Some of you may have read my 1st Aug 23 write-up below:
www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk
I don’t know what is (perhaps grouse shooters and the 12th might be able to better explain it) but I was looking forward to the fallow season re-starting with as much excitement and trepidation as last year. I booked a days leave, tried to get a good night’s sleep (not helped by my brother’s boy being back over from China with his Chinese wife and treating the gathered clan to a stunning teach-in on Chinese cooking) but the excitement meant a troubled short night, tossing and turning in the high heat and humidity. Alarm goes off - FFS
it was “that one”, selected without thought, guaranteed to wake the dead and the wife who let’s face it was going to hold me later to account for waking her abruptly from her slumbers.
The dogs were out of the bedroom like a shot sensing the excitement and bluntly, on edge since I put their working jackets by the door as I went to bed the night before. A quick cup of strong coffee, fed the dogs and try to top-toe out of the house with bouncing dogs - not easy
Nice and quiet up the motorway to the first ground. However, there the niggling doubt sets in……. boy it is light enough to shoot already and I have half an hour to go. Moreover, your minds going through the significant fails: rifle, bolt, ammunition, magazines, moderator and so on. You know they are there but…….. We get to the first ground. It’s raining - FFS, where did that come from. It’s 19 degrees already and getting warmer so the last thing I want to do is to don the “boil in the bag” rain layer too. Needs must…..
Repeating last year’s route, I first check down the slope behind the barns leaving the dogs sat attentively in the yard. NOTHING! He we go again…..
I slowly move up the track and down the race scanning all the time - a young roe buck came in within 10m here last week. NOTHING. I tip-toe down across the small meadow to peer over the edge into the wooded valley below. NOTHING. Nothing too in the next field where I had watched a lone fallow doe days before. Gingerly, to the corner and and peer down the main slope into the wood - NOTHING
I retrace my steps, make safe at the car, load the dogs up and head down the newly re-surfaced lanes to the larger of the 2 permissions, remarking to my myself as I quickly stop the slide on the loose chipping that my mind should be on the road and not the fallow
Arriving, I park outside on the wide verge rather than driving in as I normal do so as to not wake the owner. A quick look over the gate into the lower field of very ripe corn - surely ready for cutting - NOTHING!
I reverse, walk down the lane 50m and look into the remnants of last year’s bird crop - NOTHING. I cross the small lane and survey another large field of surely ripe to harvest corn - NOTHING. I quickly proceed up the garden, through the copse and emerge into the bird food crop - still NOTHING. I head up the late sown and much greener barley crop margin looking intently ahead to the next patch of bird food crop where I have bumped numerous animals - you guessed it, NOTHING. However, as I near the crop, I see 2 small thermal shapes to the left side. Thinking these are brown hares I’ve seen there most times, I slowly plod on up hill. More to scan the far hedge line where fallow have lurked before, I stop, re-scan and think VERY slowly to myself that’s a rather large hare. Steading the dogs behind me, I slowly check using the binos - bu**er me It’s a young roe buck. Now the dilemma- I’m here for fallow but it’s too good an opportunity to pass up and, more importantly when it does lift, I know exactly where it’s going to run and that’s prime fallow territory. The buck doesn’t move, staring directly at me from his couched position 47m direct to my front. A moment’s hesitation - do I really want to do this and possibly blow the fallow that’s certainly lurking in the next field
Bang! The Teckel runs in but I stop him by voice a couple of metres in front of me (an improvement on last week) as an unseen young roe doe springs from behind thick cover then stops barely 20m from us trying to suss what we are. She slowly moves off - no barking - maybe our luck is changing.
A quick bleed and I leave him there to check the next two fields - guess what - NOTHING. I do however spot fresh racks crossing from my ground into a part cut field of grain off to my right. The combine is stationary and unattended on the far side, side panels up. My watch vibrates and the trail camera presents me with a picture of guess what at the previous ground - FFS. I resolve to go back home via that permission knowing full well in my heart that the pricket would be long gone
I return back to the car, pick up my drag sled and return to collect the buck. A quick suspended gralloch off the back of the car, and then a delightful cup of fresh filter coffee with the landowner sat in the sun - a nice morning to be out but sadly no fallow on the ground.
Back at the first permission- absolutely NOTHING, no sign of the pricket or anything else for that matter. I take the time to clear some foliage from the barn to provided a covered hidden shooting position, trim back some briars off the race and then head home. I resolve to return for last light and head home in the rather chilly car (has a rear air con system) to get the buck in the chiller and to grab some shut eye.
Sleeping during the day doesn’t come naturally for me and with temperatures in the very high 20’s, the bedroom air con is on. Mentally, I’m rehearsing what to do differently - I decide not change a thing and to stick to the tried and tested routine honed from stalking that ground over the last 18 months. Only question really is, are the fallow going to do their part
It’s quiet and very still as I peer down behind the barns - still NOTHING. Down the race, to the first small field - nothing in the wooded slopes below Across the small grass paddock and pause under the conifer at the gate - ah 
FFS, it’s a bloody roe doe in the middle of the field. I watch it through binoculars grateful that the dogs are content to just sit and watch it feed. Suddenly, unseen from my left a roe buck runs in and gives chase to the doe. I quickly mount the rifle on my sticks but instead of the doe running in circles, she runs the 75m straight to the field edge and over the wall with the buck in full chase! Guess what, where they ran was my next likely spot - FFS.
I move cautiously to the edge and immediately see a fallow doe reaching up to take some tasty leaves from above barely 20m in front of me - I slowly raise the binos and yes, there’s another fallow behind her - I’m thinking, nay hoping that it’s the pricket so quickly mount the rifle. Whoosh and they were gone. Picking up the rifle on the sticks I move further around the low wall to the right and quickly spot them at the bottom of the slope - mere slices of thermal in the thick cover. I watch waiting for a shot opportunity as the pricket slowly disappears from view. Close - but no cigar!
Bu**er, bu**er - this isn’t going well We are now into that “golden hour” and as I speed back over to the larger permission I again remember the loose gravel - no major incident just a timely reminder to think about the road AGAIN! As I draw close, I see 4 fallow bucks in the middle of a cornfield 200m to my right, well off my ground but my mind has already identified them as the same animals I see as they “journey” around the valley. I slowly drive down the lane, looking to the left and right, scanning for any further signs - NOTHING.
This time I park up next to the cottage, make ready and back over the cattle grid as before to check the lower field and the the bird food crop but this time, I didn’t get that far as on the far side of the lower field there was a head moving slowly away from me. Binos up - it’s a fallow pricket Too far to take a shot but there’s something to stalk at last. I make my way quickly up the lane and into a grass field abutting the lower corn field. The pricket has now reached the far end of the corn field and I’m mentally calculating where to conduct the ambush. I loose it from sight so slow my pace down as I peer through gaps in the hedge to hopefully catch sight of it - NOTHING. I cautiously move forwards, both dogs intently at heel and gaining the top of a slight knoll, suddenly see some huge antlers in the field barely 30m in front of me. Straight up on sticks but all I can see is the swishing of antlers. I move to the left, then backwards to gain a little precious height - still no clear sight of any body. Woooah! Suddenly, there more antlers, 2, 3, 5 sets at least. The heart is pumping but I’m exposed in a grass field with 2 dogs at my heel - I freeze and watch the group dynamics. Suddenly, one moves away from the hedge and into the corn field margins. I don’t hesitate and 110gr of .270 Barnes TTSX is heading that way. The animal rears and literally does a backflip. Antlers are now bouncing everywhere but the herd stops barely a 100m away in the middle of the field. I reload but, conscious that I cannot see the one I shot, I watch as they slowly bounce off across the field and I make safe. At my move towards the animal the Teckel goes off like a shot, the Vizsla remaining close at heel. A new gate has been put in over the summer between the 2 fields and up and, unlike others, it hasn’t got a snap link in the chain just a rusty shackle that refuses to budge. Finally, I get it out and through into the cornfield sending the Vizsla out to find the animal - it didn’t take long as there he was, barely 20m in, motionless on the ground. Meantime, I hear the Teckel giving voice off in the wooded valley below - FFS.
Blink test done, I put the rifle on the sticks on the grass side of the gate and grab the fallow by its rear legs. It wouldn’t budge - FFS - and I was doing this willingly
I finally manage to drag it out of the field, secure the gate and resolve to return to the cottage to get the sled and to divest myself of all unnecessary kit - it’s still 25 degrees 
The Teckel is once again trotting at heel, convinced he has single-handedly produced this magnificent deer. The drag back to the car was EMOTIONAL as despite the increasing dew on the ground and some light rain mid afternoon, the sled just wasn’t sliding. Moreover, I had to get it up to the high point then down to the gate. Once there, it slid much easier on the gravel/earth track but then the was the cattle grid and the slope up into the cottage’s grounds. I got there - it took time and a lot of cursing but then the fun starts…..
As I rig the gibbet and the winch and start to take the load the dyneema is taut like a bow and I’m beginning to worry that it wasn’t strong enough - I shouldn’t have had any doubts but this was heavy.
Why, just why do we do this for pleasure? FFS, the gralloch was heavier that the lardered roe buck I shot earlier. Everything about fallow is big - true, not as big as some reds but it’s in a different league to those nice portable muntjac and accommodating roe. Today, typing this with a coffee in hand and the 58.6 kg animal in the chiller it all appears much rosier than it did last night. However, the chiller is full so work needs to be done soon before the next outing. Following last night’s exertions, I’m going to press the farmer on using my quad again. I do hope he’ll reconsider given the numbers I’m now seeing coupled with the fact that they need to be hit hard as the numbers are rocketing.
So, after a less that promising start I went to bed with my first fallow of the new season in the chiller with a smug satisfaction of having scratched the itch. Sadly, a lot more are going to have to be taken if we are going to stay on top of the burgeoning numbers. Boy, do I wish I was 30 years younger……….
So...........How was it for you?
I'm not a great writer (nor indeed one that comes close to @Stalker1962 's standard) but having announced my intentions here, I thought I summarise my day (so far). Soooo........ alarm set for 03:30 but, despite sharing 2 bottles of excellent red over another wonderful dinner cooked by the...
www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk
I don’t know what is (perhaps grouse shooters and the 12th might be able to better explain it) but I was looking forward to the fallow season re-starting with as much excitement and trepidation as last year. I booked a days leave, tried to get a good night’s sleep (not helped by my brother’s boy being back over from China with his Chinese wife and treating the gathered clan to a stunning teach-in on Chinese cooking) but the excitement meant a troubled short night, tossing and turning in the high heat and humidity. Alarm goes off - FFS
it was “that one”, selected without thought, guaranteed to wake the dead and the wife who let’s face it was going to hold me later to account for waking her abruptly from her slumbers.The dogs were out of the bedroom like a shot sensing the excitement and bluntly, on edge since I put their working jackets by the door as I went to bed the night before. A quick cup of strong coffee, fed the dogs and try to top-toe out of the house with bouncing dogs - not easy
Nice and quiet up the motorway to the first ground. However, there the niggling doubt sets in……. boy it is light enough to shoot already and I have half an hour to go. Moreover, your minds going through the significant fails: rifle, bolt, ammunition, magazines, moderator and so on. You know they are there but…….. We get to the first ground. It’s raining - FFS, where did that come from. It’s 19 degrees already and getting warmer so the last thing I want to do is to don the “boil in the bag” rain layer too. Needs must…..
Repeating last year’s route, I first check down the slope behind the barns leaving the dogs sat attentively in the yard. NOTHING! He we go again…..
I slowly move up the track and down the race scanning all the time - a young roe buck came in within 10m here last week. NOTHING. I tip-toe down across the small meadow to peer over the edge into the wooded valley below. NOTHING. Nothing too in the next field where I had watched a lone fallow doe days before. Gingerly, to the corner and and peer down the main slope into the wood - NOTHING
I retrace my steps, make safe at the car, load the dogs up and head down the newly re-surfaced lanes to the larger of the 2 permissions, remarking to my myself as I quickly stop the slide on the loose chipping that my mind should be on the road and not the fallow
Arriving, I park outside on the wide verge rather than driving in as I normal do so as to not wake the owner. A quick look over the gate into the lower field of very ripe corn - surely ready for cutting - NOTHING!
I reverse, walk down the lane 50m and look into the remnants of last year’s bird crop - NOTHING. I cross the small lane and survey another large field of surely ripe to harvest corn - NOTHING. I quickly proceed up the garden, through the copse and emerge into the bird food crop - still NOTHING. I head up the late sown and much greener barley crop margin looking intently ahead to the next patch of bird food crop where I have bumped numerous animals - you guessed it, NOTHING. However, as I near the crop, I see 2 small thermal shapes to the left side. Thinking these are brown hares I’ve seen there most times, I slowly plod on up hill. More to scan the far hedge line where fallow have lurked before, I stop, re-scan and think VERY slowly to myself that’s a rather large hare. Steading the dogs behind me, I slowly check using the binos - bu**er me
It’s a young roe buck. Now the dilemma- I’m here for fallow but it’s too good an opportunity to pass up and, more importantly when it does lift, I know exactly where it’s going to run and that’s prime fallow territory. The buck doesn’t move, staring directly at me from his couched position 47m direct to my front. A moment’s hesitation - do I really want to do this and possibly blow the fallow that’s certainly lurking in the next fieldBang! The Teckel runs in but I stop him by voice a couple of metres in front of me (an improvement on last week) as an unseen young roe doe springs from behind thick cover then stops barely 20m from us trying to suss what we are. She slowly moves off - no barking - maybe our luck is changing.
A quick bleed and I leave him there to check the next two fields - guess what - NOTHING. I do however spot fresh racks crossing from my ground into a part cut field of grain off to my right. The combine is stationary and unattended on the far side, side panels up. My watch vibrates and the trail camera presents me with a picture of guess what
at the previous ground - FFS. I resolve to go back home via that permission knowing full well in my heart that the pricket would be long goneI return back to the car, pick up my drag sled and return to collect the buck. A quick suspended gralloch off the back of the car, and then a delightful cup of fresh filter coffee with the landowner sat in the sun - a nice morning to be out but sadly no fallow on the ground.
Back at the first permission- absolutely NOTHING, no sign of the pricket or anything else for that matter. I take the time to clear some foliage from the barn to provided a covered hidden shooting position, trim back some briars off the race and then head home. I resolve to return for last light and head home in the rather chilly car (has a rear air con system) to get the buck in the chiller and to grab some shut eye.
Sleeping during the day doesn’t come naturally for me and with temperatures in the very high 20’s, the bedroom air con is on. Mentally, I’m rehearsing what to do differently - I decide not change a thing and to stick to the tried and tested routine honed from stalking that ground over the last 18 months. Only question really is, are the fallow going to do their part
It’s quiet and very still as I peer down behind the barns - still NOTHING. Down the race, to the first small field - nothing in the wooded slopes below
Across the small grass paddock and pause under the conifer at the gate - ah FFS, it’s a bloody roe doe in the middle of the field. I watch it through binoculars grateful that the dogs are content to just sit and watch it feed. Suddenly, unseen from my left a roe buck runs in and gives chase to the doe. I quickly mount the rifle on my sticks but instead of the doe running in circles, she runs the 75m straight to the field edge and over the wall with the buck in full chase! Guess what, where they ran was my next likely spot - FFS.I move cautiously to the edge and immediately see a fallow doe reaching up to take some tasty leaves from above barely 20m in front of me - I slowly raise the binos and yes, there’s another fallow behind her - I’m thinking, nay hoping that it’s the pricket so quickly mount the rifle. Whoosh and they were gone. Picking up the rifle on the sticks I move further around the low wall to the right and quickly spot them at the bottom of the slope - mere slices of thermal in the thick cover. I watch waiting for a shot opportunity as the pricket slowly disappears from view. Close - but no cigar!
Bu**er, bu**er - this isn’t going well
We are now into that “golden hour” and as I speed back over to the larger permission I again remember the loose gravel - no major incident just a timely reminder to think about the road AGAIN! As I draw close, I see 4 fallow bucks in the middle of a cornfield 200m to my right, well off my ground but my mind has already identified them as the same animals I see as they “journey” around the valley. I slowly drive down the lane, looking to the left and right, scanning for any further signs - NOTHING.This time I park up next to the cottage, make ready and back over the cattle grid as before to check the lower field and the the bird food crop but this time, I didn’t get that far as on the far side of the lower field there was a head moving slowly away from me. Binos up - it’s a fallow pricket
Too far to take a shot but there’s something to stalk at last. I make my way quickly up the lane and into a grass field abutting the lower corn field. The pricket has now reached the far end of the corn field and I’m mentally calculating where to conduct the ambush. I loose it from sight so slow my pace down as I peer through gaps in the hedge to hopefully catch sight of it - NOTHING. I cautiously move forwards, both dogs intently at heel and gaining the top of a slight knoll, suddenly see some huge antlers in the field barely 30m in front of me. Straight up on sticks but all I can see is the swishing of antlers. I move to the left, then backwards to gain a little precious height - still no clear sight of any body. Woooah! Suddenly, there more antlers, 2, 3, 5 sets at least. The heart is pumping but I’m exposed in a grass field with 2 dogs at my heel - I freeze and watch the group dynamics. Suddenly, one moves away from the hedge and into the corn field margins. I don’t hesitate and 110gr of .270 Barnes TTSX is heading that way. The animal rears and literally does a backflip. Antlers are now bouncing everywhere but the herd stops barely a 100m away in the middle of the field. I reload but, conscious that I cannot see the one I shot, I watch as they slowly bounce off across the field and I make safe. At my move towards the animal the Teckel goes off like a shot, the Vizsla remaining close at heel. A new gate has been put in over the summer between the 2 fields and up and, unlike others, it hasn’t got a snap link in the chain just a rusty shackle that refuses to budge. Finally, I get it out and through into the cornfield sending the Vizsla out to find the animal - it didn’t take long as there he was, barely 20m in, motionless on the ground. Meantime, I hear the Teckel giving voice off in the wooded valley below - FFS.Blink test done, I put the rifle on the sticks on the grass side of the gate and grab the fallow by its rear legs. It wouldn’t budge - FFS - and I was doing this willingly
I finally manage to drag it out of the field, secure the gate and resolve to return to the cottage to get the sled and to divest myself of all unnecessary kit - it’s still 25 degrees The Teckel is once again trotting at heel, convinced he has single-handedly produced this magnificent deer. The drag back to the car was EMOTIONAL as despite the increasing dew on the ground and some light rain mid afternoon, the sled just wasn’t sliding. Moreover, I had to get it up to the high point then down to the gate. Once there, it slid much easier on the gravel/earth track but then the was the cattle grid and the slope up into the cottage’s grounds. I got there - it took time and a lot of cursing but then the fun starts…..As I rig the gibbet and the winch and start to take the load the dyneema is taut like a bow and I’m beginning to worry that it wasn’t strong enough - I shouldn’t have had any doubts but this was heavy.
Why, just why do we do this for pleasure? FFS, the gralloch was heavier that the lardered roe buck I shot earlier. Everything about fallow is big - true, not as big as some reds but it’s in a different league to those nice portable muntjac and accommodating roe. Today, typing this with a coffee in hand and the 58.6 kg animal in the chiller it all appears much rosier than it did last night. However, the chiller is full so work needs to be done soon before the next outing. Following last night’s exertions, I’m going to press the farmer on using my quad again. I do hope he’ll reconsider given the numbers I’m now seeing coupled with the fact that they need to be hit hard as the numbers are rocketing.
So, after a less that promising start I went to bed with my first fallow of the new season in the chiller with a smug satisfaction of having scratched the itch. Sadly, a lot more are going to have to be taken if we are going to stay on top of the burgeoning numbers. Boy, do I wish I was 30 years younger……….
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