Advice please - instructional book/vid

[scotsgun]

Hi all,

I live in Scotland in the UK and mostly stalk deer with the occassional pest control (foxes, etc). Now shooting red deer in the highlands of Scotland, I'm comfortable out to about 300-400yds but i'd like to develop my skills and knowledge further.

I think i have adequate equipment. My favourite rifle is a Steyr SSG69 in calibre 308 with a fixed power Kahles 6x42 scope, bipod and moderator. For load i mostly use 168gr Hornady Amax bullets but am more than prepared to change if there's a valid reason.

So, i'd be grateful if someone could recommend a good (great) book or DVD that will help to develop my skills and abilities out further still.

 

[tackb]

hi scotsgun

I'm based in the uk but obviously travel to scotland for red deer.

I think you are very well equipped with the kit you've got , i personally like a little more magnification maybe 10x (i use a schmidt 10x42 pm2)

the 168 amax is plain and simple the dogs danglys and it's classed as a 'target' bullet here so no nonsense buying them.

try the below link for a great book.

The Ultimate Sniper--New Edition - UltimateSniper.com

if there is a few of you into this style of shooting you may want to contact riflecraft and get them to come up and run one of there course for you or travel down and do it in their area (suffolk)

good luck , try and leave me some hinds for november.........

Russ

 

[scotsgun]

Russ,

Thanks for the reply. I've seen this book mentioned before but my concern is there enough detail on shooting in order to merit buying it; is there enough to ignore the sniper stuff and yet learn more about long range accuracy?

I do have other scopes including a Zeiss 3-10x44 and a 4-16x50 IOR but i doubt that i'll ever remove the Kahles from the SSG. It's just never let me down - i've dropped it in a rocky stream, i zero it once a season and i've calibrated it on targets out to 600yds with my own loads, Hornady AMax 168gr.

Incidentally, feel free to knock on my door on your way up if you'd like a go at my roe and sika deer. I live just off the M74 and i stalk those in a block of 2000acres approx an hour away. The red require a 300mile round trip.

 

[tackb]

there is a wealth of good info in the book and obviously there is quite a lot on the .308 round being sniper written. One book will never be enough ! I've got probably 30+

i know what you mean about the scope and rifle , my .308 has a leupold m3 on and with a 168 amax over 45g varget anything inside 6-700 is in big trouble and out to 1000 the bdc still matches the load. unfortunatly i run out of steam at just over 1100 yds with my 308 as i've only got a 20" barrel.

you must be a fair way down in scotland ? i stalk just north west of inverness . I may take you up on the sika as i've tried unsuccessfully for two years now to get a sika stag ! both times i've seen them but they just won't present a shot.

your well equipped with the kit you've got , happy hunting.

 

[scotsgun]

I'm approx 40miles south of Glasgow; right near jnc 13 of the M74. I do most of my stalking in Dumfries & Galloway but for the reds i need to go further up north.

The thing about sika is that if you have a healthy population then you have loads of the buggers and the damage to the trees will be considerable. I find that it's better to anbush them than stalk them. Get onto the ground mid-day and find an area with loads of slot marks and evidence of deer traffic, position yourself at an ambush point and wait for failing light. They'll be along just when you're almost ready to pack up.

I dislike ambushing them in the morning as they seem quicker and more flighty.

The thing about Scotland is that due to the amount of damage sika do and the fear of sika/red hybrids, you can pretty much get an open ticket to stalk throughout the year and if there are reds nearby, the other stalkers will be keen for you to hammer them - especially immediately before the red rut (now).

If it wasn't for the hybridisation with red hinds, sika would be valued much higher then their almost vermin status.

 

[tackb]

my girlfriends has family in the ayr area .

to tell the truth i'm not really after trophys , i just want to get one of each uk deer as a trophy. my real passion is hind stalking.

i've been trying to stalk them early morning and evening , my next efforts will be an ambush and failing that a helicopter !!! (joke)

i don't rate sika as vermin i think they are a worthy quarry , too tricky for me so far !

 

[scotsgun]

Remeber: 'There's nowt as queer as ayrshire folk.'

You've obviously just been unlucky. If you can stalk wily old hinds, then a sika stag shouldn't pose you a prob. We both know that the real test on the hill is stalking the old hinds. The stags just aren't as cautious and observant.

Now is probably your best time as many sika stags will be brought in and guarding wallows due to the red rut. They'll be practically black in colour, rolling in their wallows and ****ing on themselves. You'll smell the buggers before you see them.

Get into the forest and search for smallish clearings surrounded on all sides by mature trees- you'll soon find the wallows. Get downwind of it and prepare the ambush.

Well, i'm off tommorrow morning for a weekend up north. I've heard that there's been some snow on the high hills already!