I took my neighbour out for a hunt this morning on private land 2 hours from home, we arrived on daylight, left the quad at the first gate and set off by foot so as not to scare any potential game.
We were only after meat animals so when a huge fallow buck stood on top of a hill looking down on us we passed it up and kept looking for something else.
On our 3rd stop to glass the hills I saw 2 fallow deer 550 meters up a steep hill, I told John how I thought the best approach was to getting the animals.
John had his idea but once I explained the reasons why I chose the plan I did he understood (wind in our face and sun in the deers eyes should they look towards us).
We made ground quickly and were soon at the elevation required to move around onto them, once we got around to where we should be the deer had moved onto the opposite face 200 meters away.
The deer were on the move taking a bite of grass here and there, I had a less than perfect rest but with them moving around and further away from us I decided to squeeze a shot off.
After I fired the first shot both deer started to run and were now 250 meters away, I let out a whistle which brought them to a standstill.
They still did not know where we were and they started to walk towards us in the matagoury, I fired a front on shot at the hind and I saw her fall forward and a good solid thud.
My attention quickly turned to the young one which had run out into the open but didn't want to leave mum so I quickly squeezed off another round which saw it gingerly move slightly towards us and a good solid thud indicating a good hit. The young deer was expiring and lay down just in time for John to let rip with the 7mm 08 blowing out both back legs with a might thud.
2 deer were down, mission completed and a happy neighbour who is happy to be taking meat home to his wife. With John only just starting out on his hunting journey he was one happy man.
Here are some photos of the days hunt, even though it was private land it was steep hard country and we needed to do things right in order to get these 2 deer.
I was using the 223 with 77gr TMK's, John 7mm 08 not sure of projectile.
Happy neighbour which is always good and a great day had by both of us.
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