SPORTING ANSWERS

I’ve been left high and dry

STALKING

Q Last year, three of us built a permanent high seat overlooking a replanted area of about 10 hectares in a conifer block of around 200 hectares that we rent for roe stalking. For ease of access and because the owner insisted that we put in a lot of effort to protect the new trees, the seat is at the lowest side of the clearing, looking uphill. So far, despite spending many hours in the seat (which holds two of us at a time), we have yet to see any deer, let alone shoot one. We are at a loss to know what we are doing wrong. Any ideas or pointers would be gratefully received.

A As a starting point, are there deer using the site? Are there signs of tree damage? Slot marks? Droppings? Another important factor you may have overlooked when you selected the site was the direction of the prevailing wind. This could mean that when you approach the seat your scent is being blown across the whole restock site and this is continuing to happen when you are positioned on the platform.

With large clearings, it also makes sense to have more than one