Walker570 Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 (edited) ........on a beautiful spring day. As reported elsewhere on here I have just built a hunting blind with the idea it would provide a good spot to kill squirrels as well as the occasional muntie. Well got there this morning at 8..30 and settled in with enough vittals to keep me going for four or five hours. Apart from one or two cock pheasants nothing moved until about 9 oclock and I saw a squirrel hunkered in a ball on the wire frame around the pheasant feeder, 30yrds, Winchester sub sonic hollow point ..THUNK!! and it dropped without a twitch. Good start but then it went quiet until about 10..30am when a good size muntie doe came out and stood staring at the dead squirrel. I had a good look at her and she did not look to have just dropped a fawn, so I let fly with the 7-30 Waters 130grn and she reared up and dropped within a yard. I decided to go and drag her out and gralloch her back down wind and she had just the makings of a foetus which was perfect because you don't want to shoot muntie does if they have a youngster lay in the grass somewhere, which with munties can occure year round. Back into the blind and about 30 minutes later a muntie buck walks out and stands sniffng the line where I had dragged the doe. I put a round through the ribs and it did a big jump forward into a bed of dead nettles and vanished. I was happy with the shot but you never know, so I gave it ten minutes and then went to have a look. Big splat of lung where the stike was and a 'paint' line of blood trail unto the brambles and scrub, pretty easy to follow and I was stunned just how far this small deer had gone with heart and lungs totally destroyed. I would say 35 to 40yrds totally bled out so the meat should be good eating. Having sorted it I sat for a further 10 mintes and then decided to move to another spot where a 200yrds ride runs across a 40 acre wood which is normally crawling with tree rats. I pulled the Land Rover into a spot where I could cover the ride and got sat in the passenger seat. Pheasants all over but nothing else other than a dozen male blackbirds. It had been about an hour and suddenly a squirrel came from under the nearest feeder jumped on one of the legs and climbed to the top and sat chewing something. Perfect. THUNK!!! and it fell like a stone and had hit the ground just seconds before there was a flash of bright ginger and a big fox leapt out of the bush alongside and grabbed it !!! Then went off down the ride , tree rat held high, as happy as Larry. I think it was probably stalking it and then sat in the bush waiting for it to come down and couldn't believe it when it was delivered ..oven ready so to speak. Just two squirrels seen where i would normally expect to see twenty or more and a chance at double figures. That was in three locations as I sat for 45 mins in another ride from 7 to 8am and din't see a thing. Lat year , same time, these three locations were crawling with 'em. Explanation???? Oh! before you ask. Foxes are not shot on this estate. Edited March 14, 2018 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumpy22 Posted March 14, 2018 Report Share Posted March 14, 2018 great write up and well done. cracking little deer saw a lovely buck tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted March 15, 2018 Report Share Posted March 15, 2018 enjoyed reading that walker, glad the work you put into the hunting blind has paid off already, been plenty of folk saying squirrel numbers are low at the moment and they aren't seeing many, which has to be a good thing. great pictures as well, helps paint the scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly321 Posted March 16, 2018 Report Share Posted March 16, 2018 well done bud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOXHUNTER1 Posted March 16, 2018 Report Share Posted March 16, 2018 Nice write up . Bet Charlie couldn't believe his luck Squirrels are fickle I find , 1 day they are all over and another none to be seen , I usually attribute it to the weather ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted March 16, 2018 Report Share Posted March 16, 2018 Nice read and liked the look of your lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted March 16, 2018 Report Share Posted March 16, 2018 Good going fella and a nice buck there. Going down to Suffolk for a few days with the rifle next week and hoping to get one or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2018 (edited) It is crawling with them down in those east coast counties. A friend had five a few days ago on another place where like my area they want every one you see shot to try and get numbers down. Best of luck and hope this weather has cleared up a bit for you it looks cold but dry on the forecast. LUNCH !! Intended to be in the blind for four or five hours and didn't want to starve Edited March 17, 2018 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel b3 Posted March 17, 2018 Report Share Posted March 17, 2018 Well done nev ,that's a fantastic day out by any standard mate ?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted March 17, 2018 Report Share Posted March 17, 2018 13 hours ago, sako751sg said: Good going fella and a nice buck there. Going down to Suffolk for a few days with the rifle next week and hoping to get one or two. 1 or 2, so that means you are only going out for the morning So common down here you will be tripping over them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted March 17, 2018 Report Share Posted March 17, 2018 1 minute ago, vampire said: 1 or 2, so that means you are only going out for the morning So common down here you will be tripping over them. Lol,i like setting my hopes low and anything higher is a bonus. Was down a wee while back and seen good numbers alright. The lad sent pics and clips from his thermal the other evening of where hes planning to go and they were everywhere so looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted March 17, 2018 Report Share Posted March 17, 2018 It's a good time of year for them you should do OK. And well done Walker look like two fine muntjac there I look back from time to time to where I have gralloched deer, as muntjac definitely drawn to the smell of it and will eat it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted March 18, 2018 Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 On 3/17/2018 at 11:59, sako751sg said: Lol,i like setting my hopes low and anything higher is a bonus. Was down a wee while back and seen good numbers alright. The lad sent pics and clips from his thermal the other evening of where hes planning to go and they were everywhere so looking forward to it. We were out calling foxes but gave up as nothing about,put the landrover in reverse and shocked we had called in 5 muntjac all standing right behind us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted March 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2018 I noticed some time ago that when calling munties with a Bute-, always check downwind of you as they tend to come around, or always seem to with me. Noticed this when one barked well up wind and continued barking in a large circle until it popped out down wind of me. Had to be the same one. Brilliant little animals, love 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted March 19, 2018 Report Share Posted March 19, 2018 9 hours ago, vampire said: We were out calling foxes but gave up as nothing about,put the landrover in reverse and shocked we had called in 5 muntjac all standing right behind us. They are a funny wee creature and alien to what we are used to up here although obviously no expert by any stretch. First and only time at them was around 7 weeks ago and they were numerous in numbers and great to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_seagrave Posted March 21, 2018 Report Share Posted March 21, 2018 On 17/03/2018 at 13:41, Dunkield said: It's a good time of year for them you should do OK. And well done Walker look like two fine muntjac there I look back from time to time to where I have gralloched deer, as muntjac definitely drawn to the smell of it and will eat it too. How interesting. I love the rich taste of muntjac, but never attributed it to their omnivorous diet. Every day’s a school day! Cracking write-up and nice pics too LS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandalf Posted March 21, 2018 Report Share Posted March 21, 2018 Well done my friend. Still can't get out much at the moment due to the snow related ankle injury. Leave a few for me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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