The journey really began about 11 & half years ago when having met my now wife I moved from a flat in Godalming down in Surrey to a cottage on the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead. One of the neighbours, 'whistling John' got chatting as you do over the fence and despite the forty odd years between us I struck an instant friendship with this wonderful man who had lived in two cottages in the village his whole life. John was a true 'countryman' still beating up to his late seventies and recounting his stories of pigeon and rabbit shooting over the years. John will never truly know the profound effect he has had on my life.
Chatting to John led to beating on my local estate for the last 8 years which in turn led me to joining a DIY walk one stand one syndicate over at Stanboroughbury near Welwyn Garden City. The syndicate shot over a farm of about 600 acres and we had some excellent days shooting between 40 and 100 birds on most days but more importantly I have made some excellent friends and the friendly banter was without equal. The good lady came with me and worked our eldest lab and we struck up a particular friendship with the part time keeper Paul. Paul invited me lamping for rabbits and foxes and a FC application followed. I started with the .22 and progressed to a .223 about 18 months later. Sadly like too many others the farm was earmarked for development and we lost the shoot a couple of years back. Things were looking grim until chance meeting in a local pub between the shoot captain and a local farmer, whose farm had hosted a small syndicate which had folded the previous year. Conversations were followed by work parties to repair some of the pens and general upkeep which resulted in a season of good company and some pleasant shooting.
Paul was working closely with the tenant farmer who was clearly frustrated at the sheer volume of crop damage by a modest number of resident Fallow but many transient animals which were frustrating his work. Paul called me aside and asked if I wanted to help him with some deer control? It felt as though all of my Christmas's has come at once. A sensible conversation with my FEO (yes you can have them) was immediately followed by booking my DSC1. A management plan was hatched followed by Paul and I having four trips out in the late winter / early Spring seeing Fallow on each occasion but no safe shot. This past summer I attended my DSC1 (had lots of good studying advice on here prior to) and at this point would like to repeat my thanks to Chris Brooks who not only delivered the course but gave so much useful advice and tips. As you can probably imagine I was now raring to get out.
A phone call with Paul last Thursday confirmed a meet at 5.30 am yesterday morning. Went to bed buzzing having checked the forecast and unsurprisingly woke up before the alarm..... to cold rain! that wasn't forecast? Drove the 45 minutes up to the farm and waited for Paul to arrive. It wasn't long before the lights of his truck were illuminating the gate and we were parked up, shaking hands and the ten minute catch up, the rain had subsided to a gentle smattering against my face. Kit sorted, rifle loaded and safety applied. I had swapped the sling around so I could carry muzzle down, thanks for the advice Jim from the DSC1 safety assessment. Paul and I had agreed to head to each end of the large woods. We had agreed arcs of fire and not to stray from the plan. Spikers or older bucks going back were agreed. I slowly made my way across the wood heading towards the far edge with the intention of covering the valley ahead of me. I had barely reached the edge of the wood when I heard the shot ring out. I waited and then as previously agreed to started to head across to Paul's position. Paul had taken a Buck that had been limping badly before we had the chance to to start the gralloch proper we could see another Buck strolling across the field from the furthest wood. I set myself up just in from the edge of the wood, the Buck just kept coming directly towards me, my heart rate was now surging, breath deeply Mark. He looked an older animal with disfigured or damaged antlers and quite slim. And the Buck just kept coming directly towards me until he was about 150m away and then he started to veer to my right, perfect, hopefully he will provide me with a nice broadside. The Buck kept moving and with each step the shot picture was developing quite nicely but he kept coming and didn't stop!! He entered the wood about 80m to my right, Paul looked at me and I whispered where he had entered. We quietly stalked to my right, probably only 10m or so and there he was, slowly edging into the wood, clear view, behind trees, clear view and then he stopped, clear view about 60m but face on. Dilemma, we had spoken on the course about the risk of contamination into the stomach cavity with this shot but there he was clear picture, safe backstop with rising ground behind. I placed the crosshairs on his chest in what felt like slow motion, he was motionless just staring straight at me. Paul was silent behind me I made the decision and slowly squeezed the trigger, everything felt like it was in super slow mo. The round hit, he recoiled slightly and then ran to my right, as Paul was telling me to reload I was already chambering another round. He ran no more than 10m or so and then fell. I could see him stretch his rear legs and then motionless. A wave of emotion coursed through me. Was I happy? was I sad? right then I could not have answered that question, my first Fallow. We slowly approached him and Paul went forward with my sticks for the eyeball test, he was gone. I unloaded and carefully placed the rifle. Paul hugged me so hard I thought he was going to break my back, I was quiet.
I had a few minutes while Paul fetched his truck and a whole variety of emotions swept through me but I eventually settled with it was a clean shot and he did not suffer. Paul and I were doing a job for the farmer and we have achieved our target for the morning. Paul talked me through the gralloch on his and then supervised and chipped in with assisting me on my mine. It was satisfying to find the distorted bullet that had clearly done its job. It was 11.30 and we had two cull animals field dressed and on their way to the butchers chiller. It is an occasion I will never forget.
Chatting to John led to beating on my local estate for the last 8 years which in turn led me to joining a DIY walk one stand one syndicate over at Stanboroughbury near Welwyn Garden City. The syndicate shot over a farm of about 600 acres and we had some excellent days shooting between 40 and 100 birds on most days but more importantly I have made some excellent friends and the friendly banter was without equal. The good lady came with me and worked our eldest lab and we struck up a particular friendship with the part time keeper Paul. Paul invited me lamping for rabbits and foxes and a FC application followed. I started with the .22 and progressed to a .223 about 18 months later. Sadly like too many others the farm was earmarked for development and we lost the shoot a couple of years back. Things were looking grim until chance meeting in a local pub between the shoot captain and a local farmer, whose farm had hosted a small syndicate which had folded the previous year. Conversations were followed by work parties to repair some of the pens and general upkeep which resulted in a season of good company and some pleasant shooting.
Paul was working closely with the tenant farmer who was clearly frustrated at the sheer volume of crop damage by a modest number of resident Fallow but many transient animals which were frustrating his work. Paul called me aside and asked if I wanted to help him with some deer control? It felt as though all of my Christmas's has come at once. A sensible conversation with my FEO (yes you can have them) was immediately followed by booking my DSC1. A management plan was hatched followed by Paul and I having four trips out in the late winter / early Spring seeing Fallow on each occasion but no safe shot. This past summer I attended my DSC1 (had lots of good studying advice on here prior to) and at this point would like to repeat my thanks to Chris Brooks who not only delivered the course but gave so much useful advice and tips. As you can probably imagine I was now raring to get out.
A phone call with Paul last Thursday confirmed a meet at 5.30 am yesterday morning. Went to bed buzzing having checked the forecast and unsurprisingly woke up before the alarm..... to cold rain! that wasn't forecast? Drove the 45 minutes up to the farm and waited for Paul to arrive. It wasn't long before the lights of his truck were illuminating the gate and we were parked up, shaking hands and the ten minute catch up, the rain had subsided to a gentle smattering against my face. Kit sorted, rifle loaded and safety applied. I had swapped the sling around so I could carry muzzle down, thanks for the advice Jim from the DSC1 safety assessment. Paul and I had agreed to head to each end of the large woods. We had agreed arcs of fire and not to stray from the plan. Spikers or older bucks going back were agreed. I slowly made my way across the wood heading towards the far edge with the intention of covering the valley ahead of me. I had barely reached the edge of the wood when I heard the shot ring out. I waited and then as previously agreed to started to head across to Paul's position. Paul had taken a Buck that had been limping badly before we had the chance to to start the gralloch proper we could see another Buck strolling across the field from the furthest wood. I set myself up just in from the edge of the wood, the Buck just kept coming directly towards me, my heart rate was now surging, breath deeply Mark. He looked an older animal with disfigured or damaged antlers and quite slim. And the Buck just kept coming directly towards me until he was about 150m away and then he started to veer to my right, perfect, hopefully he will provide me with a nice broadside. The Buck kept moving and with each step the shot picture was developing quite nicely but he kept coming and didn't stop!! He entered the wood about 80m to my right, Paul looked at me and I whispered where he had entered. We quietly stalked to my right, probably only 10m or so and there he was, slowly edging into the wood, clear view, behind trees, clear view and then he stopped, clear view about 60m but face on. Dilemma, we had spoken on the course about the risk of contamination into the stomach cavity with this shot but there he was clear picture, safe backstop with rising ground behind. I placed the crosshairs on his chest in what felt like slow motion, he was motionless just staring straight at me. Paul was silent behind me I made the decision and slowly squeezed the trigger, everything felt like it was in super slow mo. The round hit, he recoiled slightly and then ran to my right, as Paul was telling me to reload I was already chambering another round. He ran no more than 10m or so and then fell. I could see him stretch his rear legs and then motionless. A wave of emotion coursed through me. Was I happy? was I sad? right then I could not have answered that question, my first Fallow. We slowly approached him and Paul went forward with my sticks for the eyeball test, he was gone. I unloaded and carefully placed the rifle. Paul hugged me so hard I thought he was going to break my back, I was quiet.
I had a few minutes while Paul fetched his truck and a whole variety of emotions swept through me but I eventually settled with it was a clean shot and he did not suffer. Paul and I were doing a job for the farmer and we have achieved our target for the morning. Paul talked me through the gralloch on his and then supervised and chipped in with assisting me on my mine. It was satisfying to find the distorted bullet that had clearly done its job. It was 11.30 and we had two cull animals field dressed and on their way to the butchers chiller. It is an occasion I will never forget.
