groach1234 Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Well after two failed attempts to bag a buck for my birthday in the past week I finally got lucky yesterday. It wasn't that promising a start as just as i arrived at johns the winds that were forecast and had been all to present last night picked up out of nowhere. With a quick change of plans we headed off to a bit of ground closer to johns that would be a little more sheltered than was planned. We arrived at the ground and left the truck and proceeded to stalk an area where john had seen a couple of bucks in the last week. The plan was to have a look around this patch to see if anything showed and if not head to a part of the estate where john had had a tip off of a buck that had been seen two days in a row by someone foxing. Anyway the initial stalk was unfruitful despite it looking like a place that if i were a deer I would want to be but we did spot a fox that was about as spooked as us as it bolted about 15 yards away. However it was getting towards the time the buck had been seen so we headed over to the high seat glassing areas as we went to no avail. We were in the high seat for 5.40 as that was around the time the buck had been seen and sat in wait. As time slowly passed we were both starting to doubt the odds of a buck showing as the weather just didn't see right. It was about 6.20 when all of a sudden there was a flash of redish brown moving fast towards us from the wood. Both quickly realising it was a buck I got ready to make the shot when the chance presented. The buck made his way towards us fairly fast presenting a few potential shots as he did so but I opted not to take them as they were a little far and john was sure he was heading our way anyway. Buck fever started to build and I could tell it was only going to get worse so when the buck stopped broad side at about 110 yards I took a couple of last breaths to try and steady myself, lined up the cross hairs and squeezed the trigger. A nice shot reaction followed and I quickly reloaded not giving john a chance for the prompt and the buck fell about 10-20 yards from where he was shot. At this point my heart was racing and I was over the moon to have bagged my birthday buck even if he was 5 days late. He's a nice little six pointer and im boiling down the skull as we speak and will post some pics of the head when i've pressure washed him. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgunspud Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 (edited) Well done mate, nice write up! And some good shooting weather was not with you this week but a nice end :yes. And Happy birthday Edited May 24, 2011 by Shotgunspud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxnet22 Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 enjoyed the read well done.what rifle were you using mate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groach1234 Posted May 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Thanks to both of you. Its a stainless synthetic Tikka t3 in 6.5x55 and will clover leaf at 100 yards. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scragrat Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Happy Birthday George Lucky for you I tipped JR off about that buck on Friday night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nige123 Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Well done mate, that looks like a good start to the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve42 Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Nice buck well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danimal Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 how do you do the head? ive got my first two here but i was going to leave them for the maggots to eat first? Got any tips? Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_haganizer Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Happy birthday mate!! Looks like a cracking present! Gutted I never get presents that good... Lol Robo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rascal_2005 Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 happy birthday mate how old was ya? also well done on your buck, id love to have my own stalking ground john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groach1234 Posted May 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Happy Birthday George Lucky for you I tipped JR off about that buck on Friday night In that case thank you. how do you do the head? ive got my first two here but i was going to leave them for the maggots to eat first? Got any tips? Dan Its quite easy. Its only the second head i've done. Basically skin the head and remove the lower jaw. Then with a sharp knife remove all the meat, fat, eye balls and brains (if you dont want a full skull mount cut it with a saw and jig or workmate if like me you dont have a specialist jig. You then place it in boiling water up to the base of its coronets and leave for 30-45 mins. Remove the head and strap it to something then pressure wash off the residue. If like me you have an industrial pressure washer this may remove some teeth and the end of the nose. Then soak cotton wool in hydrogen peroxide (i bought my 6% from boots for £1.01) and leave over night up to 24 hours then wash off bleach and mount. happy birthday mate how old was ya? also well done on your buck, id love to have my own stalking ground john 19 years old now and I cant wait until i have a couple more under my belt so I can start taking them myself. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bullet boy Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Well done George! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlin vs Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Well done, I hope you get plenty more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sully7s Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 nice work well done 1st of many for you i hope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
left & right Posted May 25, 2011 Report Share Posted May 25, 2011 Well done and lovely looking dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taximan Posted May 29, 2011 Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Nice one George, One little tip for you, when you are boiling out your head, get some tin foil and wrap it around the coronets at the base of the antlers for about an inch or two up the antler. Keep the foil off the pedicles, then when you boil out the head, the fatty deposits and scum that float on top of the water keep of the surface of the antlers. taximan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groach1234 Posted May 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2011 Thanks to all for there comments much appreciated. Nice one George, One little tip for you, when you are boiling out your head, get some tin foil and wrap it around the coronets at the base of the antlers for about an inch or two up the antler. Keep the foil off the pedicles, then when you boil out the head, the fatty deposits and scum that float on top of the water keep of the surface of the antlers. taximan Cheers for the tip will try it next time. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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