Buttolo Roe with Foxdropper - PIC's ADDED

[Yokel Matt 918]

Wed 22nd July… internet probs

 

 

To say the weather for last few days had been ‘changeable’ down in the West Country is an understatement. Hot and sunny, overcast and cool, pissing down with rain – and every combination in-between which made organising an after work stalk frustrating I’d recently picked up my new rifle and, having never successfully called Roe before was itching to get out.

 

Weather conditions the day before had looked promising all day and then did a ‘180’ as soon as I put the rifle in the car! The wind picked up and the rain came down… the stalk was called off only for it to turn into a glorious, balmy summer’s eve later on

 

The evening itself started off in a very similar way weather wise. The clouds were high but gloomy and the temperature was very cool, totally different to a muggy, light Bristol only 20 miles away. I got to the meet spot early having ragged the car in the hope of cutting some sticks as I had left mine behind. FD very kindly lent me his to save time and gave me some tips on buttolo technique while e-route to the ground.

 

The wind was steady but to our advantage as we moved to the area where we planned to lay in wait and call. A lot of the fields were occupied with inquisitive cattle which forced the pace in some fields and was an extra factor to consider from a shot safety perspective although with any luck it would serve to concentrate any deer in the unoccupied fields.

 

We paused for a quick call in a likely looking spot at the corner of a field which bordered two others, one pasture the other a standing crop. FD put his rifle down and indicated a likely area - standing there, rifle on sticks trying to tune into every sound and movement 360 degrees around you is a pretty intense Although nothing showed this time it was good to see the earlier advice on the buttolo being put into action.

 

Any doubts about the weather has gone by this point – the cloud had lifted and thinned leaving a calm, mild evening. We approached the entrance field where I was going to be positioned – an L shaped pasture bordered by thick hedges. A buck was couched at the far end of the field, initially unaware of out presence. He was out of my comfort zone off sticks and the grass length (not to mention the 5 bar gate in the way) ruled out the bipod. After a bit of debate about who should have a crack at him (each insisting the other should do it ) I set up on the sticks from the kneeling position through a gap in the gate and FD gave him a pheep. He was on his feet straight away looking in our direction, then feigned disinterest for a few minutes, casually snuffing the grass but I could see his ears flicking about intently through the scope. He straightened up again and trotted towards us pretty quickly with him looming bigger and bigger in the scope. He paused, then continued at an angle toward the hedge before swinging back out again trotting towards us. He stopped head on to a whistle at about 50 yards and, once I remembered where the safety was on the rifle, dropped on the spot with a neck shot.

 

He was in fine condition and a good weight.

 

 

After gralloching him out we parted company and went to wait in our own spots. On advise of FD I positioned myself in the hedge myself under an oak tree where I had a good view of the length of the field – sat on my roe sack with the gun resting on the sticks and a single string of barbed wire to prop everything up, it was very comfy - with the sun setting in front of me - perfect. A hare with unusually white inner ears was lolloping about in front of me and was quite distracting – I tried to get a pic but my camera totally crapped out which seems to happen all the bloody time now!

 

As I was putting it back in my pocket I noticed two fox’s following each other along the hedgerow at the far end of the field. They were heading towards where the roe I’d shot earlier was cooling – I gave a couple of loud pheeps with the buttolo and one stopped and faced me, the other carrying on. It was then I realised that my comfy position was, actually, less than practical when it came to organising a shot! After a mad re-shuffle and adjusting of sticks I was in some form of yoga X left handed shooting position leant over the barbed wire. There was a meaty thump at the shot but, for all intents and purposes the fox seemed to run off unscathed with some characteristic sprightly left / right jinking thrown in – certainly not what you’d expect with 140grains of lead in him

 

I crept down the side of the hedge and had a quick scout around where I thought I’d shot him but, in hindsight was not paying nearly enough attention. Confused but confident the shot was a clear miss I went back to my position.

 

FD came at dusk and I explained the incident with the fox and we went to have another look as both of us agreed the shot sounded like it connected. We followed the line of fire and there, dead as dead behind a thistle, was a young vixen not 20 yards from where I had looked . Talk about feeling like a T.W.A.T - A valuable lesson learned. It was a job to see where the bullet had hit her but judging from the sloshing sound of her insides when I picked her up it had done some mischief in there.

 

 

FD had seen some doe’s and young fawns but nothing else and I was feeling a bit guilty about hogging all the sport again. We packed the buck in my roe sack and walked back in the twilight.

 

Thanks again FD!!

Edited July 30, 2009 by Local

[ArchieHood 3,692]

nice one Local reading these write ups gets quite addictive

[Yokel Matt 918]

You're telling me I'm hell to live with at the moment. Its like cold turkey being at work wishing i was in the fields

[Guest Champ606]

great read, well done

[foxdropper 17,098]

Always good to be out with lads that have a keen interest in the sport as well as the countryside as a whole .

Pleasure mate.

[woodga 170]

that was a good write up enjoyed that very much

[martin 332]

Nice one mate,but,you'll get in hot water putting cartridge cases in the Vixens mouth,I nearly got banned off a couple of forums a while ago.... :laugh: :laugh:

[Yokel Matt 918]

Nice one mate,but,you'll get in hot water putting cartridge cases in the Vixens mouth,I nearly got banned off a couple of forums a while ago.... :laugh: :laugh:

 

I believe your name was mentioned at the time mate

[outdoors kid 1]

good read,