Tonight on Realtree Global hunting we are in the beautiful South of England with
Ben Smith,
as he looks to help a friend take out a big red stag out of their herd.
Here at Team Wild TV we have hunted red stags the length and breadth of the UK
and even on the continent.
The Red Stag is an iconic animal in the hunting community and there's very few sites
give hunter the chills
like a roaring red on a mountainside. At one time
red deer were rare in parts of Europe but reintroduction
and conservation efforts especially in the UK have resulted in an increase
in the red deer population, deer management is key to success.
When stags mature beyond their breeding age and are past their prime
they are removed from the herds. This allows younger males
to come through and repopulate the herd. An old stag
dominating a herd without the ability to reproduce is detrimental to the numbers
Ben Smith is a keen hunter and has taken hundreds of
dear off land open down the UK. His recent hunting adventures have
also taken him to Nduna in South Africa.
And, across Europe to hunt driven boar with K and K Jagd premium Premium Jagd.
Today
he's in the South of England a cold frosty winter morning. There's a healthy
population of red deer here
and there's two old stags that need removing from the herd. However,
with this many eyes looking in all directions getting close,
finding a safe shot and taking his stag won't be easy.
He heads up and over the top of the hill to try and cut the herd off
as they make their way across the estate. The herd are
in the valley below and Ben gets down
But, hes been spotted.
He makes his way up and around using an old wall as cover.
The herd are crowded in the cover of the trees and Ben’s stag
is somewhere in the middle. Sitting just above the herd
Ben can see his stag. However, there's no shot available
The herd begin to move on and Ben follows again from the top a hill.
As the herd are moving slowly and feeding
Ben has got himself into a good position on the edge of cover.
Hopefully, the herd will feed his way
and his red stag will be stood free from the group.
The herd come over the top at the hill and seem at ease.
Then they begin to run!
Not quite what Ben expected!
He makes way over the top
in pursuit to the herd.
They've stop to feed on a hillside in the Sun. Ben
moves a little closer, but there's very little covered beyond this old wall.
A group of fallow run in one direction
The red deer aren't far behind.
Ben watches as the head upon to top of the hill and feed.
Ben's stag stands clear of the group.
However, they are too far away for a shot. So, Ben is on the move again.
He makes his way around the wooded area and
comes in from the opposite side.
The herd are now feeding out in the open.
Ben gets down low and moves in a little
closer.
He’s got his stag in his cross hairs,
but hes right in the middle of the group. It's beginning to feel like one of those days.
Ben watches for over an hour as the herd feeds.
As they begin to head back down to the valley
he gets around the hill it heads them off.
He's sat waiting and ready.
As the herd make their way across the opposite hill side. Ben spots his red stag.
As it steps into the open...Ben fires! It drops on the spot.
As the herd makes a run for it, Ben heads in to claim is stag. A beautiful old stag with fantastic
crowns.
Today we're on an estate owned by a friend of mine
very very good healthy population of deer just looking to
takeout a couple of the old the Stags that have done their job
getting a bit old, body condition slightly droping after the winter.
We've seen where they have been feeding
just on edge and it wasn't suitable for a shot.
where they were. After they fed they have come back ground on the hillside
where we have sat and waited for them to come to us .Very good opportunity of a safe shot
that we got when they have no other stags around him.
Took the shot, a nice neck shot, dropped on the spot.
As you can see the deer the friend of mine has got on his estate are
very very good stags.
very very good management.
old stag, you can see see where he's been in the wars
from rutting this year.
exactly what we were looking to take there could be possibly one more stag that
he's looking to take out but i'll have to see what he says.
That's another success for deer management job completed
and the herd has a chance to repopulate in growing numbers once again
and this old stag is to be processed and sent to the game dealers to be sure he
gets back into the food chain.
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