Spades and stalking

Uncle Buck said:
Tamus, I personally don't think anyone will carry a spade (on their person) while stalking.

Birds of prey, foxes and corvids will quickly clean up any gralloch !

There ain't many who will want to dig 1 metre below ground level after a week of minus 10 on a January morn,

they'd be better of carry'n a PICK!!! :lol:

Rgds, Buck.
Click to expand...


I agree. That's why I would never bother carrying a spade while stalking. I just wondered if anyone does, because you would need to have something to do the digging if you were to comply with the "bury" option in the Best Practice Guidance, re: gralloch and "areas of frequent use by the public"... as quoted below.

[TABLE="class: tableMin"]
[TR]
[TD]Gralloch & Blood
[/TD]
[TD]i) Cut gralloch open to expose contents. In areas of frequent use by the public, bury or remove
ii) Do not leave gralloch within 20 metres of water-course
iii) Do not bleed directly into a watercourse
[/TD]
[TD]Control of Polluton Act 1974
[/TD]
[TD]SEPA
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
I have never left a gralloch out in the open and found it again in a couple of days of being on the same bit. Not even a stain!

A gralloch from a red/sika/fallow needs a pretty big hole to bury it in and if it is 3' deep, those tiny foldaway shovels are not really up to it.

Surely the crux of the best practice recommendation is somewhere anyone is likely to stumble across it?

Incidentally, I never leave a gralloch hidden under a tree canopy, always exposed to the sky in the hope that flying scavengers will help clean it up as well as those on the ground. Mind, if a badger or a fox comes across it I would imagine the lot will be gone in 2 days!

I'm afraid if it doesn't fit in my pockets, it doesn't come...
 
Yep - was thinking the same thing. Anyone who suggests burying graloch in a 1 metre deep hole.....has never dug a 1 metre deep hole!
Depending on how many you shoot - you may as well get a job as a ground worker:doh: Leave it for the wild clean up squad
 
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mark-joppa said:
Folding spade is prity light,you can clip them to your belt.Not a big hassle.
Click to expand...

Oh you modern lads with your belts! Braces for me, on the hill.
Folding spade lives in the car - I would regard it as considerable hassle attached to any part of my clothing or anatomy.
 
I carry a spade in my pickup, never when i'm stalking. Got to much to carry without having to carry a spade
Al
 
I carry a full sized spade at all times when stalking not just to allow me to comply with best practise in disposing of the gralloch but also because it provides a useful and steady shooting rest. It was ideal when I did my DSC1 shooting test though at first they were a bit reluctant to accept that it was something I always had with me in the course of my normal stalking activities. I attach it to my belt beside my emergency inflatable liferaft which is always with me in case of sudden flooding.

Do any other members of this site make it a habit to carry an Anderson Shelter with them when stalking in case of an outbreak of carpet bombing?
 
caorach said:
Do any other members of this site make it a habit to carry an Anderson Shelter with them when stalking
Click to expand...

I've never found a suitable folding one, and besides, I doubt if there would be room enough on my belt for it alongside the folding Kitchen Sink.
 
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