I am looking to get into a bit of Roe stalking and it seems thats doe stalking is affordable for me.What calibre do people tend to use? I have got .243 on my ticket but could change this before i buy. I'm thinking more of next year now as its a bit late.

A .243 or 6mm is the minimum caliber in England and Wales for Roe deer. In Scotland it's not the caliber but an expanding bullet of 50 grains minimum, with a muzzle velocity of not less than 2,450 feet per second and a muzzle energy of not less than 1,000 foot pounds.
I use a .243 with a self loaded 100 grain soft point for Roe.
Hope this helps,
Dave

Thanks WY111, what about a 25.06 can you tell me anything about this ?

25-06 hmm!
I can only give you info from my reloading books, but it is obviously a larger cartridge capable of shoving upto a 125 grain bullet (.243, 105grain) with only a slight increase in MV, but is reported that with excellent accuracy, lowish recoil, good trajectory and good down range clout, it makes a v good rifle for deer especially with a 120 grain bullet.
Personally I am biased to the .243 with 100 grain bullet, as seemingly most Roe stalkers do, and that a 25-06 is a bit over the top for Roe.
But you never know, someone might know something totally different.
Dave

I actualy have a 25.06 that i bought off of someone leaving the country. A lot of the keepers in Dorset bought them as they are a good capable rifle for anything from fox to fallow deer. Mine has even been to Scotland shooting reds. Saying all of that i mentioned the rifle to a gunshop in Oxford and they said there wasn't a market for them. It just shows how things change from county to county.

I find that the .243 meets all my needs.

"Woodland stalking" (as opposed to Fell/Hill for Red) for Sika, Roe, Fallow, Muntzac ,CWD is well served by the .243.

Study the information given on the ammunition box for performance.Certain drops at known distances.
Which means you need to know how to .....

Practice your distance judgement- count fence posts etc- some scopes when viewed through will show that the chest and rump of a Roe fit exactly between the horizontal hairs at 150m -look and work it out for yourself.

Which means you need to practice...
Good and therefore humane shooting at varying distances

Which means you need to practice...
Field craft, selecting ansd approaching targets, identifying suitable targets

Which means that ....you dont need to be overtooled for the job as you can place a round with certainty

...... and therefore a .243 will be the rifle for the job.

As long as you have some good binos and a reasoable light gathering 'scope sight, regularly clean your barrel and understand temperature, wind and elementary ballistics your will be on your way.
Keith

[QUOTE]Which means that ....you dont need to be overtooled for the job as you can place a round with certainty
I think if you asked most keepers they wouldn't say that the 25.06 is being over tooled but a modern day calibre which suits anything from shooting a fox to fallow or even reds.

I have used and/or owned virtually all calibres and types of weapon. I conclude that there are those that are ideally suited to specific targets and those that are 'jacks of all trades'. The question posed was specific to Roe deer, and I stand by my recommendation, based upon my own experience.

I wasn't suggesting that any specific calibre was in fact excessive for the culling of a specific species. Although it is any easy arguement to make that certain calibres are excessive in as much as they will lead to meat damage or colatteral damage.I was trying to encourage a true consideration of stalking and all it entails- having stalked for my living, livelihood and pleasure.

I have heard a lot of talk upon ballistics and rifle types, and compare it with the current trend of motor enthusiasts.

Consider the Vauxhall Nova with large exhaust pipe and wide wheels complete with massive sound system. Undoubtedly it looks good to the owner who likes being noticed with it. The pipe hardly improves the performance of the untouched engine. The wide wheels are a step away from the manufacturers standard that the vehicle is designed to perform best with. The sound system is far in excess of the acoustic capabilities of the vehicle shell. All this is fine- but can the driver operate the machine safely and avoid accidents get out of skids etc any better or drive it any quicker than the factory standard model?

Is this not the same as the shot with the state of the art rifle, non 'standard' sight system, real tree advantage and lease on a forest, that goes out and never sees an animal, except once and he looses off a round and hits the lungs and loses the beast, because he doesnt know how to stalk, zero, match the load to rifle, care for rifle, follow a spoor etc? .

The point I continue to stress is that it is vital to be able to consistantly hit a target at a chosen range ( effective humane killing range that does not damage the carcase) which requires stalking skills and that rifle used should be able to this in the hands of the user.

If it be a 25.06 or a .243 it matters not a bit. it is personal preference.

As a foot note - I suspect that the introduction of military developed ammunition throughout modern history (1910- 2000) has seen the development of and introduction via the US market a number of 'new' calibre rifles for the sport industry. This has lead to efficient systems and greater accuracy over larger distances. Sport market infra red sights, laser technology and wasted down high velocity rounds will be the norm soon, but the recently seen tragic deaths of innocent bystanders whilst shooters have been out fox lamping may increase- something the industry and sportsman let alone humanitarians can not tolerate if our professions are remain in existance.