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First Red Stag.


Frenchieboy
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Well as per the title I have just managed to shoot my first Red Stag - at long last, and I am made up! :yes:

It wasn't stalked as such and it wasn't a really difficult shot, but at least at last I have a Red Stag to me credit and I am made up with it!

I was invited to take part in a deer cull at a "Farm Park" that was doing away with it's herd of red deer and only keeping the fallows. (I have been asked not to divulge the location or name of the Farm Park)

The game dealer that was organising the cull is a good friend of mine and I have been out on several culls with him, and each time he has given some sound advice, hints and tips that have helped me enormously - Something I am trully grateful for as he is what I call a true friend! :yes:

There was four of us shooting and we were instructed "Head Shots Only" and that the stag had to be left till last. The shooting was only at ranges varying from about 60 yards out to about 170 yards with the "shooters" set out in a line along the top part of the deer park section of this farm park which had a line of trees running half way through it making for some "blind spots" which made patience all the more important.

We shot in several "sessions" each one broken by a "picking up" of the shot beasts and then the skinning and dressing of the carcasses which we all helped out with - Gaining yet more good experience for the future.

From the position I was put in I was not getting the chance of many shots as they seemed to get behind the trees and were not offering me clear enough shots but I did manage to get off four shots which accounted for 4 deer ranging from about 80 to 120 yards, which I was quite pleased with.

On the last "session" the few deer that were left were being a bit "difficult" and not offering me a single safe and clear shot so I just held back. Then at last there were just 2 left to shoot, one hind and the stag, and at last the stag very obligingly entered my "shooting area"! I tried to steady my breathing and control a little bit of "stag fever", something that is not too easy for a relatively inexperienced deer shooter I can tell you! Any way, the stag trotted into clear view and stood for me, so still in the prone position and lying in some quite wet mud I carefully took aim. At that stage of the game my beathing got a bit eratic so I really had to concentrate on getting it sorted, which I managed to do after a few more breaths. The stag very obligingly stayed where it was and stood quite proudly straight in front of me about 110 yards away, and that was the opportunity that I had been waiting for all day. One more steady breath in, exhale, hold and squeeze! My .243 let rip and that was that, the stag dropped on the spot with a bullet straight between the eye and the ear! I really can't say what I felt or thought for the next few seconds as I looked at this once majestic beast lying dead on the ground in front of me through my scopes.

I was "brought back to "the real world" when I heard a shout "OK, so that was a good shot but are you going to lie there all day admiring your work or are you going to give us a hand"!

From there it all seemed like a bit of an anticlimax.

The only disappointment was that I was told that I could not take any photos as they might give away the location and the owner did not want the possibility of any adverse publicity about the "wholesale slaughter of deer" (Which some of the antis would see it as).

The stag had had it's antlers removed but I am told that he had worn a good set of 12 pointers. When skinned gutted and dressed he weighed 220 lbs so he was not what you would describe as small guy either!

The eventual total was 20 deer with me only accounting for 5, but I would have been more than happy with just the one if it had been the stag! Needless to say that I am made up and so happy that my trusty .243 has done me proud once again!

This sort of culling/shootin might not be classed as exciting to many of you but at least I am getting some great tuition, hints and tips as well as some really good experience from a guy that is teaching me well.

I am so pleased with myself today that I just wanted to share this with you as I se getting my forst red stag as quite an achievement.

Thanks for spending the time to read this! :good:

Edited by steve_b_wales
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Good shooting fella,and its a job that has to be done.If your weight is correct,he was a huge beast at around 34 stone.Was it not 220lb dressed?

 

Wasn't a stag, 'twas a 'kin elephant! :lol:

 

Good shooting FB, head shooting at any range takes a lot of skill and you obviously got the job done.

Edited by WGD
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Good shooting fella,and its a job that has to be done.If your weight is correct,he was a huge beast at around 34 stone.Was it not 220lb dressed?

Yep, sorry that was a typing error. That's what you get for trying to put a post up when you are kna***red after being up since 04:00!

 

Edit; The post has now been edited accordingly by the moderators. Thanks Mods for acting so fast so as to save me getting jumped on by all and sundry. Your time and efforts are much appreciated!

Edited by Frenchieboy
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