I've not been stalking long, and have been lucky to take a few deer over the last 18 months since getting started.
I've been helped along the way by a few great friends, one of which has actually let myself and my father in law take over a small area of his land to stalk on. Something my father in law has struggled to do since also taking up deer stalking.
Today the plan was to try and get the father in law his first decent buck, so an early 3am rise saw us on the ground for first light. A walk round some of the boundaries (still figuring the area out) had us seeing around 5 deer though nothing suitable.
Back to the car for a replacement of fluids and we set off to an area before we got eaten alive with the dreaded midge, where I had been lucky on the previous visit before.
We got setup, and almost immediately I saw a buck only for it to slip over the other side of hill. So it was waiting time again, though I thought maybe I'll try the buttalo (you never know).
Immediately a Doe sprang up and started for us. Only stopping once it got within 20 yards of us and bolted off barking and going round in a wide circle before coming back and then doing the same time and again (must have had a kid nearby)
I thought our luck was done then, but gave the buttalo another few chirps and watched as a deer came in from around 250-300 yards away down a ride towards us, to which I told the father in law to get ready in case it was a buck.
Quick check confirmed it was a buck and I gave another chirp to stop it. It began to move again, another chirp and then the shot.
We gave it 10 mins to settle before setting off to find it 10 yards away from the shot site.
It may just be me, but I have found it just as good when others get they're chance and have it come off for them. Couldn't have been more happy for the father in law. He seemed pretty chuffed too.
I've been helped along the way by a few great friends, one of which has actually let myself and my father in law take over a small area of his land to stalk on. Something my father in law has struggled to do since also taking up deer stalking.
Today the plan was to try and get the father in law his first decent buck, so an early 3am rise saw us on the ground for first light. A walk round some of the boundaries (still figuring the area out) had us seeing around 5 deer though nothing suitable.
Back to the car for a replacement of fluids and we set off to an area before we got eaten alive with the dreaded midge, where I had been lucky on the previous visit before.
We got setup, and almost immediately I saw a buck only for it to slip over the other side of hill. So it was waiting time again, though I thought maybe I'll try the buttalo (you never know).
Immediately a Doe sprang up and started for us. Only stopping once it got within 20 yards of us and bolted off barking and going round in a wide circle before coming back and then doing the same time and again (must have had a kid nearby)
I thought our luck was done then, but gave the buttalo another few chirps and watched as a deer came in from around 250-300 yards away down a ride towards us, to which I told the father in law to get ready in case it was a buck.
Quick check confirmed it was a buck and I gave another chirp to stop it. It began to move again, another chirp and then the shot.
We gave it 10 mins to settle before setting off to find it 10 yards away from the shot site.
It may just be me, but I have found it just as good when others get they're chance and have it come off for them. Couldn't have been more happy for the father in law. He seemed pretty chuffed too.
