Your Stalkers Diary. April 2006.
One day frost, another sun, and then of course rain and hail!! A great start to the season. With most bucks still in velvet, my time has been spent doing the deer count. Numbers are good and the does are very heavy with impending birth.
I heard my first cuckoo on the 2nd April and I have already seen a swallow, but only one. One swallow certainly does not make a summer!
I have seen some excellent bucks in areas I have least expected. I have found that they tend to enjoy the weak sunshine by resting in the hedge rows rather than cover.
With last years young still at heel counting at this time of year is easier but I often wonder if I see all there is to see on a particular beat. Food is still short at this time of year and the impact of brousing may give the impression of more deer than are actually there. It is not an exact science.
On the plus side practical observation is giving a count of 1.5 does to 1 buck. Not textbook but not bad.
Looking at the diary I have plenty of spaces for stalkers this season inbetween my other business comitments, and as always, I will comtinue to limit the stalking with visitors to a total of 90 days during the year.
The benefits are that my grounds are not over stalked and we can usually find shootable beasts. During the last year we averaged 1 beast for every 2 stalking sessions.
I wonder what impact avian flu might have on country sports this year. I am ploughing on regardless with pens, game crop etc. Lets hope its OK.
As always, I wish you all good stalking and the team and I look forward to your visits in the comming season.
Pete.
One day frost, another sun, and then of course rain and hail!! A great start to the season. With most bucks still in velvet, my time has been spent doing the deer count. Numbers are good and the does are very heavy with impending birth.
I heard my first cuckoo on the 2nd April and I have already seen a swallow, but only one. One swallow certainly does not make a summer!
I have seen some excellent bucks in areas I have least expected. I have found that they tend to enjoy the weak sunshine by resting in the hedge rows rather than cover.
With last years young still at heel counting at this time of year is easier but I often wonder if I see all there is to see on a particular beat. Food is still short at this time of year and the impact of brousing may give the impression of more deer than are actually there. It is not an exact science.
On the plus side practical observation is giving a count of 1.5 does to 1 buck. Not textbook but not bad.
Looking at the diary I have plenty of spaces for stalkers this season inbetween my other business comitments, and as always, I will comtinue to limit the stalking with visitors to a total of 90 days during the year.
The benefits are that my grounds are not over stalked and we can usually find shootable beasts. During the last year we averaged 1 beast for every 2 stalking sessions.
I wonder what impact avian flu might have on country sports this year. I am ploughing on regardless with pens, game crop etc. Lets hope its OK.
As always, I wish you all good stalking and the team and I look forward to your visits in the comming season.
Pete.
