‘My love affair with lead has ended'

One stalker’s trepidation turns to excitement as an outing for an elusive upland roebuck culminates in a clean kill and a successful transition to copper ammunition

- AL GABRIEL 

It has been three weeks since the start of the roebuck season. Believe me when I say even Christmas has got nothing on this magical time of year. However, this is no ordinary season for me. This time around, I have decided to go lead-free, an uncharted territory filled with fear, trepidation and hope. I pull up in my pickup truck near my favourite forestry block in Tarset, Northumberland. It is a mixture of mature and young conifer plantation. Some 10 miles to the north lies the Scottish border. Sporadic yet continuous pine plantations are home to this special upland roe; genetically unique, its light construction, abrasive pearlings, and straight-up antlers identify it as North East roe. The smell of pine on its antlers gives away the postcode of this upland resident.

“The smell of pine on its antlers gives away the postcode”

Nature has a way of keeping the balance; ticks are also stalking prey and I am on the menu. This particular ground is infested with ticks; in my opinion, they are as numerous here as they are in the Highlands. Clothing and tick care are paramount. I make sure I tuck in my trousers and ensure my long sleeves are covered with gloves. My beloved deer dog is sitting this one out at home. She rarely comes up here during tick season. Last time she was here, I removed 16 ticks from her.

In my arsenal, today is an 85gr Federal trophy copper in .243. I have agreed to help my good friend, Tim Pilbeam — whom many will know from his show on the Fieldsports Channel — with his project on going lead-free and I have been kindly gifted 40 cartridges from GMK to help test them on roe.