Now ladies and gents, the moment that we have all been waiting for….the Roe rut!
At last, the time has come for stalkers up and down the country to dust off their Roe call’s, spray on some midge repellent and step out into the countryside, because as every self-respecting deer stalker knows, with late July comes the Roe rut.
From around the 20th July in the south of the UK, a week or so later in the north, a bit of humidity is all that will be needed to bring the first doe into season. Sensing this, Roebuck that have otherwise been content to watch females from the wings, suddenly stir into action and relentlessly pursue the female, nose to tail until she has been covered.
Why is this so good for stalkers? Well for just a few short weeks the Roebucks usually cautious demeanour goes out of the window, meaning that they are not only more visible, but because they are distracted, they are easier to approach.
As if this were not enough to up the odds, there is the added advantage that with a little skill, it is possible to imitate the call of either a female or a kid, which in the first instance, stands a fair chance of bringing in a buck, and in the second, a doe with an accompanying buck. Executed well, it is, in a word; ‘thrilling’ and without doubt one of my favourite times of year.
This year I have to admit being more excited than usual, because with one thing or another, up until now, we have shot far fewer Roebuck than usual.
At the Capreolus Club we’re holding a Roe rut event on the 23rd July & 30th July and one such Roebuck which we’ll be trying to call, features in this month’s film. It is not one of our most knuckle biting films, but it is honest and portrays the reality of many stalk outings, albeit with the added excitement of filming a superb medal class beast. Which of our club members will be lucky enough to draw a bead on this magnificent buck? Sometimes, these type of beasts are never seen again, but with Roebuck being largely territorial, the chances of someone getting lucky are high. We will have to wait and see. You can watch the film here, how good is he? You decide: youtube.com/watch
If you are heading out in the next few weeks, then why not swat-up with our guide to ‘Everything you Need to Know about Roebuck Stalking’, including demonstrations on how to call: roebuck-stalking-everything-you-need-to-know
If you’d like to book Roebuck stalking then you can contact the office on 0203 981 0159 or email
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)
