After being told I wasn’t needed at work today I decided to make the most of it & get out to see if I could catch up with some fallow this afternoon.
The wind was a reasonably strong northerly which isn’t good for the farm as there are limited places we can get to that are likely to be productive. However, for me at least, there’s always one place I can be pretty sure of finding something in a northerly wind - a ladder that’s a matter of a couple of hundred yards up a track from the main farm yard & in full view of the farmhouse!
Clambered up the ladder at 1715 & there were 5 roe bucks in a group in the far corner of the field about 450 yards away happily feeding away in the lee of the wood. A good sign.
Less than 30 minutes later a juvenile Muntjac buck sauntered out of the wood about 200 yards away & ambled down the edge of the field the way they do. Bang! One of the rare occasions that the 6.5 recoiled & I lost the sight picture momentarily before seeing a tail up running back into the wood. All good or so I thought.
An hour later & I had a roe doe & a muntjac doe about 150 yards in front of me & was contemplating which to shoot, while I was thinking about it another Muntjac appeared to my left - another doe. Which to shoot?? Then, out of the corner of my eye I saw movement about 100 yards further along the edge of the wood - fallow! The game was on, two does & two doe fawns eventually fed out into the field. Bang! A jump & run before collapsing leaving the other three stood wondering what happened but alas not presenting a clear shot. Confused they ran on a bit before stopping again, one broadside but blocked by the other two, they trotted off a bit then stopped again but still not clear shot. Then they were off!
There was still a bit of light so back to the yard to get the truck & off to collect the carcasses. The fallow doe was an easy find - she was about 100 yards down the slope of the field from the woods. A bit of a slog but not going to be a difficult retrieve. The Muntjac was in the wood somewhere but I had the thermal, a torch & the old dog in the back.
Finding where I was certain it’s been stood when I shot there was no sign, no blood, no hair, nothing. Still I knew where I’d seen the fleeing tale up to went to look there - a ride that it’d have to have crossed & left some sign. Nothing - could I have missed? Back to the shot sight & looking again but still nothing! Scanning from the shot sight to where I’d seen the fleeing tale & beyond showed nothing. Must have missed, bugger!
Oh well, let the dog out just to be certain. Off he went to where I thought the Muntjac had run & he started on a line before stopping for a pee & coming back no longer interested! I was still looking for sign while he mooched about showing no interest in where I was looking. Then he was gone! Off on the scent of a hare I thought & was about to yell for him when I saw him following a line down the edge of the wood & stopping when he got to a very dead Muntjac. I was obviously looking in the wrong place & he knew better!! Good dog
Then it was time to drag the fallow doe up the field for 100 yards or so & lift it into the carrier - the Muntjac was a lot easier!!!
Another successful outing & two more deer in the chiller which has certainly been earning its keep this winter!
The wind was a reasonably strong northerly which isn’t good for the farm as there are limited places we can get to that are likely to be productive. However, for me at least, there’s always one place I can be pretty sure of finding something in a northerly wind - a ladder that’s a matter of a couple of hundred yards up a track from the main farm yard & in full view of the farmhouse!
Clambered up the ladder at 1715 & there were 5 roe bucks in a group in the far corner of the field about 450 yards away happily feeding away in the lee of the wood. A good sign.
Less than 30 minutes later a juvenile Muntjac buck sauntered out of the wood about 200 yards away & ambled down the edge of the field the way they do. Bang! One of the rare occasions that the 6.5 recoiled & I lost the sight picture momentarily before seeing a tail up running back into the wood. All good or so I thought.
An hour later & I had a roe doe & a muntjac doe about 150 yards in front of me & was contemplating which to shoot, while I was thinking about it another Muntjac appeared to my left - another doe. Which to shoot?? Then, out of the corner of my eye I saw movement about 100 yards further along the edge of the wood - fallow! The game was on, two does & two doe fawns eventually fed out into the field. Bang! A jump & run before collapsing leaving the other three stood wondering what happened but alas not presenting a clear shot. Confused they ran on a bit before stopping again, one broadside but blocked by the other two, they trotted off a bit then stopped again but still not clear shot. Then they were off!
There was still a bit of light so back to the yard to get the truck & off to collect the carcasses. The fallow doe was an easy find - she was about 100 yards down the slope of the field from the woods. A bit of a slog but not going to be a difficult retrieve. The Muntjac was in the wood somewhere but I had the thermal, a torch & the old dog in the back.
Finding where I was certain it’s been stood when I shot there was no sign, no blood, no hair, nothing. Still I knew where I’d seen the fleeing tale up to went to look there - a ride that it’d have to have crossed & left some sign. Nothing - could I have missed? Back to the shot sight & looking again but still nothing! Scanning from the shot sight to where I’d seen the fleeing tale & beyond showed nothing. Must have missed, bugger!
Oh well, let the dog out just to be certain. Off he went to where I thought the Muntjac had run & he started on a line before stopping for a pee & coming back no longer interested! I was still looking for sign while he mooched about showing no interest in where I was looking. Then he was gone! Off on the scent of a hare I thought & was about to yell for him when I saw him following a line down the edge of the wood & stopping when he got to a very dead Muntjac. I was obviously looking in the wrong place & he knew better!! Good dog
Then it was time to drag the fallow doe up the field for 100 yards or so & lift it into the carrier - the Muntjac was a lot easier!!!
Another successful outing & two more deer in the chiller which has certainly been earning its keep this winter!
Last edited:
