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DIY red


moor man
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Well I've been deer stalking for 10 years now, roe and fallow mostly round these parts.

This was the result of a solo stalking trip at the weekend, my first ever Red. I have seen a group of young stags on the trail cams for over a year but never caught up with them...till now.

It was no mean feat getting him out of the woods and into the truck.

I'm a tree guy so using pulleys and ropes I managed to drag it uphill 150m out of the wood. Using a combination of gravity, a board, rope and pulleys persuaded it into the back of the truck.

10 minutes stalking and 3hrs of grunting later I hit the road🤪.

It was a strange stalk, I literally just stepped into the wood and spotted a 'deer leg' shaped tree at 70m.... then the flick of an ear. Up with the binos and a group of 6 red gradually appeared. One beast selected itself broadside and dropped to the shot, as often happens the rest took a few paces in confusion, a second deer could have easily been taken but I knew I had my hands full. I gave him a few minutes to pass whilst I had a 'moment' to think about what just happened...

I'm pretty chuffed as I gave up pheasant shooting this season to concentrate on stalking. The 6.5x55 140gn sst home load did it's job well.

A great start to the year😁.

 

20190114_084508.jpg

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20190114_201909.jpg.343cb6e4f69a4726fabbe59f9411470a.jpgThanks for the comments, it was a bit of a goal for me so I was made up when it all came together. I suppose I'm a bit of a masochist to want to do this, (especially on the steep ground I shoot on - very limited access). I had a plan 'B' to cut the haunches off and pack them out, drag the rest out on a sled. It got me thinking more about carcass recovery, 200m of poly rope, maybe a portable winch? Pony?🤠or just stick to roe that I can carry like a handbag😊.nah too easy!

Happy+safe stalking everyone..

ClemF.....haha 😋

Dougy....hopefully by the time I need a zimmerframe the muntjac will have spread to my patch.👍

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Clem; thanks, thats a great bit of kit👍

Also looked at chainsaw winch.

I don't have a recovery winch on my truck but did buy a cheap 2nd hand 12v winch(short reach and v.slow) just need to sort out a fixing for it to go in the back of the ranger. I dont think I will be shooting too many but who knows?

My tree surgery rigging kit came in handy, good selection of double /single pulleys, crabs, slings, ropes, etc.

20190114_221711.jpg

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26 minutes ago, moor man said:

Clem; thanks, thats a great bit of kit👍

Also looked at chainsaw winch.

I don't have a recovery winch on my truck but did buy a cheap 2nd hand 12v winch(short reach and v.slow) just need to sort out a fixing for it to go in the back of the ranger. I dont think I will be shooting too many but who knows?

My tree surgery rigging kit came in handy, good selection of double /single pulleys, crabs, slings, ropes, etc.

20190114_221711.jpg

Well yeah, who knows. 

a little rope/rigging knowledge definitely goes a long way. 

If you get stuck into a gang of hinds and calves you could quite easily end up emptying your magazine. 

If you are geared up you know you can deal with them.

Anyway. Good luck catching up with more of them.

Edited by ClemFandango
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Thanks, yep I know I should be better prepared for next time. To be honest I had little expectation of shooting anything as I've blanked the last few trips, it's a 2hr round trip for me so not a 5 min job. I hit the roe hard in 2017 and this year saw a marked absence of roe on my patch. Out again this weekend so fingers crossed.

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6 hours ago, moor man said:

Thanks, yep I know I should be better prepared for next time. To be honest I had little expectation of shooting anything as I've blanked the last few trips, it's a 2hr round trip for me so not a 5 min job. I hit the roe hard in 2017 and this year saw a marked absence of roe on my patch. Out again this weekend so fingers crossed.

Sorry, that last post wasn't meant to sound critical. 

Good luck this weekend

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No apology required, im always open to new ideas. Im a fairly fit 57 yr old but anything to make the operation more efficient I welcme. Stalking can be a solitary pastime so a bit of feedback/input is always welcomed. I wouldn't have posted but just wanted to share what was an epic morning for me. Im definitely no expert, just an enthusiastic amateur looking to learn. All constructive criticism welcomed👍

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8 hours ago, moor man said:

Thanks for the kind comments....

One life etc.....

Just got to get out and do what you can when you can.....

Atb M.M.

Thats the ticket, I have the chance to start stalking [red hinds] but im in two minds due to the physical work involved dragging it off the hill, also bearing in mind that im not over keen cleaning rabbits let alone a deer, I love being on the hill and am fit for my age,  Its good to see threads like yours,  keep it up

   

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Well done Moor Man. There are easier ways to extract your prize back to the car. Guts out, haunches and head off (if it was your first and you intend to keep it then fine but otherwise leave it), then make two journeys.

When I first shot red deer I was fine with the gralloch but gradually I began to dislike it. Being careful round the guts was essential.

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Thanks Islandgun,JDog,Christian, yes my plan b was cut it it up and pack it out.

I have cleaned many a deer and take food hygiene very seriously, a lot of the venison goes to friends and family. I try to butcher as best I can in respect of the animal. All trim/wastemeat, even the legs go to friends with dogs. It always makes me smile seeing them trotting round with a mouth full (the dogs not the friends)

The spikes will be made into stick tops and possibly a priest. Back out at the weekend so all remains will be returned to the woodland. I tend to err on the side of caution with hanging as I don't have access to a temp controlled chiller. Carcass is now butchered into primal cuts and needs breaking down further. I have plenty of hungry mouths willing to do it justice.😋

Sausages, jerky, burgers and bresaola? 

Wish I lived next door to Scott Rea...

Edited by moor man
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11 hours ago, Christian Sutton said:

Good result on the 20 month old staggie Moorman. I can appreciate your efforts on the extraction, been there myself many many times before over the last 15 years..  Welcome to the big stuff :good:

footrail.JPG

How can you tell it's age from the photos?

I need to have a closer look at teeth, don't have the head with me here but will take some pics..

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I could come out with some bullswipe Moorman like many other of the self proclaimed Deerstalking experts.

But in reality it's quite simple.. That stag in its first year of being born (May/June time) would of slowly grown antlers covered in velvet. By approximately 6 months of age (November time) they would of started to become visable.  Almost like little bobble or bumps.

Then depending on food resources, weather and good breeding which would all play a part on how big they would grow the following year.

August/September time generally all red stags shed the velvet off there antlers and then move into hard antler stage. Your stag at this point would be 15/16 month old.

Add another 4 months to its age which brings you to January this year. Hope this explains my prediction.. Don't let foxhunterboy tell you any different lol..

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39 minutes ago, Christian Sutton said:

I could come out with some bullswipe Moorman like many other of the self proclaimed Deerstalking experts.

But in reality it's quite simple.. That stag in its first year of being born (May/June time) would of slowly grown antlers covered in velvet. By approximately 6 months of age (November time) they would of started to become visable.  Almost like little bobble or bumps.

Then depending on food resources, weather and good breeding which would all play a part on how big they would grow the following year.

August/September time generally all red stags shed the velvet off there antlers and then move into hard antler stage. Your stag at this point would be 15/16 month old.

Add another 4 months to its age which brings you to January this year. Hope this explains my prediction.. Don't let foxhunterboy tell you any different lol..

Spot on Sir 👍

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