Halfway through the season. (Pic heavy)

[shooter]

Dear friends
Here in the UK we are halfway through the season and here are a few random pics.
Please be aware these were taken in the field by my camera phone and some don't have me in the pic as I'm behind the camera.
Hope you enjoy.

First up, shopping before the season. I had heard of a new gunshop opening up. I had never been there before so went for a visit:










Finally ended up buying some stock for the season:
(note some clay targets were bought as they on redued to clear deal)



Bought a new walking stick which is made by a disabled person who donates the profits to cancer patients' charity:



Thus with great excitement and anticipation, I waited for the season to begin.

My father was coming from India to join me for my first shoot so this made it all the more special.

But before that it was time to shoot some deer before I got busy with the season.
(note: in UK generally "the season" or shooting season refers to game birds)

my friend with our fallow bucks:



Yours truly with a red stag:



Shooting lodge in scotland:



Dressing deer back at the lodge (note the roe in the background):



Muntjac shot very early in the morning;



So having completed the common quadrad of red roe fallow and muntjac, I was ready for some wing shooting.

[nagarifle]

shooter, hope you have not stated to miss with your shots, like you are missing with your pics as can not see em

[shooter]

dear naga i was earlier typing from phone but it got tiresome so saved it before switching to PC

[nagarifle]

nice one mate, hope you have not left the scaple and gone in to gunshop, some good hunt there mate, tell us what tasty dish are you planning with the bucket of blood mate

[herb]

Awesome, nice bucks and pics. thanks for sharing.

Cheers!

[shooter]

First meet at the shoot lodge for breakfast/introduction/debriefing/shoot rules:










Going in a shooting van to the drives:




Look at the snacks wall in the background. If hungry, simply reach out for a bag of peanuts or chips/crisps and munch:



Gun rack in the truck to keep one's guns and ammo etc. Also note the shoot rules laminated and posted on the wall.




Once we get to the drive we stand at our respective pegs. For e.g. this is my peg no. 7:



some views of woods and guns from the drives:

[shooter]

After a drive:



Lunch can be either a field lunch like a picnic:



Or in a shooting lodge:









Or in the dining room of a manor house: (this pic from 2 seasons ago but here to show different kinds of shoot hospitality):

[brihacharan]

Thanks Shooter for the delightful pictures & narration
The "red patch" on the red deer appears to be a perfect shoulder shot....the critter must have dropped in its tracks
BTW - what gun & ammo did you use?
Briha

[shooter]

Thanks brihaji.

sauer 202 in .270 norma softnose 150 gr

There was a herd of 27 deer about 300-450 yards away. So for 2 hours I waited for them to come closer (was on a high seat).
I wanted to shoot when they were under 200 yards as with my chronic buck-fever, which i still get, I didnt trust myself to take a longer shot. After what seemed like eternity, most stags started moving towards the wood and only does, fawns and two stags came my way.
I had ranged a small landmark as 200 yard mark. As soon as the two stags stepped inside of that distance, I went for an engine room shot.

At that distance, a well placed .270 projectile doesnt take any prisoners.
The stag went about 10 yards (death leap) and lay still. I followed the usual protocol but knew I wouldnt need a follow up shot.

[shooter]

As I dont do meat hunting for commercial purposes, I usually do engine room shots. I feel confident, there is more room for error/drop/windage. and it results in a humane kill.
As you can see from the pic, this was a classic engineroom shot.
The chest cavity does get really messy and drprashantsingh, another member here can vouch that a person cleaning a red stag an get fully drenched in blood while dressing the stag.

[snIPer]

Awesome pictures Shooter thanks for sharing it with us.
/S

[xl_target]

Love the photos, Shooter.
It does point out some fundamental differences between shooting in the UK versus shooting in the USA.
It is fascinating to see the formality and tradition observed there.
Thanks for posting those photos, Shooter.

Here, in the USA, it is a much more informal process and if it is public land, anyone can just walk onto it and shoot game during season.
Here, hunting is an activity that is pretty much the province of the common man. For a few dollars, one can purchase a hunting license and head for the woods. That is basically all you need.
Obviously hunting is not as common as it used to be as a large percentage of rural America has migrated to the cities but hunting season is still an event looked forward to by many people.
In some states, where the Bureau of Land Management manages large swaths of land, there are literally millions of acres available to hunt on.

[brihacharan]

Shooter wrote:

Thanks brihaji.
sauer 202 in .270 norma softnose 150 gr

There was a herd of 27 deer about 300-450 yards away. So for 2 hours I waited for them to come closer (was on a high seat).
I wanted to shoot when they were under 200 yards as with my chronic buck-fever, which i still get, I didnt trust myself to take a longer shot.

Thanks shooter for the info
Talking of "Buck Fever" - I am sure every hunter has experienced this syndrome sometime or the other - probably many get it on every hunt

As xl_target mentioned the 'formality' observed on such occasions to my mind, lends an element of dignity & decorum conected with this sport
Briha

[zaheer.bakshi]

On behalf of Dr. Prashanth Singh posting his picture.

He will explain the story behind the picture.

[zaheer.bakshi]

Happy to see Arjun and Dev on hunting tour together..