I finally managed to get out on a stalk with a successful result, I'd been a couple of times for fallow in Kent before my move to Fife, Scotland, but it never amounted in me pulling the trigger.
Sunday however I bought a morning stalk in the borders, it was a relatively calm day regardless of the high wind on the Forth crossing. I met my guide - contacted through this forum!
We walked about his farm bumping roe due to bad wind direction but finally came along a bubbling burn adjacent a small wood. I was told deer were in the wood noticed through IR binoculars.
Setting up the rifle on the sticks a buck sprints from the wood into the field on the right but the doe and two rather large fawns hadn't noticed, 10 or so minutes of waiting and one of the fawn meandered not 30 yards in front almost a perfect broadside, but with the body hidden behind a tree, looking at us. She eventually took 4 more steps forward, clearing her from her cover and looking at us again. I fired the shot.
She ran about 20 yards before keeling over and the other two ran up and around crossing 130 yards over the burn this side of some gorse to our left.
I was surprised, I had no shacking hands or rushed shot as she stood there. It was calm and collected. I think listening to frustrated stalkers on podcasts talking about novices helped me focus.
I'm grateful she's provided me and my family with meat. We ate her heart that day and liver the next. - if my guide reads this, thank you for your morning, use of your rifle and guidance.
Sunday however I bought a morning stalk in the borders, it was a relatively calm day regardless of the high wind on the Forth crossing. I met my guide - contacted through this forum!
We walked about his farm bumping roe due to bad wind direction but finally came along a bubbling burn adjacent a small wood. I was told deer were in the wood noticed through IR binoculars.
Setting up the rifle on the sticks a buck sprints from the wood into the field on the right but the doe and two rather large fawns hadn't noticed, 10 or so minutes of waiting and one of the fawn meandered not 30 yards in front almost a perfect broadside, but with the body hidden behind a tree, looking at us. She eventually took 4 more steps forward, clearing her from her cover and looking at us again. I fired the shot.
She ran about 20 yards before keeling over and the other two ran up and around crossing 130 yards over the burn this side of some gorse to our left.
I was surprised, I had no shacking hands or rushed shot as she stood there. It was calm and collected. I think listening to frustrated stalkers on podcasts talking about novices helped me focus.
I'm grateful she's provided me and my family with meat. We ate her heart that day and liver the next. - if my guide reads this, thank you for your morning, use of your rifle and guidance.
and yeah, hopefully just the beginning!
so glad it was for the table .
