UNITED KINGDOM: Stalking In Norfolk England

dailordasailor

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Just got back from our "Honeymoon" trip to London and a 3 day stay in Norfolk for some deer stalking. Originally this trip began because I read a story on another forum that with the Brexit the cost to hunt in the UK is at a great point and there’s plenty of game to pursue. I asked on here for recommendations and one of them came from Norfolk Shooter (Manish) to look at Hockham Deer Management in Norfolk, England. After many conversations with Kerrie (owner and very patient person lol) we booked a 6 outing hunt for Red Stag and Muntjac.



Skip to bottom for short version




After what seemed like forever waiting for the time to come, it was finally time to head to the airport. Side note: 3 days before we got married which qualified this hunting trip as a honeymoon :) The flight options were iffy out of our local airport so we had a 12 hour layover in Ft Lauderdale. By coincidence I was already in talks with Limcroma Safaris (Dan) who happens to live right by the airport and was able to meet for lunch during our layover. This gave my wife and I a great opportunity to finally speak in person to someone about our first Africa Trip and also was able to see his impressive collection of trophies in his home. My new wife was excited about Africa but didn’t really care about the shooting portion… until she spoke with Dan’s wife and saw their home. This means we are definitely going to Africa in 2019 and she actually wants to do some hunting as well. Our time with Dan helped us burn up a good portion of our layover and can’t thank them enough for the hospitality, seemed like truly great people I look forward to seeing again. Off to London…


That evening when arrived we went to range to make sure we could shoot their loaner rifles accurately. My shooting was far from perfect but chocked it up to new gun and jet lag. The misses had a little more issues and we decided to take her to a tree stand the following day to shoot a target from a seated postion.

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Next morning I stalked alone with Eddie who was my guide for the whole trip. We stalked from sun up to about 7:30a without any sightings but came across an impressive bog area that stunk of ruting red stag, a good sign. Not 10 mins after that bog we came around a corner and Eddie perked up and froze. The grass was 3’ high and he saw an animal but couldn’t tell if a Roe or a Red at first. He set up the sticks and with him in binoculars and me in the scope we were able to figure out it was a Red Spiker that seemed thin in the back hips. We started to stalk in and I believe we got to about 75yds and he finally came broadside on edge of two-track and I got the go ahead to shoot. The shot felt good and felt very confident before pulled the trigger. Reloaded and tried to find the deer again in the grass but couldn’t. Eddie said he had him still and he had gone about 30yds and lay down. We gave him 10 mins and headed where we thought he was in the tall grass. We stop to glass around because wasn’t certain of its location and all of a sudden at 25yds I see a head sticking up in the grass. Eddie sees him as well and says lets shoot him again. On the sticks I tell him I can only see the head and neck. We agree on lower neck shot, bang, and the deed was done. Worth noting, even at this range we still “stumbled” upon the stag when walked up on it due to the tall grass. Handshakes, pictures, gutting and we head back to get the truck. My first shot was a little back but got lungs. Eddie comments something to the effect of “now the monkeys off your back and shooting will only get better”.

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Went to breakfast with Kerrie, Eddie, Wife, and other hunter John. First experience of an English breakfast and found out Kerrie and John saw a beautiful 14 point Red but had some stick setup problems so was returning to same location in evening. We did some tourism around town and headed to a different location at 4:30p where they had been seeing a 9 point red that needed culling. The typical pattern is they stalk in the morning and seat in high seats in the evening.
On the 200yd walk to the stand we stopped quick to water the bushes. Got to the two person ladder stand and I climbed up and Eddie handed me the rifle. As he was letting go of the rifle I saw movement in the tree line. It was a muntjac at 80yds. I tell eddie, whos standing on the ladder, he looks with binos and says it’s a male. Tells me when it stops, shoot. It stops he says shoot, bang, I cant see the muntjac anymore. Eddie tells me to reload and wait in stand while goes where I shot the animal. Now I’m worried I missed it because I cant see it in the shin high grass. I’m watching eddie when he suddenly bends over and comes up with the muntjac. Sigh of relief and ended up being a perfect shot, just easy to hide a 38lb deer in grass… Eddie quickly cleaned the animal and hung him from the treestand and we sat rest of night without any other sightings.

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Next morning shot a female muntjac we saw walking across a two-track that stopped before going out of sight. Unfortunately I rushed the shot and shot it to far back and new it right after pulled the trigger. The only good thing is it didn’t just wound the animal like it may have with a red stag but instead knocked over the muntjac and was dead before we walked to it.

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That afternoon the new misses did some target shooting. This time everything is good and shes confident and so is eddie so we are off to a elevated blind that will allow the three of us to hunt peacefully. This was the first time she had every been in a real hunting situation, other then a canned hog hunt, and she was loving seeing all the rabbits, pheasant, a female muntjac, and some red hind in the distance. It felt like something was going to happen with so many sightings so early. I was behind the gun watching the female muntjac hoping a trophy male was on his way out. That’s when Eddie says theres a hind to our left at 100 yds. I look over my shoulder just in time to see a small male come out of the trees. Adrenaline starts flowing, put the scope on him and see it’s a small 4 point. After shooting a spike I was only wanting a true trophy stag and told Eddie I wasn’t interested. We both simutaniously turn to look at the misses. She says no thanks but I convince her to switch seats and just look through the scope. She gets a good look and then the hind heads back where she came in the woods. We were sure they didn’t know we were there and hoped they’d come back out. Longest 3 mins of my life and the hind reappears at 70 yds angling closer to us across the field. Seconds later the male appears behind her. My adrenalines flowing more now then if I was behind the gun. Eddies talking with her and says I’m going to stop him and you can shoot when your ready. Eddie grunts, stag stops, seems like eternity and the misses says “I’m not comfortable with the shot” and the stag continues to move. I assume she’s decided not to shoot but she keeps following the stag with the gun. Stag stops again, Eddie says shoot, 5 seconds past, again assume not gonna happen, BANG, I see him limp he offside front leg and know its hit good. He runs forward 15 yds, starts the wobble and I’m telling her he’s done right when he disappears into the bushes… She asks Eddie and I if she hit it good, takes some real convincing to tell her it was, shes shaking and full of adrenaline. Eddie gets down to go check on it and I’m busy explaining how she definitely made a great hit when Eddie re-appears. He climbs back up and says “there’s a beautiful red stag just on the edge of the field and you made an absolute perfect shot”, sigh of relief and now we cant hurry enough to get down. We walk over and she lays her hands on her first big game animal and gives it a pet and says “thank you”. Time for pictures (blood her face) and hand shakes, gut the stag, and walk out to the truck. Can honestly say I enjoyed her hunt more than any hunt I’ve personally ever been on. Also pretty sure I officially have a hunting buddy on my hands after 8 years together…

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The following morning I am after another muntjac male. Able to make a great stalk at first light and shoot a young but unique mail with spear like tips. Once drop at the freezer we head to another area and are able to spook up two female Roe at 10yds but no bucks in tow.

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That evening the misses is along for the last hunt with our focus on a trophy muntjac. Although we see a couple 200-300yds off we never have any come in and watch a Roe doe until end of shooting light.


That night Manish joins us for dinner and finally get chance to put a face to the name. That night was full of drinks and great laughs until far to late. Was a perfect ending to an amazing few days. Kerrie, Eddie, and Kit (blanking on the other guide I met) are all truly great people and I think I would have a great time with them even without the hunting. We had chance to talk with Manish and really hope we cross paths again in the future. Cant thank him enough for the recommendation.


The next three days we spent in London doing the tourism thing. The one thing that sticks out the most to both of us was Richmond Park. Was about 30 min train ride and free entrance into a beautiful public park. We were told they had Red Stag and Fallow deer roaming freely and can get dangerous close to them especially now that they are rutting. They were correct, I got legitimately scared once (see pic) when one came towards me to about 5 yds with no plans on stopping. Was an awesome experience and saw some real trophies in there that could care less about people walking within 20 yds of them. Great picture opportunities.

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Short Version: Met Dan and wife from Limcroma in person and was able to plan our first Africa trip for 2019. Great people. Hunted with Hockham Deer Management in Norfolk England. Saw animals on every outing. They cater your hunt to what you’re after and what they’ve seen in their different areas. Couldn’t recommend them enough and will definitely return. Stayed at the Angel Inn in Larling and ate dinner their with the Hockham crew every night, Strongly recommend the Angel as well. Met Manish (Norfolk Shooter) who recommended Hockham and hope to catch up again at some point, very nice guy and good for some laughs. If go to London, go to Richmond Park for chance to view wild Red and Fallows at very close ranges.


The countdown begins for Africa now…
 
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Any help on embedding the photos greatly appreciated. First time using google photo
 
Thank you for sharing your report with us!
 
Glad you enjoyed your hunting in the UK.
Richmond Park and Bushy Park are great locations for photography of Reds and Fallow, especially in the rut. I took a few this year and last which I must upload here when I can find the time.
 
Excelent hunt and very good report......thanks for sharing....!!!!
 
Well done, sounds like a great hunt. Thanks for sharing with us.
 
Good stuff.
That Stag roaring would have been something to see up close.

Thanks for sharing your tale with us.

Congratulations!
 
Congrats for a great hunt

That stag is impressive !
 
Some day I will take his twin... I hope
 
Looks like a great time! Congrats
 
Thanks for sharing! Never would have thought of hunting in the UK. Interesting!
 
I'm trying to convince my wife to do a London trip...of course that includes some UK hunting. It looks like an absolute blast and I'm going to share your story with her. Thanks for sharing and congratulations!
 
London to the hunting area was 2 hour drive. I have the pricing list in an email or you can contact their email from the website. Strongly recommend them and also the Angel Inn which my wife thought was great
 
If you don't mind PMing me that information I would great appreciate it. Nice to ramp up the planning!
 
@dailordasailor ,

What a great UK hunt! I am very jealous! I like the stags, but those muntjac deer are really something unique and special! Great photos and great report. Congrats!

Lisa and I really enjoyed meeting you and your new wife and now new hunting partner. Just wait until you experience Africa together!
 
Can't thank you both enough for the hospitality!

Muntjac were my main focus the whole time and unfortunately I never was patient enough to pass up a male and wait for a trophy. Next time I'll purely trophy hunt. There's worst ways to spend a few days
 
Well done to you both; good to hear you enjoyed your trip over here.
 
That's something that I'd love to do. Fallow deer and red stag. Too bad we couldn't see your old Savage 99 there!
 
You have a great memory ;) I didn't want the logistical issues of traveling through London with a gun case so went the rental route.

Kind of torn on how to handle Africa trip. Headache free if leave here but also would love to take an impala or something with grandads gun
 
Congrats to you and your new wife!
 

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