This week we’re back on the hill stalking hinds mid-season. Work is just starting on a new forest creation scheme, and I have to pay particular attention to Red Deer coming into this area at night from Higher Hill.
I had taken the opportunity to get out late afternoon and work into a sheltered glen that generally holds hind, as they love to lay up here in the early afternoon, but on the way, I noticed a group of deer ran across and out of this valley, clearly spooked, which I suspect was likely down to hillwalkers, so a hasty re-think was required.
Backtracking and working into the wind across the edge of a series of steep crags, allowed me to look down into the native birch woodland below, but before I got to the edge, Zosia was indicating strongly in front of me and was clearly scenting deer from below us.
As I eased to the edge of the hill, I could see a small parcel of Reds moving through the trees. Setting up on the quad sticks, a group of three paused at the back of the group, just long enough to allow a shot, which resulted in a satisfying crack and the hind jumping and falling out of sight over a ledge and into the long bracken.
Zosia made quick work of the follow-up, and as I approached, I noticed behind the dead hind was a mouse sheltering under her back which hastily scurried off as I approached – now that’s a first!
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