Some of the details of the hunt.

I have access to a property where fallow deer sometimes visit. They are not permanently there but move over several different properties. Have hunted there a few times this year but hadn't seen anything worth shooting, or at least couldn't get a shot. Some good prospects for the future though which is one reason I was happy to deal with this stag.

Now I have to admit it but I wasn't actually hunting deer. I was out after some foxes. I want to build up a collection of winter fox pelts to make up a large rug similar to those I saw in the Czech Republic last year. So I wasn't carrying a deer calibre but instead my trusty .222. I did have my .308 BLR in the car - just in case. Not much use there though.

Anyway spotted these boys plus a couple others feeding in a field not far from some bush and managed to get to within a hundred metres. Got into a good prone position using a tree trunk for additional support and waited for the stag to move into a favourable position. Would you know it! Always another animal behind or not a favourable head position. I wanted a side on behind the eye shot and after some delay eventually got it. Dropped like a stone.

The spiker ran off with the rest of the deer but was stupid enough to stop for a few seconds. They didn't know where exactly the shot had come from. Frontal between the eyes. Also dropped pretty quickly. Did shoot him a second time though as although it probably was just nerves, everytime I grabbed his legs to pick him up he started kicking.

Had a trailer with to collect some wood so it came in handy for other use.

I am fairly confident with the .222 though haven't shot it a lot for quite a while. Used to use it a lot once and probably have shot a couple of thousand rounds at game through it. Plain Jane Remington 788 with a Tasco 3-9x scope - permanently set on 9x. My first rifle which I owned of any sort, but I did start off with a single shot .22 with open sights of my father's. If you can hit a rabbit, hare, fox or roo in the brain, you should be able to hit a deer. As long as you wait for the ideal shot or let them go if not. Great as zero spoilage of meat.

Now if it had been a trophy stag, not so sure about it.