A stag has run! - tale of woe....
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ElmerThud
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- Jul 16, 2011
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SJB358":tbdyl0hj said:
Just happened to have those cartridges in my kit bag Scotty and the rifle had been checked with them the day before going north. Bugger really as I'd been in two minds over re-zeroing the 110gn AB's.
Shalln't be making that mistake again on rutting stags, although I'd never before had a failure of this nature with the Sierra bullet. I must have just placed it wrongly when I took the shot.
That's a rather crappy excuse on live quarry, especially with my experience in taking these beasties.
Heck, my friends and I used .243 95gn Nosler bullets on them for the better part of 20 years and although occasionally - rarely - a shot was misplaced and a stag or hind was lost, but not many considering the number shot over 30+ years and the sale of venison paying much of the rent on the land we shoot over in Scotland.
Vince I'd guess this stags rutting days are over. We will find the poor beastie and only need to be near him to catch him in the wind. We shall be back on the land later this week with the dogs to try and find him. I'm not giving up as I'm absolutely sure I didn't miss...may not have hit him quite right, but I didn't miss.
Very best wishes to all. ET
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ElmerThud
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Found! - friends out on the ground in Scotland found my stag late this afternoon. Considerably decayed, chewed by foxes, buzzards & other crawly stuff, he had eleven points - one antler broken - I guess crashing through the trees.
Found around 700 yds from where he took my bullet, at the edge of the tree line. Front left shoulder smashed & bullet into lower left lung area by the look of things..no exit. I'm told the carcass is rather rancid even after so long....at least he's dead although the loss of the venison seems a shame.
Having said that, I don't have a taste for the venison from a rutting stag anyway and would have sold the carcass had it been recovered, to the local game dealer.
Found around 700 yds from where he took my bullet, at the edge of the tree line. Front left shoulder smashed & bullet into lower left lung area by the look of things..no exit. I'm told the carcass is rather rancid even after so long....at least he's dead although the loss of the venison seems a shame.
Having said that, I don't have a taste for the venison from a rutting stag anyway and would have sold the carcass had it been recovered, to the local game dealer.
DrMike
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- Nov 8, 2006
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Glad he was found! I quite agree that venison from rutting game can be a source of displeasure for some. Interesting that you are able to sell the venison to a game dealer. That would not be permitted here in British Columbia.
Glad your Stag was found. I know myself you get a herd Bull all lathered up from rutting you can smell him from 20 yards and the meat is gamey to say the least!
Also there is no legal selling of wild game meat here in Saskatchewan.
Again I am glad that the Stag was found.
Blessings,
Dan
Also there is no legal selling of wild game meat here in Saskatchewan.
Again I am glad that the Stag was found.
Blessings,
Dan
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ElmerThud
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Yes guys, I am glad there is closure on this.
It's quite normal for us to sell venison to game dealers and because we (friends and I) shoot quite a few deer through the season, it earns a fair amount of cash that goes back to paying the lease on the ground we shoot over. For example, up to now approx.3/4 ton has been shot and earns approx. £1.20 per lb. - so up to now around £2000+ and by the end of the season maybe another £2000 'ish. That would represent around 25% return toward what we will pay next year to hunt 7000 acres. In addition of course there's all the fuel/food etc also to account for.
This hunting business isn't cheap, but hell, it's great fun.
However, we may only sell the venison to a game dealer. Selling to anyone else would be illegal, although we are allowed to 'give' the venison to friends. If we do this, no payment is to be involved.
Game that goes to the game dealer must be tagged with details of origin. Any suspicion that the beast has an infection/is not well and the organs go in a separate bag for veterinary pathology.
It's quite normal for us to sell venison to game dealers and because we (friends and I) shoot quite a few deer through the season, it earns a fair amount of cash that goes back to paying the lease on the ground we shoot over. For example, up to now approx.3/4 ton has been shot and earns approx. £1.20 per lb. - so up to now around £2000+ and by the end of the season maybe another £2000 'ish. That would represent around 25% return toward what we will pay next year to hunt 7000 acres. In addition of course there's all the fuel/food etc also to account for.
This hunting business isn't cheap, but hell, it's great fun.
However, we may only sell the venison to a game dealer. Selling to anyone else would be illegal, although we are allowed to 'give' the venison to friends. If we do this, no payment is to be involved.
Game that goes to the game dealer must be tagged with details of origin. Any suspicion that the beast has an infection/is not well and the organs go in a separate bag for veterinary pathology.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
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The laws don't sound all that different from British Columbia, with the exception of the presence of game vendors.
I figure that game meat only costs about $156.75 per pound. :shock: I got into this game with the thought that I would save money. :? Wouldn't have it any other way, though. There really is no price that can be attached to being in the wild and witnessing the animals in their natural habitat.
ElmerThud":3jaoy4zg said:
I figure that game meat only costs about $156.75 per pound. :shock: I got into this game with the thought that I would save money. :? Wouldn't have it any other way, though. There really is no price that can be attached to being in the wild and witnessing the animals in their natural habitat.
I hear ya there too. The bull I just shot cost me about 1000.00 and I only kept half the meat for myself and will probably give most of it away. That's pretty expensive for hunting in my own state. On the flip side the cow I shot in August was less than 200.00 for 150lbs of meat.
ET,
How many people hunt with you on that 7000 acres?
ET,
How many people hunt with you on that 7000 acres?
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ElmerThud
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'This hunting business isn't cheap, but hell, it's great fun.'
I really shouldn't have written that line - if my wife ever got to read it there would be questions asked
& I'd probably be in deep doo doo!
In total there are seven of us shoot the land in Scotland. 7000 acres of woodland and hillside with another 1500 acres of farmland to shoot over by consent of the farmer next door, we are very fortunate and have feral goat, fox, roe, fallow and red deer to shoot.
All seven of us are good friends and have been for many years, we usually go and stay three or four of us at a time (We have a cottage there, sleeps six & comes with the estate lease).
These days though, I only shoot three or four beast now that getting around is much more difficult these last four years. My friends shoot the rest..
I really shouldn't have written that line - if my wife ever got to read it there would be questions asked
& I'd probably be in deep doo doo!In total there are seven of us shoot the land in Scotland. 7000 acres of woodland and hillside with another 1500 acres of farmland to shoot over by consent of the farmer next door, we are very fortunate and have feral goat, fox, roe, fallow and red deer to shoot.
All seven of us are good friends and have been for many years, we usually go and stay three or four of us at a time (We have a cottage there, sleeps six & comes with the estate lease).
These days though, I only shoot three or four beast now that getting around is much more difficult these last four years. My friends shoot the rest..
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ElmerThud
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- Jul 16, 2011
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Thanks Scotty...I know you've seen at least one before...
