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My first fallow


walshie
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I was kindly offered a day fallow stalking yesterday so jumped at the chance to get my first.

In the morning, my hunting partner had a yearling doe. We carried on for a while after but didn't see anything else, so took the deer to the truck and went for breakfast.

For our evening session we went to a different ground and sat in a high seat. We got there at about 3.30. Apart from a couple of pheasants there wasn't much activity. It was drizzling with rain. By 4.30 I knew we only had about half an hour of light left and to be honest I was kind of losing hope of nabbing my first fallow. I consoled myself that as least we had the one (very small) deer between us and we'd had a laugh. 

About 15 minutes later, a pricket appeared out of the bushes to our right (my side of the seat) and was walking away from us. I aimed the gun waiting for it to turn and my mate called it. First call and it stopped. Second call and it turned to look at us. It was almost sideways on but not completely.  I took the shot and it ran into the bracken opposite us at speed. Surely I couldn't have missed from such close range?

We got down out of the seat and the dog went into the bracken after it. She found it almost immediately and came out to let us know. I had another round in the chamber in case it was only wounded, but when we got to it, it was dead as a dodo. The bullet had hit exactly where I had aimed, but due to it not being completely broadside to us, the bullet went through the heart, but lodged in the opposite shoulder.  

By the time we had dragged it into the open to take a photo it was completely dark. Dragging a 120lb carcass back to the truck which was parked miles away, in the dark, took some doing.

I was properly made up and I've still got a grin on my face today.

Great day, great company and a day to remember. Thanks mate. 

Excuse the quality of the photo. I wish I'd taken my camera now instead of just the phone.

20171107_164156.thumb.jpg.8c75f02820f1ceeee2af8d978e4d1db6.jpg

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7 minutes ago, kyska said:

Nicely done, what calibre did you shoot it with?

I particularly like your stalking face veil...

308 with 150gr Sierra prohunter. My face veil is a sheet of A4 and an elastic band. :lol:

4 minutes ago, fruity said:

Excellent well done  , are you butchering it and keeping the meat or selling on 

Already gone to a specialist butcher. 

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1 hour ago, Mice! said:

Nice write up, sounds like a day you will remember, the only question no one has asked is what kind of dog were you using, could have been fun had it gone dark without fido there, he earned hus supper.

Lovely little lab bitch. 

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I wager you will not forget that one. I have shot hundreds of various large four legged animals since my first fallow, some 40yrs ago, which was the same as yours, a pricket.  I still remember my two dogs, chocy lab and GSP looking at me as much as to say, "If your expecting us to retrieve that you've another think coming".   I still remember that 'buzz' of adrenalin, like a small electric shock, running through me as like yours, the deer suddenly appeared in the gloom about 50yrds away.  Still get it today.

Well done and enjoy the good eating.  

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