Benefits of hind sight

As stalking seasons go, the 2019-20 campaign was something of a tempus horribilis for deerstalking. Lockdowns curtailed much deer management at the back end of 2020, game dealers closed their books and travel restrictions knocked the stuffing out of hunting tourism. In short, it was a very good time to be a deer.

But what a difference a year makes. A full 12 months later, sitting at my desk as the sun rises (both literally and metaphorically) on a new year, I am delighted to report that — without wanting to jinx the remaining portion — this season has been a different story altogether.

A run of unseasonably warm weather throughout September and early October had the effect of delaying the start of the sika rut. In my neighbourhood, the hills were not ringing with the whistles of rutting stags until well into