It was the end of July, and despite the weather being disappointing at best 
️, with the only hotter days seeming to be when i was busy with work.. i still dragged myself up early doors and got out with a planned long morning on my boundaries…
Id made the decision to once again get out around my boundaries on this morning, as id decided that the two impressive bucks very much in the centre of my ground i am going to leave alone ! And whilst out on previous nights stalks i had seen in the distance near my boundaries that there was some rutting action with a couple of bucks i could not fully assess at the distance they were mooching…
Id purposely not shot any bucks in the spring around my boundaries, as i enjoy stalking them more in the summer anyway..
Knowing the ground as i do, and fields now being cut, the chances of longer shots were high and cover for me crawling/mooching close into a buck was now limited…. So i took out the .243 which i very much consider to be my longer range set up.. and plan to stay static in a spot where i have pretty much 360 arcs in the bowl of a valley surrounded by woodland…with varying realistic spots bucks could appear from 50-300 yard shots…
The sun was rising, and with the moisture not only being in the air but also dew on the freshly cut grass, the MIDGIES were out in force and i quickly regretted not plastering myself in repellent…. But the chance of a decent buck was worth fighting through the annoyance…
I found myself very attentive but at times relaxing so much in the early morning bird song and scenes from the woodland, i could of easily lay down and gone back to sleep… but im glad i was able to stay awake with what came next….
I saw a Doe and a single fawn around 250 yards off suddenly stand up from cover through the thermal, and she was repeatedly looking backwards… this was clearly not due to any dog walker, car or farmer… where is he…
I sat with baited eyes whilst rapidly scanning around the other possible areas, and repeatedly using my binos to keep track of her movements…
The Doe and fawn gradully ambled from left to right behind a row of trees, and i could no longer see her.. but all of a sudden here comes the buck rapidly trotting from left to right, long enough for me to see he was a good buck through the binos , but not long enough to lay down and get a shot off…
Remaining patient, with some rapid spotting with the thermal, he re appeared at the back of a tree that was approximately 200 yards away, and he gradually mooched a further 40 yards onwards, where he then stood dead still absolutely perfect broadside…
I know my rifle VERY well, ive owned and shot with it for 10 years, i sent a .243 90 grain bullet whistling towards the point of his shoulder… and into his heart it went…
I saw a massive vapour cloud, outshot his leg dead straight, blood pouring and he took 1 step forward whilst absolutely nose diving into the cut grass…. Nice buck down….
Whilst watching him through the scope i reloaded, and with no need for a follow up shot, i half lay upwards and quickly just looked around the ground between me and him…
OH MY GOD…. Theres another buck…
Another nice buck is stood 100 yards from me, looking around very confused as to what had just happened beyond him, but as i rapidly reset my rifle and bipod… he went straight back to rubbing his antlers on an over hanging branch of a tree marking his ground….
Quick assessment, yes its a safe shot, yes its a buck i am happy to take… safety off and i sent the shot whizzing through him, once again dropping him on the spot thankfully !
I sat up almost giggling to myself at what had just occurred, revelling in the moment but almost gutted no one was there to enjoy it with me !!!
Buck fever is very much a thing, but for me the most enjoyable bit is the recovery and inspection of the beast after the shot… where you really get to sit and revel in the moment, what is around you and really appreciate such a fantastic beast like the mighty Roe Buck…
Both bucks taken home to the chiller, and another great memory stored doing what i love most !
Thanks for reading, have a great Rut lads !
️, with the only hotter days seeming to be when i was busy with work.. i still dragged myself up early doors and got out with a planned long morning on my boundaries…Id made the decision to once again get out around my boundaries on this morning, as id decided that the two impressive bucks very much in the centre of my ground i am going to leave alone ! And whilst out on previous nights stalks i had seen in the distance near my boundaries that there was some rutting action with a couple of bucks i could not fully assess at the distance they were mooching…
Id purposely not shot any bucks in the spring around my boundaries, as i enjoy stalking them more in the summer anyway..
Knowing the ground as i do, and fields now being cut, the chances of longer shots were high and cover for me crawling/mooching close into a buck was now limited…. So i took out the .243 which i very much consider to be my longer range set up.. and plan to stay static in a spot where i have pretty much 360 arcs in the bowl of a valley surrounded by woodland…with varying realistic spots bucks could appear from 50-300 yard shots…
The sun was rising, and with the moisture not only being in the air but also dew on the freshly cut grass, the MIDGIES were out in force and i quickly regretted not plastering myself in repellent…. But the chance of a decent buck was worth fighting through the annoyance…
I found myself very attentive but at times relaxing so much in the early morning bird song and scenes from the woodland, i could of easily lay down and gone back to sleep… but im glad i was able to stay awake with what came next….
I saw a Doe and a single fawn around 250 yards off suddenly stand up from cover through the thermal, and she was repeatedly looking backwards… this was clearly not due to any dog walker, car or farmer… where is he…
I sat with baited eyes whilst rapidly scanning around the other possible areas, and repeatedly using my binos to keep track of her movements…
The Doe and fawn gradully ambled from left to right behind a row of trees, and i could no longer see her.. but all of a sudden here comes the buck rapidly trotting from left to right, long enough for me to see he was a good buck through the binos , but not long enough to lay down and get a shot off…
Remaining patient, with some rapid spotting with the thermal, he re appeared at the back of a tree that was approximately 200 yards away, and he gradually mooched a further 40 yards onwards, where he then stood dead still absolutely perfect broadside…
I know my rifle VERY well, ive owned and shot with it for 10 years, i sent a .243 90 grain bullet whistling towards the point of his shoulder… and into his heart it went…
I saw a massive vapour cloud, outshot his leg dead straight, blood pouring and he took 1 step forward whilst absolutely nose diving into the cut grass…. Nice buck down….
Whilst watching him through the scope i reloaded, and with no need for a follow up shot, i half lay upwards and quickly just looked around the ground between me and him…
OH MY GOD…. Theres another buck…
Another nice buck is stood 100 yards from me, looking around very confused as to what had just happened beyond him, but as i rapidly reset my rifle and bipod… he went straight back to rubbing his antlers on an over hanging branch of a tree marking his ground….
Quick assessment, yes its a safe shot, yes its a buck i am happy to take… safety off and i sent the shot whizzing through him, once again dropping him on the spot thankfully !
I sat up almost giggling to myself at what had just occurred, revelling in the moment but almost gutted no one was there to enjoy it with me !!!
Buck fever is very much a thing, but for me the most enjoyable bit is the recovery and inspection of the beast after the shot… where you really get to sit and revel in the moment, what is around you and really appreciate such a fantastic beast like the mighty Roe Buck…
Both bucks taken home to the chiller, and another great memory stored doing what i love most !
Thanks for reading, have a great Rut lads !
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