Rifle Shooter – July 2019

http://www.rifleshootermagazine.co.uk 83

his doe with vigour. Again, I set the client on my sticks just
as the night before and told him to await my instruction.
Round and round the two deer ran, as if in a trance –
stopping momentarily but off again as soon as my guest was
on them.
Finally, they made their way toward us and I whispered my
approval for the shot. ‘THWACK!’ was the report from my
Merkel Helix, but yet again, two deer stood there. Flipping
heck, I thought (or something similar), I knew my rifle was
spot on as I checked it straight after the previous night’s
failure. My guest had reloaded quickly, but already the
couple were continuing their romance. The rut was full on for
these two and the shot had not bothered them at all!
For a further 20 minutes we watched them, no shot
presenting itself within the 70m I had now decided was
my client’s limit. Eventually, they started to slow down,
both of them with their tongues out, breathing heavily –
incredible to witness and so typical of the rut. They picked
their way to some thick cover on the edge of the wood, not
presenting a shot – so very frustrating! We could see them in
the shadows, backlit by the morning sunshine and that’s
when they both laid down.
One hour passed, and I tried calling and barking to no
avail. He wasn’t moving from his mate. I asked the client if
he was happy to wait it out, and he was determined to get
this buck, so smiled and said “third time lucky”! Another half
hour passed, and it was about 8am when the doe stood up.
We had inched our way, super slowly, in their direction while
they had dozed. She appeared into the clearing about 60m
below us and started to feed.
My client was set up again on the sticks and I whispered:
“take your time; this is your last chance”! She continued to

feed and I wondered where her kids were; it had been quite a

few hours that she had been busy with the buck, but I expect

they wouldn’t have been far away.

The doe was now moving away from where he lay and,

finally, as if attached with elastic, he stood up and followed

in her direction. Reluctantly leaving his bed, he stepped into

the clearing and immediately presented a broadside shot:

‘THWACK!’ once again. This time, my guest was successful

with a perfectly placed bullet. The Hornady 178g ELD-X

Precision Hunter sank him on the spot and we made our way

down to see him. What a lovely buck and what a mission it

was to get him!

ROE WITH OWEN BEARDSMORE

ABOVE: Owen’s client

had a long wait to get

a shot at his buck

BELOW: After two

failed attempts,

Owen and his client

returned for their

buck at sunrise