1St Fallow

[Philluk 181]

Being 11 days in I thought there may have been a few posts on here, as there is nothing I thought I would do one, nothing too exciting but an enjoyable evening.

 

SS of this parish and I had an evening out on Friday we met up and agreed on a location as the woodland is a bit thick at the moment open fields would be better, I have a nice hedgerow its about 30ft wide and 3 fields long, after a quick chat I dropped Kev off at the top of the field and explained where I will be safe zones and the layout. I drove down and made my way towards him with a dog im training to locate and track deer. I walked very slow and quiet maybe too quiet as you will see later, and as I passed from one field to another I trod on a stick and I heard the sound of deer running, being very close to one of my high seats I made the dog stay and climbed up and after a few minutes of looking a single fallow appeared to my left in my field, he was looking around and started to walk down the field to a gap in the hedge and crossed into kev's field and again stopped, im watching it and was hoping kev was doing the same, he walked a few steps down the field and behind the hedge, convinced I was to hear the crack of another gun I kept looking to see the deer break into a trot down the hedge line, at the bottom of that field is a wood and once at the wood he would be gone. I last saw him in a gap in the hedge and was still trotting then nothing... gone... I continued to look around when to my surprise the lone deer came out of a gap right at the bottom of the field and walked in my field right handed, "he is mine now" I was thinking, and continued to watch him through the scope as he stopped and looked in my direction and then hit the floor in an instant, in the clearing smoke I could see him laying there motionless. I climbed down and continued on towards kev, as I got near him he was pointing down the field and when I got to him he said he was watching a group of 15 who were making their way into the field. Kev walked down to see if he could see them, I thought I would do some training on the shot deer, I tied my dog up to the hedge in the field kev was in and climbed through the fence into the field the deer was laying in and when I got to it I dragged in along the grass and down a bank and back along the ditch into the bracken and out of site, I walked back to get the dog and keeping him on a lead I stopped about 6 ft from where is was shot and let the dog go, he walked forward hit the line and to my amazement he ran the line to the inch straight to the deer, it was almost like he had watched me drag it. We made our way back to the jeep this time it was a bit noisier as we were talking and I let the dog run in and out of the bracken a few minutes later along the fenceline about 100 yds in front of us we saw a couple of deer looking around, kev had a look and said they were doe's and then they were joined by a third doe running towards them and bringing up the rear was a little brown dog, I must have walked past them all earlier.

 

I was pleased with the dog as he hasn't done a lot of tracking this was his second one, he is only 2 yrs old. His first was a rogue roe buck a few weeks ago who would not show and whilst out foxing I saw him amongst some tall bracken I couldn't have made anymore noise, I had to make 2 dogs sit, put the rabbit gun down, remove the rifle from my shoulder, load it, put it on sticks, flick the lense covers off and then I shot it and it ran left, I know it ran left I saw it but as I sent the dog he got to the area i last saw it and went straight not left and up a bank and straight to it, a distance of 50 meters from where I shot it, I thought he was rabbiting as I could see he was circulating a large bush, I called him a couple of times and for a dog that always comes back he was telling me something I wanted him back to where I last saw the deer to track it but I went to him to see what he was doing and there was the buck with a hole in his chest. Something I had forgotten I was taught many years ago by an old terrier man "always listen to your dog"

 

Anyway a good day fri, good company, and a pint to finish off (which I didn't pay for) so even better and as we got in the pub the rain started to beat down.

 

home, tagged and weighed in at 70llb good start to 2014 No 1

 

 

Edited August 11, 2014 by Philluk

[CharlieSlade 14]

Great write up and description, what calibre rifle did you use?

[Philluk 181]

I used a Browning .243 with 80g Winchester on this one.

[sussex 5,776]

Good start Phil ...I'm still flat out working but 5 days should see me back in retirement ....

[hutchey 147]

Nice read that mate, lucky to beat the weather too.

[Philluk 181]

Nice read that mate, lucky to beat the weather too.

We did, I didn't tonight though I got soaked. No 2

[The one 8,397]

Nice going guys plenty good eating

[hutchey 147]

Nice.

[seprim 32]

Good job and nice read - thanks for posting Phil

 

Andrew