Stalking roe bucks much harder this time of year....I know, I haven't been doing this long!

[Antonyweeks]

Been stalking now for over a year. Been very fortunate to have been out with some great folks over the last year and also have picked up my own permission which I've been out on a lot for sika, roe and muntjac. Always done a bit of woodland management but have now add deer to this. Despite all my studies and theoretical knowledge, first hand frustration is a thing to be learned from! Now had two fruitless outings for roe buck, one this week and one last. Most recently was last night and this morning in Hants. Lovely weather, but the bucks that I saw (which were great) were either not a safe shot or too far away or melted back into the woodland once I had even thought about going in their direction. I know I am preaching to the converted for the experienced amongst you but I hadn't realised quite how impenetrable woodland was when stalking deer at this time of year. I've always noticed the flush of growth and taken it for granted when looking after woodland but over previous years never needed to see through / tramp through / scrape through it. Saw plenty of does but all the bucks seems to have vanished! Nothing quite like learning on the job....

 

[camodog]

Therin lies the thrill, enjoyment and sheer satisfaction of what we do ! If it were easy everyone would be doing it ! Have fun on the learning curve ! Oh, and roebuck being 'difficult', especially now, is why I'm in a ditch pigeoning over barley......loveing It!

 

[muddy42]

Totally agree about how difficult it can be to stalk roe at this time of year when the cover is up. If you stalk arable land (e.g wheat fields) near woodland, you get some help when the cutting happens. Can you ask the farmer? Shortly after the cutting can be quite productive.

Otherwise relax, save your energy for the rut (end of July) or even wait until the doe season. I find the bucks vanish again after the rut.

 

[badbob]

Your very lucky Antony.
You have your own permission.
Two fruitless outings is nothing. Are they really fruitless.
Enjoy all the outings whether successful or not.

 

[Stalker1962]

Now had two fruitless outings for roe buck, one this week and one last.

All you need to change is your mindset.

No such thing as a fruitless outing.

 

[Dickie]

2 fruitless or carcass free outings? Every day is a stalking school day. if you’ve not had that before then you’ve been very lucky or had the god of stalking looking over you previously.

 

[Tim.243]

Therin lies the thrill, enjoyment and sheer satisfaction of what we do ! If it were easy everyone would be doing it ! Have fun on the learning curve ! Oh, and roebuck being 'difficult', especially now, is why I'm in a ditch pigeoning over barley......loveing It!

Waiting for the write up

 

[Antonyweeks]

Apologies - fruitless only in as much as I didn't grass anything. Stunning mornings, saw plenty of nature doing it's thing (roe doe and kid, barn owls, dawn chorus) and frankly that was the best bit! Would have been nice to get something for the freezer particularly as my wife said before I left that we were running low on venison!

 

[Antonyweeks]

2 fruitless or carcass free outings? Every day is a stalking school day. if you’ve not had that before then you’ve been very lucky or had the god of stalking looking over you previously.

I've had plenty of shot free mornings and just being about in the woods at 4am is an extremely cathartic experience generally. Just hoped that bucks would not prove to be as elusive as they seemed to be!

 

[bogtrotter]

Therin lies the thrill, enjoyment and sheer satisfaction of what we do ! If it were easy everyone would be doing it ! Have fun on the learning curve ! Oh, and roebuck being 'difficult', especially now, is why I'm in a ditch pigeoning over barley......loveing It!

This! You will learn a lot even on the days you don't pull the trigger, dare I say you may even learn more on the days you
don't pull the trigger.
There is always something new to see learn to enjoy them all the bumper days and the blank days.

 

[Woodsmoke]

my wife said before I left that we were running low on venison!

That's what did it. The kiss of death, every single time!

Kidding aside though, it's a bit of a superstition of mine. My wife knows just to say 'see you later' now. No 'good luck', no 'don't come back empty-handed', etc . . . .

 

[caberslash]

Get there before first light (2.30-3am this time of year) and use a thermal imager to find them and get into position.

Then wait for legal shooting light of course

 

[DevonRifle]

It’s all about the permission and the day. Two months ago we were running low on venison, in June I’ve been out four times and had six bucks and the wife is saying “why are you going out again, the freezer is full!”. My reply is “That’s why we have two freezers…”

 

[imnotrucknut]

Same .I've had 3 bucks in 3 outings 4 in total this season. I prefer the evening ambush .stalking round the farm first then waiting for them to come out of their cover.Also on arable farms they are still quite visible across the wheat/barley
Just waiting for August 1st now.I

 

[Jgray]

Get a thermal

 

[slider]

Get there before first light (2.30-3am this time of year) and use a thermal imager to find them and get into position.

Then wait for legal shooting light of course

does it really make that much difference? OK, maybe not the middle of the day but the last two bucks I have had were 7.15 in the evening and 7.45 in the morning.

 

[Stalker1962]

Of course it goes without saying - if you really want to see deer, just walk your ground without a rifle.

 

[Magnificent 7]

Don't be put off that's stalking if it was as easy as some would let you believe it wouldn't be any fun.Myself personally it's all about getting out nothing beats it.We all bump deer we all see deer out of range or unsafe to shoot and the decent ones among us leave some that you will kick yourself you did as youre going home empty handed.Enjoy yourself enjoy the moment as tommorow who knows what's around the corner.what ever you do just make sure you enjoy yourself when you finally do get the chance to pull the trigger it tastes so good.

 

[nicowilson]

My rule of thumb is that I’ll come home with a carcass about every third stalk.

 

[badbob]

How much venison do you need? I've laid off shooting deer I agree it's not the best time now . You're seeing does that's good come November.I've only a few Roe On the ground. I'll see if there's a cull buck in the rut otherwise I'll wait till autumn. My freezers slowly emptying but there's plenty of time to fill it up again in the winter.
For spotting a thermal is extremely useful and worth getting into.
Some stalkers are lucky( or unlucky) if they have wall to wall deer coming out the woodwork. Some of us have to work a little bit harder.
In the meantime....... foxes.