Stalking advice

[MAH]

I regularly just go out without the rifle and just watch the deer,

Its a great idea. I've done it many times in the highlands (open hill). However if you're out at 1st and last light, silently creeping around your local woods, be sure to wear something bright. You don't want to be mistaken for a deer on someone else's permission.
M

 

[JTO]

Thanks for all the help guys its much appreciated!

So you are getting guided stalks in exchange for giving your friend some practice at guiding! Sounds a fair swap!¬

 

[Craigmcwill]

So you are getting guided stalks in exchange for giving your friend some practice at guiding! Sounds a fair swap!¬

Yeah like I've to go and help with things around his ground like helping with the pheasants etc then when I've been trained up from him I can take clients out for him to help with the workload and it gives me good experience at the same time

 

[Stalker62]

Pay close attention to the wind direction and forget scented soap and aftershave.

If you are paying close attention to the wind direction, you can wear whatever you like...

 

[Ratel]

Pay close attention to the wind direction and forget scented soap and aftershave.

WB

Matters not one jot whether you use that, smoke, or anything else. If they smell that they have already smelt you.

 

[Bowland blades]

start with low expectations from your client and be prepared to lower them further - until firmly proved otherwise . Target shooting has no relevance to how well they shoot on deer

 

[Heym SR20]

Spend as much time as you can just watching deer. You don’t need to have a rifle, indeed better not. Just get to learn how they move, what their daily rythm is etc.

What you then need is to learn to differentiate old from young, and males and females. And to do so at a glance rather than a detailed view.

Moving through country is also very important along with reading the wind. And understanding how sun and terrain effects wind - in particular thermals. A good stalker can read the ground and can quickly move through it. With experience you see pathways, dips etc which keep you silent and out of sight until you are within range.

As regards taking clients out. Most important is to remember is it is their day and you providing a real experience for them. Most clients will have looked forward to their days stalking for a long time. They will have taken time off work, travelled from afar spent money on a hotel etc. They may not be as fit, skilled or as proficient as you are. Or they may be highly experienced.

But please do not treat clients as a bloody nuisance, that they are just fecking stupid and an irritant to be got rid of as quickly as possible by getting them into the first available deer so they have gone by lunchtime. And turn you phone off. They have paid for your time and nothing is more irritating to a client than a host who is constantly on the phone, doing emails etc trying to sort out all his other business.

And get them in as close as possible. Thats the exciting bit of stalking and takes the stress out of all parties when it comes to the shot.

 

[willowbank]

If you are paying close attention to the wind direction, you can wear whatever you like...

View attachment 287789

Wind direction can change quickly and to say you can go stalking smelling like a ponce is utter bo**ocks.

WB

 

[David T]

I would simply say enjoy it.

 

[leeroyjones76]

Hi all,



Been out stalking a few times and have been asked by a friend to be taken under his wing to learn more on stalking deer to eventually give him a hand taking out clients.



Just looking for any advice guys have for getting in on the deer better and any other little tips you guys have picked up over the years for some help.



My friend will be helping me too but everyone's input is appreciated.



Cheers guys

 

[leeroyjones76]

Walk slowly, look twice, if you have to think should I or shouldn't I, then shouldn't is the answer. Oh, and always work out how close you can get the truck before shooting a big deer.

 

[RM100]

Agree with above. If you aren’t sure about the shot, don’t take it. You’ll never regret it.

Always: safety first.

Always think about the extraction before you pull the trigger.

Replay each shot/gralloch extraction in your head and try to learn from each episode. You’ll progress more.

Remember, it’s a hobby not work (in my case), enjoy each experience, savour each frozen bollock and every shot. To be able to stalk is a gift.

 

[Dave_45]

The tried and tested way , learn how to spot deer , select the right beast , deal with scenarios if bullets go in the wrong place, dragging deer , gralloch deer , what kind of gralloch (how far to drag and over what kind of terrain),learn firearms safety,how to stalk different terrain , read wind , to be honest it goes on and on

Being confident enough to gralloch a deer Infront of a nosey guest too

Shooting comes last IMO.


Basically, be a good ghillie before you promote to stalker.

 

[Heym SR20]

The tried and tested way , learn how to spot deer , select the right beast , deal with scenarios if bullets go in the wrong place, dragging deer , gralloch deer , what kind of gralloch (how far to drag and over what kind of terrain),learn firearms safety,how to stalk different terrain , read wind , to be honest it goes on and on

Being confident enough to gralloch a deer Infront of a nosey guest too

Shooting comes last IMO.


Basically, be a good ghillie before you promote to stalker.

Being confident enough to help a guest gralloch his own beast is even better. Passes on the skills. No reason why a guest shouldn’t be able to gralloch a beast cleanly with a bit of good tuition.

I sometimes take a retired judge out stalking. He has stalked most of his life mostly as a guest on the open hill. He has never actually stalked in his life. He has only ever stalked with a stalker who has basically led him by the hand and all he has done is pulled the trigger. He has never been allowed to make mistakes, spook a deer or use his own judgement.

When I take others out stalking I try and help them stalk and find deer. I let them glass, and if I see something I just keep quiet. I might suggest a likely area for them to have a look at etc, but I let them try and find a deer. We will then make a decision on if its shootable and put in plan a stalk to get closer. Then we execute it. I get real satisfaction from passing my skills on and helping others.

Does it matter if we shoot something. Not really. Just the sheer fact of finding animals and birds, getting in close and pointing out other little things is a real treasure.

I am lucky in that both my grandfather and father are real nature lovers, and my grandfather was a fly fisherman. My Pa was a bird shooter and he grew up in Africa in the days when collecting birds eggs was acceptable. He has seen representatives of most of the worlds different families of birds around the world. From a very young age I have been tell just about all the bird species by shape and flight. I need to get better on their song. And I too know how to watch a bird and find its nest. It’s these sorts of skills that allow you to immerse yourself into the woods or hills and become part of them. And part of being a stalker is to take others to this same place and see it through your eyes.

Its not about taking the cash, killing a deer and then moving onto the next one.

 

[devon deer stalker]

Must be over 30 years ago my game keeper friend asked me to take clients stalking, I had never even shot a deer let alone gralloched one!
Thankfully we didn't see one, no doubt down to me, but at least I knew about wind direction!

After that I got my own rifle, learnt a lot through my own mistakes (even make some now!) DSC1 didn't even exist then, but the year after it came into existence I did it, and whilst I didn't learn a lot, I did learn some new things, we are never too old to learn.
A few years after that I was confident enough to take out clients, some experienced, some not, some unsafe!
There are 2 things in my own experience, beware of some ex-military guys, and also the 'know it all's'

Oh, and don't forget, you will need commercial insurance to take out clients stalking.

But you asked for tips, this is one I learnt a few years ago when I was taking a yank out, hand signals, clenched fist, it's a doe/hind, open hand, it's a buck/stag, so simple why didn't I think of that?!