Hello from E.Lothian

Rake Aboot

Well-Known Member
Hi all

My names Mark and I live in East Lothian. I have been shooting for 30 years now ,all types , and in the past have stalked a couple of deer with friends. I have decided to try and do more stalking but living in East Lothian this is proving difficult.

Have been going along to the BDS meetings at Dalkieth and have found them very interesting so will keep going.

Have been told this is a very handy website so will pop in a bit and see whats happening.

ATB
 
Welcome Mark, you have it right on the useful properties of SD,........... I think you'll find you are closer to the deer than some of us on here!:lol:... Steve.
 
I am originaly from East Lothian, I still go home from time, there are a lot ro bouncing about. It would be well worth getting round the farmers doors asking for permission. lots of large arable farms not too keen on deer chomping and trampeling their crops. A friend of mine from Aberlady has picked up a fair few thousand acres this way.

Good luck

Dave
 
Aye

Yeh thanks Frank , got the mail.

Dave I shoot on quite a lot of farmland and small holdings around Haddington Drem area and for years the standard answer has always been,, don`t shoot the deer.

They are not to be touched around this way, at least not by lesser mortals like me . What annoys me though is the fact that I never shoot them on the permissions that have asked me not to,, but others shoot them anywhere they like !!. Could go on about it forever but thats just the way it is round here at present.

Atb
 
Ah, I used to shoot Spittle rig, Monkrig, Hales, Kipilaw and Morham bank. There never used to be many deer there bacause the dog men used to lamp them all the time. I see much more deer now than there ever used to be 20 years ago. I know what you mean with the people that like to see them though. A patch I stalk in north area has a huge boundary and none of the neighbours shoot the deer. I think because they dont see many they dont think many are there. I went to an area in North yorks last doe season, I spoke to one of the guys that works on the land and asked him what deer were about. He told me he had worked there 9 months and only ever seen one deer in that time. I went for a stalk; saw six and shot 2!! I have never seen so many roe together as what I see on the fields below Fa'Side Castle on the side of the A1 just past Trannent. It cant be healthy to have that many animals so close, over 4 fields I counted 19 amimals one afternoon! It might be worth doing a deer survey on the patches you do shoot and present it to the land owners. Work out holding capacity, population and formulate a cull plan and offfer the meat of the first one to the farmer.

Either way good luck

Regards

Dave
 
Aye

Yup Was up at Fa`side yesterday to watch the deer (5 min from the door). Have seen 30 in that herd at some point !!! Spoke to the farmer again 3 days ago but refuses to allow them shot. neighbouring farmers likewise !! at a loss sometimes .. people have no idea about deer welfare , but it`s their land !. Tried to explain but deaf ears etc.
East Lothian has a huge amount of deer at the mo, including a heard of fallow ! but too much money involved for them to be managed properly. That and bunny huggers.

ATB
 
Hi Mark

I have also seen those roe at the side of the A1 , I saw about 25 in a couple of fields thought I was imaginig it..

Do you shoot any geese at Drem , I shot them there once ..
 
Aye

Hi Foxhunter Goose shooting is something I`ve never got into BUT a farm Ive just taken on has asked me to shoot them so I`ll be giving it a bash. When I can get at them like ! Weathers shocking up here just now. That whole area is the place to shoot them though.
ATB
 
You can get free wild fouling ticket for Aberlady bay and John Muir Country park through the council at Haddington if you are an East Lothian resident.

Dave
 
theres tons in those fields at the tranent cut off, seen 15 standing in a herd there back in the summer does anyone shoot that area? it looks as though they must be getting peace and quiet because there always there day and night and stand right up close to the A1, just as well theres that big deer fence there or I would say they would cause a lot of accidents on the road
 
You can get free wild fouling ticket for Aberlady bay and John Muir Country park through the council at Haddington if you are an East Lothian resident.

Dave

OOh - never knew that!!

Will be hanging off John Muir House's front door on Monday waiting for them to open....

Highest number of deer I have seen near the Tranent turn off on the A1 was 34.
The g/f is getting her eye in quite well at spotting them now...may make a gun-bearer of her yet!

Good to see more East Lothian folk on the site
 
A couple of blokes I know have taken on the shooting at the farms near Fa`side, but the deer are still a no go. The fields that you see them next to the road on, are owned by a farmer that I have rabbited for, but even foxes are protected on her ground !!:lol:

Be interested to find out how you get on with the permit saddler. Not as much wildfowling done there these days.
 
The permit from ELC is easy to get hold of, you will have to jump through a few hoops but I can't see any problems.
 
The permit from ELC is easy to get hold of, you will have to jump through a few hoops but I can't see any problems.

Not had a ticket for about 6 years but as I remember it you just had to provide a copy of your SG Cert, proof of insurance and provide a game return at the end of the season.

Dave
 
Sounds about right. After that all you'll have to contend with is the worthies who think they have a god given right to certain spots. Happy days !
 
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