alexm Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 (edited) I went out with my mentor on Thursday just before the fallow doe season closed for what was my first proper stalk. I had been out with him a few times previously to observe but this time I had a rifle and the possibility of a shot so the excitement (and pressure) was on! We had spent the morning skinning and butchering a sika that had been in the chiller so didn't set off until about 1330, arriving at the wood shortly after. As soon as we parked up we saw a small herd of fallow does passing about 100 yds in front of us. We stayed in the car, not moving but the lead doe stopped and gave us a good eyeing up before deciding she didn't like the look of us and shot off, closely followed by her herd so it was with mixed expectations we gave them a few minutes head start and then started to follow on foot. After about 20 minutes we caught sight of the herd on lower ground passing from left to right. Despite the earlier skittishness they now seemed relaxed and unaware of our presence. My mentor was about 30 yds in front of me and slightly to the left with his .308, I looked round and saw he was already sizing them up through the binos. We had agreed some signals before hand, in particular that he would decide the suitability of the shot for the noobie stalker and given the fact that we were still in woodland, we were standing quite far apart and the deer were moving steadily I didn't expect to be getting a shot so soon... However, when I looked back my mentor gave me the thumbs up and the stalk was on! I had been determined not to put myself under too much pressure, or succumb to the dreaded buck fever as the potential consequences of a mistake are too awful to contemplate, so I had promised myself that if I couldn't remain 100% calm the safety would stay on, but despite this I was surprised to find my mouth had instantly gone dry as a bone! Due to the deer being lower down and me being on a ridge I found as I lowered myself into position I was unable to see the deer from ground level, leaving me with the possibility of a sitting shot that I wasn't entirely happy with, so I left it. The deer continued moving left to right and I followed crawling along the ridge until finally I was in a position where I could get a clear line of sight off the bipod. By this time they were about 60-70 yds away. There were a couple of almost white fallow amongst the herd and my mentor had made it clear prior to getting out the car that these were off limits as they make good herd markers. I could now see his point as it was tricky picking out the deer by eye, then finding them again through the scope. The white does stood out against the undergrowth much better allowing me to pick up the herd as they moved between the trees. I then realised how much I had to think about all at the same time... I had to pick a deer, I had to assess the safety of the shot and the backstop, the proximity of the other deer, pick a path for the bullet between trees and branches and the angle of the animal to me on top of making sure that the shot was accurately placed. 3 or 4 times I got most of the way through the checklist but something was always not quite right and the safety stayed on... the deer were still moving and were heading towards the edge of my safe backtop. I looked over to my mentor a few times hoping for some telepathic advice and a few times I almost gave the "no safe shot, let's call it off" sign but suddenly everything came together. A doe was in my sights, the cross hair was right on the kill zone, the other deer were clear, she was almost perfectly side on and she had stopped. It suddenly occurred to me that I had just run out of excuses NOT to take the shot. :o I slowly squeezed off the shot, heard the boom, thought "oh, someone's shooting "... "aarrgh it's me! :o " I knew I was right on it, I heard what I thought was the bullet strike... but in an instant the deer reared and was gone from view! I heard my mentor say what I thought was "nope".... what? Did I miss? What he actually said was "reload!"... in all the excitement and trying to find the deer through the scope I had forgotten to reload. I realised after about 30 seconds and reloaded, waiting for any movement but I still had no clear sight of my deer. By now I had convinced myself I had somehow missed outright so after a few minutes I made the gun safe and walked over to my mentor... "Was it a miss?!" "Well... it's legs are in the air so I think that's a good sign!" We walked over to the deer and there she was, about 20 feet from where the shot struck. Entry hole right in the zone (perhaps an inch behind where I would have considered perfect but right in the zone nonetheless). My first fallow doe. The simultaneous wave of both relief and elation was something I'll never forget. Rifle is my mentor's Sako 75 .243 with ASE Utra mod, ammo was 100gr Federal. The time was about 1500. So all in the perfect stalk compacted into just an hour! Now if the police would just hurry up and sort my .243 variation out....!!! Edited April 2, 2008 by alexm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Good report and well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grasshopper Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Well done fella Thoroughly enjoyable account of the stalk,that is 1 you won,t forget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
game_boy Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Well done! Are you getting to keep the carcass ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Excellent story! The line'run out of excuses not to shoot it' is very familiar after my dithering with my first roe. I also shot my first fallow last year and when it charged off into cover after the shot convinced myself that I had screwed up and hit it too far back. Needless to say it had gone 20 yards before rolling over dead but that ten minutes whilst the keeper I was with searched for it was a a very very long time. Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexm Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Cheers guys! Well done! Are you getting to keep the carcass ? Unfortunately not, the meat was already spoken for and will be in the local restaurants this week! My mentor is a professional deer manager and most of the carcasses have been pre-ordered, however last time I went out with him he gave me the front half which got turned into pheasant and venison stew for the entire family over Easter! Needless to say it had gone 20 yards before rolling over dead but that ten minutes whilst the keeper I was with searched for it was a a very very long time. I know what you mean, that period of time before you see it with your own eyes and can satisfy yourself that the shot was fine is pretty fraught to say the least! I asked my mentor why he didn't put me out my misery sooner as he had a clear view of where it ended up. He said he wanted me to feel the full range of emotions! It did that all right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegeta Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Christ that was a good write up I was actually nervous reading it. It is very very tough to become cold and detached. In fairness that's some quality shot placement right there. I really like the sound of this mentor thing, wish we had it over here in Ireland Those dry leaves in the pic look like they'd make it a tough stalk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Great write up, well done Alex, I bet you were chuffed to bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulkyuk Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Excellent Write up Alex - that is one Stalk you will never forget, the first is always the best Good man and may you have many more to come Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 nice one, Interestingly though with our local fallow they cull the white ones for exactly the reason you mentioned. they stand out so much it makes the herd far easier for poachers to spot especially in low light conditions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Smashing read Alex, i thought i was holding the rifle, very well discribed. Good luck with your variation. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLASS ARTIST Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Well done Alex, I felt the same after my first deer, and 30 years later and over 2000 deer I still feel the same about it . Your hooked now and it will take over from everything WELL almost everything. GOOD REPORT WELL DONE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ91 Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 welldone mate and ace wright up it was like i was with you on the stalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moses Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Have to agree with everyone, great write up. Congratulations and good luck with the variation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAVAGE HMR Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Great write up there, I'll look forward to reading your next one. I cant wait to get out on my first stalk. A good friend of mine managed a few years ago to land himself a job culling deer and leading stalks in Knoydart up on the west coast. Words have not yet been invented to describe how jealous I was. If not for the stalking then just for the scenery alone. Stunning place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyCM Posted April 2, 2008 Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 thanks for sharing - that was a great read - sure is a lot to think about all at once. I remember my first Red - although I did not hear the shot I was so concentrating. I had a perfect view of mine before and after the shot - it was still standing as if nothing had happened ! Sure was a relief when it dropped down a few seconds later - felt like hours to me. Hope you get your rifle soon Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexm Posted April 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2008 Thanks for the encouraging feedback guys, it's been good to share the experience with like minded people. Many of my friends and colleagues just don't 'get' it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonna Shoot a Wabbit Posted April 3, 2008 Report Share Posted April 3, 2008 excellent write up and well done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rabgoat Posted April 5, 2008 Report Share Posted April 5, 2008 Brilliant read alex,,well done on the Doe.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holland&Holland Posted April 14, 2008 Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 That was a nice read, thanks for sharing and good luck on the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Elvis Posted April 14, 2008 Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 I was actually nervous reading it. Couldnt agree more, great write up and congrats!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnGalway Posted April 14, 2008 Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 That was an excellent bit of writing, I really enjoyed it. Never been stalking yet, was great to hear the way you went about things, checklists fo taking your shot so to speak. White deer being herdmarkers ais a great idea too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purdey03 Posted April 14, 2008 Report Share Posted April 14, 2008 nice shot and really good write up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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