martin 332 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 I've had a busy week this week,and it has kicked off the 'New Year' in fine fashion.I poped out early the other day to a place over on the Mendips(I think the pc name for it now is the 'PeopleDips'.....lol)but,as I found after walking the whole farm it seems that they had had a 'Clay Day' and that had put the Deer off the area and probably onto the next farm that has a very large wood,i did see 'Charles' but he was very uninterestred in playing the game,so,I left emptyhanded.I then drove back towards home and went to a farm that usually has a few deer on,and in fact I had seen a Doe and two followers just a few days before while out with the shotgun,but,again nothing to be found,and I returned home with nothing to show for my time.Some people might of given in for a few days,but,not me,I got up before light the next day and drove all of 1 mile just up the valley from me to a place I call the 'Dingle'.It is a valley that is in a valley,and it has a lovely little copse(well almost a copse...like a baby copse....lol).I walked up the hill,and carefully crossed the squeeky gate and squelched through the 8" mud and made my way cautiously up towards the dingle.I crept between a Blackthorn hedge,and immediately seen the arse end of 3-4 Roe two of which were Does,"Feck it" I thought,bumped them before even having the chance to glass them properly,well,I carried on albeit even more cautiously when,3 Does came running back chasing each other round the brambles.My luck was obviously in today as a Doe appeared in a gap in the hedgeline and stoped to graze.....bad mistake on her part and she dropped to the shot(perfect heart shot).I recycled a round and waited to be awarded by another Doe that wandered back across the banking,but,she didn't allow me an oppertunity to get a clear shot because of a few branches in the way,so,I dropped down below the lower banking that shielded me and got into a better place for a shot,i got the rifle onto the sticks and took a neck shot that unfortunately clipped a hawthorn branch and totally deflected the shot(it just goes to show that even with high powered centrefire rifles with 87grain bullets how easy it is to deflect the shot)anyway,as I said earlier my luck was well in,and she couldn't tell where the shot had come form so wasn't sure how to react and just ambled back across the banking only to stop side on on the other side of a bramble bush,and she too dropped to the shot.I will say at this poiunt that last year I did ease up on the Does,and this year I am giving them a bit more attention,so,I did go on round the land for another opportunity to show itself,but,it wasn't to be,still,two Roe on the grass was a decent morning and I returned hom and hung them in the new larder.I got a phonecall from a mate later asking if I was up for a bit of a stalk on Tuesday,and I thought it would be rude to decline,so,it was agreed.I got up early again on the Tuesday,and popped over the other side of the valley to the Market garden hoping for a Muntjac.After a bit of a catch up with the landowner I made my way to a place that I like to set up and wait for the Muntjac to appear from the wood above the Gardens,and pushed myself into the hedgeline,and set the rilfe on the sticks,I hade been there for about a half hour when the blackbirds announced that 'Charles' was in the area,so,I scanned every bit of the field in front of me,and,as if by magic 'Charles' appeared right in the middle of the field,and as I slowly turned the rifle towards him,he saw the movement and froze to the spot.........bad move and no mistake,an 87 grainer slammed home at 113yds and a huge puff of fur exploded into the air behind him......one down! I just stood there like a statue not moving a muscle hoping for a second,but,no show,and time was getting on now so I would have to leave soon,I thought 5 more minutes......when out of the Blackthorn hedge at the top of the field a young Muntjac slunk down the banking,and it was obvious he wasn't going to stop,so,as he got half way down I gave a bark and he stopped for a nano second,and diverted across and away from me along a well worn Munty track,so,I gave another short bark,and he stoped and looked at me back across his shoulder,and I slotted one right behind his ear,and he dropped stone dead.I was on a roll to be sure,and i made my way back home to drop the Muntjac back to the larder and off to my mates.Wed went to a Market garden that he has and is troubled by a lot of Roe and Muntjac,and when we got there we immediately saw 3 Roe scampering off across the gardens,and we made our way towards where they had headed,but they weren't hanging around,and as this place is very flat it is hard to get a safe shot,and we had to give them up as a bad job.As we wandered on around the gardens another group of 3 Roe were making their way through the sprouts,and we headed them off as best we could,and managed to get between one of them and her escape.........up on the sticks and crack,number 4 on the grass,or mud to be more truthful.We popped her in the ruck after a quick gralloch and headed off to another area hoping to see a fox or two,but,after crossing the second field a shape was moving through the hedgeline,and BINGO.......another Muntjac Buck.He was a good way off,and I pulled the shot and missed it completely,he ran along the front of the stream to a patch of Blackthorn where he obviously felt safe.We made our way over towards the Blackthorn and I saw him through a gap,it was just his head and neck,so,neck shot it was and at all of 20yds...............number 5 in the bag.As Al pacino would say...." Hoo Har"!All in all a great couple of days and I have certainly started off 2011 with a bang(so to speak).I hope everyone else is having a good start to the year. Didn't have the phone with me all of the time but here is a couple of pics......... the perfect heart shot.... no pics of the other Roe and Muntjac....sorry. Martin p.s. the mate was for those that know him was 'Foxdropper' 1 Quote Link to post
Roonstar 0 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Well done Martin, Looks like your going to have a busy year, not that that's a bad thing! Fantastic write up Quote Link to post
SNAP SHOT 194 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Nice to see you bagging a few mate, good write up.. snap. Quote Link to post
Hywel 53 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Good write up Martin, will pm you Re. other stuff Quote Link to post
outdoors kid 1 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 great read again well done Quote Link to post
Yokel Matt 918 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Well done mate - sod the pics of deer though.... i want to see this Larder! Quote Link to post
foxdropper 17,092 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 From what ive seen of the larder mate ,it going to take some filling .Makes my lockup look like a shed ,bloody huge it is .Telly, sun lounger and fridge next to the sink . Quote Link to post
ArchieHood 3,692 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Seems to have been an eternity since your last write up, hope all is well.Looks like you could be filling that larder pretty quick. Quote Link to post
speedystu 0 Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Looks like another successful outing! topped with a good read. well done mate Quote Link to post
martin 332 Posted January 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 Seems to have been an eternity since your last write up, hope all is well.Looks like you could be filling that larder pretty quick. Hi Archie,yes I just haven't been in the right mood for typing mate,you know too much else to be doing to be honest,but,things have slackened off a bit lately so look out for more coming very soon(weather permitting....it's pissing down here) Martin Quote Link to post
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