Following on from Brian's helpful hint that it might, on balance, be good to stop taking photos and to actually shoot something I applied myself to the situation. Actually, in truth I'd been applying myself for some time but had failed to get a shot.

Before the end of the hinds I was out on the ground looking for a hind to take home and I was most disappointed as I was seeing absolutely no deer at all. This was unusual as although the ground can be quite difficult it is normal to bump a deer or two even if they don't present a shot. After some time and in very thick cover I managed to put a little stag up but there was no shot through the branches and twigs and he was soon gone. I beat a retreat with a view to coming back in a while and managed to get a picture of him in the clear but, of course, on the skyline:



I let the ground rest for a little while and decided to see if I could sneak up on him once more. In I went off to the left of this ride:



(This photo was taken a little while back, hence the snow on the ground, but it shows the area)

Now, I didn't have a clear plan. I was considering the possibility that I might get a shot in the undergrowth as the ground rises quite sharply and so even in the thick cover a safe shot is possible if there are no obstructions. I was also considering the possibility that my disturbance might move the little stag into a more open area and there he might give me a good shot. After a little while I spotted the stag just as he spotted me and this time he didn't hang about. I watched him go and was pretty sure that he had crossed into another block of trees.

In a previous report there was some discussion about the fact that a high seat was going to be more effective than wandering about in thick cover and I posted the following picture of a little ambush I had set up:



Now it occured to me that the little stag might just cross the block of trees and come out on the ride in front of my ambush position. So, off I went keeping the wind with me and got myself down behind the tree ready for the ambush. I put some gloves on and a camo head net to hide the white bits and just as I finished adjusting the head net I spotted the little stag in the ride. As with all deer he didn't walk out into the ride, he just magically appeared in the middle. Unfortunately he was too far up for a safe shot and so there was nothing to do but wait.

In the past luck has not been with me and all the deer have stayed on the skyline but this little stag was interested in something further down the ride and so started to move towards me. Soon he was right in the middle of the ride and perhaps only 50 yards from me, then he turned broadside on. During this time I considered that he wasn't a great stag and was a bit thin and clearly quite young and I concluded that he would probably do as a cull animal.

When he came broadside on it I pulled the trigger. I'd taken good advice from several people (especially DJM from this site) who were of the view that sika always run and so it was best to shoot through the shoulder about half way up the body. I saw the bullet strike at exactly this point and in the same instant the stag lifted his head, turned and started to run towards me. I've never seen any animal move so fast, or react so quickly, in my life. As best I could see he appeared to have a slight limp but it certainly didn't seem to slow him down any. He then took a left turn towards the thick cover and I was relieved to see the back end collapse under him before he went down. He had run probably 40 yards from where he was shot.

I knew he was dead at the shot but was amazed just how far such a tiny animal had run with a 150 grain 308 in him:



At last I'd managed to get my first "solo" deer. I must confess that I didn't make a first class job of the gralloch but the only way to learn is by making mistakes and while not a work of art I got the bits I didn't want out and left the tasty bits behind.

While it would be nice to get another stag before the end of the season that is looking pretty unlikely at present but even so I had a day to remember and myself and some friends have already had several dinners from my first solo deer.

The close up of his head shows that he could have been a nice, if small, 6 point stag but one side seems deformed. At first I thought it was broken but closer examination showed the end to be smooth and rounded and while this doesn't rule out a break it seems more likely it was damaged in velvet or was deformed by some genetic or biological process:

Nice one - thanks for the report.
I would say he broke that antler early on and polished up the stub against vegetation during the rut. He'll be good eating certainly!
There is nothing like your first solo deer - or new species to get the blood pumping!

One last thing - good self control on that skylined shot. And you got a good picture of him too.

Tasty Tasty!!

Thanks for posting . Great pics as always!!
FB

Nice one Philip. It is good to get a few under your belt.

I was out also on Saturday evening. I was looking out over a little valley.We had a party of about 10 hinds and calves in one field near the skyline and two stags, a decent one and a young one in the next field. They were about 350 yards away. The ground is so wet and rough, with an intervening bog and two hedges. I knew there was no chance to quietly stalk in on them. So we decided to wait and see if any of them would come our direction. Unfortuantely they failed to co-operate so I blanked again. It blew up a storm of wind and rain just as it was getting dark, I got soaked walking back to the car - about the usual for me.

Great tale well told.
Its nice when your patience pays off after the frustration of seeing marginal opportunities slip away.

Great story and a nice stag!

Good job, great write up and even better pics.

thanks for sharing.

Best regards Chris

Weidmannsheil! Great tale, nice rifle (even if the handle is on the "wrong" side... ).

- mike

cao,

Waidmannsheil!

Good report & great photos.

Don't listen to Mike - your Bolt's definately on the correct side.

Thanks to everyone for the comments. The experience Brian reports just highlights what I'm finding more and more which is that it is often the ground rather than the deer that beats me. We'll have a whip round and get you a good waterproof coat Brian :-)

Before and after shots
i like those
good ending
Richard