it comes out at. I have told Will it will go Gold CIC. I hope I am right, not to be too big headed, I have never been wrong yet
but there's always a first time.Here are some photos prior to capping it off.
