Theoretical Perfect Stalking Road Trip?

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Cootmeurer

Cootmeurer

Well-Known Member
Brother and I have made multiple trips over to UK and have had some success. Much of that success was due to the exceptional competency of SikaMalc and LeviGSP. With one retired and one passed on, it has gotten me to thinking about a change up for the next trip over. I should also mention all the kind offers of a stalk from our many acquaintances, in person or electronic.

With that said - what suggestions might the forum offer with these assumptions

Time - 2 week period Aug to Nov
Arrival - into Heathrow
Departure- Inverness
(Or in reverse)
Hired car
Catching a few minor attractions along the way (such as Hadrian’s wall)
Targets Fallow Muntjac and CWD, but quite willing to veer off onto walked small game or any other country pursuit
 
Been very lucky stalking with Sikamalc ,taking Fallow,Roe ,Muntjac and Chinese.
Will miss his knowledge, banter and great stalking grounds .
Bedfordshire is the goto for Muntys/Cwd at the same time.
Fallow Sussex and the Midlands so your hire car is a great idea for stalking flexibility.
Good luck 👍
 
> Targets Fallow Muntjac and CWD
Scotland has limited appeal for these species. CWD and Muntjac are both escapees from the Woburn estate which is 40-50 miles north of London. As such, their distribution has spread from there. For muntjac this means much of England south of the Humber estuary. CWD are confined to a smaller area across several counties north of London and towards the east coast. Fallow distribution is scattered around Great Britain but the highest concentrations roughly coincide with Muntjac.
These maps from BDS might be useful. I wouldn't consider them infallible but they should give you the general idea:
bds.org.uk

Deer Distribution Survey - The British Deer Society

Deer Distribution SurveyCheck out the new BDS UK deer distribution map! Learn what species of deer you can see in your area Photo by: Mark BridgerFIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE DEER SURVEY If you want to know where you can see water deer or how far muntjac have spread across England you need a survey...
bds.org.uk bds.org.uk
Season dates might inform your travel timing:
basc.org.uk

Shooting seasons

It is your responsibility to know what you can and can't shoot, and when, so make sure you bookmark this quarry season page.
basc.org.uk basc.org.uk
You will generally have a wider choice of quarry later in the year and a lower level of crop and vegetation cover will improve stalking productivity too.

Have an enjoyable trip.
 
Norfolk is hard to beat if CWD are on your list, as they’re more geographically limited than fallow and muntjac.

It’s also a nice part of the country to spend a bit of time in rather than just passing through. The Broads in particular give you a good mix of scenery and a few other things to do alongside the stalking, which works well on a trip like the one you’re planning.

As mentioned above, I’d be inclined to avoid trying to cover too much ground and instead base yourself in one or two areas and build in a bit of flexibility around weather and wind.
 
My personal recommendation would probably be Nathan Whitehead and If I by chance found myself down there he would probably be my man, As far as I'm aware based down In Suffolk and has the ability too provide all 5 species with as far as I can tell a good population of pretty much everything, also has Sika ground as far as I understood in a neighboring location.

October going into November is always a good date Roe bucks in season for a bit, with CWD in season later into the week. 👍
 
Sol said:
October going into November is always a good date Roe bucks in season for a bit, with CWD in season later into the week. 👍
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agree regarding the date. Also possibility of hitting the fallow rut at that time of year, love hearing them grunting on a misty morning!!!
 
Already some grand ideas to explore, thanks. Definitely has got me thinking

Honestly, I had mentally mapped a maybe a New Forest, Wales, then M6 north route in a very general sense. Hadnt even thought to trek up the east side.
 
I would definitely add some proper open Scottish mountain deer stalking. You need to be fit and able cover 10 or 15 miles and two or three thousand feet of elevation on rough ground, but well worth it.
 
Heym SR20 said:
I would definitely add some proper open Scottish mountain deer stalking. You need to be fit and able cover 10 or 15 miles and two or three thousand feet of elevation on rough ground, but well worth it.
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We’ve already checked that box on a couple occasions. Quite memorable but looking at more southerly options
 
Mungo said:
Have you done a proper nasty gruelling sika stalk in commercial forestry? Dense Sitka spruce blocks interspersed with Battle of the Somme-like clearfell?

I think a uniquely British stalking experience!

Best enjoyed in sideways sleet.
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Yes, it was in a commercial block in Sutherland. Started the morning with a nice red stag in the dirt/peat, convinced I was already quite adept at this.
The rest of the day disabused me of that notion. Saw one of the largest sika stags I had ever seen, with the exception of those photos of NZ monsters. He was 25 yards are less and he won that duel. Then spent the rest of the day chasing
Phantom whistles….. might have been Selkies for all I know trying to lure me farther and farther into the wood.

All in all a grand and humbling experience
 
Cootmeurer said:
Wait, what? Driven? That sounds interesting, can they be shotgunned? Seems quite a challenging target if driven before rifles
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Theoretically possible (with rifles) but not sure there’s anyone offering this sort of thing in the UK. People normally have to travel to continental for driven game….
 
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