I am writing this just as the rut is about to kick off. We now have another permission to carry out deer management on, though the current restrictions mean that the Greenlee team is not on the land as much as we would like. It wouldn’t surprise me if the rut hasn’t already been simmering away for a while. I have often been questioned when I have said this in the past. Many stalkers talk about not calling until a certain date – the said date often being around 20 July.
Many are focused on this, what is considered to be the most common time that the rut becomes visible. Just because we haven’t witnessed it, however, doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been happening. I have witnessed rutting behaviour as early as 27 June, and before you say it, yes, they were rutting; the action wasn’t just a one-off pair, and the estate was in full rut by 3 July. The latest I remember bringing a buck into the call was 28 August.
Timing
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Denne historien er fra September 2020-utgaven av Sporting Gun.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Thermal spectrum
Paul Austin explores both ends of the thermal market with latest high-end release from Zeiss alongside a surprising entry-level offering from Xinfrared
Roe, rucks and new ground
Jon Snowdon and his team have much to keep them busy and a new tool to help them
Tales from a lifetime of foxing
Join Mike Powell as he explores the evolving world of fox shooting, drawing from a career that spans seven decades
Fox rot about Charlie
Patrick Hook responds to claims that fox numbers are dangerously on the wane
The sniff of success
Join Ryan Kay as he navigates the fascinating dynamic between a handler and their canine companion
Adventures of Nick & Ted
A new chapter in the histories of Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter has Nick Ridley reflecting on the dogs he has trained over the years he has been associated with the magazines
The problem: Inflammation in the nervous system
Vet's advice
Gundogs Q&A
No problem goes unsolved as Sporting Gun puts your questions to the gundog experts
Stop-start!
Fran Ardley continues her training tips on disciplining your dog to the stop whistle and the exercises you need to do
Gundogs at the Game Fair
Organising the Game Fair's prestigious gundog competitions: behind-the-scenes with Francesca Prentice
