Deer Stalking Handbook 3rd Edition

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THE DEER STALKING HANDBOOK

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THE

DEER STALKING HANDBOOK

GRAHAM DOWNING Quiller

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Acknowledgements It is surprising just how much has changed since I first wrote this book ten years ago. Although the basic principles of deer stalking still remain the same as ever, we have seen new legislation and the publication of new best practice guidance both north and south of the Scottish border. Equipment has changed as stalkers have tried out new technology and then adopted it, while there has also been a very welcome growth in the use of dogs for following up deer, especially in low ground stalking. Deer populations themselves have altered, as have attitudes to deer, both in Government and among the wider public. I hope that I have adequately reflected all these changes in this new edition and that it will prove helpful to another generation of deer stalkers. I would like to thank the many people who have made this book possible, especially those of my friends who have invited me to stalk with them, who have shared their thoughts and experiences with me and who have been prepared, sometimes unexpectedly, to find themselves at the wrong end of a camera whilst out on the hill or in the woods. However, the deepest appreciation of all goes to my wife, Ronnie, who has willingly accepted my countless early mornings, late nights and long absences on stalking trips at home and overseas, not to mention the disruption to her kitchen and household through the intrusion of muddy gear and deer carcasses. For her constant forbearance and love, I dedicate this book to her. Graham Downing Chediston, January 2013

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Contents 1.

What is Stalking?

9

2.

Rifles and Accessories

21

3.

Preparing to Shoot

43

4.

Stalking and the Law

63

5.

Deer in Britain

81

6.

Woodland Stalking

101

7.

The Shot and Afterwards

119

8.

Hill Stalking

133

9.

From Field to Table

151

10. Stalking Opportunity and the Need for Deer Control

169

Appendix – Useful Contacts

190

Index

191

7

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Scotland’s red deer herd is currently around 400,000 animals 8

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CHAPTER 1

What is Stalking?

U

ntil a few decades ago, deer stalking in Britain was generally regarded as a rather exclusive branch of shooting sports. Even in the eyes of the shooting public it was associated almost entirely with the pursuit of red deer in the Highlands of Scotland. Access to deer stalking was limited to the lucky owners of Scottish estates, their private guests and a relatively small number of paying clients who travelled to the Highlands in the early autumn to stalk red stags. Hind stalking was largely the preserve of Scotland’s professional stalkers and those who helped or assisted them during the stag season. Other species of deer barely raised their antlers above the sporting horizon. Roe, for example, were looked upon as little more than vermin. Until the 1960s they were freely killed with shotguns, and those landowners and foresters who suffered damage from roe deer shot them out of hand on organised deer drives. As a teenager, I would walk around the thousand acre game shoot which my father rented in Thetford forest, Norfolk, with my right barrel loaded with bird shot and an SG cartridge in the left chamber of my twelve bore shotgun in case a roe should leap across the ride in front of me. None ever did, but I always had a couple of deer cartridges to hand as I walked the dark, silent rides of the pine forest, just in case. It was only as a result of pressure from a few influential sportsmen concerned for the welfare of deer as a whole that legislation was introduced to regulate and improve the management of deer, and the shooting of them with shotguns all but ceased. Yet today, fifty years on from the passage of the 1963 Deer Act, deer stalking is one of the fastestgrowing sectors of shooting sports. Scottish red deer stalking of course retains its traditional appeal, but woodland stalking for roe, fallow, sika and muntjac deer has opened up new opportunities for the growing number of sporting rifle enthusiasts who are eager to experience the challenge of hunting large game in the hills, fields and woods of rural Britain. Deer stalking is featured every week in the pages of the sporting press, fresh students pack the ever-increasing number of deer stalking courses organised by the shooting associations, and the market for rifles, riflescopes and other stalking paraphernalia grows every year. In short, deer stalking in Britain has undergone a revolution. The reason it has done so is in part related to the deer themselves, in part the result of other factors that have affected shooting sports, and in part due to changes which have affected society as a whole.

The growth in Britain’s deer population All of the six native or naturalised species of British deer are growing in population, in range or both. Red deer, though strongly associated with their traditional territories in the open hill country of the Highlands, south-west Scotland and Exmoor, are now present in the woodlands of East Anglia, Hampshire, Sussex, Devon, Cornwall, the north Midlands and the hills of North Yorkshire and Cumbria. Recent research suggests that the Scottish herd is around 400,000 animals, and there is increasing concern amongst conservationists about the impact of red deer on the regeneration of native woodlands. Roe deer are now present throughout most of southern England, northern England and 9

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THE DEER STALKING HANDBOOK

Scotland, and are steadily moving into the Midlands and Wales. On the farms of East Anglia it is now commonplace to see roe feeding at dawn or dusk on sugar beet or high value vegetable crops such as carrots and parsnips, and the British population has been put at between 800,000 and 900,000 animals. There is no reliable estimate of the number of muntjac deer, though the species is endemic throughout the Midlands, southern and eastern England, and new sightings are made almost daily. Fallow deer are present in almost every county of England and Wales, while sika continue to expand their range in Scotland and are well established in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Dorset and the New Forest. Wherever you may go in rural Britain, deer are not far away. The cause of this burgeoning of Britain’s deer is a steady growth in available habitat and a natural fecundity coupled with a notable absence of any natural predators. The switch in Government policy away from support for intensive agriculture and towards agri-environment schemes which occurred from the mid 1980s has led to the planting of thousands of acres of new woodland and many miles of hedgerow. Long established woods have been linked together by new farm woodlands, hedge planting schemes and conservation field margins which create corridors that allow wildlife to move unseen and unhindered through the countryside. Habitat creation under farm-based schemes has been added to by large-scale amenity tree planting, such as that prompted by the establishment of the new National Forest in the Midlands. Meanwhile the uniform stands of dark conifers within the Forestry Commission’s estates have given way to more diverse cropping, the introduction of broadleaved timber and a woodland management policy driven increasingly by conservation. New habitat is created by man’s management of the countryside, and it is quickly found by deer. Unlike the harsh environment of the Scottish hill, lowland woodlands provide shelter, security and year-round supplies of food, and even if good feeding is not available within the woods themselves, the proximity of cereals, grass, roots or vegetable crops means that deer in the lowlands are easily able to tap into rich sources of nutrition. That in turn allows them to reach their full genetic potential far more readily, as witness the magnificent heads and weight of venison carried by the woodland red stags of lowland England in comparison with their cousins in the Scottish Highlands.

Man as a manager of deer Deer in Britain face no natural predators. The natural environment of these islands has steadily been transformed by man over the millennia since the last Ice Age, and the wolf, bear and lynx which once held deer populations in check have been exterminated. Our ancestors have also brought new deer species to Britain. Sika and muntjac are both recent introductions which are having an impact upon our native flora and fauna that is not welcomed by the conservation bodies, while Chinese water deer may yet do likewise if and when their numbers increase. In the absence of natural predators, we must therefore assume the role of wildlife manager and take responsibility for controlling our deer populations. Whilst much of the hard work of deer management may be undertaken by professional stalkers and wildlife rangers, the recreational stalker, trained and operating to high standards, has a major role to play in helping with this important task. So we have more deer in Britain than at any time since the Middle Ages and moreover they are situated not exclusively, as was once the case, on large landed estates. Instead they are spread in increasing abundance across the countryside where they are accessible to a diverse range of landowners and occupiers. At the same time, shooting sports generally have attracted a much wider support base. The availability of more leisure time coupled with rising disposable income has led to the development of a ready market for sporting opportunity that is at its most obvious in the game shooting sector. Whatever one may think about the commercialisation of game shooting, there is absolutely no doubt 10

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What is Stalking?

that it has opened up the sport to a whole host of people who would never before have had the opportunity to go shooting. In consequence, the sport’s economic and political foundations have been immeasurably strengthened.

New interest in stalking Deer stalking, however, is not a social sport like game shooting and it has drawn its new support from a different group of participants. Undoubtedly a proportion of new stalkers come from that ill-used and unfortunate group of firearm certificate holders whose sport was wiped out by the ban on target pistol shooting which followed the 1997 Firearms Act. Not wishing to give up their shooting entirely, many former pistol shooters have transferred their interest to the sporting rifle and have been drawn into stalking that way. Others have come into stalking from the ‘hunting’ branches of shotgun shooting, such as rough shooting and, particularly, wildfowling to find that the fieldcraft and hunting skills that they learned as shotgunners are honed and rediscovered in the pursuit of a different quarry. My own wildfowling club now numbers half a dozen dedicated and active deer stalkers, all of whom delight in the intense and very personal exercise of hunting skills which woodland stalking requires. Such a thing would have been thought quite extraordinary in the wildfowling circles of thirty years ago. Although deer stalkers practise their sport alone and are not natural joiners of organisations, association membership reflects the recent growth of interest in deer stalking. The British Deer Society (BDS), has for example, experienced a significant surge in recruitement over the past fifteen years, and a 2007 survey of members, over ninety per cent of whom are active deer stalkers, found that thirty-two per cent of them had taken up the sport in the previous ten years and sixteen per cent had discovered stalking only within the previous five. Recruitment statistics of that order would be a source of pride to any participant sport, let alone a field sport which has to contend with the 21st century forces of political correctness. They underline the uniqueness of the challenge which deer stalking offers to the hunter and the outdoorsman.

Two branches of stalking There are in truth two basic forms of deer stalking in Britain, generally referred to as hill stalking and woodland stalking, and both will be examined in detail later. Hill stalking is the traditional pursuit of the red deer on the open Scottish mountainside. It is organised by sporting estates which generally employ professional stalkers to take the visiting sportsmen and women on the hill. Scottish hill stalking may involve much arduous climbing or walking over large stretches of magnificent open mountainside on which deer may be spotted from a distance. Once they are located, the professional stalker and the accompanied guest may spend a considerable amount of time in making their approach, using both the wind and the lie of the land in order to get into a position from which a shot may be taken. The prestigious sport on the Scottish hill is reckoned to be the stag stalking in early autumn. Hind stalking, essential for the proper management of the deer herd, is carried out in winter, traditionally by the professional stalker but increasingly by accompanied paying guests who recognise the challenge – and the very good value for money – which hind stalking offers. Woodland stalking in Britain is of far more recent lineage, indeed it is fair to say that its history is still being written. Many of its practices and ethics were imported in the second half of the twentieth century from Germany where there is a much more ancient woodland hunting tradition, but they have been altered and adapted to suit the different circumstances of Britain. Woodland stalking involves the hunting of lowland deer of any species in an environment of woodland, forest, or farmland interspersed 11

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THE DEER STALKING HANDBOOK

Hill stalking is the traditional pursuit of the red deer on the open Scottish mountainside

Roe deer have re-established themselves over much of lowland England 12

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What is Stalking?

with isolated timber. Stalking is generally undertaken at first light or in the evening, when deer move to and from the places where they feed, and requires considerable stealth since deer may be encountered at very close quarters indeed. When stalking on foot is not appropriate, the hunter may conceal himself and wait for a deer to appear or, more usually sit in a specially constructed high seat which commands a view of a woodland clearing or some other place frequented by deer. There is a growing number of professional stalking guides who specialise in offering woodland stalking to paying guests. However, there is plenty of opportunity for the competent and experienced woodland stalker to buy, lease or otherwise acquire his own stalking, enabling him to experience the thrill of hunting alone.

Why we go stalking To hunt a wild deer is no easy matter. Tens of thousands of years of genetic programming have gone into each and every animal to help it survive the constant threat of predators. As a result, deer have the most remarkably efficient ears, eyes and scent organs, all of which are constantly ready to alert them to danger. In order to achieve success, the hunter has to get himself within range of a quarry which is well able to look after itself. To do this he may need to exercise some pretty sophisticated levels of fieldcraft. Understanding and use of wind direction, camouflage and concealment and the ability to move through woodland as quietly and imperceptibly as a ghost, all are skills which the stalker has to learn and practice, but the satisfaction when he gets it right is immense. Even just being able to spot a woodland deer before it spots me, and then to watch it unobserved still gives me a big buzz.

Deer are now more widespread in Britain than at any time since the Middle Ages With fieldcraft comes an understanding of natural history. Nobody ever became a successful deer stalker without understanding his quarry, and a knowledge of the habits and signs of deer is essential. Footprints on the edge of a woodland ride, a freshly frayed tree or the curl in the mist as it moves around a rocky crag, thereby betraying the direction and speed of the wind five hundred feet above you, are all pieces in the jigsaw which build up the picture of where deer are likely to be and the direction in which you need to go in order to spot them. Every serious stalker must, or should be, a competent naturalist, and with a love of the natural world he will find that, even if the deer he spots are of the wrong sex or species to afford a shot, simply the privilege of observing them in their natural environment will be reward in itself for his efforts. Those efforts may be not inconsiderable, and the stalker must be up to the physical challenge of the sport. Whether it is an icy winter’s day on the steep and rugged terrain of the Scottish hill, a punishing hundred yard belly-crawl along the dusty edge of an autumn stubble field or simply the effort of extracting carcasses from the woods, maybe singlehanded over rough terrain, stalking is not a sport for wimps. It requires at least a basic level of fitness, and the stalker who is unable to cope with the 13

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THE DEER STALKING HANDBOOK

Woodland stalking is rapidly growing in popularity throughout Britain 14

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Rifles and Accessories

Stalking in the snow. This Realtree snow camo net suit can be worn over regular stalking kit 37

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THE DEER STALKING HANDBOOK

An olive green stalking jacket provides a useful option where camouflage clothing may be inappropriate 38

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Rifles and Accessories

recognise you as a human being. I have sometimes had the strange experience of sitting in a ditch or a hedge bottom with a roe deer, just feet away, puzzling for several minutes over what manner of creature it has discovered on its patch. Of course, this only works when you remain absolutely still with the wind in the right direction! The new ‘ghillie suits’ comprised of a net base covered in shreds of camouflage fabric completely hide the human form altogether, though they are only really practical when there is not much walking to be done and you are simply aiming to ambush or intercept your quarry. Even in the south of England, a regular stalker can find himself shooting in snowy conditions once or twice each winter, and of course for those operating in more northerly areas, snow is a regular occurrence. For snowy conditions, a snow camo suit really is extremely effective. Most animals and birds seem to be confused by snow, especially when the countryside is newly white, and with a little thought and planning, you can take advantage of some very good shooting opportunities. I have a simple net top and trousers in the very effective Realtree snow camo which slips over the top of my normal stalking clothes. Comfortable boots are essential. These Le Chameau ‘Mouflon’ Topped off with a white ski hat, the boots are fully waterproof and provide excellent ankle support outfit seems to work very well when there is snow cover in the woodlands which I regularly frequent. For open snowfields, a plain white ex-army snow smock is all that is required. Failing that, I have got on very well in the past with a suit of white decorator’s overalls. Camouflage clothing, however, can have significant disadvantages in an era when terrorist incidents regularly appear in the TV news and there is serious disquiet amongst some members of the public about firearms. The sight of a heavily armed camo-clad figure creeping about the countryside can cause alarm, and it is not unknown for shooters to find that they have been reported as suspected terrorists. A raid by a team of heavily armed police is not the best way to end a morning’s stalking. For this reason, those who use firearms in areas with public access often prefer to dress in plain greens and browns rather than in camouflage gear. A pair of breeks and stockings can also appear less ‘military’ than full camo trousers, and they are also extremely comfortable to stalk in, so many stalkers pull their full camo over their breeks only when they are actively hunting, leaving on their more traditional country garb for lunch at the pub. 39

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THE DEER STALKING HANDBOOK

Whether it is olive green, brown, military ‘disruptive pattern material’ (DPM) or the latest American hunting camo, make sure your clothing has plenty of good, deep pockets that fasten securely, including at least one zippered document pocket. It should also have storm cuffs and a well-fitting neck to keep the warmth in and the wet out, and a drip strip along the bottom of the lining to keep moisture from wicking up the back For woodland stalking, a headnet is very useful, to be worn in conjunction with a hat especially when the weather is cold or wet. A pair of gloves is also absolutely essential to cover the hands and conceal them in the last vital seconds as you raise the rifle to take a shot. Cut the trigger finger off the glove to ensure absolutely positive contact between your forefinger and the trigger of your rifle. As with the rest of your clothing, boots should be dry, comfortable and quiet. Ankle boots are perfect for the woods, but when serious hill walking is in prospect, it is well worth investing in some of the new ‘high leg’ boots which come halfway up the calf and provide lots of extra support. Some boots come lined with a Gore-Tex membrane, making them fully waterproof, which is a godsend when you plan to be out on the hill all day. Clearly a rugged sole is important to provide plenty of grip, especially whilst hill climbing, but it is important also to retain sufficient flexibility in the foot to ensure that you can feel the ground surface underneath you.

Accessories Around your neck whilst stalking will be a pair of binoculars. Choose good quality optics to ensure maximum light transmission, but avoid excessive magnification. Around x8 or x10 should be sufficient, and if necessary they can always be braced against your stalking stick to steady them when observing distant objects. Remember that you will be using your binoculars constantly to scan the undergrowth or the hill, so make sure they are light and comfortable, and that they are rubber armoured to prevent them from making a noise should they come into contact with any other item of your equipment. If you should have to crawl, then don’t forget to slip them inside the front of your jacket, as otherwise they will become caked in mud, sand or peat, and they will be totally useless until properly cleaned when you get home. Hill stalkers often carry a spotting telescope. With a magnification of x25 or x30, this enables them to study deer at great distances, identify exactly what animals are in front of them and decide whether or not to proceed with a stalk. A stick is another of those essential items of equipment. On the hill it acts as a ‘third leg’, enabling you to keep your balance at all times when walking over difficult terrain. It also acts as a steadying device to assist a rapid shot taken from a standing, sitting or kneeling position. A variation that is particularly popular with woodland stalkers is a pair of sticks. These are two thin sticks, each of about the same height as the stalker, and lashed or joined loosely together towards the top so that when opened crosswise they create a neat little ‘vee’ at just the right height to rest the rifle when taking a standing shot. Some people use for this purpose a couple of green plastic-covered garden canes, available from the DIY store, while stalking equipment suppliers now offer factory made bipod and tripod sticks in their catalogues. Personally, I prefer a couple of hazel sticks cut from the wood. Not only are they light, strong and free of charge, but also any sound that they make should they bump against adjacent timber or each other is totally natural. Every stalker must have at least one knife. A fixed bladed sheath knife is preferable since there is absolutely no chance of it closing against your fingers whilst you are working with it. Also, cleaning a sheath knife under a hot tap is the work of a few moments. Picking congealed blood, hair and fat from a multi-bladed folding knife is not nearly so easy. Even so, a folding knife makes a very useful spare to carry in a side or top pocket, especially when it comes equipped with an extra helpful device such as a 40

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Rifles and Accessories

Field accessories: rubber armoured binoculars, sheath knife, folding pocket knife, head torch and a length of stout cord saw blade. I always carry, as well as my sheath knife, a Victorinox ‘Swiss Army’ knife in the ‘Hunter’ pattern, which has a long principal cutting blade that locks securely, plus an excellent saw. As it is emblazoned with the head of a roe buck, I imagine that it was designed with the deer stalker in mind. Always ensure that your stalking knife is kept razor sharp. A blunt knife is not merely useless; it is a positive danger, for should you try to cut with it you will need to exert extra pressure on your work, with the attendant risk of the blade slipping and causing injury. Alongside your knife you may wish to carry a folding shovel or entrenching tool. The latter may be purchased very cheaply from an ex-military wholesaler and should come complete with its own carrying case which straps to your belt. Hill stalkers invariably leave the gralloch out on the hill for the ravens, but disposal of gralloch in the lowlands is a different matter, and an entrenching tool makes short work 41

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