Your Stalkers Diary. February 2008.
Life is never dull here, with a constant succession of visitors. Some for the stalking, others for the cookery courses. I am just in the last tranche of work before another trip down under for some R+R. Bit of boating , fishing and lots of hunting. Can't wait.
However it is nice to have some decent weather at last.
The Pheasant season now over, it is time to get on with all the clear up jobs as well as keeping some feeders topped up for the seasons survivors.
It was great to have a good season after the disasters of the previous season. This time we held the birds and the simple measure of moving a pen some 200yds made all the difference. The birds that flew off the high plateau were almost out of shot and proved testing to all my guns. Lets hope for a repeat next year.
So on to the doe cull.
Thanks to all my stalking visitors for their help in getting the job done.
My problem this season has not been one of seeing the does but of selection. The quality has been so good in some areas that I have just had to reduce numbers without discrimination.
In one area I was low on bucks so does with strong buck yearlings were spared the game larder.
Last week saw another course running here. What a great week was had by all. The five students doing the Deer Manager and Country Pursuits Course did very well in all aspects of the week. A day spent on Exmoor was rewarded with over 100 reds seen. We managed to get close and personal many times and great photos were taken.
Skinning and butchery sessions rewarded by a great venison steak supper.
Now I am looking forward to the pigs, great Reds and Sika, tarr and chammi of NZ . I will keep you posted on progress.
Looking forward to the bucks in May.
Pete.
Life is never dull here, with a constant succession of visitors. Some for the stalking, others for the cookery courses. I am just in the last tranche of work before another trip down under for some R+R. Bit of boating , fishing and lots of hunting. Can't wait.
However it is nice to have some decent weather at last.
The Pheasant season now over, it is time to get on with all the clear up jobs as well as keeping some feeders topped up for the seasons survivors.
It was great to have a good season after the disasters of the previous season. This time we held the birds and the simple measure of moving a pen some 200yds made all the difference. The birds that flew off the high plateau were almost out of shot and proved testing to all my guns. Lets hope for a repeat next year.
So on to the doe cull.
Thanks to all my stalking visitors for their help in getting the job done.
My problem this season has not been one of seeing the does but of selection. The quality has been so good in some areas that I have just had to reduce numbers without discrimination.
In one area I was low on bucks so does with strong buck yearlings were spared the game larder.
Last week saw another course running here. What a great week was had by all. The five students doing the Deer Manager and Country Pursuits Course did very well in all aspects of the week. A day spent on Exmoor was rewarded with over 100 reds seen. We managed to get close and personal many times and great photos were taken.
Skinning and butchery sessions rewarded by a great venison steak supper.
Now I am looking forward to the pigs, great Reds and Sika, tarr and chammi of NZ . I will keep you posted on progress.
Looking forward to the bucks in May.
Pete.
