Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Dear all. Well my special piece of paper arrived from SNH and the forestry commision in time for my trip to scotland. A nice document that allows me to shoot male deer out of season to protect the restocked sites on the leases i shoot over. WOO HOO!!! feel very priviliged as only 70 issued in the whole of scotland. Good grief the weather is not going to be making stalking easy with 2 inches of snow on the ground and daytime temps of 1c and nighttime temps of -10 to -15. i arrive on day 1 at 1430. and set off to investigate the areas that are accessible. very quickly i realise half the lease is going to be off limits. The undergrowth is not only frozen but crystalline and 20yds into it i gave it up as a bad job as it sounds like a herd of elephants crashing through. i consigned myself to the forest tracks and hoped for the best. I managed to tiptoe up to a rocky outcrop overlooking a cleared fellside and spent the twilight hour awaiting any movement. Alas nothing showed and as i judged it too dark made my way back to the car. I am stopping with the ranger in the area who has kindly invited me to stop with him rather than the caravan so as his good lady piles a plate with shepherds pie i make my plans for tomorrow. Day2. Up with the lark and the outside temp -8c. Off i go and leave the car on my boundary and stalk in on foot. I stalk along a forest trail with cleared fellside on either side of me. 1/2 way along i glassed a nice roe some 700yds away i am trying to tiptoe along but the frozen snow makes every footfall crunch, crunch. I must have been doing something well though as the deer was unaware of me and slowly made its way back to the forestry. i resolve to get here tomorow at the crack of dawn to try to intecept the deer on its way out for its breakfast and carry on up the trail to the next fell. As i slowly make my approach to the corner edge i raise the bins and immediately hear a crashing on the fell coming towards me. I drop the swarovskis back on the neck strap set the sticks and as i get the rifle on a roe is heading towards the forestry on the left of me at 70yds. I shout "Oi" and it stops to look. Crosshairs on and at the shot the deer went 5yds before collapsing. The gralloch reveals a healthy yearling....... woo hooooooo! all that time spent on the range practicing sure paid off. less than 7 seconds from spotting to shooting.... dead eye duck would be proud of me indeed. As i make my way back the car in 20 minutes i realise i stalked the area very well as that 20 minute return journey took me 3 1/2 hrs to get there. I make my way to my next area as the sun begins to dip as does the temperature. I am again overlooking a fell from the forest track and as the sun goes down i realise i can see frost forming on the T8 cover. Nothing came out and as i raise myself to go bloody hell my cheeks are stiff then my lip split and my fingertips are numb......... bloody hell this aint looking good. As i start moving back to the car and warm up i realise i had early stages of ruddy frosbite when i get back to the rangers cottage my glowing cheeks and split skin on my thumbs ( through 2 pairs of gloves) reveal a lucky escape and i resolve to get some serious winter gear for my next trip. Still 1 deer in the bag and an early start to try for the one i saw earlier. Day3. Good grief outside temp -10. defrost the car and make my way to the same forest track. As i approach the area i saw the deer yesterday my tactics were perfect. some 150yds away out from the forestry trots a nice roe. Completely unaware of me. I am already down on the bipod and watching the deer through the scope. As the deer turns perfectly broadside on and lowers it head to browse the re stocked saplings i pick my spot and fire. nothing fancy and my shotarrives inch perfect in the heart and lung area. The gralloch reveals a deer some 2-3years old and in perfect condition considering the conditions. Wellwith that one i call a halt. the gralloch complete i head back to the car and make my way back to say goodbye to the ranger i have stopped with. He is very impressed that i have managed to get 2 deer in these conditions in daytime, which i consider high praise indeed. Phew. well thanks for reading i hope you enjoyed that trip as much as i did. rgds GSAW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Good trip by the sounds of it Good write up too well done BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Great write up ,you sound like you had a great time. Time to invest in some serious gloves,sounds like you had a lucky escape from potential frostbite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Top man Gonna, well done. Bet D buys you a drink for that.?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted December 13, 2010 Report Share Posted December 13, 2010 Well done mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve42 Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Well done fella , sounds like you had a great time there nice write up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 What a great write up, it was a real pleasure to read. Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
left & right Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Well done mate and good write up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted December 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Thanks for the kind words everyone, i shall remember that trip forever. Not for the quantity of deer shot. but the satisfaction of earning each one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garygreengrass Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Great write up,Welldone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wboulter Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 great write up felt like i was there with you well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crouch valley Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Well done mate nice write up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benisbob Posted January 2, 2011 Report Share Posted January 2, 2011 well done and great write up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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