Raja Clavata Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 On one of my permissions (rabbit and vermin only) I have stalked a few fallow deer recently to within distances that I never thought possible. This is based on my (limited) experience of trying to stalk muntjac and the fact they seem to be off way before you get too close. Anyway, over the permisson last night with MZUNGU MJINGA (new member on here but a long standing mate of mine - Duncan to those that know him) we came across what looked like a yearling fallow in amongst the wheat with it's head down. By making no noise and only moving when it had it's head down we get to the edge of the grass cover without it noticing us. After sitting there watching it for a while (getting eaten alive by mozzies) it actually moved in closer to us and I reckon it got close enough for me to have stood up and thrown a stone at it. I deliberately spooked it in the end and it did not really give flight very far before stopping and taking another good look at us. Is this kind of behaviour out of the ordinary? I've seen some questions relating to this in the DSC1 course notes that I've recently started studying but have not got far enough through to get the pointers thus far... My suspicion is that it's not normal and that I am not gods gift to stealthy deer stalking but I just wondered what experienced folks views on this are? It was a balmy still evening and it was around 21:30 hrs. Thanks in advance Raja Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 If you are silent, remain unseen and have the wind in the right direction it is not unusual to get up close and personal with deer. Half the fun of stalking is to see how close you can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Deer see movement far better than shape, as Charlie stated, get those factors right and it's amazing how close you can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 (edited) Raja , With experiance you should be able to get within 100 yards of all species of deer . 95% of all the deer I have shot have been within 100 yards or closer . The closest I have shot a deer at is 15 yards in heavy woodland , it was a nice cull buck that I had stalked in the woods that decided to turn around and walk back towards me . It was so close I had to sight down the side of the barrel of my rifle because the scope wouldnt focus down enough . I very rarely use more than 4 x power on my scope because I like to stalk in close . Its not rocket science ,but it does take a little bit of comman sense and field craft . Proberbly the easiest way to shoot deer is from a high seat .I have had deer walk directly underneath me when up a seat . Thats only 20 feet away . It also depends on how young you are . I have finished many a stalk on my belly in my younger days ,it would know take me 10 minutes to get down on my belly and 30 minutes to get back up . Remember , the thrill is in the stalk ,not in the kill . Harnser . Edited June 23, 2010 by Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 23, 2010 Report Share Posted June 23, 2010 Stalking deer, how close should you be able to get? You cannot answer that, but as others have said if everything is right then CLOSE!! In other environments you may struggle to get in centrefire range! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mereside Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 closest i have been is 20 metres with another stalker no shot taken as i had no backstop .we also stalked one morning around 300metres down to around 40 there where 4 roe on the edge of one field and 1 in the game strip in the next field which we were stalking down we sat and waited for the single buck to move back along the game strip so we could get closer to the 4 to find the one we were after found a gap in the hedge and climbed through to sit and watch them for half an hour laying in the sun again no shot as they were all the wrong sex but it was still exiting we then stalked back the way we had come without them knowing we were there. the last two i have had the pleasure to shoot one was shot at 35mtres and the other was no more than 20 metres like others have said keep quiet and move slowly when they are not looking all the best,wayne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 a lot depends on whether they think you've seen them, they will freeze and hope the lack of movement means you don't see them. I was within 20 yards of a fallow buck this morning, lovely to see and he just froze in the rape and thought I hadn't seen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 the wind will give you away if you get it wrong, stalking into wind you can often get within twenty feet, but there are a number of variables, doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted June 24, 2010 Report Share Posted June 24, 2010 the closest i have been was last week out with the dogs early morning. spotted a buck and a doe browsing on a tree just over a stone wall, they hadn't seen me and the wind was right... i sat the dogs up at about 50 yds and left them and crouched/crawled tight into the wall. by standing up very, very slowly i was able to watch these two animals feeding less than ten feet away facing me - absolutely stunning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted July 17, 2010 Report Share Posted July 17, 2010 Stalking I can get within 20 yards with ease. The closest I've ever got was in a near gale force wind in a wood, and a Roe doe actually sniffed the end of my shotgun barrel as she walked past! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted July 18, 2010 Report Share Posted July 18, 2010 Stalking I can get within 20 yards with ease. The closest I've ever got was in a near gale force wind in a wood, and a Roe doe actually sniffed the end of my shotgun barrel as she walked past! :blink: makes a .243 seem like overkill! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 18, 2010 Report Share Posted July 18, 2010 indeed even the shotgun would hav been fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted July 19, 2010 Report Share Posted July 19, 2010 It would have been so easy to pull the trigger. Even 30g of #6 would have taken her head off at that range. She was out of season though for a start, the legalities are questionable and it would have ruined a great day for me had I done it. It's one I will remember for a long time and will take some beating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 19, 2010 Report Share Posted July 19, 2010 It was meant in jest, however with your shotgun ability on sitting rabbits she may have stood a chance I was at least that close to a fallow doe this morning just heard her make one step in really heavy cover and managed to spot her standing absolutely still, amazng how well camouflaged they are at this time of year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted July 19, 2010 Report Share Posted July 19, 2010 if the deer are happy in their activities and the wind is right and the cover good, if you take your time and only move slowly when they are head down of looking away you can eventually creep in really close, as you get closer you need to make sure that every foot step is silent and any movements are slow and deliberate so you can freeze in mid step if needed, its a lot easier to stalk in close if you haven't got to faff about getting stick up and a rifle on top, if i'm going to shoot it i'm happy if i can get to 70-80yds, I have stalked to about 15yds of some roe a few times when i've spotted them when pigeon shooting, without a gun it becomes much easier mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted July 20, 2010 Report Share Posted July 20, 2010 if the deer are happy in their activities and the wind is right and the cover good, if you take your time and only move slowly when they are head down of looking away you can eventually creep in really close, as you get closer you need to make sure that every foot step is silent and any movements are slow and deliberate so you can freeze in mid step if needed, its a lot easier to stalk in close if you haven't got to faff about getting stick up and a rifle on top, if i'm going to shoot it i'm happy if i can get to 70-80yds, I have stalked to about 15yds of some roe a few times when i've spotted them when pigeon shooting, without a gun it becomes much easier mikee I'd agree with the above. I've got a permission in the Countryside above Norwich airport. There is a large herd of fallow that situates itself on quiet a small stretch of land, and I've got stalking over a chunk of it. The Fallow there are wary of humans but not to the levels of extreme (especially with ambient noise - cars are stuff),) and it's entirely possible to stalk within 10-15yards if your lucky. The closest I ever got, I only realised when I heared a young fallow buck chewing leaves the other side of a big bramble hedge (about 7yards). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted July 20, 2010 Report Share Posted July 20, 2010 I'd agree with the above. I've got a permission in the Countryside above Norwich airport. There is a large herd of fallow that situates itself on quiet a small stretch of land, and I've got stalking over a chunk of it. The Fallow there are wary of humans but not to the levels of extreme (especially with ambient noise - cars are stuff),) and it's entirely possible to stalk within 10-15yards if your lucky. The closest I ever got, I only realised when I heared a young fallow buck chewing leaves the other side of a big bramble hedge (about 7yards). You are lucky, Roe can be a bit stupid exsp. the bucks but fallow doe are are a nightmare, very difficult to stalk and are very aware doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleeh Posted July 20, 2010 Report Share Posted July 20, 2010 You are lucky, Roe can be a bit stupid exsp. the bucks but fallow doe are are a nightmare, very difficult to stalk and are very awaredoc See, that is a strange thing, I've seen a few Roe and they are the ones that are a nightmare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markm Posted July 20, 2010 Report Share Posted July 20, 2010 When I was younger and was shooting rabbits with my webley tracker I walked up behind a roe doe that was moving slowly while grazing in a winter stubble field, every time it looked I stopped still and got so close I could have hit its rear with the tracker barrel. When I made a noise (clicked my tongue) it literally jumped, had a quick look and run. Now I don't even get close due to alcohol consumption on an evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted July 20, 2010 Report Share Posted July 20, 2010 See, that is a strange thing, I've seen a few Roe and they are the ones that are a nightmare. Maybe its a geographical thing, down here the Roe never see us in the high chairs but the fallow will look up and prove much more difficult to get on to. they do drive us nuts where s the Roe are much easier doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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