Bit long winded and will put all pics to outings in a sperate comment.
Irish boys said they would hang fire with coming this year although might make it later so i said i would do a few places i don't shoot on enough and take some beasts i should have had a year or two ago.
Held out Friday evening to a close to home bit that i do the moling on.The lad has told me to help myself to the roe but with having to drive through his close to get to the hotspot i've never bothered shooting any in at least 5 years.In those years i've glassed it many hundreds of times and always plenty beasts.
Sat on the road and had a glass and straight away saw a buck chasing a nice abnorm which had the better head,and when the chase ended i was surprised to see the abnorm tanking after this lovely six pointer who must have been in a hedge just in front of me.
Watched the first beast head back so drove over to the farm and get set up.Walked to a high bank which gives a decent view and from there could see 6 different bucks of all various ages and sizes.The closest and most sensible was the original chasing buck as the head looked well past it's sell by although the body was huge.
Easy enough shot at 180ish and dropped on the spot.
On walking up to him the body size struck straight away and the second one this season to be my heaviest ever at 24.2kg.He's a beast i would likely of seen for a few years and something else will fill his void and i'll post jaw pics later to show how down his teeth were and still in great nick.
Next was Sunday evening,and a drive to 3 places that again i knew had good animals that i wouldn't mind taking.First was nothing i wanted,but second showed another older beast with antler traits of going well back as well as a huge body.Straight forward to get into as he was more interested in browsing the whins and again dropped on the spot.
Just a tad over 200 so walked across to gralloch but decided to have a thermal on another bit that's over a km away and got a heat source.Had left the bins in the motor so quick gralloch and drag and loaded up but did noticed he's got a single tusk which i'll show when cleaned.Drove a wee bit to get a better glass on this heat source and even at that distance could clearly make out it was the fame of a mature buck although hard to see antler quality.
Have known a lovely beast on there for the last 3 years and just had a feeling this was him so a quick drive to within 500m and then geared up.Approach was blind so took the general direction i thought he was but spooked a yearling buck on the way.Started glassing to where i thought when i noticed him have a wee run and presuming the yearling had maybe got his hackles up or spooked him so started trying to close the gap but he was probably moving the same speed as me.Checked the distance and pinged 219 so went another 20 and got set up on the sticks.Wide open park of wheat and took the shot with him slightly quartering to which he jumped,ran 20ish and stopped.Knew it was a decent hit but gave him another to make sure and that was him.
First shot was slightly back but i doubt he would have taken many more steps after the first.
Superb old beast again with massive coronets and plenty weight.
Next this morning,and after going out yesterday evening and seeing some very nice animals i knew exactly where i was heading.
5 mins drive from the hoose and got set up,and a quick thermal and glass showed 3 exceptional bucks so it was just a case of picking one.Decided on the closest as with wind it could have compromised the others and he looked to have lovely dark coloured antlers.Getting into him was slow as 2 does with him and i was walking through an open park of barley but he was again browsing and thrashing whins so was kept occupied.Closed to a distance where i don't think i would have got nearer and pinged at 145 so sicks set and got comfy.He was in a bit of cover looking through the scope so waited until clear and then took the shot.Was very surprised that there was no strike noise although i was sure i did see a wee jump reaction but began doubting i was on the money by the way he ran behind some trees where i lost sight.
Thought a retreat for the time being was sensible so back to the motor and a wee drive for some pictures and returned a couple of hours later.As soon as i near to the whins he was at it was instant relief as the blood showed he wasn't going far and sure enough after putting Buck out he stopped and started worrying the carcass around 30m away.
A stunning beast for sure and will score high for everything.
All in a cracking few days.
Irish boys said they would hang fire with coming this year although might make it later so i said i would do a few places i don't shoot on enough and take some beasts i should have had a year or two ago.
Held out Friday evening to a close to home bit that i do the moling on.The lad has told me to help myself to the roe but with having to drive through his close to get to the hotspot i've never bothered shooting any in at least 5 years.In those years i've glassed it many hundreds of times and always plenty beasts.
Sat on the road and had a glass and straight away saw a buck chasing a nice abnorm which had the better head,and when the chase ended i was surprised to see the abnorm tanking after this lovely six pointer who must have been in a hedge just in front of me.
Watched the first beast head back so drove over to the farm and get set up.Walked to a high bank which gives a decent view and from there could see 6 different bucks of all various ages and sizes.The closest and most sensible was the original chasing buck as the head looked well past it's sell by although the body was huge.
Easy enough shot at 180ish and dropped on the spot.
On walking up to him the body size struck straight away and the second one this season to be my heaviest ever at 24.2kg.He's a beast i would likely of seen for a few years and something else will fill his void and i'll post jaw pics later to show how down his teeth were and still in great nick.
Next was Sunday evening,and a drive to 3 places that again i knew had good animals that i wouldn't mind taking.First was nothing i wanted,but second showed another older beast with antler traits of going well back as well as a huge body.Straight forward to get into as he was more interested in browsing the whins and again dropped on the spot.
Just a tad over 200 so walked across to gralloch but decided to have a thermal on another bit that's over a km away and got a heat source.Had left the bins in the motor so quick gralloch and drag and loaded up but did noticed he's got a single tusk which i'll show when cleaned.Drove a wee bit to get a better glass on this heat source and even at that distance could clearly make out it was the fame of a mature buck although hard to see antler quality.
Have known a lovely beast on there for the last 3 years and just had a feeling this was him so a quick drive to within 500m and then geared up.Approach was blind so took the general direction i thought he was but spooked a yearling buck on the way.Started glassing to where i thought when i noticed him have a wee run and presuming the yearling had maybe got his hackles up or spooked him so started trying to close the gap but he was probably moving the same speed as me.Checked the distance and pinged 219 so went another 20 and got set up on the sticks.Wide open park of wheat and took the shot with him slightly quartering to which he jumped,ran 20ish and stopped.Knew it was a decent hit but gave him another to make sure and that was him.
First shot was slightly back but i doubt he would have taken many more steps after the first.
Superb old beast again with massive coronets and plenty weight.
Next this morning,and after going out yesterday evening and seeing some very nice animals i knew exactly where i was heading.
5 mins drive from the hoose and got set up,and a quick thermal and glass showed 3 exceptional bucks so it was just a case of picking one.Decided on the closest as with wind it could have compromised the others and he looked to have lovely dark coloured antlers.Getting into him was slow as 2 does with him and i was walking through an open park of barley but he was again browsing and thrashing whins so was kept occupied.Closed to a distance where i don't think i would have got nearer and pinged at 145 so sicks set and got comfy.He was in a bit of cover looking through the scope so waited until clear and then took the shot.Was very surprised that there was no strike noise although i was sure i did see a wee jump reaction but began doubting i was on the money by the way he ran behind some trees where i lost sight.
Thought a retreat for the time being was sensible so back to the motor and a wee drive for some pictures and returned a couple of hours later.As soon as i near to the whins he was at it was instant relief as the blood showed he wasn't going far and sure enough after putting Buck out he stopped and started worrying the carcass around 30m away.
A stunning beast for sure and will score high for everything.
All in a cracking few days.
