Muntjacs and Chinese water deers in England, a great hunting trip with Wild Pursuit Guiding

A hunting trip is always a gamble. Will you find what you’re looking for? I was lucky enough to make a winning bet a few months ago when I went in England to hunt muntjacs and Chinese water deers.

The trip was pleasant in every way. Beautiful hunting region, in a typical and charming English countryside, very well organized hunt by Wild Pursuit Guiding and its two creators Matt and Jonny, very pleasant accommodation at the Westelton crown, a lot of animals seen and an extremely satisfying result since I had the chance to harvest two Chinese water deers and two muntjacs including a very old male with an exceptional trophy according to Matt who was delighted to have me shoot this beautiful animal.

Chinese water deers and muntjacs

Strange names from elsewhere… Indeed, they come from far away. These two species of small cervid were imported from Asia at the end of the 19th century for the parks of English landowners. Some escaped, acclimatized well and established perennial populations in certain parts of England.

Muntjac

This is the smallest deer in Britain. A male measures around 50 cm at the withers and weighs a maximum of 15 kg. Antlers can reach 12 cm. The muntjac has no fixed mating season, and rutting can occur throughout the year. It has two canine tusks, which are not very pronounced in females but can reach 4 cm in males. Its tail, grey on the outside, is held close to the body, but is raised in case of anxiety or flight. When the hunter sees white, it’s too late: the muntjac is on the run!

Unlike other cervid species, the trophy is not scored by measuring the volume, but by taking various measurements in centimetres. Points are awarded as follows :

• Gold: 61 points or more 
• Silver: 58.5 to 60.9 points
• Bronze: 56 to 58.4 points

The muntjac is thought to have been introduced to Britain in the 1890s by the Duke of Bedford. It is one of the oldest cervid species in the world. Within the cervid family, it belongs to the Cervinae subfamily, and its tribe comprises nine different muntjacs. The one we hunt in England is the Reeves muntjac.

Chinese water deer

It too was imported from Asia. As with the muntjac, some have escaped and spread. This is a very timid animal that likes wetlands (hence its name). It measures around 50 cm at the withers and weighs between 10 and 15 kg. It is the only member of the cervidae family not to have antlers. It does, however, have two prominent canine teeth, which it uses in combat.

As it has no antlers, its canines are measured to evaluate its trophies.

Hunting with Wild pursuit guiding

The hunting grounds are set in a varied bocage landscape that is the ideal habitat for both species. It’s beautiful, unspoiled English countryside, and the scenery is superb, especially at first and last light.  At these times of day, you can also see many other animal species.

The muntjacs and Chinese water deers are managed in such a way as to keep a large number of animals in good health, which allows a good number of medal class bucks harvested each year. Wild Pursuit Guiding manages a lot of land out there, and it’s perfectly possible to stay several days without going to the same place twice.

You may stalk or hunt from high seats. 

It’s important to note that this is real stalking made by walking through the countryside with your guide ; unlike some Central European countries (Poland in particular, which was my worst hunting experience. But that will be the subject of a future article) where « stalking » is carried out by car. In this country, the « guide » drives his 4×4, stops every 200 meters, scans the terrain with thermal binoculars, locates a buck, makes the « hunter » walk 10 meters at best, then sets up the pirsch stick, the client shoots and everyone congratulates each other on this « beautiful hunt », takes lots of photos soon to be shared on social networks.

With Wild Pursuit Guiding, there’s no such thing: they respect hunting ethics.

When stalking them, you really need to be on your guard, as these little animals can suddenly appear out of nowhere.

Guides but also good hunting companions

Matt and Jonny are perfect connoisseurs of the area and its animals, but more importantly, they’re good hunting companions, always with a smile on their faces and good stories to tell. They’ll listen to you and take your wishes into account. If you make it clear before you start that you don’t have the budget to shoot big trophies, they’ll hear you and won’t be pushy. This is worth noting, as in many other places, the hunter is more or less elegantly subjected to a certain pressure to spend more than he had planned.

Best period to go

The best times of year for this experience are probably between February and May. Chinese water bucks can be particularly enjoyable to hunt in the two months leading up to the end of their season on March 31, when the days start to lengthen. The muntjac also becomes more active during these months and begins to respond to the call of the decoy, resulting in particularly exciting encounters until late spring.

To get there, flying is probably the easiest way. Try to arrive at Stansted airport, which is north-east of London and allows you to get to the hunting area quickly, without wasting time in the traffic jams of Greater London.

Equipment

You can bring your own rifle and ammunition, as long as it’s of a caliber legal for deer hunting in the UK (ask before you go). It is also possible to hire a rifle from the guide. If you bring your own gun, remember that these animals weigh around 15kg, so avoid the 300 … In the UK, they prefer small calibers (6.5 – 243…), which are more than sufficient. Another point: it’s preferable to have a sound reducer; it’s not compulsory, but strongly recommended.

As for clothing, don’t forget that you’re going to England – it could rain! It’s no coincidence that English lawns are so beautiful! Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes – they’ll come in handy if you’ve had a good shower. Try to pack a jacket and pants made of a silent material. And of course, avoid bright colors; camouflage, though not very elegant, is recommended.  A hat is a good idea, as is a face veil. Waterproof walking shoes or boots are advisable, as you’ll sometimes have to cross wet ditches.

Accommodation

There are a number of options available, from charming hotels (Westleton Crown) to more basic self-catering cottages. Wild Pursuit Guiding will provide you with a list of accommodation options in the area.

Even if you’re not staying at the Westleton crown, I’d still recommend going there for lunch or dinner at least once. The chef is an alumnus of a starred London restaurant and his cooking is excellent. The adjoining pub is a very friendly and lively place, perfect for a pint or whisky after a hunt.

A beautiful region

This hunting trip took place in the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk, a land steeped in history since both counties are located in the lands settled by the Vikings, also known as the Danelaw. The Danelaw, as defined in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, is the name given to the part of Great Britain that was ruled by the « Danes », the Viking invaders from Denmark and Norway, who first conducted raids from the 9th century onwards, then settled and founded colonies that the various English kingdoms were forced to recognize because they were unable to defeat them militarily. It’s this Danish kingdom established in north-east England that is much evoked in the famous Vikings series.

Wild Pursuit Guiding also organizes hunting trips for small game in Spain and Lapland, big game in Sweden and fishing in Norway. See their website for more information: https://wild-pursuits.co.uk