Roe deer hunting – my first time.
I’m Michael. One of many in a new generation of hunters – ‘Hunter 2.0’, so to speak. Tomorrow I’m going hunting on my own for the first time – roebuck hunting.
I’ve recently got my hunting licence.
People like me are well connected through social media, and the range of hunting films available is almost endless. I’ve seen plenty about hunting online – though I hadn’t actually experienced it for myself at the time of writing this story. The modern hunter is equipped with state-of-the-art technology such as thermal imaging and built-in rangefinders in their binoculars.
Change doesn’t stop at hunting either. I find it easy to keep up with the times.
Tomorrow I’m going hunting on my own for the first time – roebuck hunting.
Being outdoors is a life full of experiences.
We’ve been getting the hunting ground ‘up to scratch’ over the last few weeks. The raised hides have been checked, and the stalking paths have been maintained.
Resting spots reveal the presence of a roebuck. We also come across the odd felled sapling whilst working on the hunting ground.
Personal kit is also part of the groundwork that needs to be well prepared.
My rifle, chambered in .308 Win. with GECO Star ammunition, is zeroed in. I practise regularly at the shooting range. Very tight groups not only boost my confidence in my own abilities, but also in my rifle and, above all, in the ammunition. I have no doubts whatsoever that the lead-free GECO Star bullet will be effective when shooting game.
Now it’s finally time to head out into the hunting ground.
Tonight’s the night – a group hunt with friends. The raised hides are allocated by lot. I reach into the gamekeeper’s hat and pull out a slip of paper.
I’m in luck with my hide today.
It’s situated on a quiet clearing in the middle of the forest – a good spot for roe deer.
As I set off for the hide early in the morning, there were already two does in the vicinity of the hide. They kept their distance from me. Once I reached the hide, I loaded my rifle and was overcome by a great sense of excitement. I’d never loaded a rifle or fired a shot outside a shooting range before.
I scan my surroundings. The chirping of the birds and the soft rustling of the leaves in the wind calm me down.
Suddenly, I hear a rustling behind me in the undergrowth.
Out of nowhere, two roe deer leap from the thicket. One is smaller than the other. Through my binoculars, I can see that the dominant buck is driving a yearling out of its lair.
The yearling flees for its life and is out of sight after a short while. The dominant buck remains behind. He struts along the edge of the thicket and swipes vigorously at a small sapling. Fifty metres away from me, he cuts an imposing figure.
Eventually, he disappears into his lair.
I let my gaze wander through the crowns of the old oaks. The sun is still clearly visible above the horizon, warming my face, when I notice something red out of the corner of my eye. As if by magic, another buck stands there. It’s a yearling with antlers as tall as his ears – he’s the one!
My heart is pounding in my throat as I reach for my rifle and take aim.
The reticle dances uncontrollably back and forth across the stag’s body – this won’t do.
The stag continues to move slowly and confidently towards the open ground.
After a few deep breaths, I pick up the rifle again. The reticle rests steady on the buck’s shoulder, which is now standing broadside about 60 paces in front of me. I apply pressure to the trigger; the shot rings out. The buck takes the hit well and flees into the thicket. I reload in a flash, but a second shot is out of the question.
Although I don’t smoke, I still wait the length of a cigarette before unloading the rifle and climbing down the ladder. Once at the bottom, the GECO cartridge case glistens on the forest floor; it had been ejected from the chamber whilst I was reloading. I pocket it as a memento of my first game.
The point of impact isn’t hard to find. I examine it carefully and am surprised by how many signs of the animal’s flight are visible.
Cut and torn hair, small pieces of flesh, lung fluid. Undeniable signs that the animal must certainly have died. I follow the clearly visible blood trail. The young buck had managed to get just a few metres into the thicket before it died.
The bullet is perfectly seated behind the shoulder blade.
When I gut the animal, it becomes clear just how cleanly the deformable bullet had passed through the body without spoiling the meat.
I am grateful for my good fortune on this hunt.
At the start of my story, I spoke of a constantly changing world. This account of my hunting experience stands for many others that I have been fortunate enough to experience so far. They have all shown me that consistency is also important. If you want to hunt well, you must be able to rely on your skills, equipment and ammunition.
The GECO cartridge case adorns my first buck’s trophy on the wall – thanks to the hunting gods.
Centrefire rifle cartridges
GECO STAR
GECO STAR is a lead-free deformation bullet designed for maximum penetration and a high residual weight.
Calibers:
GECO STAR
