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The Last few weeks


Gonna Shoot a Wabbit
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Hi all,

 

Well where to begin. I had booked 2 days on my leased stalking land on the 7th and 8th feb. And true to form no sooner had i booked it than i was told i was required to work the 8th OH **ck!!!! Ah well the 7th it is. I will leave you to judge the sanity of a 7hr round trip to scotland!! only the ultra keen need apply!

 

I arrive for 0900hrs and have the day to stalk, i have already decided where i am going to wait come evening time as on my last trip i noted some deer paths coming out of the forestry, scrapes on the floor and fresh droppings coming out of a woodland fringe. I spent the day carefully stalking the other areas i have on the lease and noted another couple of areas that i will more carefully examine next time. Alas i didn't see any deer out during the day but thoroughly enjoyed walking round in the chill sunny day with a little snow in the high areas and the frost melting as the day progressed. As afternoon slowly turned to evening i have made my way to my ambush point in plenty of time as the sun dips below the forestry treeline.

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I can see the woodland fringe around 120yds in front of me where i expect the roe to appear from. The sun has slowly sunk and all my hopes hinge on the next hour. The temperature is steadily dropping as i slowly glass the area with the binoculars...... my patience has been rewarded....... oh good grief that isn't a roe coming into the cleared fell but a chuffin' great red hind..... as i assess her size through my bins and am watching a fully mature hind!! i decide to leave her and hope for a roe as i estimate her weight at around 80-100+kg and there is no-one to help with the drag. I am momentarily crestfallen but as i watch the mature hind 2 more come out to feed. They are only 3/4 of the mature hinds size and these i can manage. i am lucky in that they are only 150yds out and i am prone and settled. I have watched one of the younger hinds for 5 minutes now waiting for a good broadside shot, and she is slowly moving toward me only 130yds now and standing nicely broadside on. At my shot a solid thump into the heart and lungs (nothing fancy i am afraid) and she ran 20yds before falling over (some thanks are due here.... MOSES those gamekings sure knock 'em over many thanks, dead eyed duck Youre reloading skills made it all possible hope you enjoy the tenderloins) . I reloaded straight away just in case but after watching for a few minutes she is dead. A quick external exam reveals nothing to worry about so far, and a part gralloch (green offal) removes some weight and all is well so far health wise she is in fine fettle. Time is 5.30pm, taking my time i get back to the car 7pm.... lathered and knackered but very pleased with myself. I finish the gralloch, Check her teeth which reveal a set of molars just coming through (age 2-3yrs) remove her head and legs and off we go after a restorative sandwich and coffee. Bloody glad i didn't shoot the BIG 'UN, The venison is simply superb and the freezer is well stocked indeed.

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And now for today, a days ferreting with the usual suspects. Off to north wales we go and are on our permission for 0830hrs. We decided to tackle a big set in a small wood and with all our nets down some 180 nets in go the ferrets. And true to form my jill nails a bunny underground!!! cue much merriment from YTS, The lads move on leaving me to contemplate my excavations. The locator reveals she is 3 feet down so i get stuck in and soon break through. As usual no ferret. however as she is running back and too i manage to grab her but cant find the bunny. Moving on the lads have made some progress and some bunnies are in the bag. It takes all morning to do these sets and by lunchtime we have 7 in the bag..... some sets are just too big. so we retire for a fine lunch supplied by don of bacon and sausages with a chunk of ginger cake for afters, suitably refreshed off we go for round 2. i took this snap to share with you of our lunch spot

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The afternoon we decide to stick to smaller sets and it pays off, we are soon into the bunnies and the bag is growing nicely. With time moving on we find the last bunch of sets, nice and clean in the midle of a field. YTS is first into the fray and posts his poley which isn't to be seen again for 20 minutes HEE HEE!! yep you guessed it

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AHHHHHH all is well with the world....... Don has netted up a 20-30 holer. in goes my albino jill and the rumbling so beloved of us ferreters begins. all hell breaks loose as she bolts 7 bunnies in quick order which send don and i scampering in all directions. 1 bunny escaped but another 6 are added to the bag. As we catch our breath YTS produces his poley from the depths. With time now getting on for 4pm we decide to call it a day we have all the ferrets out the gear sorted and we have 20 bunnies in the grass for our end of day photo. If you have taken the time to stay with this post i hope you have enjoyed it and thank you. All the best. GSAW.

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Well done gents :hmm:

 

That last pic reminds me of last of the summer wine :P

 

Oi, what do you mean? That's me best ferreting outfit :o :o

 

By the way, Gonna is the 3rd from the left and me on the right. YTS is 2nd left - bloody late for the off AGAIN :blush:

 

I supplied the best Morrisons Venison and Pork sausages - unlike the normal offal supplied by Gonna and YTS

 

Don

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