Sika Stalk Dilema

[Dazb1967]

Went out stalking yesterday and when I arrived I could see a stag way up on the hill, Not a huge stag but visibly a stag looking through the bins.
I decided to go after it and take a chance that it didn't see or wind me.
Whilst on the way I seen another Spiker stag but this one would be a swine to extract and drag out, I had a decision to make, Should I go after the stag on the hill which would be an easy extraction or take the stag which would take considerable time and effort to extract.
Decision made to take the one which would be hard to recover but was closer and it was still early so I had loads of time to extract before dark.
I managed to get close enough and I was in a comfortable position on my bipod so decided to take a neck shot and down it went, Now the fun begins and I walked down into the dip/valley to recover it which was fine walking down but dragging it back up the from where I came was bloody hard work and it's times like this you realise just how unfit you are as I was blowing out my back end and every muscle in my body is aching today .
Great freezer filler and should keep us going for a couple of month
Not the best pic but the other one I took is too large and not the best image

 

[Nickb]

I would have done the same , take the certainty over the maybe

 

[Dazb1967]

I would have done the same , take the certainty over the maybe

That was my thought but I'm certainly feeling it today, The wife has just asked if I'm going out shooting tonight, Not a hope in hell, Think I'll pour whisky

 

[bobt]

thats why its handy to have younger fitter mate on the end of a phone,

 

[Dazb1967]

thats why its handy to have younger fitter mate on the end of a phone,

Agree but I have to travel a long way to get to this permission, I took a short video on my phone and sent it to my son and he said are you mad all that for a deer , He used to come out with me regularly until his kids came along and he discovered drink

 

[Deermanagement]

Fortunately, do not have your problem. Accept for an area that could involve something like a 60yd drag, everything else is accessible with the quad bike and lift. Out tomorrow but hopefully before setting out, I'll have time to assemple a swing crane, newly purchased that will allow a direct lift from the quad or gator, to the larder prep bar. Gone past the stage having to stuggle getting with large animals onto the quad then again struggling to hang them in the prep area

The green machine has served well but retired to mowing and spraying at home, whilst the bigger animals are easier to handle with the newer quad.. The lift on the front not only makes lifting easy, it also acts as a good rest for the spotting scope, with added insulation provides a rifle rest for anything nocturnal, you can strap rifle and case to it, gralloch on it, keeping both you and animal clean. Maybe I'll take a stag in the next couple of days rather than just filming and watching

 

[Mike1979]

Fortunately, do not have your problem. Accept for an area that could involve something like a 60yd drag, everything else is accessible with the quad bike and lift. Out tomorrow but hopefully before setting out, I'll have time to assemple a swing crane, newly purchased that will allow a direct lift from the quad or gator, to the larder prep bar. Gone past the stage having to stuggle getting with large animals onto the quad then again struggling to hang them in the prep area

The green machine has served well but retired to mowing and spraying at home, whilst the bigger animals are easier to handle with the newer quad.. The lift on the front not only makes lifting easy, it also acts as a good rest for the spotting scope, with added insulation provides a rifle rest for anything nocturnal, you can strap rifle and case to it, gralloch on it, keeping both you and animal clean. Maybe I'll take a stag in the next couple of days rather than just filming and watching

Tidy set up and frankly I dont blame you one bit once it comes to reds...big old lumps

 

[mike308]

I had to make a decision last week. I was in a high seat and the stags were roaring just over the hill so I started calling and two stags appeared one an enormous fourteen pointer and a good sized spiker. As it was a half mile drag to the track I chose the spiker. I took him with a high shoulder shot I didn't want him to run further away.
After the gralloch I started the drag across replanted clearfell, really rough with drainage ditches, tree stumps and four foot deep holes.
Got him out to the track then had to walk a mile back to get the vehicle.
Next morning I had another pointer but with an easy downhill drag.
I'm seventy four years old and still haven't learnt to stick to Roe.

 

[Mike1979]

I had to make a decision last week. I was in a high seat and the stags were roaring just over the hill so I started calling and two stags appeared one an enormous fourteen pointer and a good sized spiker. As it was a half mile drag to the track I chose the spiker. I took him with a high shoulder shot I didn't want him to run further away.
After the gralloch I started the drag across replanted clearfell, really rough with drainage ditches, tree stumps and four foot deep holes.
Got him out to the track then had to walk a mile back to get the vehicle.
Next morning I had another pointer but with an easy downhill drag.
I'm seventy four years old and still haven't learnt to stick to Roe.View attachment 441203

Fair play to you ...Im 46 and reckon that would have killed me

 

[Nickb]

Well done

That would have killed me too.

 

[bullet chucker]

I'm 79 that would have ? What were we saying'

BC.

 

[mike308]

Here's the second one. He looks smaller than the first but in the larder he's bigger.
Should have read next evening and spiker.

 

[Mike1979]

Here's the second one. He looks smaller than the first but in the larder he's bigger.
Should have read next evening and spiker.

Big enough