I`ve shot the one i wanted to keep, thanks to Mr C.

basil

Distinguished Member
I had arranged a stalk with my superviser but a phonecall mid morning derailed that idea, rifle, cammos etc had gone to work with me as arranged.
My permission is only about a mile from where i work so i decided to use some time to knock on a couple of doors and offer my pest control services. I arrived at one house, this chap Mr C, he owns the fields right next to my permission, i`ve only ever seen someone there once but there is a high seat way over the other side. He had a big accident a while ago, so his arms in a sling and he`s on crutches (so i hear)
Anyway, i rang the bell, the door opens and there stands Mr C. I introduce myself, hold out a friendly hand, explain that i do Mr K`s pest control and was there anything i could do to help him out with his pest control. Mr C replied that he did have someone shooting his land but did i have a FAC. Weird i thought, said yes but i could only shoot with my superviser, i asked why. Mr C went on to explain that his shooter was away and due back Wednesday or Thursday of next week. He has his own Class 1 but due to his injuries was unable to use a rifle. He further explained that there had been a Doe and a Buck in his wheat field for about a week and he wanted them out ASAP as it was a small field and was worried about the damage.
I said to him, if he has a class one then he could supervise me shooting the buck, he agreed. So, somehow he got in my Freelander and he guided us to his wheatfield, i drove into the field, Mr C said the deer were over in that far corner, i drove a little further, stopped and seen two heads above the wheat. Iasked Mr C what the hedges were and he said the one behind the Deer is thick blackthorn but there`s nothing on the otherside, that`s mine as well, the other hedge to the side of the deer is solid and about seven feet thick.
When i said i`ll drive up the other side of the field so that i`m facing the solid hedge plus i`m more looking down on the Buck, Mr C said ok then, good choice. I`m thinking that if i make a good impression, he`ll remember me in the "word of mouth" way for the future. (I`m not going to try to step on another stalkers toes here, (i don`t agree with that way)
I pull up near the corner, pick up the binos and spot the Buck. He`s about 160 ish yards, two thoughts, 1. I know that head, that`s the buck that in a previous post i mentioned that i`d like to leave him but there`s to many idiots around here so i intend to be the one that takes him. 2. F%^k, that`s a fair distance for me at my stage of my stalking career but i have to be "professional" about this. Assess the shot, safety of the shot, welfare of the buck.
I admit to Mr C that this is probably my longest shot yet, but we`ll make a joint decision on this. I turned the motor around so it`s facing the Buck, get out, go to the back of the motor and open the door. Rifle out, plus the roll of paper hand towel (this is the perfect height to shoot off of) I`ve picked up the Buck in the scope "god, he looks proud of himself" i thought, and i don`t even think he realises we`re here. I asked Mr C if he wanted to wait till the Buck stood, i thinking of him grimacing in pain in the front seat, but i`m also thinking of MY, yes, MY Buck. "Up to you" he said. I hand him the binos, hopefully, this will keep him focused for five minutes longer. Again, i get up on the back of my truck. I load three Federal, 100 grainers, bolt one into the chamber. Resting the rifle on the hand towel, butt to shoulder, eye to scope, and there he is. Another two thoughts, Don`t f£ck this up and is that a medal head, hmmmm. Forget that one.
One last check with Mr C, all is ok so i scope him again, bottom jaw and upper throat area is what i`m aim for (don`t want to damage the upper jaw area, medal head thought again) without hesitation, the bullet is on it`s way and thud Buck goes down with a thud. I love that thud sound, gives a good feeling. Made Mr C happy anyway.
The rifle is made safe and sleeved then we drive down to the buck. I find the Buck, the bullet placement is spot on, bottom jaw. Although they are small, this buck has eight points, three on one, five on the other!!!
I have offered the buck to Mr C as long as i keep the head. Hes said halfers on the Buck, so i am one happy bunny tonight.
I`m going to drop a thankyou letter into Mr C`s home tomorrow night along with his half a buck. I owe him a big debt of gratitude.
P.S. Poor photos but they weren`t taken till i got home, sorry.
basil.
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Well done basil just shows what can be done if you just cold call. sounds like you have landed yourself another permission. :oops: Nice buck. :oops:
Jonathon
 
I believe that your deliberate attempt to shoot the buck in the lower jaw so as not to damage the head is morally indefensible. Poor, poor form. I think you can expect incoming. All animals deserve more respect than that.
 
It has been done before Basil , by inconsiderate Pratts who have no respect for Deer or their welfare !
What would you have done if you had only broken the bottom jaw and it had run off to die a miserable death ?
I once had the misfortune to have to exterminate a Roe Doe which some poaching scum-bag had shot in the face with a .22 rimfire. Part of the bullet was embedded in the jaw and the beast was skin and bone but still alive.

HWH.
 
Can all of the people so far that have replied negatively to someone that has taken a 'Headshot' and,no doubt to all of the other people that will also jump on the band wagon(because they think it is the right thing to do/say) honestly put their hand on their heart and say that they have never ever taken a beast with a headshot?.............just interested.....Martin.
 
stag1933 said:
It has been done before Basil , by inconsiderate Pratts who have no respect for Deer or their welfare !
What would you have done if you had only broken the bottom jaw and it had run off to die a miserable death ?
I once had the misfortune to have to exterminate a Roe Doe which some poaching scum-bag had shot in the face with a .22 rimfire. Part of the bullet was embedded in the jaw and the beast was skin and bone but still alive.

HWH.

I really cannot see what a poacher with a .22lr that shot a deer in the face and Basil have in common,so,please don't post such stupid analogies.
 
Well `rMn` I would have thought a broken jaw either by a poacher or by a legitimate shooter would have the same painful result hence the analogy.
Furthermore, 160 yards for such a shot is a long, long way.

HWH.
 
basil said:
I said to him, if he has a class one then he could supervise me shooting the buck, he agreed.

Basil,

if you used your rifle, you broke the condition on your FAC. the supervision condition ties the use if that rifle to the supervisor. if you used Mr C's then you were legal!
 
Basil your going to get some S//T for this one nice write up I was there with you in my mind till you went lower jaw i thought you ment neck,
To me a head shot is done at close range and from behind ie the top of the neck or back of head area

take the advice given for future all ended ok thankfully still a cracking buck
amberdog
 
Basil
I don't normally comment on posts like this but this one made me cringe.
I know you are a beginner and have to learn but you are very, very lucky you didn't learn the hard way.
There is a big difference between a head shot and aiming for the bottom jaw and at 160 yards :evil:
A hedge is never a safe backstop and never take anyone else's word that there is nothing behind it.

I bet the chap who normally stalks there will be well chuffed when he gets back, I know I would be :mad:

WD
 
lessons to be learned

lets not all jump on this bandwagon. i think it has all been already said. what we can learn from this is that the mentoring condition is maybe not such a bad thing.

basil, where are you in the country? I would be more than happy to take you out on my ground and help with mentoring you. Please PM me if you would like to take up this offer.

we all have to consider how jumping on this case is going to effect basil. yes he has made a mistake in this case. but if we all jump on it it will crush his confidence to post on the forum and so maybe prevent further mistake coming to light.

Thanks for posting this basil, there will be other guys out there who are in a similar point of thier stalking careers. they will learn from this without having to do it.

steve
 
Well said swampy. Sometimes people do things in the heat of the moment. Trying to please a land owner etc. Basil, don't be scared to carry on posting, lets face it, many of those that critisize will have done something "silly" once at least! At least yours ended well.

PS. What did you mean by lower jaw?
 
Thankyou Swampy/Dunc for showing a modicum of common sense,and,Dunc for saying it how it really is.Any person that states that they have never made a mistake while out shooting obviously hasn't been shooting very long,or,is just lying.And,I hope that the flack given so freely(which could of been done by PM(IMHO)will now stop,and,I also hope that it doesn't stop Basil from posting,as I for one enjoy reading his posts...................................'M'
 
I'm glad it worked out for Basil and he never had a runner on his hands. Reading his bit about the stalk i can only say that i think the shot was down to inexperience.
Others have given Basil stick and quite right to even if worded in rather strong terms.

In 38 years i have never taken a head shot nor felt tempted too.

Put it down to experience Basil and keep posting.
 
Just after I started stalking, I was out with someone with more than 30 years experience.

We were sitting in a half butt when a roe buck appeared no more than 100 yards away with a safe backdrop.

B told me that as he needed a carcass for the freezer he would head shoot the beast.

As he squeezed the trigger, the deer moved its head resulting in the shot talking its bottom jaw off.

Fortunately he was able to follow up and despatch the deer within a matter of minutes.

Since then, the only deer I have ever had the inclination to shoot and did shoot through the head was a RTA victim that was unable to stand but with the muzzle no more that 2 metres away from the deer's head.

After 15 years I stlll wait till I can get a shot through the boiler even iif it means passing up a shot.

Nick
 
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