75
HUNTING STORY | FIREARMS
rounded a rocky outcrop that dissected the
ridge top. I bid far well to them and decided
to wait propped next to a Silver birch.
With no wind at all the deer’s feeding
habits had changed as they usually feed into
or across the wind for their protection. But
today 50 minutes after I had left them the
doe and her twins and other females
reappeared around the outcrop and were
heading straight for me!
I barely dared to breathe as they fed
slowly towards me; I looked beyond them for
a buck but no joy so I stood there and waited
for the inevitable collision. 60 yards, 50, 30,
20, 10 yards, blimey the doe was straight in
front of me and one of the yearlings was
almost nibbling my left leg. At 10 paces she
raised her head in total amazement and all
hell broke loose. Winter clad pelage of three
roe darted every which way, the small
yearling nearly knocking over my shooting
sticks. Brilliant moment and something you
have to experience fi rst hand.
BUCKS THIS WAY
A further three outings only revealed 14
more does and hinds with calves so I
scratched my head and decided an early
morning foray to another ridge was in order.
Up at 04.00am and out to the thick forest
tracks at 05.00. I had miscalculated the
timings as the rain drenched clouds meant
the fi rst glimmers of dawn where not until
06.00, oops! As I stood there with the rain
pouring down I settled as best I could but
had time to plan my route and today test the
new Zeiss 10x56mm range fi nder binoculars
I had with me, great low light performance
these ones and accurate range estimation in
any weather!
With enough light to move and spot deer
feeding I luckily had the wind in my face
today along with rain and at times hail. But
experience has taught me and no doubt
other stalkers that deer usually are more
active just before a storm and then just after
it, they anticipate the low pressure and feed
accordingly.
Almost immediately a fresh scrape in
front of me; great! On the right tracks! Then
a frayed young conifer followed by another
and then a mound of moss deposited from a
mega scrape. Now the old adrenalin was
fl owing, the beating rain on my shoulders
was ignored and the mind instantly
heightens and every step from now wasaccompanied by a view through the
binoculars.
I had reached a long shallow valley, great
roe feeding grounds and I scoped the area
but nothing doing although the three further
frays indicated a buck’s presence. It was
07.30 now so slow and meticulous was my
stalk as a buck could have fed and bedded
down by now so I worked the forest timber
edge where deer bed down just inside from
the wind and with a good view out.
Sure enough after 250 yards a
characteristic movement of antlers indicated
a small but beautiful six pointer buck
bedded and chewing the cud. The wind was
good so I edged between the fallen twigs,
water logged moss and pine needles. At 75
yards the old heart was pumping and the
buck was still none the wiser so I raised the
rifl e to my shoulder and zoomed the Leica
Magnus scope to x8 and actually switched
the illuminated reticule on as it was dark
under those conifers. In an instant, maybe a
sixth sense but the buck was on his feet in
one movement and staring straight at me. I
unconsciously squeezed the Timney trigger
and sent a 125-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip
bullet as a high heart shot. He dropped
instantly where he stood and I was rewarded
with a lovely Scottish roe buck.CONCLUSION
Do not be scared to try something new or
change tactics and follow your instinct.
Signs such are scrapes and frays are
obvious way points to success but you still
need stealth and fi eld craft. The new Leica
Magnus scope was really good in the
torrential rain conditions. Not the largest
buck I have ever shot but one of the best
with regards to the stalking required.
Problem was now the roe sack was full up
with my rain proof jacket, camera and tripod
so I had to drag him ½ mile through the
forest, I did not care, what a brilliant
morning and the coffee at home tasted just
that little bit better!Turning on the Leica’s
illuminated reticule,
I needed it in the
overcast forest I was in!