The rut started in the UK yesterday

devon deer

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2 chaps joined us for the weekend, both good friends with each other, one lives in the UK, the other is an American but lives in Estonia, they do hunt swaps, so they arrived with us looking for reds or fallow.
They had 3 days, it was tight but we got it done.

The red deer was easier, my buddy put the American on a really nice 12 point stag, 236 yards away, he had the all clear, but couldn't see it through the scope, my friend whispering all the time, 'shoot, shoot, SHOOT!' it was because he had the scope wound right up, field of view restricted, and it slowly wandered into the woods.
He was frustrated but took it well, so the last morning he was taken back to the same farm, and the oldest stag we have ever seen wondered out, hardly any teeth, job done with my mates Steyr Scout in 7mm08, 50 yards away, simple extraction, easy peezy lemon squeezy.

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So i was out with the other chap, 50 miles away hunting fallow deer, we also had scope problems!
He was using his own rifle, a Blaser R93 in .308, i heard a Fallow grunting, looked around some woodland and got busted by 2 does, i grabbed the guy by the arm raised the sticks, he put the gun on top, out wondered the grunting Fallow buck, 30 yards away, a really nice buck with some palmation, he was full of testosterone, and was a bit pissed that we scared away his ladies, he slowly started to walk, looking back, i stopped him with a 'bark' i said 'shoot, shoot, SHOOT!' nothing happened, buck wondered off, i asked what the issue was, he said he had his scope covers on, couldn't see it!
So he chalked it up to experience and we walked on, i set him up in a clearing, using the wind direction i slowly moved through the really thick woods in the hope my scent would push out a buck, as i was making my way through i felt my phone vibrate, it was the other guys stating they had a red stag, i was in the midst of replying saying we had no luck when i heard a shot followed by a resounding 'thud'!
Success, he got his Fallow buck, happy days, but the damned thing absolutely wreaked! It stank!

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If some of you have never heard a rutting stag, this video was uploaded by a guy who lives in Poland, a nice video, but to save you some time the 'shot' is at the end of the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysOBtjnnQns

Cheers

Richard
 
Last edited:
Great job on the double. Not an easy feat in only three days. Are the fallow also in the rut or is it just the reds? Is a call productive for reds like it is for the roe bucks? Thanks for attached video as well. I watch several of Roestalkers videos before our hunt last summer. He does a great job of capturing the essence of the hunt. Is there any time for you to get out and get your own freezer filled, or are you in full guide mode right now?
 
Great job on the double. Not an easy feat in only three days. Are the fallow also in the rut or is it just the reds? Is a call productive for reds like it is for the roe bucks? Thanks for attached video as well. I watch several of Roestalkers videos before our hunt last summer. He does a great job of capturing the essence of the hunt. Is there any time for you to get out and get your own freezer filled, or are you in full guide mode right now?

The roe are easier to call than fallow/reds, i have very little experience in calling the latter, but i will try some calls and also rattle them up if i can.
Fallow and red are both rutting now.
I still have plenty of venison in the freezer, guiding clients every weekend until the new year, i am out during the week myself now the fishing has finished on the rivers.

Cheers

Richard
 
Beautiful animals.I'd be happy to take either of those.When is the rut at its peak??I thought you mentioned August,but would Sept be better hunting
 
Beautiful animals.I'd be happy to take either of those.When is the rut at its peak??I thought you mentioned August,but would Sept be better hunting

Early August is the Roe Buck rut, and the red/fallow start now, but it can be earlier or later, depends on the weather.

Cheers

Richard
 
Awesome pics and great story. Love how you guys get to hunt suppressed over there. Maybe we will catch up in the future here in the states.
 
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