list to learn

[leon-b]

I have the sil nylon version and its fab mate.

BTW.
Picked up a new rifle Saturday which I think you might enyoy...its a Steyr Scout in .223 so not too fierce on the shoulder but a proper centre fire cartridge. Designed for light weight field use too so it has a built in bipod, light fluted barrel etc (means your arms don't drop off holding it ).

Red

sounds good
i couldnt wait any longer so i decided to order it tonigt
leon

 

[leon-b]

when it arrives i will set it up in various ways and take some photos, i really like the idea where you use one tree and peg the rest down so i will give that a go
leon

 

[leon-b]

went down to the hedgrow where i get my sloes from to collect a few more of them, and i noticed some fairly fresh deer tracks, they were tiny so i guessed they were munjak tracks, munjaks are very common round here, there were tracks going in one way and then fresher tracks going the opposite way
leon

 

[bogflogger]

Sounds like a good little spot that Leon!

All I get round here, is a couple of Badgers rummaging through the wheelie-bins at 03.30 AM.

Good choice with the Tarp, I have one too and it is really good.

 

[leon-b]

i have never seen badgers round my way, yes it is a good spot, its at right next to the river and there blackberrys, sloes and rosehips growing there
leon

 

[pothunter]

Hi Leon
If you can see a clear diference between the tracks leading in and those out you may be able top find their bedding area. Look for a sheleterd spot posibly a bank, sloping ground or dense foliage, then look at the ground for an area of dry bedding that may have a shallow depresion. Muntjak are about the size of a spaniel so not a big bed and easily overlooked, when you find one imagine the animal in it and see if you can see where its hoves may have cut the ground as it got up. If you get down into the bed itself you will see what the deer could see and imagine why it chose that spot, it often opens up a whole new view of the area. Best time to look is early a.m. and if their has been a dew the night before.
Hope this is of interest, Pothunter.

 

[leon-b]

do munjak walk far or will the bed be close by, also you said early a.m so when should i try and find it, i really want to try it and hopefully find the den
leon

 

[British Red]

Leon,

They can cover a fair range, but the tracks in both directions indicate its close to "home" . You can look for the bed at any time of day, but the plant material will spring back during the day so its easier to see in the morinings. It will most likely be a flattened area, oval in shape, in amongst high growing foliage to hide the deer. You see lots in the Bracken up on the Welsh Marches from Roe etc.. It'll be small from a Muntjac - 60cm or so

HTH

Red
Red

 

[leon-b]

ok thanks, theres loads of bushes along the sides so i'll have a look soon

leon

 

[pothunter]

Hi Leon
I suggest that you go out today and find a comfortable spot that will give you a good view of the area where you saw the tracks, don’t go into the area that you want to observe keeping disturbance to a minimum. With the mornings getting colder deer prefer sheltered south facing slopes that get the early morning sun.
At the first opportunity get out before first light moving into position with the least disturbance checking the wind direction as you go ideally you want the wind in your face but things are rarely ideal.
Be patient the deer may not move for an hour after first light, use your binoculars to look into the bottom of the undergrowth, look for the line of their backs and twitching tails these are the giveaways.
Muntjac are quite tolerant of people but the less you disturb them the more you will see of them.
Take something to eat and drink as it may be a long morning.
Remember Shape, Shine, Shadow, Scent
Shape: don’t allow your self to be silhouetted and leave adequate cover between you and the deer
Shine: early morning make sure that the sun is not shining directly off any of your kit including binocular lenses
Shadow: this can give away your position to crows etc. early morning who will jink and make an alarm call if they see it
Scent: watch wind direction, if you are on lower ground as this warms scent will rise

Hope the above is helpful, good luck, Pothunter.

 

[leon-b]

well i cant go out today as i have cadets soon but tomorrow i will go up there see if there are any more tracks and find a good sheltered area to sit, but the tracks are on a puplic foot path along the side of a field the footpath is rarely used so thats not a problem but i dont think there will be a good place to sit out of sight of the deer as it is just a plouged field
any suggestions ?
leon

 

[pothunter]

Difficult to say much more without seeing the ground.

If the hedges are old with plenty of cover in the bottom and a bit of overhang you can use this but again without seeing the ground it becomes very difficult to advise.

It may be that this is a corridor between blocks of woodland if so you may want to investigate the areas around where the woodland and hedges join, look for access points muntjac are great ones for squeezing under things such as wire netting. Also look out for possible food sources deer browse as they move, doing the same as you taking advantage of the harvest

I’m running out of suggestions now keep me posted on what you find and remember if you are with a friend keep talking to a minimum.

 

[British Red]

Leon,

The deer round here love eating my veggies. Try sitting very still and making a noise like a radish

On a serious note, I've watched roe bucks in rut just by sitting in the falling light in a green jacket and trusers (no DPM) with my back against a tree amongst some undergrowth. Noise and movement are your enemies as pothunter says. I know its tough at dawn but at this time of year dusk is good too - the deer round here often come out for a feed. Move very quietly, keeping next to hedegrows at dusk and you should see plenty of wildlife if you are lucky. BB and I go for our evening walk and often see them with a few yards of the house. Practice walking silently, peer round corners of hedges rather than march out etc. You'll see em in the end

Red

 

[leon-b]

i have seen plenty of muntjak round here in the day time, as for the woodland there are two woods near each other and the hengerow does link them so i will check the areas where the hedgerow joins the woods
ps. my tatonka tarp arrived today and i have set it up by tying one end to a tree and pegging the others down, i asked my mum where the camera is and she told me it was broken so the pictures will have to wait untill we get a new camera
leon

 

[leon-b]

i am goin to have a look tommorow, i will report back to you what i find
leon

 

[leon-b]

im afraid i didnt get a chance to go down there today as i was busy hopefully i will have a look tommorow
leon

 

[leon-b]

well i went down there today at about 11 am, i found some more tracks and a possible den, the den matched the size references you gave me and was in a hedgrow, any advice on what i should do next
leon

 

[pothunter]

Hi Leon

I think you now need to be patient, dawn or dusk are the most likely times that you may see them, however if they feel under pressure the deer may move on. This is a good time to practice your fieldcraft, think about where you expect to see the deer and chose a spot overlooking this area, recap on the earlier suggestions by British Red and myself.
Just one point a den is built structure, deer make a bed that is little more that making the ground comfortable to lie on.

Good luck, Pothunter.

 

[leon-b]

Just one point a den is built structure, deer make a bed that is little more that making the ground comfortable to lie on.
.

yes this is wat i saw, some squashed grass in a hedgrow about 60 cm big, i checked the whole hedge and this is the only thing i found that was the same as what you and british red told me
leon

 

[British Red]

So, can you get in a position to watch them coming to / going from the nest Leon? Bear in mind that we are talkin first / last light (last light (around 7pm would be good) is probably easier to agree with your mum!

Red

BTW - did you ever nail lighting a feather stick with a firesteel yet ?