Last Day On The Doe's

[sussex 5,776]

Not posted any outings for a while because their is only so many times you can make it interesting when it's just a repeat of the last outing but as it's my last day on the doe's & not just shooting from a seat I thought I'd post today's effort .

Out at 5.30 am & on the farm twenty minutes later intime to see the light breaking across the Ashdown forest I started stalking , given the wind was blowing westerly I had to start from the opposite way to normal , this was a full proof & cunning plan that couldn't fail ..

This plan failed miserably , all the deer ended up above me as I came round the valley track & the deer by the offices that are always there weren't this morning .Dropping down to the bottom wood using a small track & ditch I managed to get in position on half a dozen does grazing tight to the wood , laying down & resting on the bipod I selected an old doe 90m away squeezed the trigger & she dropped , watching her through the scope she was going nowhere . Checked , I made my way back up to the road to glass the top field , twenty or so we're grazing out on the hill but there was no way to get within range from were I was .I made my way back round the valley but this time from the top looking down , standing not twenty metres from where I gralloch a bunch of does & a couple of pricket were laying down , 200+ m from me .Ten minutes later after a bit of crawling over soaking wet ground I slide the rifle over a fallen tree to see to my great relief they hadn't moved , another doe selected , she lifted her head a split second later she was dead , the others jumped up looked at her kicking air but before they could all depart a second crack , another dropped . Checked out I went for the quad to pick up the fist one , the other two were almost at the tree anyway .

As I came to pick up the first one I came over the top of the field , the way I would normally have started , to find the bunch from earlier still in almost the same place , spooked by the quad they took of , one stopping for a brief moment to check me out before she to disappeared into cover , unfortunately for her I was checking her out through the Swarovski , the quad was the last thing she ever see .

Picking her up , round to get the other one then back to the pair near the gralloching tree , not yet 8 o'clock I left them & went and sat in a high seat on a junction in the wood were during the season I have taken several deer in the morning as the filter through . Twenty minutes later a bunch came down virtually beneath the seat , I let them through until they were forty or so metres to my left then dropped the lead doe , they split and vanished in a second with no chance of a second shot . I gave it about an hour and just as I unloaded the rifle ready to get down a single doe walked through , reloading I chambered a round , gave a little cough , she stopped and I squeezed number six .

By half nine I was ready to gralloch & clean all the beasts it was at this point I found out some ar.ehole had pinched my hoist , gambrel & rope .This has been up all season without a problem and was there last week , not worth loads of money it was the aggravation of having to gralloch on the ground on go home for the spare , home won on the basis the ground was soaking and it was better & cleaner to do them hanging .

[sussex 5,776]

Good morning Rich, by the way if you want your Hoist back give me a Ring lol ,

I know its not you Owen , you never shoot anything that's heavy enough to need one ..

[hutchey 147]

Nice one Rich, you're obviously getting the hang of putting those pictures up on here now

[Sussex Stalker 7]

Nice one. Well done.

Kev

[Philluk 181]

Kev

 

I saw you with a hoist last week where did you get it.

 

Good day Rich see you soon

[Yokel Matt 918]

I must admit the vast majority of mine get done on the floor as a suitable tree or 5 bar gate is more often than not a too far away and in the opposite direction to the truck! Nicely done though... what's just another day in Sussex is still more than welcome, I can't see me getting bored of reading about your trips out.

[sussexsteve 8]

Speaking to the local gun shop owner on the forest he thinks the numbers are way down over the last few years. What do you think Richard? I'm still seeing the same deer about in the surrounding fields an despite a good season think the herds are increasing. Do you see a good mix of bucks and does ?

Great mornings work by the way..

Atb Steve

[sussex 5,776]

Speaking to the local gun shop owner on the forest he thinks the numbers are way down over the last few years. What do you think Richard? I'm still seeing the same deer about in the surrounding fields an despite a good season think the herds are increasing. Do you see a good mix of bucks and does ?

Great mornings work by the way..

Atb Steve

 

I think the numbers are down slightly , because there seems to have been a major effort to do just that . I reached my target this year & I know three other guys that stalk around here that have all got the numbers they wanted .Last year was a nightmare , with the wet weather I really struggled to do the job & finished well down .The other thing I have noticed is the increase in the muntjac , whist I don't have any on my bits I have started to see them on the way into Forest Row by the side of the road & got called out to dispatch one in someone's garden that lives on the forest .She see's them in her garden virtually on a daily basis .

As for bucks there doesn't seem to be a lack of them , they are all bunched up at the moment so if you see one you tend to see a few. I shot some really scraggly ones during the rut , real poor heads but also see a couple of crackers .

[sussexsteve 8]

Yes Richard I have some ground near Nutley and although I haven't seen them the owner said she had seen muntjac. She was even lucky enough to see one give birth on her lawn!! The deer herd can be 70/80 strong some days. Not sure who you use but I'm getting 2.80kg collected. If your interested I can pass you the number.

Atb Steve

[sussex 5,776]

I had a little perm just outside Nutley you could often see 100 + fallow & just before they sold up a couple of years ago we were just starting to see some roe ..I'm getting about the same for the venison of a pal of mine who pays a fixed price all year ,don't get messed about after Christmas with the price going down or not wanting carcasses so I stick with him, thanks anyway .

[Rob58 1,580]

Nice write up rich always on the money well done

[foxdropper 17,092]

Cracking last day mate . My own doe season has been abismal due to lack of roe in Wiltshire but well done on your bag and for achieving the cull plan something not easy with the pace of life these days

[seprim 32]

Nice going Rich!

great write-up and great score as well

Andrew

[Rabid 1,936]

Nice one Rich, always good reading your exploits, you done well, and made the quota as well, what's next on the agenda for you ?

[sussex 5,776]

Nice one Rich, always good reading your exploits, you done well, and made the quota as well, what's next on the agenda for you ?

Getting this bloody knee sorted out Rob ..really struggled this last few months so the quicker they sort it the better.I'll get you back down as soon as I'm up & running again .Did you put in for your ticket ..?