After finishing early I called in at my local gun shop on the way to my stalking ground for a natter and noticed a decent looking sling so I got it and once at the stalking ground put it on the Winchester.
I had a good feeling about today as I put my gear together and set off. I scanned distant woods for heat but nothing.
Then a tractor and hedge cutter attached turned up, oh great or something like that I muttered. Then a police training helicopter turned up and thought it was cool to fly up and down my valley doing sweeping turns after nearly going vertical a few times. I muttered something harsher this time. My relaxing afternoon was slowly turning into its usual fiasco!
Slightly changing plans I work the edge of a wood and cresting a rise I spot a squirrel and then a hare, wait, is it a hare? Hmmm.
Don't rush it and keep quiet I tell myself but I inch a little more so I can look down on it better. No binos, no tripod, just thermal and rifle eventually I can see with the naked eye that it is a deer!
It's couched with it's head behind a tree. It hasn't seen me, and as it happens and despite thermal I have not seen the others!
I tell myself not to muck about but just get it done and don't yank that trigger.
Subconsciously I position myself, cock the hammer, level the 94 and quarter the beast with Steve's @alberta boy M3.
The shot rang out almost as a surprise and my deer never moved, well, it rocked once and then was still.
It was a few seconds before the others ran in. I was surprised as I hadn't seen them, on reflection quite normal but it was cool when a mature buck, came wandering back looking for me. We watched each other for a few moments. He offered me a shot but I was happy with my lot today as it was. I was glad my young buck was smaller than last year!
My field dressing leaves a lot to be desired but I don't do enough these days, that said I've always wanted to use my Granfors axe and it sure made light work of the chest.
The Winchester has spoken twice this week. One shot getting a fox and the other a fallow buck. The Speer 130gn working very well. Doesn't seem to be much damage as far as I can tell. Bullet exited. I love 30-30
Some photos and video for you.
I must warn viewers of the video below. It contains scenes of middle aged gut!!
I had a good feeling about today as I put my gear together and set off. I scanned distant woods for heat but nothing.
Then a tractor and hedge cutter attached turned up, oh great or something like that I muttered. Then a police training helicopter turned up and thought it was cool to fly up and down my valley doing sweeping turns after nearly going vertical a few times. I muttered something harsher this time. My relaxing afternoon was slowly turning into its usual fiasco!
Slightly changing plans I work the edge of a wood and cresting a rise I spot a squirrel and then a hare, wait, is it a hare? Hmmm.
Don't rush it and keep quiet I tell myself but I inch a little more so I can look down on it better. No binos, no tripod, just thermal and rifle eventually I can see with the naked eye that it is a deer!
It's couched with it's head behind a tree. It hasn't seen me, and as it happens and despite thermal I have not seen the others!
I tell myself not to muck about but just get it done and don't yank that trigger.
Subconsciously I position myself, cock the hammer, level the 94 and quarter the beast with Steve's @alberta boy M3.
The shot rang out almost as a surprise and my deer never moved, well, it rocked once and then was still.
It was a few seconds before the others ran in. I was surprised as I hadn't seen them, on reflection quite normal but it was cool when a mature buck, came wandering back looking for me. We watched each other for a few moments. He offered me a shot but I was happy with my lot today as it was. I was glad my young buck was smaller than last year!
My field dressing leaves a lot to be desired but I don't do enough these days, that said I've always wanted to use my Granfors axe and it sure made light work of the chest.
The Winchester has spoken twice this week. One shot getting a fox and the other a fallow buck. The Speer 130gn working very well. Doesn't seem to be much damage as far as I can tell. Bullet exited. I love 30-30
Some photos and video for you.
I must warn viewers of the video below. It contains scenes of middle aged gut!!
hare my arse 
