I went up to my best farm to have a chat with the farmer and take him a haunch and some venison burgers and as you do I popped a rifle into the car too, you know, just in case!
Anyway, had the chat and said that I was just off for a quick walkabout and to be honest I had nicked the wifes car because she'd done a runner with the 4x4 with my stalking gear in it, and so I was light on a few items but what the hell...No bino's, no sticks, no Roe sack, no face veil, plus a few other sundry items, but was I likely to see a buck anyway?
So, lets cut to the chase, I stalked through my two favourite bits of woodland and saw nothing, but these little woods are dense and seeing anything is a bonus, the rhododendrons are as thick as a bag and you can easily walk past things. It was getting on now and so I decided to walk along the path and have the last 40 minutes in the high seat that over looks a grass field. As I walked along the path I could see the edge of the field and in it was a yearling doe, bloody typical, I thought, for the last month I haven't seen one and 7 days after the doe season ends and there is one not 50 yards away. :lol: I now knew that I wasn't going to get to the high seat and I had to get to the large gate that was at the end of the path and was the entrance to the field. I stalked up to the fence and my prayers were answered, 50 yards from her was a buck, I could see him quite clearly but he was walking away from me as he grazed on the grasses. Slowly he got further and further away and took the yearling with him, I noticed that there were another 3 does in the next field too, great sight, but where were they last month? just then a pregnant doe came from the woods and stood between us, bug**r, what to do? I decided to climb the gate as it's the noisiest one ever made, it's one of the bridal path types, I packed the hinges and opening lever with wet leaves and this stopped the rattle, great, I gingerly climbed over the gate and into the field. I had the wood on my right, the buck was now 250 yards away and between us I had this doe, light was fading and so I had no option but to try and move the doe on but not spook the buck! I very slowly made my way up the tree line, the buck was in the middle of the field and his head was down feeding, some woodpigeons took flight and the doe looked up, I made sure that she saw me with a slight movement and she hopped back into the woods, bingo.. :)
I continued up the wood side and so slowly was my progress that I almost stood on an unsuspecting rabbit! (well I got within 5 yards of it) finally I was about 100 yards, down on the bipod, waited for a clear shot and when the shot was on I sent 150 grain sierra spitzer on it's way. That glorious tell tale thud came back at me as the animal crumpled under the weight of the bullet. I sat for a few minutes whilst the does ran off and then went to collect my prize. A perfect heart shot had done the business and as I didn't want to get covered in blood and the light was fading I took him up to the farm and gralloched him in the headlights of the car.
He's a nice 6 pointer, not a medal at all but a nice buck all the same. That stalk took 30 minutes in all and was the most rewarding stalk that I have ever done. :P
Thanks for reading.
Photo's were taken on my phone, but I can't get the flash to work so they will be crap sorry..
The heart, with the top part missing!
