Hi Folks

Here's a question. The rut has just started in the wood I manage and the new master buck has arrived.
Would you shoot him or not??
His palmations arent that amazing but they are good, he is quite big in the body, I had my cross-hairs on him for a full 5 mins at 50m this morning but the backstop was dodgy

Regards

Mark

I would leave him.

Sika are just starting here in NI.

Fallow should be at it by next weekend.

Mark,

congrats on the will power for not shooting.
Unless the backstop happened to be my car, I probably would have shot!!

If there is not much hunting pressure where you are, I might be inclined to let him breed for a while before shooting him.

I sat for two hours in the rain last Saturday evening, watching 14 or 15 Sika hinds and calves. There was one good 8 point stag with them the whole time. I wanted to get a young spiker but none presented themselves. I let the stag be.

I"ve asked this question before, but has anyone tried calling Sika, and what with?
I"ve heard some elk calls which were"nt unlike a sika. Any ideas?
good shooting

I think to catch a sika deers attention you need to scream painfully deep in the dark forest like in an old Hammer House of Horror movie, possibly circa 1974

Regards

Mark

I use a Screery, I think that is how you spell it, it is out in my car at the moment, Elk call. If you squeeze the mouthpiece a little it is possible to get quite a realistic whistle, which works I am told. I have to confess that I have never got one close enough to shoot, but I have got them to answer me, and I live in hope.

I have also heard of the squeaking thingy's inside of childrens teddy bear type toys being used with great success.

John

I"ve got my "squeaky thing" surgically removed from a toy all ready to go!
I heard a sika last time I was out, but I had"nt my sqeaker with me. Might get a chance next weekend.
What about Fallow? Anyone tried grunting for them?
good shooting

why not let the master stag go till next year..... shouldn't he be bigger then ?

Hi Tomo

This was his Dad.

I am happy to leave him as he is bringing in lots of does and prickets to fill the freezer over the long hard winter. However after the rut I may take him but only if he makes it difficult not to,like sleeping infront of the high seat for a week.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by brass thief:
I"ve got my "squeaky thing" surgically removed from a toy all ready to go!
I heard a sika last time I was out, but I had"nt my sqeaker with me. Might get a chance next weekend.
What about Fallow? Anyone tried grunting for them?
good shooting

Grunting them out works by all accounts but later in the Ruttt when they are really going at it. Probably a couple mmore weeks. I've been getting some tips from those that know and by all accounts it is a bit like snoring into a bit of waste pipe!!!

Early on the guys get good results by rattling an od set of antlers together. I have mine ready to go for this weekend....

Rgds,
FB

I can't comment on fallow in terms of calling tham but i have had several successes with rattling antlers in the red rut when it has been in full tilt. I have had 3 occasions when the stag has come in like an exocet. Very exciting to watch. I'm not so sure about calling them in as the antlers seem to work a treat and really gets the hormones going through the ceiling.

I do shoot stand bucks if I cannot get at a pricket BUT in my area the stand buck appears to change over quite freqeuently anyhow.

I had allways told myself that if I were to see a really good buck on the stand I would leave him to propogate his genes and bag him towards the end.

When a truly fantastic buck burst out of the trees chasing off a pricket I snatched my trusty 6.5, barked and shot all in one motion. I had never seen him before and likely never would have again. Still a great memory 4 years on.

quote:

Originally posted by 1894mk2:
I do shoot stand bucks if I cannot get at a pricket BUT in my area the stand buck appears to change over quite freqeuently anyhow.

I had allways told myself that if I were to see a really good buck on the stand I would leave him to propogate his genes and bag him towards the end.

When a truly fantastic buck burst out of the trees chasing off a pricket I snatched my trusty 6.5, barked and shot all in one motion. I had never seen him before and likely never would have again. Still a great memory 4 years on.

I had the biggest buck I have ever seeen in my first season stalking broadside about 4 times through the season. I only ever saw him once more and he had a smashed up back leg from a car accident a couple of months later. I couldn't get onto him and he never showed again. He was as big as any of the ones that got away!!!

Shooting the odd big fella isn't so bad I now feel. What I would say is that it is not on to shoot nothing but the big ones.

Give him the good news and make sure you post a picture!! (assuming you have a better backstop of course...)
FB

I have had a similar experience. I shot a superb fallow buck in the rut on a friends patch 3 years ago and he said it was the biggest he had ever seen on his patch but he was amazed that he had never seen him before. He was very distinctive as he was completely dark (looked jet black in the dimness of the wood when i got onto him. I just kept following the noise and he turned his head in the woods which gave his position away).

A truely super animal.

Oh yes forgot to say i had him shoulder mounted.

The rut has started in anger in The Home counties. I took a group of about 25 walkers out
and about in Ashridge Forest ,Herts., over the weekend.

We had a full display of bucks fighting and belching. Pritty impressive If I say so myself.

If the weather holds out, I will be out with the camera to record some more of it.

quote:

Originally posted by puntgunner:
I took a group of about 25 walkers out

Excellent shooting - I have often wanted to do the same.

I detect a slight waning in the rut here - I pray it lasts into the end of next week to allow a good start on the does.