Plan A for ambush

[243deer]

Normally I like nothing better than a very slow walk around, spotting a cull deer and stalking in to complete the job. I do not use thermal nor calls as the deer numbers on my perm are under control and I have so far managed without needing to resort to alternative tactics.

However this is a bit tricky when it sounds like you are walking on corn flakes.

So yesterday I was at my perm by 8 in the morning after completing a bunch of morning chores including ensuring fresh warm water and food for the song birds.

I parked the truck up where I could watch a well used rack and decided to just watch and wait in the truck as it was -6.

The squirrels became active at 9am with the sun out and the temperature rising to -3. I will deal with them as soon as I get a minute as the land owner likes a hand keeping numbers at a minimum.

The pigeons arrived on a well grazed area of grass at 9.30 - I am not sure what they were feeding on but whatever it was they were covering a lot of ground . The temperature had risen to a balmy -2.

I was expecting to see deer around mid day but the rise in temperature meant that I saw the first munty doe at 11 am. She quickly did a disappearing act which I thought was strange except I also saw a few hares dashing around and it turned out to be the land owner popping round for a quick chat.

As we had slightly disturbed the area this was a good chance anyway to stop the armchair stalking and get set up on sticks closer to the rack, I had been watching from 150m and I always prefer to get well within 100m and so set up on a spot that would give me several knolls as good backstops at ranges of 70 to 90 m. The small amount of breeze was coming from my 2 o'clock so pretty much perfect

The next munty doe I saw at 11.45am was a young animal that came upwind behind me at about my 8 o'clock. It is almost like a blind spot as when typically scanning round you do not tend to look downwind that often. Anyway she was coming in quite fast as though she had been chased by a buck and as soon as she winded me was off on a mission. Usually a bark will stop them briefly but no chance this time and she ran behind me and was off. 

12.45pm and a lovely adult doe came down the track as per plan a, as she was not finding that much to eat she was moving along fairly quickly. This time the bark worked and she was duly grassed with a shot at about 80m. She was not that far from giving birth and in very good condition. She will make a grand venison pie for new years eve.

Far from being a traditional stalk but pragmatic given the conditions. 

[Morkin]

Good read mate, you done well and got your venison pie👍, have you got some nice trout pate for starters, Have a good one buddy.👍🍷🍷🍷