Frenchieboy Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 I am now very comfortable and confident with my .243 and I am able to regularly shoot a 1 inch group at 100 yards so now I feel that I am ready to start taking on some stalking. With the end of the Roe Doe stalking coming to an end soon I am ruling them out as I prefer not to shoot females that might be carrying young. At this point in the post please note - I know that this has to be done in places like Forestry Commission land for control purposes where there are management programs in force and where they are doing damage to young saplings etc, but as I only shoot for sport (at the moment) I personally do not see it as very sporting. I do not want to get into a long drawn out debate on this, I know it has to be done and that there are some that will do it as a necessity and I do not have a problem with them or what they are doing, but it is simply my personal choice not to do it. Anyway, with that in mind it leaves me with the option to wait for the Roe Buck or maybe the Red, Fallow, or Sika Stag season to start and with my 60th birthday coming up in Early May I thought this might be a great Birthday treat for me to take a memorable stalk and hopefully nail my first Roe/Stag for my birthday. Can anyone tell me where the nearest place is that I might be able to arrange a paid stalk for a morning or afternoon within a reasonable distance of my home on the East Lancs / West Yorkshire border and what the cost might be. I should add that I am not over worried about taking a carcass home, just some photos and good happy memories! I am on a fairly tight budget so I need to keep the costs within a reasonable amount, i.e. I can't really afford to start going in to "hundreds of pounds" for this "one off" occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camokid Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 hi there pete im sure there will be someone on hear willing to take you out. all i can say is there is a lot of cowboy people out there happy to take your money with no shots taken. im also on a bit of a budget but i would pay the amount asked for a propper stalk with a beast at the end of the day. hope you find a stalk im sure you will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) Beware of the hidden costs.. Some stalkers will charge you by the stalk, perhaps with a minimum of 2 and an overnight stay which will stand you £250-300 irrespective of getting a shot off or not. Others may offer their services for less but make sure you know what you are getting into. It is not unheard of to pay £60-70 for a stalk only to take a beast and then discover it is a medal head and be presented with a bill for anything up to a grand for the privilage :o Just make sure you ask the right questions of whoever you are going out with and in particular..... ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS! How far are you willing to travel Pete? Edited March 24, 2011 by Vipa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Vipa, I know exactly what you are saying and you are quite right, I realise that you need to be careful of the "hidden extras" that might be incurred, and of course there may be a few "rip off artists" about that could try to take advantage of the less experienced shooters! As for how far I am willing to travel, that depends much on how much the stalking is going to cost me as my travelling expences will have to be added into the overall price to see if it is financially viable. At the moment I am running my Fronty 2 litre petrol which isn't the most economical of motors but I am looking to change for something more economical which could make a difference. For the time being I am just trying to put a few feelers out to see what it might cost me for my "Birthday Treat" - Like I said earlier, I am not worried about taking any venison home, all I want out of it is agood, memorable day with some good company and a few photos to remember the experience by! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Look for cull stalking frenchie and make sure you know what is involved up front, With most people I have been with they select the beast and so shoulder the responsibility if it turns out to be a mistake. Though up your way on those species you shouldn't have an issue. Funnily enough my last stalk on CWD the guide couldn't see the teeth on one buck but I could from behind the scope. I suppose I could have pulled a flanker and shot it without mentioning it but I'm not like that. Far better to get what you are after and your wallet can support. Down our way muntjac does give reasonable price stalking but it wouldn't be your cup of tea as you need to shoot the pregnant ones. Reasoning being its kinder because they then are less likely to have dependant young to be left behind and starve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) Al4x mate, I am not totally against shooting a pregnant female. All it is with that situation and me is that I do not have big herds of deer on my permissions so I feel it is better to allow what there to breed without wanting to ruin my own future sport. I realise that Munties breed all year round so there can not be a closed season so I see Munties in a slightly different light to the "main species" of deer that we get around our way. With that in mind I would be happy to consider a "Muntie Stalk"! I'm not always the best at chosing the right words but hopefully you will understand this post and see where I am coming from and my line of thought! Thanks for your reply. Edited March 24, 2011 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobt Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Roe does are pregnant the whole time they are in season, do you not shoot rabbits as they may be pregnant? hope you have a good day out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Roe does are pregnant the whole time they are in season, do you not shoot rabbits as they may be pregnant? hope you have a good day out. Yes Bob I do shoot rabbits when they are pregnant, I have no qualms whatsoever about it, but I do not class rabbits in the same way as I do Deer! Rabbit control (In my opinion) is a totally different concept to shooting deer for sport. As I tried to explain, I can understand the need to shoot does when they are carrying young if it is for crop protection or control of their numbers and where culling is necessary. I accept that and I do not have any problems with it, in fact I could (And would if invited to) comfortably take part in the "culling" where it is necessary. What I am saying is that there are not that many roe deer on my permissions so I would rather allow them to carry and support their young from around this time till they the young are able to fend for themselves rather than finding developing fetuses(Sp) during the graloch, hence allowing the population to grow a little (To within controllable numbers that the land can support) and offer me better sport in times to come. Having said that if I found it necessary to shoot a pregnant doe on "humanitarian grounds" (i.e. If she were injured with little chance of survival) then I would and could quite happily do it! I do like to think of the conservation side of things as well as the shooting side of the sport! Surely I am not wrong in thinking that way am I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vipa Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 I do think you are missing a trick not wanting the carcass though Pete.... best part of stalking (and the thing that justifies the whole thing in my mind) is the venison... YUM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 venison is indeed the best bit, I have to say I'm a little lost here Pete I thought you had a mentor all set and ready to take you out whenever, from the issues with getting a .243 in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Your really asking in the wrong place, try SD with your enquiry. At the time of year you will be looking at going at then Roe bucks and Muntjac will be available to you. I think most guides work on a buck every three stalks, so a full day could easily be a blank. A stalk and a cull animal can be had for around 150-175 pound. There is a stalker over here in East Yorks who has a good rep, John Robson, but even he I think everages a success every 1 in 3 stalks. If you wait until August and head south then you will have Fallow buck available aswell. One or two of the guys who advertsie on here seem to have a good success rate but are not in your immediate area. As for shooting late season mature Roe does, well its just not nice and is best avoided IMO, maybe I'm soft but I don't like to see a large well formed foetus which is still moving around in the sac when I drag it during the gralloch, thats the reality of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted March 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 venison is indeed the best bit, I have to say I'm a little lost here Pete I thought you had a mentor all set and ready to take you out whenever, from the issues with getting a .243 in the first place. You are quite right there Al4x. At the moment I have turned down the chance tyo go stalking with my mentor three times so far as eact time it would have involved a couple og nights away, something that my dearly beloved is not too keen on! I am waiting for him to do something more local and I will then go out with him but in the mean time I am looking at something for a Birthday treat to remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris d Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 You are quite right there Al4x. At the moment I have turned down the chance tyo go stalking with my mentor three times so far as eact time it would have involved a couple og nights away, something that my dearly beloved is not too keen on! I am waiting for him to do something more local and I will then go out with him but in the mean time I am looking at something for a Birthday treat to remember. hi frenchie,have a look for some stalking around the trough of bowland (clitheroe)or ribble valley areas mate.Im sure theres someone on the stalking directory from clitheroe area who can help you, atb chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted March 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Thanks for that Chris, I certainly will as that is more viable distance wise. Do you have any contacts there that you could suggest please? Any help will be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris d Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Thanks for that Chris, I certainly will as that is more viable distance wise. Do you have any contacts there that you could suggest please? Any help will be appreciated! sorry mate i havnt got any contacts up there these days,there may also be some stalking over skipton way best for you to put a post up on sd mate chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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