So the next day we decided to go shooting during the brake in the rain, it was not an early start as in the morning, news came that a pony had come from nowhere in to the yard and did not know who it belonged to, so rewind the security cameras recording to see who brought the pony, after sometime and few calls to the police it was discovered by one lady employee who followed the hooves print out, it came from a nearby house, that got sorted out and after a light breakfast we collected our gear and set off.
We found a corner of woods next to a corn field and set up the decoys
and the hide,
we set inside with the Sniper the retriever Labrador who I knew since back 10 years or so as pup, a lovely dog.
After some time few pigeons came but not close enough for a shot, so Jerry decided to go and flash out the pigeons from the across the field for me to shoot them down, we agreed that he would go and come via the same route. After ten minutes of so few came my way and fired off the shots and all missed, so i waited, then I saw from the corner of my eye something coming form the left side in front.
First i thought it was a pony, after a careful slow look it was a Roe deer, a doe was walking towards me, and slowly I moved my head for a closer look and saw behind her a buck.
They came within 30 Meters of Sniper and me.
Sniper was in front of the hide looking across and did not see the deer, the deer stopped and stood looking at us, i knew that if Sniper and I moved they would run away, since we were down wind to them so our smell did not carry towards them, the buck looked away from us and quickly turn and looked at us to see any movement, i knew this to be one of the tricks used by deer so sat very still, for a rifle shot I had a very good shot at 30 M , front shot as well as side shot to the heart and lungs, a killing shot, but we only had shotguns, even so they were little far way, i could only shoot the buck as it was open season for the buck and closed for the doe, but having the wrong shot and distance was to much i would only wounded it and they would have run away, basically I thought shooting with shotgun was to complicated and painful for the deer.
At the first chance i slowly put down the shotgun and take up my camera, they stood there for 2o minutes or so, just to watch them at close range was sheer joy. In the next field were some horses and they were running which spooked the deer and the buck and the doe run in to the corn field,
now sniper saw them, but he is gun dog and well trained, i said to him stay sniper and he sat quietly and watched the deer.
I was hoping that Jerry would come back by the same route and i would stop him and ask him to get the rifle. So waited and watched the deer, such joy to be unseen by them at close range.
There was loud noise and the deer turn to look and gracefully the buck and doe skipped through the corn field and run away. Jerry saw them and came through the corn field.
We discussed about shooting the deer with the shotgun, Jerry agreed that at that range it was best not to. So few more pigeons flew over head, bang went Jerry’s gun down came the pigeon over head, out went sniper to retrieve it, it was just amazing to watch sniper at work, Hi lost, said Jerry, sniper stopped looked where the Master was pointing at, off he went and got the bird.
The rain came. We stopped and went back to Jerry’s cottage for bit to eat and tea. Rain, rain and buckets more of rain.
In the evening we went walking into the woods just looking for pigeons to shoot, no luck so on the way back we decided to shoot floppy ears (rabbits) but none to be seen.
Some would say that the hunting was not a success. I would say it depends by what you measure success by, I spent time watching wild deer at close range for over half an hour, watched a gun dog at work, these alone was worth it. Maybe next time, who knows?
