a favor returned

[pnse 0]

had an invite up to steve bowers's patch to try for a good roe buck,got to steves about 4pm yesterday after a quick cupper we set off,got to the farm where he keeps the quad and set off,the weather wasn't the best with heavy showers and high winds but we spotted a few roe out and about but as we were after a good one we gave them a miss and carried on around the estate to a patch where steve knew there was a good buck.

we came to a ridge overlooking a vally with three plantations set out in a triangle,so we glassed the fields in between and a big buck was spotted with about a half a dozen does,we were about 500 yards away and had to stalk in to them down along a hedge line,so keeping the hedge between us and the deer we slowly made our way down to them glassing as we went,we closed the gap between us and the buck to about 300 yards but the wind was starting to swirl and the lead doe caught a whiff of us and started to go back in to the wood on our left,we thought we were going to lose him as we lost sight of the group in a fold in the field,then we spotted another group of does coming out of another fold in the field further down and a buck was spotted in among this group but not the big one,this group started to go from our left out into the bottom of the field.

as the light was starting to fade we decided to go for this buck instead,as this group were going to cross infront of us in the fold in the field we made our way to the brow of the fold on hands and knees then on our elbows for the last 15 yards or so when a doe came into sight,so i got down behind the rifle and waited with bated breath for the buck to appear,what seemed like an eternity but was in reality only about 2 or 3 minutes and the buck came into view,i was just about to take a bead on him when steve whispered stop as the big buck was coming along behind this group,now my pulse really started to quicken so another wait which gave me time to calm down,

the light was really starting to fade now and if this buck wasn't taken the stalk was over,the wait was alot longer this time and the other buck had gone over the brow and was gone so it was now or never for the big buck.

i whispered to steve can you see him,and he said your not going to believe it but he's gone and lay down in a patch of rape,i moved closer to the brow and i could see him but could only see his head so didn't have a shot,he lay there for about a minute then got up and started after the group again.

so i followed him in the scope and he finally came to spot where i had a shot so i slowly flicked the safety off and took a bead on his shoulder with this he must have winded us and stopped about 140 yards away and looked directly at our position and i could tell by his stance that i had about 2 seconds to take the shot before he would have been away at full tilt across the field,so i took up the pressure on the the trigger and the gun went off and the buck took off but only got about 60 yards before piling up with a couple of kicks and he was still.

here are a few pics of him i think he'll make a medal with an average length of 28cm

atb paul

Edited October 25, 2009 by pnse

[ArchieHood 3,692]

nice one Paul,like the second pic looking down the barrel

[wboulter 3]

nice write up looks a decent buck mate well done

[riggers 2]

hi mate nice buck well done you nice rifle two mate