This morning I should have turned over and gone back to sleep.

As I pulled into the layby by the woods having doused my lights I failed to notice that someone had tipped some rubbish and drove into a pile of scrap metal.

The wind was wrong for the wood so I walked half a mile up the field and tried to cross through the woods. Totaly impenatrable but I'm buggered if I'm walking back. Spend 20 minutes scratching myself to pieces fighting through brambles only to be faced with a drainage ditch 8 feet across and knee high with water.

Make safe rifle remove boots roll up trousers and cross finding out that it it more like crutch high and my trousers are still knee high. Get back into boots etc and start off to discover wind has changed 180 degrees and I'm on the wrong side of the wood. Walk to far end. Look longingly at ruined farm building that overlooks wood/field edge. It's now blowing a gale. No deer in it's right mind is going to be on the edge so I discount this option and carry on in order to look around the sheltered side. Half way there 2 deer pop out in front of me. I freeze, the dog freezes, I move behind tree, dog is made to lie down, I get deer in sights but no back stop. I stand up but can't get a sight picture due to branches sticking out the tree. Dog sits up (she's on heat and not her usual self) and deer vamoose. I look longingly at the farm building I discounted 75yards away from which a safe (and warm)shot or two could have been taken.

I move on and decide to sit on a ride and have a cup of tea. At that point someone starts shooting pigeons 400yds away. I decide to move on. As I do so a muntjac that was about to cross in front of me barks away into the woods. He stops, I'm onto him, it's safe, I shoot and remember I never made ready again. Muntjac buggers off as I try to operate bolt silently. I decide to have a cup of tea and put it all down to experience. At that instant the heavens open and I walk a mile back to the car. I arrive soaked to the skin and able to view the large sratch down the side of my car.

Still a bad days stalking beats a good day at the office.

Have you had any nightmares recently?

I am reading this thinking ... "Man, I wish I was doing that right now!"