This will be a very short report, compared to my usual writings. I just wanted to share this hunt I took in January of 2025 as it has been a bucket item for me for quite some time. I had reached on AH for any contacts to go hunt vampires in the UK, and while many members gave a response (for which I'm much obliged) I decided to go with Alex (I was asked not to give too much identifying information, I can share more in a direct message) , a suggestion by Ernest from @Spear Safaris .
For those that do not know about vampire deer, rest assured there are no silver bullets or holy water required. Many species of deer have some kind of fangs or fighting teeth, that males use to fight others with. But two species stand out with their very large fangs. Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer. Tiny little deer, the size of a small to medium dog, but very territorial. Originally they come from Asia, were imported for zoo's on private property in England and then escaped, where they are now thriving there.
This would be a very short hunt, driving from Brussels to Calais early on a Friday morning, driving onto the Channel Train, making the North Sea crossing, then another 4hours of driving from Folkestone to Newbury. Then getting back on Sunday afternoon. Even with my EV that still worked out quite well. When I left Belgium a storm had gathered off the coast, with slashing winds and lot's of rain, truly not ideal for hunting, but by the time I arrived in Newbury the sun had broken through and we would be enjoying calm sunny weather until my departure on Sunday.
Arriving in the beautiful Donnington Grove hotel in the late morning, I had a quick lunch and spent an hour or two reading my latest acquisition, the excellent Ndlovu from Richard Harland.
As you can see from my glass, only water, as I was on a very strict diet at the time. Losing +20Kg between January and today. So no alcohol was allowed, not even for this escapade.
Alex would be meeting up with me around 14:00, picking me up at the hotel for the first outing. These two species are mostly active in the morning and evening, so there would be 4 outings total. Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and evening and Sunday morning, before I would need to head home again.
As my room was not yet ready, I quickly changed my clothes into hunting attire in the hotel bathroom and was just in time to see Alex's Hilux storm towards the hotel entrance. I remember PH Vaughan Whitehead Wilson from Zimbabwe also driving "with conviction", it seems that good PH's share this driving style!
We introduced ourselves a bit and started driving in the direction of Oxford, in search of the CWD, as this would be the most difficult to find. The weather was gorgeous, sunny, with still some strong wind clearing the clouds away. As soon as we entered the smaller backroads, we were starting to see muntjac, CWD and other deer species in the hills and valleys around us. Alex took us to a place where he had seen some CWD in previous days and since they are quite territorial, they should not be too far. Especially now the sun would be out the CWD would be out in the open to soak up the sun.
We spotted a small group of these strange looking animals, like an beige-coloured dwarf alpaca with fangs like a cobra, and started a stalk. Travelling to the UK with firearms has become quite the hassle, so we would be using Alex's Blaser R8 in .243Win with a suppressor. (I'm sorry @Bob Nelson 35Whelen , I have betrayed you!) For 10 to 15kg animals this would work out fine.
We did a short stalk, but with the strong wind, we really needed to get to about 100m before trying a shot, as these were small animals without a lot of margin of error. Due to the open nature of the field, there was no choice but to be bold and fast. Hunched over, we walked fast to about 100m, Alex put the 4-legged sticks up, and while I put the rifle in it's cradle, he pointed one out and told me to shoot. By now they had of course spotted us and were looking at us with curiosity, but since we had not approached cautiously like a hunter, but more brazen they had not yet figured out the danger.
I had not tried the trigger before, and with my hands in a pair of thin gloves, just brushing the trigger was enough for the rifle to fire. Mentally, I was not yet ready to fire, but as I had put the crosshairs right before I started looking for the trigger, the bullet hit right where it should be. Even though we were using the diminutive .243, it did it's work and the CWD never got up again. 2hours into the hunt, of which 1hr had been spent driving to the place, and the first animal was in the bag!
After having cleaned out the animal, we threw it in the back of the truck and started the road back in the direction of Newbury, to try and see if we could still get onto a Muntjac with the sun setting. While we were driving, we were discussing a bit of all the other deer species that are in the region and Alex's work to keep populations in check. He had been shooting more than 1000 fallow deer since August the year before! And still this would not even dent the population growth.
I told him that if he knew of any good fallow bucks, we could have a look as well. Although not originally on the menu, it is always good to listen to your PH and see what else is available. In a place that we were going to pass by, he had seen a herd of 2-300 fallow deer a few nights before, with some big antlers, so we decided to go have a look if they were still there.
By then the sun was falling fast, so he took his thermal scope and mounted it already on the Blaser. The weather was clear, but cold, due to the strong wind, especially out in the open. We tracked through some agricultural fields, until we spotted a group in the distance, about a 100 or so fallow deer. We stalked in, by now it was getting a bit too dark to easily distinguish the brown fallow deer against the brown earth from the field, so we observed them through the thermal. He and I looked over a few different bucks, coming to the same one back that looked like the nicest one. At which point I took a shot with the thermal. A first for me, using a thermal optic for hunting.
The buck never left his place and at first the other animals did not even understand what really happened. To let things calm down and that they would not associate our scent with one of their dying, Alex went to get the truck, while I could continue watching them move away.
It was a nice and old fallow buck, very happy with the result! What a day!
We loaded him up as well and Alex brought me back to the hotel, so I could get some sleep.
The next morning we were out and about around 5:00 am again, this time in the vicinity of Newbury so we could try our luck with some muntjac. We saw plenty of them in the woods, but never could quite close the deal. So we had to give up and try for the afternoon hunt.
As I had a few hours to spare, I had looked around if there was anything of interest to go see in the surroundings. Especially in the form of gun stores. This is where I came upon a name that I did not know was still in existence: George Gibbs Ltd. So I decided to make the 40min drive over there to go pay him a visit. Before this I also had to go to a local DIY place to pick up a plastic box for the meat that I was going to take back with me home. Upon arrival at Gibbs however, a closed door, and when I checked the website again, it indeed mentioned: "on appointment only". Bummer, but I left my contact information with the nice lady from the neighbouring antique shop, just in case. I quickly drove back in order to be on time for the afternoon session.
Lot's of looking around, stalking, seeing plenty of game, roedeer, fallow deer, muntjac, but no success that round either, so we were going to have try on the last day, to get that muntjac buck.
We got out around 5:00 am again and went to a private domain, where the owner needed some help controlling the deer population. He is big into fruit trees, and young saplings and deer just do not mix very well, the latter eating the bark of the former.
We went into the woods, fast and furious, with the thermal's it was easy to spot muntjac, and roedeer as well. We were going to try to just shoot as many as we could, at non-trophy price for me, so the owner would be happy and I would be able to fill up my case with meat. We shot in total 2 fallow deer and 4 muntjac if I recall correctly in that morning. I did get to shoot a muntjac buck, but I'll be going back again for a nice one at some point. We did have a load of fun, calling the muntjac in, chasing the fallow herd through the forest, and just trying to take as many as possible.
A very productive day indeed, and a nice closure to this hunt. Driving back to the hotel, Alex was going to finish butchering the game at his place and starting to freeze them, so I could take everything with me in the afternoon. Suddenly my phone rang, it was Mark Crudgington (son of the famous Ian Crudgington, who wrote the British Shotgun trifecta) from George Gibbs Ltd who called me back. I told him I was going to leave that afternoon, but could still drive quickly over to his gun store. And I'm very happy I did and he was available to receive me.
He is quite the character, extremely knowledgeable, and is the current owner of the George Gibbs brand, including its ledgers. He mostly makes repairs and restocks guns for his customers but also still builds some new rifles from time to time, under the Gibbs' label. And he has a huge collection of rare guns and rifles. The shop is tiny, but the vault behind is stacked to the brim. If I recall, he had 6 different paradox guns BP and smokeless, waiting to be sold, one of which a beautiful Westley Richard's 12bore detachable lock. Hammer guns, percussion, boxlocks, sidelocks, Gibb's falling blocks, he has examples of it all. With some very rare and historical pieces as well. I have on my phone a list of dream guns and rifles, which I showed him if he had anything that could match. He pulled out a very good condition Mannlicher Schönauer take down, in 6.5x54MS, which I almost bought, but in the end we made an agreement around a beautiful Joseph Lang 12b paradox boxlock "Afrindia". I hope to have it in my hands soon!
He also has a barreled action (Mayfair) for a .505 Gibbs, that is screaming to be finished, but I cannot quite put up the funds for this just yet. But my fingers are aching to shake hands on it as well.
I'll definitely be visiting him again! (I actually did a month later, with my wife on a romantic weekend together without kids, just so we could measure if the Lang needed any stock adjustments. Only adding a silver's pad would be necessary)
Thanks @Spear Safaris for the introduction to Alex, it was a great hunt, and I got home with my trunk full of CWD and Muntjac meat!
Cheers,
V.
For those that do not know about vampire deer, rest assured there are no silver bullets or holy water required. Many species of deer have some kind of fangs or fighting teeth, that males use to fight others with. But two species stand out with their very large fangs. Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer. Tiny little deer, the size of a small to medium dog, but very territorial. Originally they come from Asia, were imported for zoo's on private property in England and then escaped, where they are now thriving there.
This would be a very short hunt, driving from Brussels to Calais early on a Friday morning, driving onto the Channel Train, making the North Sea crossing, then another 4hours of driving from Folkestone to Newbury. Then getting back on Sunday afternoon. Even with my EV that still worked out quite well. When I left Belgium a storm had gathered off the coast, with slashing winds and lot's of rain, truly not ideal for hunting, but by the time I arrived in Newbury the sun had broken through and we would be enjoying calm sunny weather until my departure on Sunday.
Arriving in the beautiful Donnington Grove hotel in the late morning, I had a quick lunch and spent an hour or two reading my latest acquisition, the excellent Ndlovu from Richard Harland.
As you can see from my glass, only water, as I was on a very strict diet at the time. Losing +20Kg between January and today. So no alcohol was allowed, not even for this escapade.
Alex would be meeting up with me around 14:00, picking me up at the hotel for the first outing. These two species are mostly active in the morning and evening, so there would be 4 outings total. Friday afternoon, Saturday morning and evening and Sunday morning, before I would need to head home again.
As my room was not yet ready, I quickly changed my clothes into hunting attire in the hotel bathroom and was just in time to see Alex's Hilux storm towards the hotel entrance. I remember PH Vaughan Whitehead Wilson from Zimbabwe also driving "with conviction", it seems that good PH's share this driving style!
We introduced ourselves a bit and started driving in the direction of Oxford, in search of the CWD, as this would be the most difficult to find. The weather was gorgeous, sunny, with still some strong wind clearing the clouds away. As soon as we entered the smaller backroads, we were starting to see muntjac, CWD and other deer species in the hills and valleys around us. Alex took us to a place where he had seen some CWD in previous days and since they are quite territorial, they should not be too far. Especially now the sun would be out the CWD would be out in the open to soak up the sun.
We spotted a small group of these strange looking animals, like an beige-coloured dwarf alpaca with fangs like a cobra, and started a stalk. Travelling to the UK with firearms has become quite the hassle, so we would be using Alex's Blaser R8 in .243Win with a suppressor. (I'm sorry @Bob Nelson 35Whelen , I have betrayed you!) For 10 to 15kg animals this would work out fine.
We did a short stalk, but with the strong wind, we really needed to get to about 100m before trying a shot, as these were small animals without a lot of margin of error. Due to the open nature of the field, there was no choice but to be bold and fast. Hunched over, we walked fast to about 100m, Alex put the 4-legged sticks up, and while I put the rifle in it's cradle, he pointed one out and told me to shoot. By now they had of course spotted us and were looking at us with curiosity, but since we had not approached cautiously like a hunter, but more brazen they had not yet figured out the danger.
I had not tried the trigger before, and with my hands in a pair of thin gloves, just brushing the trigger was enough for the rifle to fire. Mentally, I was not yet ready to fire, but as I had put the crosshairs right before I started looking for the trigger, the bullet hit right where it should be. Even though we were using the diminutive .243, it did it's work and the CWD never got up again. 2hours into the hunt, of which 1hr had been spent driving to the place, and the first animal was in the bag!
After having cleaned out the animal, we threw it in the back of the truck and started the road back in the direction of Newbury, to try and see if we could still get onto a Muntjac with the sun setting. While we were driving, we were discussing a bit of all the other deer species that are in the region and Alex's work to keep populations in check. He had been shooting more than 1000 fallow deer since August the year before! And still this would not even dent the population growth.
I told him that if he knew of any good fallow bucks, we could have a look as well. Although not originally on the menu, it is always good to listen to your PH and see what else is available. In a place that we were going to pass by, he had seen a herd of 2-300 fallow deer a few nights before, with some big antlers, so we decided to go have a look if they were still there.
By then the sun was falling fast, so he took his thermal scope and mounted it already on the Blaser. The weather was clear, but cold, due to the strong wind, especially out in the open. We tracked through some agricultural fields, until we spotted a group in the distance, about a 100 or so fallow deer. We stalked in, by now it was getting a bit too dark to easily distinguish the brown fallow deer against the brown earth from the field, so we observed them through the thermal. He and I looked over a few different bucks, coming to the same one back that looked like the nicest one. At which point I took a shot with the thermal. A first for me, using a thermal optic for hunting.
The buck never left his place and at first the other animals did not even understand what really happened. To let things calm down and that they would not associate our scent with one of their dying, Alex went to get the truck, while I could continue watching them move away.
It was a nice and old fallow buck, very happy with the result! What a day!
We loaded him up as well and Alex brought me back to the hotel, so I could get some sleep.
The next morning we were out and about around 5:00 am again, this time in the vicinity of Newbury so we could try our luck with some muntjac. We saw plenty of them in the woods, but never could quite close the deal. So we had to give up and try for the afternoon hunt.
As I had a few hours to spare, I had looked around if there was anything of interest to go see in the surroundings. Especially in the form of gun stores. This is where I came upon a name that I did not know was still in existence: George Gibbs Ltd. So I decided to make the 40min drive over there to go pay him a visit. Before this I also had to go to a local DIY place to pick up a plastic box for the meat that I was going to take back with me home. Upon arrival at Gibbs however, a closed door, and when I checked the website again, it indeed mentioned: "on appointment only". Bummer, but I left my contact information with the nice lady from the neighbouring antique shop, just in case. I quickly drove back in order to be on time for the afternoon session.
Lot's of looking around, stalking, seeing plenty of game, roedeer, fallow deer, muntjac, but no success that round either, so we were going to have try on the last day, to get that muntjac buck.
We got out around 5:00 am again and went to a private domain, where the owner needed some help controlling the deer population. He is big into fruit trees, and young saplings and deer just do not mix very well, the latter eating the bark of the former.
We went into the woods, fast and furious, with the thermal's it was easy to spot muntjac, and roedeer as well. We were going to try to just shoot as many as we could, at non-trophy price for me, so the owner would be happy and I would be able to fill up my case with meat. We shot in total 2 fallow deer and 4 muntjac if I recall correctly in that morning. I did get to shoot a muntjac buck, but I'll be going back again for a nice one at some point. We did have a load of fun, calling the muntjac in, chasing the fallow herd through the forest, and just trying to take as many as possible.
A very productive day indeed, and a nice closure to this hunt. Driving back to the hotel, Alex was going to finish butchering the game at his place and starting to freeze them, so I could take everything with me in the afternoon. Suddenly my phone rang, it was Mark Crudgington (son of the famous Ian Crudgington, who wrote the British Shotgun trifecta) from George Gibbs Ltd who called me back. I told him I was going to leave that afternoon, but could still drive quickly over to his gun store. And I'm very happy I did and he was available to receive me.
He is quite the character, extremely knowledgeable, and is the current owner of the George Gibbs brand, including its ledgers. He mostly makes repairs and restocks guns for his customers but also still builds some new rifles from time to time, under the Gibbs' label. And he has a huge collection of rare guns and rifles. The shop is tiny, but the vault behind is stacked to the brim. If I recall, he had 6 different paradox guns BP and smokeless, waiting to be sold, one of which a beautiful Westley Richard's 12bore detachable lock. Hammer guns, percussion, boxlocks, sidelocks, Gibb's falling blocks, he has examples of it all. With some very rare and historical pieces as well. I have on my phone a list of dream guns and rifles, which I showed him if he had anything that could match. He pulled out a very good condition Mannlicher Schönauer take down, in 6.5x54MS, which I almost bought, but in the end we made an agreement around a beautiful Joseph Lang 12b paradox boxlock "Afrindia". I hope to have it in my hands soon!
He also has a barreled action (Mayfair) for a .505 Gibbs, that is screaming to be finished, but I cannot quite put up the funds for this just yet. But my fingers are aching to shake hands on it as well.
I'll definitely be visiting him again! (I actually did a month later, with my wife on a romantic weekend together without kids, just so we could measure if the Lang needed any stock adjustments. Only adding a silver's pad would be necessary)
Thanks @Spear Safaris for the introduction to Alex, it was a great hunt, and I got home with my trunk full of CWD and Muntjac meat!
Cheers,
V.
and as they are in England, they can at least be hunted. On a side note, I believe CWD is the finest game meat that can be hunted in the whole of Europe. A case could be made that it is even better than Cape Eland! 
