BASC - ARRAN

needsy

Well-Known Member
Has anybody had any experience of the above scheme.
As a newbie & with a 40th birthday fast approaching I was considering this, as I would like to stalk a red stag ideally on the hillside, as being an essex boy I'm used to flat land.
Having gone to fort william to complete my DSC 1, I was amazed at the scenery in that part of the world. The drive up from Glasgow airport just as the sun was setting was memorable .
Or can anyone recomend someone, I'm not looking for a trophy beast, a cull beast would be ideal.
Cheers needsy
 
arran

Couple of my mates have been on both the Arran and the Ae courses and said they were a waste of time with very few deer shot and few seen, you would be better taking a couple of days at the hinds somewhere in my opinion.
 
l personally have not stalked it but l had some mates who went up last hind season and between them and one other guy who had booked the week they stalked it hard every everyday and during their stay only one hind was taken to the larder, apparently they had a good week previous with so l am told 19 going to the larder so that the deer were in the timber and largly nocternal.
 
Well if its a relatively small area, 7000 to 8000 acres Red deer will move off if its been hit hard the week before, and also the weather will play a big part with Reds. If the wind is in the wrong quarter they will soon clear a piece of ground and feed somewhere else.

In the rut if there are hinds present, you will find stags, but they generally move out as the rut progresses to higher ground, but much depends on the area and terrain. I have never been there, so cannot comment, but the above is worth considering if you are going. But its a long way to go without a chance or a shot.
 
Hi Needsy, I went for a week on the stags last year and managed to shoot 2 but some of the guys didn't even see one, let alone shoot one. If I remember rightly, the cull is about 80 beasts over 8 weeks with 16 people a week so you can work out your chances!
The stalking is very hard, flukey wind, wary beasts and plenty of food and cover for them so the odds are stacked in their favour. There is some hill but most of the beasts seem to be in the forests or on the edges of the clearfell (which is the worst leg-breaking kind I have even seen - apparently they only took the bottom 20' of the tree and left the rest due to the cost of getting it off the island).
There is also the lottery of having to stalk with someone, bit of pot luck who you might end up (having to put up?) with!
In summary, if you don't go with the expectation of shooting something, expect to work really hard and spent as much time as possible out stalking, you will probably enjoy it and learn something. If you just want a guaranteed beast, don't bother - ring Charles Fford an Arran Estate instead, I think he was charging about £350 a day (+VAT?) for stags and you are probably pretty much guaranteed one.
 
Jump over to www.accuratereloading.com and access the European Game forum. Post this message for the attention of GRIFF there. He's the guy who actually runs Arran for BASC.

He's a genuine fella so he'll let you know how productive it is at the mo.

Where in Essex are you from? I've only just moved up to Scotland - used to live near Billericay.
 
Here are the Facts: 27,500 acres split up into 9 beats, Cull of 130 animals, 50 stags and the rest hinds.The stalking as Sikamalc explained is weather dependant, and the weather this year has been abyssmal!!
I am struggling with my broadband connection at the moment so will contribute further , later..

regards
griff
 
Thanks for these facts Griff. I assume you are the same Griff off the Accurate Reloading Site ?

Thats a large lump of Scotland, but not a very big cull number for the size of the ground. On the other site I seem to remember a number of 16 stalkers in a week being mentioned ? correct me if I am wrong. I think its a great idea for people to be able to try and stalk Reds on their own in the highlands, as its a rare opportunity. But are people told of the difficulties and terrain they may encounter before booking? I have no need as I have done more than my fair share of Red Management in the highlands, but it does seem that quite a number who have gone to Arran have not been expecting what they found when they got there.

Mind you weather will play a big part, in a productive week, and as you so rightly say there has been prolonged bouts of bad rain this season.
 
Basc Arran

Back on this old chestnut again.

Woodland stalking for me is 90% luck. Finding a nice spot and scanning the area, or if in the rut mastering the calls and bringing in the horny buggers.

Arran was fantastic. Stalking was only part of it. If you have never been go. if you get a stag fine, if not wallow in the scenery and fresh air..

here are some pics of the beasties...

This was a 10 pointer from the Wdnesday night, no monster but a nice healthy beast. 1st one i have roared in.

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here is the Monday stag 1st one shot that week

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Needsy,

Arran is what YOU put into it. The scheme itself is not flawed. You have to realise that the terrain is challenging, but very picturesque.

For the price, you get five days in Gods country. Virtually on you own. Stalking some of the biggest stags this country has to offer.

Admittedly, not as many as some would like. But that is the challenge. The craic is to meet some fantastic people along the way.

I have been every year since the scheme opened , and have not regretted it yet!

Some days it can be like this:

DSCI0065.jpg





Other’s can be like this:

DSCI0039.jpg




You can expect to see scenery like this:


DSCI0030.jpg




But others can be like this:

55f3427b.jpg


If you are lucky , it can be like this:

STP60631.jpg





And this:


DSCI0007.jpg



And this:
DSCI0028.jpg






And if it can produce happiness like this:


pd2-1.jpg


It has to be worth it.

It's not the killing , it's the taking part.

Tank commander out.
 
I think it is worth remembering here that these last two posts highlight exactly some of the best bits, well for me, of stalking. You are out in magnificent scenery, places that most people never get to go, seeing and doing things that is the stuff of dreams usually at a time when most folks are in their beds.

If you are not alone, or with a dog, the people that are about are like minded. No yobs, hoodies anti social behaviour and I have yet to hear of a deer with an ASBO. You will not meet better people, have better craic anywhere than in stalking or any of the field sports really. If you get a beast well, that is just the cherry on top.

Ain't life grand?, but it is hard to remember that when you are lying in a ditch in running water, surrounded by midges, intent on taking a deer for the freezer that has less meat on it than your dog :eek:

I love it :D

John
 
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