The fallow deer hunt is a mixture of charm and emotion. Here are some tips to challenge this proud game.
Fallow deer hunting is among the types of ungulate hunting practiced in Europe, along with roe deer, red deer, wild boar, chamois and mouflon.
Although sometimes lagging a little behind the more popular hunting practices and not arousing the deserved interest, it is a truly fascinating hunt.
Globally widespread, the fallow deer is strong, shrewd game that is difficult to hunt, usually living in more or less numerous groups, depending on the environment it chooses as its home.
Particularly fond of olive leaves and vineyards, it loves to graze at dawn and dusk and, given its aversion to too frigid a climate, usually does not go beyond a thousand meters.
Sweeping white brushstrokes color its characteristic coat, which recalls feelings stemming back to childhood memories.
Perhaps this is why every time the male antlers emerge curious and noble amid the vegetation, emotion takes over for a moment and you stand there, admiring the sight of nature.
The star of delicious game recipes, thanks in part to its nutritional properties and its low-fat content, the fallow deer can be hunted with different techniques, including fallow deer hide hunting, stalking and the so-called “girata”.
RIFLES AND CALIBRES FOR FALLOW DEER HIDE HUNTING
Hide hunting is a solitary hunting practice, almost meditative, in balance between action and expectation.
If you practice selection, this fallow deer hunting technique is certainly one of the easiest and does not require excessive effort, with the exception of becoming perfectly familiar with the habits of the quarry you are going to bag.
Careful choosing of the spot where you position yourself is essential – after careful evaluation of the features of the proposed hunt area.
It can be practiced from a position located on the ground or raised – such as in a hunting tower – usually where the game passes or near its places of pasture.
While wild boar and roe deer have an excellent sense of smell, fallow deer are not as sensitive, so staying downwind is enough to avoid detection.
On the other hand, their sight and hearing are highly developed. So, camouflaging in step with the surrounding environment is important for successful hunt.
To go unnoticed, green or camouflage clothing is more than suggested, and so much the better if you have a camouflage rifle.
The rifled bore is definitely a must for hide hunting, and bolt action rifles – given their intrinsic precision – the perfect instrument to rely on.
A good caliber for fallow deer hunting ranges from 6 to 7.62 mm. The extremes that should not be exceeded are the “small” .243 Win and the .30-06 Springfield.
Horizon bolt action rifles, available in various configurations including the ultra-modern camo livery Strata, feature a precision-machined, cold hammer forged floating barrel.
All Horizons feature a fluted bolt which reduces friction, making the locking operation very smooth, and a detachable magazine.
Furthermore, the bolt with three locking fins guarantees a 60° opening and easy rearming when dealing with large scopes.
A very important element for aspect hunting fallow deer is precisely the choice of scopes.
Given fallow deer habits, the scope should be bright, offer medium magnification (max 6x) and with a well-marked reticle.
Accuracy is a must, and all Horizons guarantee 3 shots fired in 1 M.O.A.
Horizon Elite Strata
STALKING AND GIRATA FALLOW DEER HUNTING. THRILLS AND PASSION.
They are hunting techniques for lovers of serious thrills.
The “girata” is practiced in small groups of hunters and beaters, usually without the help of dogs.
It is a particularly specialized technique and requires methodical organization, and great affinity between all the participants, who must know the hunt site perfectly.
On the other hand, stalking fallow deer is very profitable in open environments and in the presence of tall trees, such as centuries-old trees.
In fact, given the scarcity of food, the fallow deer that inhabit these areas tend to linger in the morning and return earlier in the evening.
Sangfroid, great experience and a “steady arm” are necessary requirements for practicing this hunting method safely.
Moving from log to log, careful not to make the slightest noise, senses keen as never before, is one of the most intense feelings that every hunter carries back home at the day’s end.
Those instants where time seems to stand still, and you’re completely alert, self-aware and in the moment…
In stalking, the shot almost always takes place with minimal time available and on readjusted supports, so experience and good command of the main shooting positions can make the difference!
For this reason, a light, ergonomic bolt action rifle is essential for hunt success.
All Horizon bolt actions have been designed to ensure maximum ergonomics and have been brought into thanks to Evolved Ergonom-X, a development platform that has studied the hunting habits of more than a thousand hunters.
The result? The shapes of the Horizon rifles fit perfectly onto those of the shooter, and return a hunting instrument that feels natural in its shouldering, accordingly making the shot more precise.
Regardless of the method used, in fallow deer hunting the shot never exceeds a 200-meter distance and generally nears 100 meters.
For this reason, rifles remain the perfect choice for satisfying and ethical hunting!
