Took a mate out for a stalk Sunday.........

[Guest martin]

I was up and waiting on Sunday morning at about 0445hrs for my mate Basil ,and,we were going to try to get into a few deer.Basil came at 0500hrs,and,we loaded the 4x4 up,and,we went the short distance across the valley to the market gardens.This bit of land is very hilly with a wood at the top,and,below the wood is where the two market gardens are getting devastated by the hoardes of Muntjac and a good head of Roe,so,I was fairly confident of seeing some deer.We got into place,and,I had told Basil that we would 'Definitely' hear some of the Muntjac barking,as he hadn't heard it before,but,as they say.....The best laid plans of mice and men,and all that...........the morning light came without one bark,and,I was amazed to be honest,normally they are barking at/to each other for the last half hour of darkness and then go quiet just as the light comes up.Anyway,we were esconced in my high class deer hide......

It is an old steel oil tank with a front loader rested on it......perfect!

We stayed put there waiting for a Roe to drop out of the wood for a breakfast of leeks,but,the Roe were nowhere to be seen,and,at about 0645hrs I thought we should go for a wander,so we set off across the undulating fields that follow the bottom of the wood,this quite often will result in a Muntjac,they like these fields as they are a bit scrubby and have hawthorn/blackthorn bushes here and there,and,they don't have to go too far without some cover.This particular morning was a bit different though as the first deer we saw was a Roe Buck with a very decent head,but,as Basil got set for the shot the Buck had other ideas,and,just wouldn't play the game,he stayed quartered all of the time,so,we called it a morning as I had to get back to take the dogs out,but,as we were going to leave I saw a rabbit on the far side of one of the fields,and,told Basil to take it out,but,he offered the shot to me(to try the new Z6i Swarovski out)well you only have to ask me once,so I got down on the bipod and headshot the rabbit at 156yds very happy

,and,the Swarovski scope is an absolutely brilliant bit of kit,we went over and gutted the rabbit,turned around and there was another almost exactly where we were stood a minute ago,and,Basil neck shot that one,and,as we were going to set off,we then heard a Muntjac barking(at least he has heard one now)so it was off home to take the dogs for a run and some Egg and Bacon sandwiches....Mmmmm!

After the dogs were led out happy we set off for another bit of land I have,where i had seen 5 Bucks a few weeks ago,but,the day was starting to look like a bit of a cock up,and,none were to be seen,and,as we were leaving the field I saw a BIG Buck right at the bottom of the farm,and,about 600yds away.We set off to try to get a shot at him and we stalked right around a field to a horse chestnut tree that would give us some cover so we could get a bit closer to him,but,as wee spied over the brow of the hill expecting to see him.....you guessed it...he was nowhere to be seen.What he had done was cross a small brook onto the next farm,and,followed the very wide Blackthorn hedge to the left and away.I was starting to feel that the day was getting away from me,and,I was desperate for Basil to get something,so,we dropped down the lane to a small field where the farmer had told me there were a few roe in every evening,and,I had missed(completely)a good Buck a few days earlier.It just wasn't going how I had expected,and,true to form the field was empty.I had asked Basil if he would give me a hand to erect a highseat on a small ex-Market garden that is just up behind my garden,and,for those people that have seen the photos of the deer in my garden.....this is where they are coming from.We got the highseat up after a bit of a do(none of the trees were very good for what we needed).Basil then said why don't we go back over to the Market gardens that we had visited in the morning,so,off we went.As we pulled up in the lane at the bottom of the first field,I thought that I saw something right up on the edge of the wood,but,by the time I got the bins ready it was gone.We got out of the car and Basil then saw what i had a second ago,it was a decent Roe Buck,and,we threaded our way through the outbuildings of the small yard,and,came out a bit further up the hill,he was still there,but,was on a bit of a mission,as he was trotting down the hill,Basil skirted the small field we were in to get a shot,but,the deer seemed to be a bit spooked,and,just drifted off into the wood.By this time i really did think the worst,but,as we entered the next field basil crested a mound to have a spy,he motioned to me that there was a Muntjac,so,I crawled up next to him,and,across the field at approx. 160yds there was a Muntjac Doe,and,I said 'Go get him Floyd'. He got ready,steadied his breathing and let fly with a 100grn terminal pill which landed perfectly,and,the Doe dropped after a short burst down the field(tough little buggers).We went over and found her about 35yds from where she was hit,a few handshakes,a couple of pics,and,on my part a big relief at getting Basil on a beast....finally!!

After Basil had done the necessary with the Doe we were just going to exit the field under a barbed wire fence,and,we saw a Roe Buck,and,as I had left my rifle at home this time Basil kindly offered his rifle to me,and,I neck shot him......

By the time we got to the Buck,we had an admirer,that liked the taste of blood...........

so,from struggling 5 minutes ago to having to beasts on the grass,and,it is this that makes me love the sport so much.It was starting to get dark as we drove away from the Market garden,and,we were both very tired.I would like to thank Basil for a great day in great company,and to offer another day out whenever he likes...........cheers.....Martin.