The moment of impact

We are now in the midst of the red deer stalking season, focused on red deer stags. We were out nearly every day last week, moving towards our target of 25 stags.

I took my camera with me one day and managed to catch the picture above of the moment immediately after a bullet hit a stag. Pumped full of adrenalin the hit stag reacted instinctively to run about 100 yards before dropping dead.

Another red deer stag holding a group of hinds

All of the stags we shoot are taken to our deer larder and then go on into the food chain. I know shooting deer is not to everyone’s taste but it is a necessary part of managing our ground to control the reed deer population and demand for venison is higher than ever as people increasingly appreciate the benefits of venison as a meat particularly low in fat.

Carcases in the deer larder