Not quite a traditional stalk

[oscarsdad]

I thought PW may be entertained by a short write up of a successful stalk for my first fallow a few days ago I already put on SD.

The weather being pretty awful today I wasn’t planning to go but then I had a conference call at lunch cancelled so I thought sod it, may as well go and try and see what movements of the deer are like in the middle of the day. 

It was raining a little bit and quite windy on the way there so I was expected them all to be tucked up somewhere nice and warm - well not quite. 

I travelled dressed rather like someone from benefits street as I was intended to wear waterproof ridgeline trousers over tracksuit bottoms as I was so cold last time I went. I certainly wouldn’t want to be seen dressed as I was! I backed the car into the nominated parking spot on the edge of the field, making sure to keep it hidden by the two hedgerows just in case any deer were about. Before getting changed and wellies on etc I slithered in my crocs (yes, crocs, I am 40, married with two young daughters and more concerned about comfort and convenience than style, but they are at least leather topped real brand ones, not Aldi versions...) to the end of the hedgerow and scanned with the binos. Deer!!!!! Four fallow does stood on the edge of the wooded valley bottom. 

Really rather over excited I crept back to the car and as quietly and carefully as I could got my rifle out, got the sticks out the boot and loaded my old classic BSA CF2 in .243 with a similar vintage fixed mag BSA scope on top which I still cannot convince myself to change as it’s such lovely clear glass. Trying to be as quiet as possible, I crept to the edge of the hedgerow and could still see the deer and they hadn’t detected me. Sticks out, rifle levelled and the unmoderated BSA let 100gr of lead go - the selected doe flopped on the spot. 

On the shot, the rest of the herd appeared out of the woodland - about 50 more fallow stood out in the field looking at me. I knew and had been warned on here there may be a chance of a second deer so I’d already immediately cycled the bolt and was ready in case a follow up shot was needed on the doe or for another beast. They milled around a little, not seeming too spooked by the first shot and I waited carefully to ensure a safe broadside shot without wounding another member of the herd. I selected another doe, lined up and squeezed - “click”! Silly sod in my excitement had clearly not fully cycled the bolt as I had just dry fired an empty chamber. At this point I decided to leave it to one deer (and I’m bloody glad I did).

Having marked the spot where the doe had fallen, I went all the way back to the car (about 5m) and got changed, put my wellies and waterproofs on, leaving the binos at the car I slowly moved down the valley with the rifle. I had been told not to approach a downed deer too quickly or in view of the herd if they hung about - what I couldn’t see until I got over the rise of the valley was they were still there at the end of the wooded valley, including a nice albino buck. I had already been seen so I slowly moved into the cover of the wooded area and they seemed to not be bothered by my presence. I found the doe easily and she was very dead. Back to the car and locked the rifle away and then back to extraction

She had fallen down into hawthorn and brambles so once I had dragged her out of there I did a field gralloch - successfully, she was pregnant as expected. Then came the part I was warned about - my only extraction method was my shoulders and as I was warned fallow are bloody heavy. Let’s say my heart was pumping when I arrived back at the car and I was very pleased to have not taken a second deer. 

She’s now been skinned and butchered enough to fit in the small fridge in the garage.

The round passed through the top of the heart and had severed the aorta. She literally flopped straight over, no attempt to run. The round went straight through, entering chest and out the other side but with minimal meat damage, just clipping the far shoulder. 

so instead of going at silly o’clock, or staying late for last light and freezing, I am more successful going in the middle of the day and wearing crocs - maybe I’ll have started a new stalking trend. 

I still have a lot to learn but I am pleased with my first fallow. Oh I forgot to add, not that it matters but measured on Google maps it was ~125m so the old BSA remains very accurate.

Edited March 12, 2021 by oscarsdad

[JDog]

Thank you for posting about your exploit.

[JTaylor91]

Brilliant, reading that almost made me want a pair of crocs.......almost.

[oscarsdad]

1 minute ago, JTaylor91 said:

Brilliant, reading that almost made me want a pair of crocs.......almost.

My dignity leaked away years ago so they don’t affect me...I may go again later today but think it’s too wet to do the whole stalk in crocs. 

[Houseplant]

Good read. Enjoy your venison 😀

[Walker570]

Nothing wrong with those BSA CF2s they where a very well made rifle which if looked after will give a lifetime of service. 

I used to say to clients that the easy bit was the stalk and releasing the trigger, then the work starts then and there. 

[alan123shooting]

Well done sir, good and enjoyable write up, and yes they are a tad heavy but bucks are eye watering 

[London Best]

1 hour ago, alan123shooting said:

tad heavy but bucks are eye watering 

I have two hernias as testimony to the weight of Fallow bucks.

[Houseplant]

If your shooting in typical English countryside/farmland, then what about a deer sled of some kind? I've never used one, but our American friends seem to like them. If the landscape is more challenging, then why not butcher on the spot? I've never seen the sense in carrying bone and skin over a mountain! 

[alan123shooting]

12 hours ago, London Best said:

I have two hernias as testimony to the weight of Fallow bucks.

Tell me 

[Walker570]

10 hours ago, Houseplant said:

If your shooting in typical English countryside/farmland, then what about a deer sled of some kind? I've never used one, but our American friends seem to like them. If the landscape is more challenging, then why not butcher on the spot? I've never seen the sense in carrying bone and skin over a mountain! 

The British countryside is a little more populated than NZ and leaving a partially dissected carcase lying about would soon have some do gooder bleating. Fortunately the foxes etc clean up the innards pretty quick.  I have tried various ways of getting a carcase back to the truck including a sled and the only succesful one was an ATV. but know that would not always be possible in NZ bush. These days I try to shoot them on or alongside an accesible track for my Landie.   The only way which made life easier other than the ATV was a custom made heavy plastic sheet which could be laced around the carcase with shoulder straps and this did make the animal slide much more easily but make sure your not attached on steep inclines.

[Houseplant]

Fair enough. Hadn't thought of that, never did any stalking in the UK. I don't think it would even occur to anyone here to hide the evidence. Obviously, common sense should be applied, i.e. don't leave animal waste in waterways, on tracks or close to huts/campsites. I've driven through more than one rural settlement that has boar skins proudly draped over the fences!  What about burying your waste in the field? Surely that has to be a better option than a wheelie bin?

[oscarsdad]

32 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

The British countryside is a little more populated than NZ and leaving a partially dissected carcase lying about would soon have some do gooder bleating. Fortunately the foxes etc clean up the innards pretty quick.  I have tried various ways of getting a carcase back to the truck including a sled and the only succesful one was an ATV. but know that would not always be possible in NZ bush. These days I try to shoot them on or alongside an accesible track for my Landie.   The only way which made life easier other than the ATV was a custom made heavy plastic sheet which could be laced around the carcase with shoulder straps and this did make the animal slide much more easily but make sure your not attached on steep inclines.

I have tried to explore extraction methods, unfortunately I think the only viable one is on foot and carried. The land is a steep, muddy and wet clay valley, when we were allowed the few driven days, you were sinking past you ankles in the mud on the way to your peg. It’s a bit drier now but still hard work. I went again yesterday, no sign of any deer but still fresh evidence of them still being in the area after me having taken that doe. The gralloch had been dug up and had gone completely (there was no way I was going to manage the “best practise” 1m depth - who could manage that in such circumstances?). 

[London Best]

It is not deer extraction that has given me the hernias, although that can be difficult enough. In both cases hernias occurred whilst getting the carcass into the Land Rover on my own.

[oscarsdad]

26 minutes ago, London Best said:

It is not deer extraction that has given me the hernias, although that can be difficult enough. In both cases hernias occurred whilst getting the carcass into the Land Rover on my own.

That bit wasn’t terribly easy either, although I do a lot of rowing so have pretty strong upper body it was still an effort - at least it was only into my Volvo cross country so a bit lower boot lip than a Landy. 

[London Best]

1 minute ago, oscarsdad said:

That bit wasn’t terribly easy either, although I do a lot of rowing so have pretty strong upper body it was still an effort - at least it was only into my Volvo cross country so a bit lower boot lip than a Landy. 

If you are referring to the doe I your picture, she only looks to be a youngish animal, a yearling doe maybe. Hard to tell from the pic. You may have a shock coming when you manage to shoot a buck weighing about 2 1/2 times as much! 

[oscarsdad]

11 minutes ago, London Best said:

If you are referring to the doe I your picture, she only looks to be a youngish animal, a yearling doe maybe. Hard to tell from the pic. You may have a shock coming when you manage to shoot a buck weighing about 2 1/2 times as much! 

I agree, she wasn’t too large...I have already been considering April when I target the bucks and have been looking for a physio appointment for the end of the month....

she was maybe 40ish kg, one of the big fellas as you say could be 2.5 times that - I think that would necessitate a phone call, for some socially distanced help! 

Edited March 13, 2021 by oscarsdad

[London Best]

1 hour ago, oscarsdad said:

 

she was maybe 40ish kg, one of the big fellas as you say could be 2.5 times that - I think that would necessitate a phone call, for some socially distanced help! 

With respect, I think you may be over-estimating the weight. I would guess (?) no more than 28kg for a young doe like that. They are generally about 60/63 lbs as a short legged clean carcass. Actually, she is possibly 40kg I the picture if the pluck is still there. I cannot ever remember shooting a doe over 73lbs. (33kg ish) clean.

Keep whacking and stacking.

[Walker570]

I have shot probably three hundred fallow does or more over the years and certainly you can come across some monsters. Regarding the males, then unless you want the head/antlers then the best eating is by far pricket meat and you will still be doing a cull.  Try a drag sheet or make one. Pretty simple  oblong piece of strong tarpauline with a series of holes down the sides . 3ft 6inch to 4ft by 5 to 6ft. Just lay the carcase on the sheet and lace it up tight. the lacing rope should belong enough to leave a hauling length at one end which I used some old back pack straps to attach to which I could put over each shoulder.   Take care if pulling up or down a steep incline as the beast might roll away and take you with it.  It also keeps the carcase clean on muddy ground. 

I learned early on to think twice before easing the trigger a second time unless I could get the 4x4 to the scene.

I now stick to munties. You can carry them out like a small suitcase.

[oscarsdad]

1 hour ago, London Best said:

With respect, I think you may be over-estimating the weight. I would guess (?) no more than 28kg for a young doe like that. They are generally about 60/63 lbs as a short legged clean carcass. Actually, she is possibly 40kg I the picture if the pluck is still there. I cannot ever remember shooting a doe over 73lbs. (33kg ish) clean.

Keep whacking and stacking.

I’m a fisherman - everything gets exaggerated in weight 

[London Best]

Neville is right, the older you get the more attractive Munties become!  
And I think they are the best eating of the lot. But a swine to skin.

Edited March 13, 2021 by London Best

[oscarsdad]

1 hour ago, London Best said:

Neville is right, the older you get the more attractive Munties become!  
And I think they are the best eating of the lot. But a swine to skin.

There are muntjac on the ground and yes carrying them looks more attractive. I don’t worry about skinning or butchering, the wife does all that. That fallow doe’s hide is being tanned, we like to use as much of the animal as possible, if I shoot a few more I’m going to have the tanned skins over the chair in my man room like a Viking. 

[London Best]

54 minutes ago, oscarsdad said:

There are muntjac on the ground and yes carrying them looks more attractive. I don’t worry about skinning or butchering, the wife does all that. That fallow doe’s hide is being tanned, we like to use as much of the animal as possible, if I shoot a few more I’m going to have the tanned skins over the chair in my man room like a Viking. 

Be careful! In years to come you may not be able to open the door.

[Walker570]

1 hour ago, oscarsdad said:

There are muntjac on the ground and yes carrying them looks more attractive. I don’t worry about skinning or butchering, the wife does all that. That fallow doe’s hide is being tanned, we like to use as much of the animal as possible, if I shoot a few more I’m going to have the tanned skins over the chair in my man room like a Viking. 

Hanging a mubntie for her to skin might involve a divorce.  They are the worst kind but worth every ounce.  Don't forget the anti moth spray on that pelt.

Also shoot a summer coated beast because the thick winter coat can shed as the hairs break off.  Plus the summer coats are more attractive.

Edited March 13, 2021 by Walker570

[alan123shooting]

I was out this morning, my main permission has all the species barring sika, they were  all about this morning, a small mixed  herd of red which I had seen earlier rambled past at 70 metres, then half a dozen fallow does i refrained as the recovery would have been nigh on impossible( I think they know that sometimes) but ended up with this young lady and all before 06.30