Finally I get a Red

I've been stalking for a good few years - always Roe on the farms I have permission on. I am also in a syndicate that has leased a piece of woodland for about ten years. It has a good head of Roe and visiting Reds (occasionally), one having been shot in the last ten years.

So I decided I would try and get a Red. I stalked all over our lease, sometimes catching a glimpse, but never getting a shot. It was getting a little frustrating, as I was turning down the chance of taking a Roe in case there was a Red around the corner. I was given a day on the stags for my birthday from my Mrs and was going with Solway Stalker (Colin). I ended up spending the day with his fellow stalker, Ian. I had a great day in great company, but never fired a shot. We were hampered by mist on the hill but Ian tried his best and almost took it personally that we couldn't find a stag.

The next part of the saga was a two day trip with Andy and Pete from Moray Stalking School. Two nice Roe and a lot of information, but no Red. Last week, a day on the hinds with Solway Stalker (Colin). I met Colin at the Clachan Inn and we set off for the Forrest Estate. Safety briefing over, we set off. Colin spied a Roe (eyesight like a travelling rat!), pointed it out and I put my rifle on the sticks - and a clean miss - ouch! It happens, says Colin, but that didn't make me feel any better. We stalked a few more Roe, but not to a shootable position. A stag, hinds and some goats, all on a hillside, looked very tempting but a hard stalk over open ground and shortage of time put them in the diary for another day.

We moved to another locale and Colin was glassing the wood edge and pointed out a Red which decided to disappear as I was setting up. A wee bit further on I spied the back end of a Red in a patch of regen. I double checked with Colin that it was a hind and takeable and he then led the stalk. After what seemed an incredibly short time, but was really 30 minutes, we were in a shootable position. Colin signalled to take the shot and 130 grain interbond from the 270 dropped the hind on the spot. We waited 10 minutes then moved over to where the beast was. Colin gralloched the beast and it was then dragged to the roadside, which was not an easy task, but Colin coped admirably. It was then loaded on to the truck. Success - it's taken over a year and from one end of the country to another almost. I've met some wonderful, knowledgeable, stalkers who are happy to share their knowledge, and not just about stalking. Had good crack in great company - now, about those bloody goats .............
 
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