More Oxford stalking

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

Invited myself up to a good mate of mines for the weekend and had a days hunting combined with a mornings stalk.

As per usual ,the sport was exceptional.Saturday was an action packed day of trail hunting with some superb hound work and terrierwork to make the day memerable .Sunday we were up and out early to a place where my mate has the enviable job of controlling the numbers of chinese water deer .The weather overnight had chilled somewhat and a fine layer of snow covered the ground ,combined with a very keen north wind .The cwd is a species i have never even seen let alone shot .

I had in my minds eye ,a picture of the type of land that i thought they would favour ,considering the name and i wasnt far wrong either .A flat landscape criss-crossed with dykes and grass flood plains either side .The hedges were wild and an old railway cut through the heart of it ,raised above the otherwise flat backdrop .Driving, cold rain started about now

We set off stalking down the first hedge away from the farm with my mate leading the way. Saw several small deer run from us as we got through a hedge and i knew i had seen my first .Got to an old barn and we spotted a lone deer a long way off ,over two dykes and up against a hedge .We got to the first dykes edge and i ranged it .It was still a long way out at 322 metres on the range finder .The deer started moving towards a patch of cover so it was decided that i should take the shot from here .Now some of you will be surprised at the range i chose to shoot at but im growing more and more confident in my set up and knew it was possible .I got down on the bipod and inched through the grass to get a propper sight picture .I have adjusted the trigger to a fraction of touch so no pull will affect the shot .

Put the cross hairs on the deers back above the kill zone ,squeezed it off and watched the deer crumble and saw the spent bullet hit a puddle behind the deer to send a shower skyward .

Well to shoot one of these was enough but do it in style was the dogs bollocks

Made our way to it and found it was a small doe and what a strange looking little thing too .The face of a kids teddy bear with a light ,creamy coat and rounded stomach .Hand shakes and excited talking from me as i studied it

Gralloched it and found all the internal organs to be very small even for the small body size .

Onwards towards the old railway track ,leaving the beast for collection with the quad .Over the track and my mate froze ,motioned me to his side and pointed to a hedge about a 100 yds away .I could see what he meant and got down for the shot .It was another cwd but lead down in the dyke with only the head and a bit of shoulder sticking above the grass .I had a quick check for tusks but none visable so shot it in the head .Ranged that at 106 so i wasnt far wrong .

Walked to it and could see it was a bigger beast ,a buck but one that was going back as both tusks were decayed and snapped off .

What a morning it had been .The wind nearly cut us in half ,the rain stung our faces but i never felt none of it as we dragged this one to a collection point .God im a lucky man .

Many thanks to mr BW and to the landowners that make our sport possible .

Edited November 24, 2008 by foxdropper

[Guest remmy]

as per norm cracking read mate and a nice few deer as well sound like you had a very good day.

[ferret boy charlie 0]

nice one did you notice how easily there fur comes out ?

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

Yes mate .It was a talking point as i gralloched them.

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

Chuffed for you mate . All you need now is the elusive sika and you will be in the " ALL 6 SPECIES CLUB " along with me and Laurie.

 

When did you say I was coming down to Oxford again............. :11: :11:

[martin 332]

You done well FD and they do look a bit cute dont they,let me know how they taste mate.I am already bored to death mate,so,I will be trying to get out myself as soon as possible!!...............martin.

[David 9]

Well done mate some good shooting you done there im sure you'll be showing foxhunter how to shoot next time you meet Edited November 25, 2008 by David

[Yokel Matt 918]

You're a lucky bugger having such useful mates Nice work and great, discriptive read, almost there with you. They really do have teddy bear features... well the one in the first pic does anyway

[Lost Generation 93]

Are you sure you were in Oxfordshire and not Bucks when you shot these CWD?

[outdoors kid 1]

Great read buddy, some funny looking beasts they are

 

congrats !

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

FD , that place is in Bucks mate Still dont mind coming down though

Edited November 27, 2008 by FOXHUNTER

[ferret boy charlie 0]

I CAN REMEMBER MY MATE DOG COGHING UP A MASSIVE HAIRBALL ON THE WAY HOME LOL THEY ARE WEIRD LIL CRITTERS THEY REMIND ME OF HARES ABIT LOL

[Boghossian 0]

Nice one, can you tell us what your setup is and what is different for you to be so consistent with these long shots?

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

The setup is a standard tikka T3 lite ,243,in stainless with a 7x56 meopta scope .100 grain bullets .I guess ive just got to know the combination mate .The hold over is not something i consiously think about but i must do it as the drop is something that we cant avoid.The consistancy you speak of made me smile as ive only recently been pushing the ranges but it seems to be working .Practice mate then practice some more .

Edited to say that ive not found the need for a scope with a zoom ,id rather it was seen at the range it really is than bring it in to just infront your nose

Edited November 28, 2008 by foxdropper

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

On the border with Oxford /Bucks actually