Out in the cold yesterday with the intension of catching up with some hinds and followers. The stags for me are done, even the prickets, it's time to ensure a block of woodland that attracts a lot of Sika from mid-November onwards, are not left to feel too comfortable. Stags or prickets can only fear guests or clients, I'm just going to try an concentrate on the females and hopefully not leave any dependants until later in winter.
With this in mind, and knowing how crispy the woodland would be, I took the long route to the far end of the woodland block by way of the downland, entering on the Northerly wind. Deer generally do not like their food frozen, so on the way, there was none to be seen out in the fields, just a few on the edge a conifer block which will wait for another day. There were a few roe on the downland edge and a pricket that intently watched me walk by, thinking it was safe at a distance of 70 yards of so. Little did it know I was carrying the Creedmoor, equipped with a Swaro that meant I could have happily walked away another couple of hundred yards and it would still be in comfortable range
Only trouble is, once I get into woodland, it's not really the best rifle for the job. I only end up taking the 20 to 50yd shots, invariably neck shots, even though I have good well mown rides as much as 150yds long, some overlooked by high seats.
Anyway, into the woodland I get, the first bit nice and crispy until I hit the hard track. I had only walked some 30 yds down the track and could see some sika moving through hazel coppice toward the track. A quick check revealed stags, so I reached for the camera. Why do they have to take that almost suicidal last step onto the track? It happened here and later on the way back, the second time I was unsure what was moving towards the track so set up the rifle on twin sticks. Another suicidal 6 pointer stepped out this time at a range of 30yds, and on this occassion, decided to complete it's journey across the track even though it knew I was there, crosshairs trained on it's neck.
So after encountering the first group of stags, I made another 100 yards, again passing up a pricket at 30yds, to find a roe doe in a newly thinned oak plantation. It was looking at me so I continued on to move it and of course, off it went barking, to prove it had spotted me. That was fine because roe were not on the list but the Sika hinds that stood another 30 yds further on were. Having been warned, they were aware of my presence but gave me enough time to get the rifle onto the smaller one before holding nerve no longer and bouncing off with a warning whistle
There is a high seat just 30yds into a clear fell from where they were, so that's where I ended up. Not there for long, just 30 mins or so, and I had another suicidal pricket heading my way and various hinds and calves in all directions, the nearest laid up some 40yds away, but covered by a holly bush midway between us. Freezing for the 30 mins, none of the females would offer a shot, always just behind some cover or wandering away from me. A little frustrated, on 2 occasions I checked out the holly bush to see if I could squeeze a bullet through but decided it wasn't on. So eventually, with some Sika wandering where the first hinds were and this one laid up, I decided to try and get a shot from the hard track. When I was nearly in position to be able to see the laid up animal, a hind crossed the hard track some 100yds away, so I knelt and set up. Being in the middle of the track I was easily spotted which meant the hind faced me with no shot on. I did think as soon as it turned I would take the shot but it decided to turn and bounce into cover in one movement. So I stood up to recommence my stalk on the laid up animal but was spotted by another two I had not seen and all 3 bounced away. Cursing under my breath, I turned to see some hinds behind me in the thinned oak plantation, only 30yds away. I set up, let the first hind move across a gap, and when the second stepped into the same gap, a quiet shout stopped it, and another short range neck shot was taken. Ohh well, at least I had something for the morning, a nice maiden hind that sits in my chiller now. It was getting quite late so I didn't hang about and headed back, coming across the second suicidal stag that knew I was only out for the females.
For the afternoon I though with so many animals, I'd head for the same area, but stopped the quad short of one of the long well mown rides which often holds deer. Sure enough there was a hind and calf part way down the ride but I had to make 30yds at least to get into a shooting position. 3 or 4 cock pheasant stood between me and them and of course with them scuttling off, the 2 sika and 3 unseen ones ran into the adjacent woodland. I did think of sitting in the seat to wait for them to come back out but thought better of it and continued my way along the hard track in the direction of the morning's action. Only 50 or so yards along I could see movement in thick woodland and after inching my way along, I managed to spot a calf laid up, but looking directly at me. I set up, and another 30yd neck shot was taken. I stood for a moment checking for any more and the hind presented itself, so another 30yd neck shot was taken. So at least the afternoon was successful but still I was getting a little fed up of the short range stuff. I left them there and headed back to the quad some 100yds away and a stag screamed at me from the thicker cover.
I reached the original ride in about 30 seconds (only 50yds) to find a couple of hinds back out on the ride. This time I went down the opposite side of the ride as earlier, and when heads were down I quickly crossed to access the high seat. So comfortably sat, a hind and calf wandered away from me a Creedmoor range
but continued on their way and out of sight. Another stag calf stepped out onto the ride and slowly walked away at some 120yds. Sitting comfortably I considered a call and a neck shot but preferred a chest shot. It was joined by a hind and not being desperate to shoot another I let them walk the same way as the others had until out of sight, before leaving the seat and heading back to the quad.
The two I had just shot turned out to be extremes, the calf only weighed 27lb clean whilst the hind weighed in at 83lbs
I'm going to have to get my replacement quad on site with a lift rack I've designed for front loading stags, but at this rate I could do with it for hinds 
So there we have it, don't have to pull the trigger on everything but always consider it a successful day if all animals are clean shot, I've seen plenty and got home in one piece. Not quite this time after cutting a finger whilst removing legs but there we go
With this in mind, and knowing how crispy the woodland would be, I took the long route to the far end of the woodland block by way of the downland, entering on the Northerly wind. Deer generally do not like their food frozen, so on the way, there was none to be seen out in the fields, just a few on the edge a conifer block which will wait for another day. There were a few roe on the downland edge and a pricket that intently watched me walk by, thinking it was safe at a distance of 70 yards of so. Little did it know I was carrying the Creedmoor, equipped with a Swaro that meant I could have happily walked away another couple of hundred yards and it would still be in comfortable range
Only trouble is, once I get into woodland, it's not really the best rifle for the job. I only end up taking the 20 to 50yd shots, invariably neck shots, even though I have good well mown rides as much as 150yds long, some overlooked by high seats.Anyway, into the woodland I get, the first bit nice and crispy until I hit the hard track. I had only walked some 30 yds down the track and could see some sika moving through hazel coppice toward the track. A quick check revealed stags, so I reached for the camera. Why do they have to take that almost suicidal last step onto the track? It happened here and later on the way back, the second time I was unsure what was moving towards the track so set up the rifle on twin sticks. Another suicidal 6 pointer stepped out this time at a range of 30yds, and on this occassion, decided to complete it's journey across the track even though it knew I was there, crosshairs trained on it's neck.
So after encountering the first group of stags, I made another 100 yards, again passing up a pricket at 30yds, to find a roe doe in a newly thinned oak plantation. It was looking at me so I continued on to move it and of course, off it went barking, to prove it had spotted me. That was fine because roe were not on the list but the Sika hinds that stood another 30 yds further on were. Having been warned, they were aware of my presence but gave me enough time to get the rifle onto the smaller one before holding nerve no longer and bouncing off with a warning whistle
There is a high seat just 30yds into a clear fell from where they were, so that's where I ended up. Not there for long, just 30 mins or so, and I had another suicidal pricket heading my way and various hinds and calves in all directions, the nearest laid up some 40yds away, but covered by a holly bush midway between us. Freezing for the 30 mins, none of the females would offer a shot, always just behind some cover or wandering away from me. A little frustrated, on 2 occasions I checked out the holly bush to see if I could squeeze a bullet through but decided it wasn't on. So eventually, with some Sika wandering where the first hinds were and this one laid up, I decided to try and get a shot from the hard track. When I was nearly in position to be able to see the laid up animal, a hind crossed the hard track some 100yds away, so I knelt and set up. Being in the middle of the track I was easily spotted which meant the hind faced me with no shot on. I did think as soon as it turned I would take the shot but it decided to turn and bounce into cover in one movement. So I stood up to recommence my stalk on the laid up animal but was spotted by another two I had not seen and all 3 bounced away. Cursing under my breath, I turned to see some hinds behind me in the thinned oak plantation, only 30yds away. I set up, let the first hind move across a gap, and when the second stepped into the same gap, a quiet shout stopped it, and another short range neck shot was taken. Ohh well, at least I had something for the morning, a nice maiden hind that sits in my chiller now. It was getting quite late so I didn't hang about and headed back, coming across the second suicidal stag that knew I was only out for the females.
For the afternoon I though with so many animals, I'd head for the same area, but stopped the quad short of one of the long well mown rides which often holds deer. Sure enough there was a hind and calf part way down the ride but I had to make 30yds at least to get into a shooting position. 3 or 4 cock pheasant stood between me and them and of course with them scuttling off, the 2 sika and 3 unseen ones ran into the adjacent woodland. I did think of sitting in the seat to wait for them to come back out but thought better of it and continued my way along the hard track in the direction of the morning's action. Only 50 or so yards along I could see movement in thick woodland and after inching my way along, I managed to spot a calf laid up, but looking directly at me. I set up, and another 30yd neck shot was taken. I stood for a moment checking for any more and the hind presented itself, so another 30yd neck shot was taken. So at least the afternoon was successful but still I was getting a little fed up of the short range stuff. I left them there and headed back to the quad some 100yds away and a stag screamed at me from the thicker cover.
I reached the original ride in about 30 seconds (only 50yds) to find a couple of hinds back out on the ride. This time I went down the opposite side of the ride as earlier, and when heads were down I quickly crossed to access the high seat. So comfortably sat, a hind and calf wandered away from me a Creedmoor range
but continued on their way and out of sight. Another stag calf stepped out onto the ride and slowly walked away at some 120yds. Sitting comfortably I considered a call and a neck shot but preferred a chest shot. It was joined by a hind and not being desperate to shoot another I let them walk the same way as the others had until out of sight, before leaving the seat and heading back to the quad. The two I had just shot turned out to be extremes, the calf only weighed 27lb clean whilst the hind weighed in at 83lbs
I'm going to have to get my replacement quad on site with a lift rack I've designed for front loading stags, but at this rate I could do with it for hinds So there we have it, don't have to pull the trigger on everything but always consider it a successful day if all animals are clean shot, I've seen plenty and got home in one piece. Not quite this time after cutting a finger whilst removing legs but there we go 
