It was great to get a chance to get back to deer stalking last month, after several months focusing on other things - we all have to work sometimes after all!
I recently filmed an episode for the Fieldsports TV Channel which we initially intended to focus purely on deer stalking. However, I had only been out a couple of times to 'survey' the land and was not completely prepared for a full stalk. So we took the opportunity to discuss other topics, one of which was how I managed to get the permission in the first place.
My method may not work for everyone, it's just that I am an old fashioned person with old fashioned morals - I like to see the whites of peoples eyes, shake their hand, get a feel for the cut of their jib - and I treat land owners and land managers as if they want the same from me. You can watch the full episode here.
I did some reconnaissance beforehand with my Pulsar XQ35 thermal imager. I didn't take my rifle with me as this was one of a couple of outings just to get a feel for the layout of the land, check the boundaries and any footpaths/roads nearby, as well as seeing what the deer were doing, finding their highways etc. The deer in the video here were youngsters with their mother, so no good for me anyway even if I'd had my rifle, but so much fun to watch!
It's been really interesting to chat with people who are new to stalking over the past few months. I have only been stalking couple of years myself so I am certainly not the most experienced, but it's been nice sharing the experience that I do have with those who have none. Part of that experience includes getting your FAC in the first place - as we know, there is so much variation between how our forces work in different counties across the UK.
For those of you that are just starting to think about getting an FAC, bear in mind that you will need a good reason for having it in the first place. Do you have experience stalking (with a friend/guide/on a course)? Do you have permission to shoot anywhere (if not, why do you need the licence?) Do you know what you are going to do with the meat if you shoot anything and how to gralloch and butcher the carcass properly? Are you hoping to be given an open licence? IT's a good idea to think about all of this before you even head down that road.
If you're looking for more information on deer stalking there are some great resources you can check out here or get in touch with the British Deer Society.
Comments