Can I call it Deer Stalking when it's really Deer-sitting?

Recently I started filming with the Fieldsports Britain YouTube Channel again for the first time in about a year, due to being busy completing a home renovation project. When they asked me what they could film, I mentioned a local farm where the farmer had recently offered me permission for deer stalking, due to being happy with the work I had done the past few months keeping on top of the pigeons.

So, off we went to film my deer stalking adventure. Well, it was less of a 'deer stalking adventure' (apart from the mission of getting through the woods without snagging my Afro on EVERYTHING) and more of a 'deer-sit-and-wait' adventure...

The land I was focused on was an approx. 80 acre field that was due to have dairy cows released into it in a couple weeks. This is where the farmer had mostly seen both Roe and Muntjac, and also where I had spotted roe using my Hik Micro Condor thermal imaging spotter on a couple of previous reconnaissance missions.

This field is surrounded by woodland on 2 sides, a road on one side and further fields on the 4th side. Since the deer tend to come out of the woods in the evening on one side only (the side next to the road), and cross into the adjoining field; I knew I had to be set up in time for their appearance, as there would only be a 5 - 10 minute window before they were in front of the cow barns, the farm house, and disappearing off into the next field. Hence, 'deer-sitting'.

I have to say, I am not a fan of high seats - basically I'm not a fan of sitting still for long periods of time. I do this in front of a laptop everyday for work, I don't want to do it when I'm out in the countryside! So I wasn't looking forward to arriving an hour early and waiting in position. Well, I actually went for a walk after 30 mins because I couldn't sit still - which is why I was distracted on my return and almost missed my buck's appearance!

It had been several weeks since my last harvest, which was a female Muntjac - she was pregnant so there was a good amount of meat and fat on her, but it still wasn't going to fill up the freezer. And since both myself and my partner, plus my dog and and all my visitors I have will eat venison, I needed to get out again to top up our reserves. And it was a successful trip; my Tikka T3 combined with Fiocchi .243 100gr bullets did the job perfectly, despite me not being ready when the buck appeared!

Watch the full video below:

As my arthritis gets worse in the cold weather, I do enjoy getting out deer stalking in the warmer months so I'm looking forward to a couple more outings this Summer - especially since the deer rut is my favourite time to hunt deer! However, since I gralloch and butcher the carcass myself, I still need to prepare myself for some pain in my fingers - but it's still worth it!

If you want to learn more about butchering your own carcasses at home, do your research and check out one of the courses in the resource links below:

BASC - The British Deer Society - Wild Bushcraft Company - Shooting and Hunting Academy - The Deer Association