When one-plus-one equals three

The pressure of stalking with a photographer in tow is anything but relaxing, but a trio of roebuck in the bag more than make up for it

- PAUL CHILDERLEY

Anybody who knows me or speaks to me about stalking roebuck in the spring knows that it is my time to be alone and to reflect on the busy season of game shooting and deerstalking with clients. After an exceptionally difficult year, we still managed to have a reasonable game season and record numbers of deer were culled on the estates. As soon as one season finishes, I’m already in full swing for the next, so heading out to the beautiful Gloucestershire Cotswolds is a time for me to gather my thoughts and de-stress.

Unsettled

After I agreed to write for Shooting Times, the Editor asked if a photographer could join my next stalk. I hesitantly agreed and a date was set. On the way, my thoughts were not only on the unsettled weather, but also on my new stalking companion for the evening and whether he was au fait with stalking or if he was going to ruin my evening’s stalk, especially as we really needed to get a few bucks off the ground.

I met Oli Lees in the local village, we had a brief conversation and I discovered he had been out stalking once before and had experience with shotguns. We went to the area and, on our arrival, the foresters were heading into the centre of the wood to do some logging, with their black labrador barking all the way up the main ride. A buck stood halfway up the ride and disappeared as soon as it heard the dog. So far, we were not off to a good start.