it's been a long time coming

[oowee]

I had seen plenty but they were usually running for cover, in cover or  unshootable. I decided a few months back to go out specifically to find one and had even turned down a Roe buck on the basis that i would get lucky. It seemed that the harder i tried the less likely I was to be successful. 

Today up at 0430 and at the wood for 0530. Timing was good but rain when I left was not promising. Then as dawn approached it the rain stopped and i began to think the effort might be worth it.

In the wood and I am the quietest, slowest person ever to walk through there. Looking, more than walking, along one of the old tracks. After about 50m A movement catches my eye and a doe Munty comes into view at about 25m. I can barely breath as i lift the rifle and she disappears into the undergrowth.  I rest the rifle on the sticks hoping to see her appear further back in the wood, when just behind her a buck comes into view. He stops and looks at me, barely 20m away, and about 1m below me. I slip the safety and he drops where he stood. 

What had been so hard now looks to be not so difficult after all. 

Persuaded by my shooting mate to keep it for the freezer, I have just processed it. Don't think I want to do another, it did not want to part with its fur coat. The first of a few, I hope.

[WelshMike]

Brilliant, well done mate. The first of many I hope. 

[sako751sg]

Top job fella.

Came back with 9 or 10 from Suffolk the last trip and done most of them for the freezer and their coats are a nightmare of a job right enough.

[bumpy22]

At last

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, oowee said:

I had seen plenty but they were usually running for cover, in cover or  unshootable. I decided a few months back to go out specifically to find one and had even turned down a Roe buck on the basis that i would get lucky. It seemed that the harder i tried the less likely I was to be successful. 

Today up at 0430 and at the wood for 0530. Timing was good but rain when I left was not promising. Then as dawn approached it the rain stopped and i began to think the effort might be worth it.

In the wood and I am the quietest, slowest person ever to walk through there. Looking, more than walking, along one of the old tracks. After about 50m A movement catches my eye and a doe Munty comes into view at about 25m. I can barely breath as i lift the rifle and she disappears into the undergrowth.  I rest the rifle on the sticks hoping to see her appear further back in the wood, when just behind her a buck comes into view. He stops and looks at me, barely 20m away, and about 1m below me. I slip the safety and he drops where he stood. 

What had been so hard now looks to be not so difficult after all. 

Persuaded by my shooting mate to keep it for the freezer, I have just processed it. Don't think I want to do another, it did not want to part with its fur coat. The first of a few, I hope.

I had seen the picture but still held my breath ?? well done.

[dazb1967]

Well done mate.

[FOXHUNTER1]

Congrats mate , probably be queuing up for you now that you've broken your duck

[decoy1979]

Good result in the end! Regarding skinning I have found that Munties are best done whilst still warm, where as fallow, Roe etc we leave to cool and then take the coat off.

[bang bang birdy]

I have to agree so much easier to skin if you do them warm.