today was a good day.

a quick rundown, because im tired now.
I got up at 3:30 and was in the stables at 4:00 gettig scoop(one of my stallions) ready for the day.
we were in the forest at 4:45 about 20 minutes before legal shooting time. i was just humming along at a slow pace letting the horse eat a bit as we drifted further into the forest.

at 6:00 i got the first glimps of a decent buck, he was walking and feeding at a walk towards a small field in the forest, i followed him slowly while watching him, to determin, if i wanted to take this one now.

he had walked out onto the field grasing, standing around 100 yards from the forest border. i got off scoop and starte to stalk the last 50 yards to the border. i got a nice rest against a birch and waited for him to turn broadside, 30 sec. (that felt like a lifetime) later he precented the classic broadside shot and i let the bullet fly.

WHACK he fell over, like he was struck by mjoelner itself. i was really starting to like this rifle, it was leaving all the old and stupid remarks about dbl rifles lack of precision behind it in the dust from the 245 grains bullet.

i broke the buck and slung him over the shoulder and got on scoop again, and set the course for home while listening to the forest waking up in a flurry of sounds that no man can replicate.

i unloaded the buck, and put scoop in the stable with his morning feed, got a quick photo of the buck and me at the lawn, and went in to have breakfast with the kids before i had to drive them to kindergarten.

when i came back niicky could see that there was no possible way to get anything work related out of me today so she went and picked up her photo gear again(she was with me in the morning as well)
while i went to saddle scoop up again.

i took a different route this time riding along the forest egde, having fun and enjoying the day with niicky, untill i saw, out of the corner of my eye, a mangy fox trotting over the field. i dont mind foxes that much but if sick i put them down at once.

i dident even get off scoop, but took the shoot from the saddle.

fast photo before the digging the hole and making sure that the dogs couldent get to the body.
shot was taking at 63 yards.

riding further along, we came to another field where i knew that a nice buck were from time to time.
i saw him in the other end of the field, about 350 yards away.
so the stalk commenced with all the walking, standing, crawling and more crawling only halted by the freeze stance whenever he looked up at you.
finaly i was at a distance where i felt i could take him and feel proud about the stalk, by hands were burning up from the stinging nettles(forgot my gloves on the saddle) i sat up, rested my elbows on my knees and waited for him to stand at a better angle than the texas heart shot he precented me with.
again that rifle just worked its charms and the buck went down at once. i walked to the buck with a bittersweet notion that i reached my limit in that forest in one day and it would be a whole year before i could hunt there again.

i really love this picture

best regards

peter