1st Buck of the Rut

[Yokel Matt 918]

Up at 3:45 this morning and was happy to see the forecasted change in weather hadn’t happened and it was mild and perfectly still. The farm where I was planning to go said they didn’t want me parking in the courtyard that early in the morning as it would set their dog off so I started at a neighbouring farm and had a bit of a yomp.

 

You really could have heard a pin drop – deathly quiet with only the slightest puff of breeze and the rasp – pat, rasp – pat of the wheat ears on my boots made you think that the whole field new you were there.

 

 

The dawn was morphing into day when I arrived at the first spot I intended to call from and I saw a shabby looking fox at around 150 yards. Rifle on sticks I gave him a squeak but he wasn’t interested and just sat there looking in my direction. My track record on Fox’s this year has been appalling so I decided to let him go and come back with the .223 when the wheat is cut and wait up.

 

Despite my best efforts the public-footpath ‘kissing-gate’ made the usual metallic creek and clink as it shut but the sound made a head pop up from the standing wheat which turned out to be a young pricket. He settled quickly enough and started walking the tramlines away from me towards the skyline, browsing along the way. The wind was in my favour so I crept to some cover beside thick upright fence post, got the rifle on sticks and gave some pheeps with the buttolo.

 

 

The noise certainly got his attention and he stared intently, then feigned interest. He seemed very unsure of what to do, ambling slowly towards me, then changing his mind and turning away again. He eventually settled on thrashing, all-be-it rather pathetically, at a piece of ragwort whilst making up his mind I was still calling when I heard a couple of muffled thumps followed by the twang of barbed wire coming from my right. Still on the sticks facing the pricket I swivelled my head and saw a decent six pointer come charging out of a patch of stinging nettles which fringed a neighbouring maize crop and practically start dancing on the spot, nosing the air yards away. I was in full view and upwind of him but he was literally blinded by passion. An wise man once told me that if you need to change position do it whilst the beast is on the move so I waited for this, which disturbingly turned out to be a 20yard trot straight towards me

 

Rifle still on the sticks I swung round to meet him… he paused briefly but he was directly facing and slightly down hill so necking him wasn’t an option. He came on another 5 paces the turned broadside and took another five. I whistled quietly and took him behind the shoulder. Hard to describe but until this point I had been quite calm – it was after the shot the adrenalin kicked in and my heart's been beating like a f****d clock since

 

You can just make him out in the foreground.

 

 

 

 

He is in great condition, not a tick or mite on him and weighs a good 48lbs. The walk back to the car was a bit of a slog - especially as I had to backtrack a shortcut... my reasoning was simple!

 

 

Time to get cracking on the new larder

Edited July 31, 2010 by Local

[Yokel Matt 918]

Couldn't squeeze this on the thread... the 'work in progress' larder with its first occupant.

 

[Night Hunter 109]

Well done mate,turned out to be a good morning

[roebuck220 80]

Good buck

[J Darcy 5,871]

Cracking buck mate...well done.

[nastybilly 55]

well done buddy

[sounder 9]

great write up nice buck

atb sounder

[wireviz 8]

Well done mate there moveing now should be good for a few days weeks yet.

[consett lad 43]

great read that mate and nice buck well done

[foxdropper 17,092]

I could picture that mate from the description, helped all the more by me having been there.Very good buck that mate .

[mooney1 120]

nice buck there mate, great write-up

[FOXHUNTER 5,020]

Well done mate , enjoyed the read . Been up Scotland this weekend and nothing doing at all, mind you the weather was cold and breezy. Never saw a buck only does with kids at foot....

[wint 3]

Well done Local very nice buck

Andy

[lost scouse 46]

enjoyed the write up you lucky chap

[moxy 617]

Well done and a good read