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A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 7:27 pm
by johnwest
At last the weather changed from frost and cold winds to mild with a more favourable southerly wind direction and I decided to chance a day out. I loaded up the car and hit the road west. It was still quite cool and the mist and fog was still clearing, a couple of miserable-looking buzzards were perched at intervals along the roadside waiting for flying conditions to improve as no doubt after a cool night they were ready for a feed. The temperature rose steadily through the morning and by the time I reached the beach it was a pleasantly mild 7-8 degrees. Grub eaten and coffee drunk, I set up two light rods to try for flatties but after more than two hours of the early flood, not one bait had been tasted. Perhaps the recent frost had convinced the flatties to head for deeper water so that’s what I did. Arriving at the next mark at about half tide and in daylight I wasn’t expecting much but even as I was settling the rod in the tripod, it started kicking vigorously; a hungry coalfish around the 30cm size. This rod was fishing in close in mixed ground where I was hoping for a rockling or two for the species list. The coalies continued to feed on mackerel strip and to a lesser extent, razorfish, and came in 1’s and 2’s steadily. The other rod was fished at distance over sand but did little or nothing. The coalfish tally reached about 15-16 with the best going 35cm, not huge but giving great bites and much preferable to the hordes of 15-20cm coalies which can often be a plague. As darkness settled, the far rod started to register a few bites as whiting came on the feed, 3-4 reaching to 29cm length. No rockling, pouting or doggies showed which was a bit surprising and the last fish of the night was a 35cm pollack which took half a sandeel. It was now shortly after high tide and the bites suddenly died away; I took the hint and packed up for home, pity as it was still mild and there was plenty of bait left. After a very pleasant day out despite the lack of a few flatties, I was disappointed to see a very freshly killed deer lying on the hard shoulder, I wonder are those buzzards still hungry. If you’re out there Chuckaroo, how much would the head be worth?! Venison for Christmas anybody?

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:36 pm
by chuckaroo
A few fish Paddy, nice to see you out 8)

johnwest wrote:If you’re out there Chuckaroo, how much would the head be worth?
About £3000
And a few deer hair sedge there too

johnwest wrote:Venison for Christmas anybody?
Yes please

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Thu Dec 21, 2017 2:12 pm
by rushnaldo
Great report sounded like a fine enjoyable day out there good man jw

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Sat Dec 23, 2017 11:40 am
by chuckaroo
Paddy, would you know what sort of deer that is?
Roe?

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Sat Dec 23, 2017 1:33 pm
by johnwest
chuckaroo wrote:Paddy, would you know what sort of deer that is?
Roe?

I wouldn't be too sure and will gladly take correction but I think it's a roe; the simpler design of antlers and lack of a shaggy neck would be my reasons.

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Sat Dec 23, 2017 11:33 pm
by johnwest
johnwest wrote:
chuckaroo wrote:Paddy, would you know what sort of deer that is?
Roe?

I wouldn't be too sure and will gladly take correction but I think it's a roe; the simpler design of antlers and lack of a shaggy neck would be my reasons.


Just been doing a bit of research, apparently roe deer are not found in Ireland apart from a couple of reported sightings in Wicklow and Armagh within the last 10 years. I sent a pic off to biodiversity ireland to see if they can identify it.

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Sun Dec 24, 2017 3:13 pm
by Caz-Galway
Best way to id a deer is to take a pick of its behind. Asked a hunting friend and he believes it's a young red. Definitely not a roe. The head is wrong. I have shot a few in Europe. Caz

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Mon Dec 25, 2017 12:05 am
by richie198
It's not a young red they are only found in co Kerry maybe a few in wicklow.its a sika deer origin was Japan imported years ago and thrived.
It's also what I can see is a pricket young deer with only it's first 2 points/antlers

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 1:29 pm
by johnwest
Got a reply from nationalbiodiversity, they confirmed it as a Sika, an invasive species.
@Richie198, I think red deer are more widespread, I've seen a few stags in Fermanagh over the years. The Kerry red deer are very pure bred and are thought to have been the original stock to have arrived In Ireland, other stocks possibly introduced by the Normans perhaps?

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2017 3:38 pm
by Caz-Galway
Thanks for the clarification on a sika. There are red in Donegal though. Widespread in the national park around Glenveagh. I have also seen them around Pettigo and Lough Derg earlier this year.

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 11:06 am
by lucky13
Busy owl session john,good read too as always :wink:

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 11:34 am
by Seaniebo
Its a young Sika pricket alright, plenty of them about Fermanagh.

There are red deer throughout the country but those in Killarney National park are believed to be the only true native herd hence Red deer are protected and not allowed to be shot throughout the county of Kerry.

Re: A Welcome Donegal Bay Day Out, 18/Dec/2017.

PostPosted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 11:56 am
by johnwest
Seaniebo wrote:Its a young Sika pricket alright, plenty of them about Fermanagh.

There are red deer throughout the country but those in Killarney National park are believed to be the only true native herd hence Red deer are protected and not allowed to be shot throughout the county of Kerry.


richie198 wrote:It's not a young red they are only found in co Kerry maybe a few in wicklow.its a sika deer origin was Japan imported years ago and thrived.
It's also what I can see is a pricket young deer with only it's first 2 points/antlers


Thanks for the replies, never heard the term "pricket" before.