I have just returned from a few days hind/doe stalking with friends and family at the glorious Graythwaite estate in east Cumbria. We took a rental house on the estate between 4 couples, very well appointed and comfortable. George Sandys took me and my good friend Clive on 5 stalks and although we saw large number of deer, we only managed to account for two, but then it isn't a numbers game and a great time was had by all.
Very high on my list of experiences was getting my 7yo lab bitch, Tilly, on to her first track and find. Fortunately, we knew pretty much exactly where the hind lay but it was wonderful to see her (admittedly modest) training in action and her excitement when she encountered her first freshly shot deer.
The hind was taken at 60 yds on a steep wooded hillside so the shot was very much downhill. I could only see the upper two thirds of her body and slightly misjudged the height of the shot, going a bit higher than intended but still took out both lungs. Ammo was a homeload 130g Fox bullet from a 308w R788/T3 mutt. Run was about 30m yards in total. Damage to both lungs was considerable but no fragmentation was detected and exit hole was modest but sufficient for good blood trail.
We saw lots of roe does but they were quicker away than we were onto the sticks! Also our old men's eyes resulted in much whispered location information swiftly followed by deer exit stage left! The hinds were more forgiving but even those seemed to understand the benefit of having a backstop of a busy main road!
We had the BEST time and can thoroughly recommend the Graythwaite estate if you are looking for stalking in the east Cumbrian.
(Note: the mag was out and chamber empty. I know the bolt should have been back for the photo but......)
Bullet entry is on the left, exit on right so you can see the angle downwards. As isaid above, a bit high but it did the job.
area.
Very high on my list of experiences was getting my 7yo lab bitch, Tilly, on to her first track and find. Fortunately, we knew pretty much exactly where the hind lay but it was wonderful to see her (admittedly modest) training in action and her excitement when she encountered her first freshly shot deer.
The hind was taken at 60 yds on a steep wooded hillside so the shot was very much downhill. I could only see the upper two thirds of her body and slightly misjudged the height of the shot, going a bit higher than intended but still took out both lungs. Ammo was a homeload 130g Fox bullet from a 308w R788/T3 mutt. Run was about 30m yards in total. Damage to both lungs was considerable but no fragmentation was detected and exit hole was modest but sufficient for good blood trail.
We saw lots of roe does but they were quicker away than we were onto the sticks! Also our old men's eyes resulted in much whispered location information swiftly followed by deer exit stage left! The hinds were more forgiving but even those seemed to understand the benefit of having a backstop of a busy main road!
We had the BEST time and can thoroughly recommend the Graythwaite estate if you are looking for stalking in the east Cumbrian.
(Note: the mag was out and chamber empty. I know the bolt should have been back for the photo but......)
Bullet entry is on the left, exit on right so you can see the angle downwards. As isaid above, a bit high but it did the job.
area.
