The start of the Roe rut is one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in deer stalking. Just when will activity commence?
“Que sera sera, Whatever will be will be, The future's not ours to see, Que sera sera” I speak not of the country’s post-coronavirus future, which is anyone’s guess, but of the start of the forthcoming Roe rut, which is one of the most widely anticipated dates in deer stalking.
The exact date when things will get underway?... “We’ll have to wait and see”. However, I am rarely proven far wrong with a guestimate of around the 23rd July in the South of England, which this year falls on a Thursday and is thankfully, nowhere near a full moon. Will it coincide with some hot weather?.... “The future’s not ours to see”, but with the Roe being considerably more amorous during hot humid weather, it’s well worth checking the weather forecast before you set out. If its damp and cold, don’t bother.
Hunting Roebuck in the heat of the Roe rut, is to my mind, one of the finest hunting experiences that the UK has to offer. Nothing beats the sight of this elegant deer in his bright red coat, bounding in across a field of yellow Barley or green grass, as he answers your call.
With Roe being a secretive, truly wild species and not being confined to parks, it is a sight and thrill usually only experienced by the informed and dedicated deer stalker.
I urge you to get yourself a ‘Buttalo’ call, or similar, and make the most of it. The rut does not last long, maybe a couple of weeks or so, before things die down and the Roebuck dissolve wearily back into the woods and hedgerows to recover from their exploits.
There is no doubt, the timing can be hit and miss, I have planned Capreolus Club events ‘smack-bang’ in the middle of what I thought would be the rut, only for it commence the following day! However, anytime between the 23rd July and 10th August is my best advice.
In fact, this year we have arranged for our club Roebuck event to be held on Saturday 1st August, not only because this should be squarely within the likely time frame, but also because it marks the start of the Fallow buck season, and to their peril, you’ll be amazed how often an inquisitive young Fallow Prickett wanders in to take a look at what that strange ‘peep-peep’ from your Buttalo call is all about!
Whatever the date, best of luck and remember, “Que sera sera, whatever will be will be!”
For those who want a reminder of some of the simple do’s and don’t’s of Roe Calling take a moment to brush up here: top-tips-for-roe-calling
Understandably, we are reserving most of our dates during this year’s Roe rut to our Capreolus Club members however, slots do become available, so if you’d like to get out stalking during this year’s rut, then please call: 0203 981 0159 or email
Onto this month’s film, and with the season for Red Stag’s starting on the 1st of July in Scotland, we have Red Stag footage from last year, during which Capreolus Club member and former soldier Tom takes an epic 28 point Stag, and in doing so, we take some of our most spectacular footage to date. Amidst clear blue skies, we capture the brass of the bullet in a ray of sunshine as it arcs out toward the stag like a tracer round for a perfectly placed kill shot. To watch the film please follow this link: youtube.com/watch
IN Season in England & Wales: Roebuck, Muntjac Buck & Muntjac Doe.
OFF Season in England & Wales: Roe Doe, Fallow Doe, Fallow Buck, Sika Hind, Sika Stag, Red Hind, Red Stag, CWD Buck & CWD Doe.
IN Season in Scotland: Roebuck, Red Stag, Sika Stag.
OFF Season in Scotland: Roe Doe, Fallow Doe, Fallow Buck, Sika Hind, Red Hind.
(Peter Jones - Editor)
