Your Stalkers Diary. October 2006.
With the buck season almost over, my time has been taken up sorting out the odds and ends of my cull targets. I would like to thank all my stalking clients for their support throughout this season.
We averaged 1 buck per 1.9 stalking sessions with just over six stalking hours per buck put in the larder. My policy of keeping high quality bucks on the ground has started to pay dividends in selected areas where damage reduction is important. Overall damage to young trees and fruit orchards has fallen year by year and is now at a acceptable level. Cull beasts have remained the priority with 30, small, four or weak six point heads under 150 gms taken, 6 average heads to 350gms, and 4 medal heads of bronze and silver.
The standard of stalking has been excellent with only one beast that required a second shot and one clean miss. I am glad to say that Fionn and Saffy still regularly practice their tracking work just in case. I now have three generations of springer and Young Meg seems to show potential and I hope will follow in her Granny's paw prints.
Now that the coats have changed from red to grey the eyes have to get re-tuned. Indications are that there has been a higher number of twins surviving so far, with the does in first class condition. With the crops down spotting is far easier, but the woodland beasts are still benefiting from considerable cover. Only in the last two days have the leaves on the Chestnut trees at the end of my fields started to change to orange. A cold snap, rain and high winds will have them stripped bare.
After almost two inches of rain last night I was out early to see what was about. I saw a number of roe, my eyes drawn to them by the cloud of spray as they shook themselves dry as the sun showed. A great sight but I'm glad I live under cover.
Wishing you all a good doe season.
Pete.
With the buck season almost over, my time has been taken up sorting out the odds and ends of my cull targets. I would like to thank all my stalking clients for their support throughout this season.
We averaged 1 buck per 1.9 stalking sessions with just over six stalking hours per buck put in the larder. My policy of keeping high quality bucks on the ground has started to pay dividends in selected areas where damage reduction is important. Overall damage to young trees and fruit orchards has fallen year by year and is now at a acceptable level. Cull beasts have remained the priority with 30, small, four or weak six point heads under 150 gms taken, 6 average heads to 350gms, and 4 medal heads of bronze and silver.
The standard of stalking has been excellent with only one beast that required a second shot and one clean miss. I am glad to say that Fionn and Saffy still regularly practice their tracking work just in case. I now have three generations of springer and Young Meg seems to show potential and I hope will follow in her Granny's paw prints.
Now that the coats have changed from red to grey the eyes have to get re-tuned. Indications are that there has been a higher number of twins surviving so far, with the does in first class condition. With the crops down spotting is far easier, but the woodland beasts are still benefiting from considerable cover. Only in the last two days have the leaves on the Chestnut trees at the end of my fields started to change to orange. A cold snap, rain and high winds will have them stripped bare.
After almost two inches of rain last night I was out early to see what was about. I saw a number of roe, my eyes drawn to them by the cloud of spray as they shook themselves dry as the sun showed. A great sight but I'm glad I live under cover.
Wishing you all a good doe season.
Pete.
