Ghillie Wanted!!??

The Ghillie

Well-Known Member
Had a few requests from friends that want to get into the ghillieing game and they were
wondering what you need to become a good ghillie, and I thought it would make for an
interesting thead!

So these are my thoughts for now:-
I would say that the key thing about being a good ghillie is:-
1. enthuseasim
2.A strong back
3.Diplomat
4.Quick and safe in the larder
5.Able to get up in the morning even when your legs are screaming at you and your boots are still soaking
6...
 
6....must not be impatient
7. plenty of common sense.
8. have a good rapport with highland ponies (garrons)
9. a great sense of humour
10. must listen to what's being said....and want to learn
11. not be afraid of the headstalkers whisky portions (drams don't exist...it's frightening!)
12. must always have a sharp knife and plenty of bailer twine (essential!)
13. must be prepared to undertake other tasks around the estate...like strimming, painting, digging drains......
14. be of the understanding that you aren't there to shoot the deer yourself.....but merely assist in the extraction.
15. most importantly......be respectful of everything and everyone to do with the job...as indeed it is a privelage to be working in such a position.
16. accept the fact that you could be very isolated and have little contact with the outside world

just thought i'd add a few of my thoughts too!......Alot of people don't realise what's involved with a ghillies job, Certainly at a place like east monar where we were!......Although it is a great job it's not an easy life, especially in the winter if you are kept on for the hinds.

steveM
 
Hahaha...yes indeed....but i shouted down the toilet once or twice after the Potter size drams were consumed!!:oops:
:D:D
 
Still working with the old tradition of taking the lid off the bottle and throwing straight in the fire, like you say, as long as theres a couple of you partaking its not so bad. Not great when someone does the same thing to the lid of the second bottle though! JC
 
17. Good eye sight and vigilance, radios don't always work.

18. Flexibility

19. the sense to know when to shut up:doh:

20. patience

21. The ability to carry headkeeper back to his house blind drunk and avoid his wife!!!!!!!!!

22. The knowledge that you will be doing the greatest ammount of physical work but the stalker will take all the glory
 
23. The mental and physical strength to stay away from the boss's daughter no matter how gorgeous she is , no matter how long you have been in isolation [a few months in Monar, Meoble or Loch Choire and the ponies start looking like Angolina:drool:]
 
This is a story that some of our old hands may recall

The estate used 2 ghillies, one for the ponies and one as a rifleman, the ponieman was very much the senior ghillie of some 40years on the hill and seen 2 lairds to the
ground, the rifleman had just joined the team and was keen to impress the stalker and clients.. This estate used the the ghillies thus:- 2 stags a day where the norm,
when the frist stag was shot the young rifleman would drag the stag to a sutible place for the ponies to pick up the shot stag and take it back to the horsebox and unsaddle the pony and then wait for the second beast to arrive, however this day was very nasty ,weather wise, and tradtion stated that a dram was to be hab after the first stag and that what was left of the bottle went to the ghillies!

The stalking party was quite large including 1 stalker 2rifles, their wifes and 2 friends and the young ghillie making 8 in total!

The form was to have a dram after the first stag and then the bottle was left to the ghillies,and the
2 ghillies arsed what was left of the bottle,,however this was a very wild day, so by the time the second stag was shot the stalking party where ready for another dram!

Unfortunaly the bottle was emtey but still in the saddle bag, when the rifle asked for a dram for himself and his guests the young ghillie paniced for fear of lossing his job, The old boy said with confidence that the bottle would be forthcoming from the saddlebag, so he wondered of to the ponies which where some distance from the guests, to the horror of the young lad, the old boy pulled out his member and emtied his bladder into the emtpy whisky bottle.
The old boy then informed the rifle that he has the dram for them and marches to deliver the bottle of pishh!
The younster see`s all this and recons he for down the road. Just before the rifle takes the bottle out of the old boys hand he drops it onto a rock and it shatters
followed by much apoligies ,, and the rifle say`s that we most likely did`nt need it!! Face Saved;)

with wind and rain.

25. Cunning and wit like a fox:rofl:
 
26 . be able to put the twitchiest of clients as ease ,talk them throught the shot .untill there 100% happy .

27. be able to hit a sika on the run at 120yds .

28. its the clients day or week ,make them part of it ,treat them the way you would like to be .

29. make sure your dogs breath does not smell of dead hedgehogs .

30. coffee always keep a flask of it in the landrover .
 
31,
Must be able to bang head against brick wall without suffering injury!!

32, Must be able to utter profanities while smiling and them not sounding like profanities.bit like a politician..

33, Must be able to shoot 3 legged deer on the run at extreme distances.

regards
G
 
Ghillies do not get to go anywhere near a rifle other than to carry it.

"Ghillie" it's a while since I heard that 1 :lol:

I remember taking the rifle out the case to find - no bolt!!!!!!!!

We stalked into 4 stags that day with the boss, and somehow they all spooked and we never even got the rifle out????

reason- ghillie was told the minute we started to crawl he was to jump up and down:D

Old Laird :old:put it down to atmospheric pressure making the deer jumpy:stag:
 
Old ******* was out on the hill one day with a guest, the guest was a rather intolerable man and old ****** didn't like him.

Being a warm day there were plenty of insects and this was driving the guest mad.

He asked old ******* "what are these dam beasts"

"why they are cleggs"

"what on earth are cleggs?" he bellowed

"it's a wee fly that buzzes round a horses arse"

The guest scowled and asked" ****** are you refering something?"

"och no sir, just ye canna bamboozle a clegg"
 
34 . must be able to read and do morse code by winking with the boss ;).

ie. client and i get back off the hill , wink and nod (up) .boss , thats a fine stag . client , but john shot it !. boss , but who shot it first ?. :rolleyes:
 
Very wet and windy day at stags, and a complaining guest, complained about the weather, in fact continually grumbling,
nothing seemed to please him, every time we stopped to spy he produced a large hip flask and had a pull, never offered it round.

During a particularly heavy squall we took shelter behind some rocks, guest produced his cigarettes but could not get one lit as they were wet.

Guest. Is there not a dry spot on this god forsaken hill.

Ghillie. Aye you could try the back of my throat.
 
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