Stories of first roe bucks

I got my first ever roe buck today and thought it would be interesting to see if anyone else wanted to share their first bucks. This is how my first roe stalk went.

So today I got out after my first ever roe buck and it was absolutely incredible. We didn’t even leave the first field and we saw 14+ deer. It was equal parts frustrating and entertaining because within 200 yards of the car we found a young buck tight up against the hedge line as he started to bed down right next to the high seat. Did not want to bump him as it would of spooked all the other deer further along the the field and both fields either side. So we waited and we waited, then waited some more. Watching multiple bucks walk across the field some 350m down. There was a better buck out in the next field already out of velvet but I could not get to the gap in the hedge without spooking the young buck. Then after about 90mims it all started to get really interesting quickly a 3rd buck started waking down the hedge line towards us, which persuaded the young buck I’d been waiting for to get up but instead of stepping out into the field both dipped into the hedge and out into the next field. This gave me a chance to move up and out, trying to get to the gap in the hedge line. When I did I was spoiled for choice standing out in the next field and within 3m of each other and about 70m from me, were 3 bucks right on top of each other. The 2nd buck from earlier was further out in the field facing away. I then had to freeze mid step as this new 4th buck was looking right at me and I stood mid stride frozen for a couple minutes and was only saved by one of the other bucks distracting him. I took this chance to get up on my sticks but I knew I didn’t have to much longer, because at least one of the bucks new something was up. The 3 bucks started to untangle from their tight grouping and the original buck I’d been stalking for almost 2 hours presented a shot and although he had the smallest antlers out of the 4 and was still in velvet I was their to get meat for the table and assist the farmer so I took the shot and bagged my first ever roe buck. The adrenaline trying to stalk 4 bucks at the same time after 2 hours of waiting on a really frosty cold morning with other deer all around me was incredible and I will probably never forget it.

 

[harry243]

You had a very challenging first stalk you did very well not to get buck fever , I still remember my first buck was trembling could hardly keep the cross hairs still, Well done and many more stalks .

 

[acorn house]

You had a very challenging first stalk you did very well not to get buck fever , I still remember my first buck was trembling could hardly keep the cross hairs still, Well done and many more stalks .

Well there was some buck fever. The shot was good but maybe a little further back than I’d of liked but still hit lungs . And afterwards I felt like I’d just jumped into an ice bath when the Adrenaline wore off I was freezing

 

[willie_gunn]

Is that the buck in your avatar? If so, well done, as he looks like a good buck to have taken. It also sounds like you had a memorable stalk.

My first was from a high seat during the rut. We watched him “do the business” and was then told to take the shot. He was a malform, with one antler split at the coronet into two beams that formed a nice “V”. I still have the head somewhere.

A suggestion for you - write the stalk up in a journal or game book, and stick in a photo or sketch to remind you. Then do the same for every stalk in the future. It will form a lifetime of memories. How I wish someone had told me to do that when I first started stalking……

 

[acorn house]

Is that the buck in your avatar? If so, well done, as he looks like a good buck to have taken. It also sounds like you had a memorable stalk.

My first was from a high seat during the rut. We watched him “do the business” and was then told to take the shot. He was a malform, with one antler split at the coronet into two beams that formed a nice “V”. I still have the head somewhere.

A suggestion for you - write the stalk up in a journal or game book, and stick in a photo or sketch to remind you. Then do the same for every stalk in the future. It will form a lifetime of memories. How I wish someone had told me to do that when I first started stalking……

Yep that’s the buck I took this morning.
I like your idea on keeping a written record I will give it ago and great to hear about your malform buck, the diversity in roe buck antlers are fascinating. Each buck we saw today kind of ended up with a nickname based off its antlers. The one I liked best was Mr cow horn. He had 2 really big curved spikes with only short little nubs for tines.

 

[Taff]

First I took was with my whippet x Russell

 

[NOTSHARP]

I started my stalking journey at Eskdalemuir, under the guidance of Ronnie Rose, around 1977. I travelled up from The Midlands, twice a year, to help with the Doe cull. After doing that for some three years, I asked Ronnie if I could try for a Buck, and he was happy for me to do so.

I was out with Bob, one of Ronnie's full time stalkers, and had told him that I was only interested in a cull Buck. Being newly married, big mortgage, etc., the thought of shooting, and paying, for a medal head, filled me with dread.

We were driving forestry tracks, in Bob's van, when I spotted a deer on the edge of the young trees, about two hundred yards ahead. Bob stopped the van, and we glassed, identifying it as a young Buck, and Bob said that it was an ideal cull animal. He suggested that I should try for it on my own.

I slipped out of the van, moved into the light cover on the edge of the trees, and started the stalk. The Buck was feeding, so it was easy enough to move forward when his head was down. I was very aware of the fact that Bob would be watching, and did not want to make a hash of things. When about a hundred yards away, I crawled to a spot where I could get a decent lean, and waited for the Buck to present a shot. It seemed an age before he did, but eventually his head came up and he looked into the tree line. Maybe there was another deer in the trees, I don't know, but it was what I was waiting for. I necked him, and he dropped on the spot.

I still have the head, forty years later.





I was delighted, of course, and so was Bob. We carried on, and later on we stalked into two young Bucks. Bob suggested that I shoot both, if the chance came. It did, and, it was the end of a perfect day for me.


Steve.

 

[VSS]

I well remember my first roebuck. I was in a vast expanse of clear fell, stretching as far as the eye could see in all directions, and my guide (good friend @pendle off this site) said "there's a buck stood right by that tree stump"

 

[ColinBr]

Heres mine
Thread 'First Buck' First Buck

 

[foxdropper]

Can’t remember first one but few stand out as memorable

 

[pendle]

I well remember my first roebuck. I was in a vast expanse of clear fell, stretching as far as the eye could see in all directions, and my guide (good friend @pendle off this site) said "there's a buck stood right by that tree stump"

Big competition between you and Mouse she got hers the evening before . So pressure on Dad

 

[VSS]

Big competition between you and Mouse she got hers the evening before . So pressure on Dad

Different guide

 

[kieran222]

I have a picture of myself after I arrived back with my first roe buck. Carried it back in an IKEA bag . I looked like I had been in a blood bath after doing the gralloch. Much more professional now .

 

[Artemis Deerstalking]

I got my first ever roe buck today and thought it would be interesting to see if anyone else wanted to share their first bucks. This is how my first roe stalk went.

So today I got out after my first ever roe buck and it was absolutely incredible. We didn’t even leave the first field and we saw 14+ deer. It was equal parts frustrating and entertaining because within 200 yards of the car we found a young buck tight up against the hedge line as he started to bed down right next to the high seat. Did not want to bump him as it would of spooked all the other deer further along the the field and both fields either side. So we waited and we waited, then waited some more. Watching multiple bucks walk across the field some 350m down. There was a better buck out in the next field already out of velvet but I could not get to the gap in the hedge without spooking the young buck. Then after about 90mims it all started to get really interesting quickly a 3rd buck started waking down the hedge line towards us, which persuaded the young buck I’d been waiting for to get up but instead of stepping out into the field both dipped into the hedge and out into the next field. This gave me a chance to move up and out, trying to get to the gap in the hedge line. When I did I was spoiled for choice standing out in the next field and within 3m of each other and about 70m from me, were 3 bucks right on top of each other. The 2nd buck from earlier was further out in the field facing away. I then had to freeze mid step as this new 4th buck was looking right at me and I stood mid stride frozen for a couple minutes and was only saved by one of the other bucks distracting him. I took this chance to get up on my sticks but I knew I didn’t have to much longer, because at least one of the bucks new something was up. The 3 bucks started to untangle from their tight grouping and the original buck I’d been stalking for almost 2 hours presented a shot and although he had the smallest antlers out of the 4 and was still in velvet I was their to get meat for the table and assist the farmer so I took the shot and bagged my first ever roe buck. The adrenaline trying to stalk 4 bucks at the same time after 2 hours of waiting on a really frosty cold morning with other deer all around me was incredible and I will probably never forget it.

Got my first on Saturday morning and a second within about 30 mins. Well worth the 2:45 alarm and a memory I won't forget!

 

[Mungo]

Had shot various species elsewhere, but took me quite a while to find ground once I moved to Scotland. Eventually was granted stalking on a small farm that turned out to be lifting with deer. Saw 4-8 every time I went out, and every time I went out I found new and creative ways to mess up. After 3 months and maybe 6 outings, I’d missed one, bumped endless others and was beginning to question my life decisions.

Went out very early one morning. Spotted a good buck in an open clearing in gorse thickets. Plenty of cover, wind in my favour, relaxed animal. This time for sure, I thought. Careful stalk in to about 80m, painstakingly crept round gorse bush to get a shot, set up on sticks, waited for deer to turn broad side, pulled trigger and… missed. Buck looked at me with disdain, then bounded off up the hill, before standing at the top, perfectly skylined and barking.

Utterly dejected, I unloaded and started stomping back to the car.

Coming round last corner to the car, saw a very young buck 120m or so away, in the corner of a field. Completely aware of me. We stood and stared at each other for a bit. I eventually decided to get the rifle up. Lined up, pulled trigger. Nothing. Of course- I’d unloaded. So then frantically hunted about in pockets. Found bullet wallet, wrenched it out, dropped it, picked it up, pulled out a bullet, tried to slide it into the breech, got the angle wrong, jammed it pushing the bolt forward, opened the bolt again, tried to get bullet out, couldn’t get fingers in, dropped the mag, bullet fell out, got another bullet from the wallet, fed it in, forgetting the mag was out, so it dropped through, put mag back in, got the last bullet out of the wallet, fed it in, closed the bolt, looked up.

Deer was, astonishingly, still there. Folded up to the shot. Tiny young thing with little spike antlers.

I’d like to think I’ve improved since then…

 

[Heym SR20]

Had shot various species elsewhere, but took me quite a while to find ground once I moved to Scotland. Eventually was granted stalking on a small farm that turned out to be lifting with deer. Saw 4-8 every time I went out, and every time I went out I found new and creative ways to mess up. After 3 months and maybe 6 outings, I’d missed one, bumped endless others and was beginning to question my life decisions.

Went out very early one morning. Spotted a good buck in an open clearing in gorse thickets. Plenty of cover, wind in my favour, relaxed animal. This time for sure, I thought. Careful stalk in to about 80m, painstakingly crept round gorse bush to get a shot, set up on sticks, waited for deer to turn broad side, pulled trigger and… missed. Buck looked at me with disdain, then bounded off up the hill, before standing at the top, perfectly skylined and barking.

Utterly dejected, I unloaded and started stomping back to the car.

Coming round last corner to the car, saw a very young buck 120m or so away, in the corner of a field. Completely aware of me. We stood and stared at each other for a bit. I eventually decided to get the rifle up. Lined up, pulled trigger. Nothing. Of course- I’d unloaded. So then frantically hunted about in pockets. Found bullet wallet, wrenched it out, dropped it, picked it up, pulled out a bullet, tried to slide it into the breech, got the angle wrong, jammed it pushing the bolt forward, opened the bolt again, tried to get bullet out, couldn’t get fingers in, dropped the mag, bullet fell out, got another bullet from the wallet, fed it in, forgetting the mag was out, so it dropped through, put mag back in, got the last bullet out of the wallet, fed it in, closed the bolt, looked up.

Deer was, astonishingly, still there. Folded up to the shot. Tiny young thing with little spike antlers.

I’d like to think I’ve improved since then…

You sure?

 

[75]

Mine was memorable for the wrong reasons! I shot a lovely buck out of a high seat at about 200 yards and the bloody thing took off with a broken front leg and I watched it go for 4 fields before I lost sight of it. Horrible sickening feeling. I eventually followed up and shot him in the dark, freehand while holding a big maglite.

Turns out the new Jet Z mod I'd just bought had a bit of swarf rattling around inside and every time I took the mod off the POI shifted about 6 inches. I'd only zeroed the rifle the day before and it was bang on but took the mod off overnight in the cabinet.

Still got the head and it's a lovely one too!

 

[kieran222]

Coming round last corner to the car, saw a very young buck 120m or so away, in the corner of a field. Completely aware of me. We stood and stared at each other for a bit. I eventually decided to get the rifle up. Lined up, pulled trigger. Nothing. Of course- I’d unloaded. So then frantically hunted about in pockets. Found bullet wallet, wrenched it out, dropped it, picked it up, pulled out a bullet, tried to slide it into the breech, got the angle wrong, jammed it pushing the bolt forward, opened the bolt again, tried to get bullet out, couldn’t get fingers in, dropped the mag, bullet fell out, got another bullet from the wallet, fed it in, forgetting the mag was out, so it dropped through, put mag back in, got the last bullet out of the wallet, fed it in, closed the bolt, looked up.

Sounds like he was quite a bit older by the time you got the shot off.

 

[JohnSmith]

I missed the first white tail I had in my sights. It was about 7am on a November morning, my Dad set us up on a cut line where we sat motionless in -20°C. I remember being frozen and not wanting to be there. My Father’s passion was hunting and he wanted to expose me to it as well. When I had a Deer in my sights I flinched and missed it. I was 12 yrs old and he had me shooting a 30-06.

I continued going out with him for years and in the end, fell in love with the sport.

 

[Puds]

My first was memorable for the ease; we’d been out of the truck & in the woods for about 5 mins (after hopping the fence and walking about 10 paces), and I shot it at the challenging distance of 25yds