My first 8 pointer Sika Stag

Paul at Fechan

Well-Known Member
So. It was Saturday morning and I’ve just driven 300 miles after leaving at 2am to get to my ground for first light a little north of Loch Shin in Sutherland. There’s a little light in the sky when I arrive and it’s a cracking start with patches of mist scattered around. I’m prepping my gear and to my left a little off my ground is a Red giving it his all. In front of me a few hundred meters into the woodland 2 Sika having a whistling competition and before I’d even got my rifle out another Sika to the right went chips in too. The ground is white everywhere and the morning is just perfect but is really still and freezing cold.

5 minutes later I’m on the peaty ground and working the glen to access the rides where I think the nearest Sika is about. A few steps later and SPLOOSH, down I go slipping on the iced grass into a peaty wet hole right up to my knee, rifle into the gunk with me flat and barrel plugged. Damn it was cold, wet and nasty. Not to worry though and out comes the pull through and I sort the mess out. Off again and the Sika stags are skill giving it large. I can hear the nearest one only a couple of hundred meters across in a ride and SLOOSH again but didn’t fall flat that time although peaty black gunk has filled both wellies now. I get into the rides and worked my way over to the junction that turns right to where I think he is. The Sun’s just up and behind me so perfect if he is there. Edging forward there he is about 70 meters up the ride and having a munch out in the open.

Now at this point the icy feet were forgotten and looking through my bins I could see he was a nice 8 points. I started to set up my sticks and swung off the rifle but brushed the conifer behind me. Up goes the head and he’s looking to see what the scuff was. Now knowing I might not have long I sneaked the rifle up onto the sticks and was ready but he’s diagonal and necking wasn’t really an option with my accuracy off sticks questionable at that distance for such a shot so I watched and hoped for a broadside. Mr Sika just watched back and with the sun behind me I knew he couldn’t figure me. A minute or so later he had had enough and went broadside only when walking calmly back into the conifer block on the right where a drainage channel was he had probably come out of. No real chance of a shot.

Cursing that brush with the conifer I stayed put on sticks hoping that the beast would come back out after a time but it wasn’t long before my freezing feet and the other Sika whistling urged me to move. So I started back the way I came with the sun on my right still very low in the sky and 100m up the ride was another crossing of rides with the ride to my left parallel to the one Mr Sika had been in. Looking all around I started to cross the junction. Looking again up the ride to my left as I’m crossing I can’t believe it, there he is lying down tucked in beside a clump of heather and grass getting the early morning sun which is behind me. He had followed the drainage channel up to the next ride for some peace away from whatever brushed the conifer.

At 70 meters and with the angle of the sun behind me it would be impossible to make me out but he could see the movement and hear me. With the ride rising away behind him and the beast surely going to rise I needed to get in a position to shoot and fast if there was any hope. I made a smooth move to ground as soon as I saw him while dumping the sticks and prepped my Harris at which point he stood to get a better look at me. I was now in the aim and although at an odd angle to my rifle and my hips were in an inch deep of pishy wet peat I was good to go. The beast was looking right at me and with his head high he made his first stamp and I replied with a comfortable sweet neck shot which dropped the beast like a stone. Spotting to finish was probably no more than 10 seconds but it was luck more that skill that gave me the opportunity to get the shot in.

The drag back to the road took forever with his antlers catching in every bit of grass, heather and bush they could find and by 11am I was shattered but sitting in my car. I cut my day short to get the beast into the local game dealer and started the 5 hours drive home sore and feeling old but buzzing from the morning I had had. Some might think I’m mad to drive all the way up and then back again on the same day but I feel privileged to have experienced such a beautiful morning and met with my first Sika stag up on my woodland. Some experiences are worth whatever effort you put in to get them and this was just on of those occasions where it all paid off. Thanks for reading guys and good luck.

sikadeer.jpg

mysika.jpg
 
Great read, enjoyed it immensely.
Something to savour for years to come.
The adrenaline rush come down yet?
basil.
 
Hi Paul

Tks 4 sharing the stalk story with all the members.

It's the stalk that does it 4 me....It's irrelevant wether I get to pull the trigger or not.

The stalk is EVERYTHING !

Tks again

Rockin
 
:lol: hey Paul thought you said your were hoping for a pricket up north this weekend?? Cocked that plan up a bit didn't you :eek: What a great result, why didn't you stalk the late session or was you under orders to get back?

nice one mate, so when's the invite :rolleyes:
 
Ha ha mate invite, you cheeky bugger I seem to remember you still owe me still for last time and who got the pickup stuck....?? Only joking, anytime mate catch you later.

ps, not under orders just shattered after the drag.
 
A great write up. Made me laugh in parts and envious in others.

I think its possible that you are mad, but I guess we all are.

Grant
 
:eek: ---I JUST GOT A BOLLOCKING OF THE WIFE---

Thanks all but I'm right in the **** now. I've just had to pull a tick out of my little girls neck after our shopping trip to Asda today.

Seems like leaving the head in the car overnight was really really stupid idea so I've just sprayed a whole can of multi-bug spray over every inch of my car to fumigate it. I know the bugs all jump ship once the meat goes cold but I just thought they'd get out at the services or something.

There's a lesson in there I think.... ooops :lol:
 
paul at barony said:
I know the bugs all jump ship once the meat goes cold but I just thought they'd get out at the services or something.

classic

:lol: you idiot, that's the sort of thing that would only happen to you. Should have called Rentokill to sort the car out because they'd have ****ed themselves laughing at you. Hope you didn't get grounded mate because I heard you called off foxing with jack last week because she said you had to stay in :lol: ha ha busted!

Seriously though, hope the little ones fine and it's all OK. ;)
 
Just had a good chuckle at the bugs in the car bit!, sitting in the passenger lounge on the Arran ferry coming home, beating Keds to death with a rifle bolt having jumped from my mates forehead onto the carpet , then next trip He's looking a bit itchy halfway home in the motor, I'm killing myself laughing He's chasing stuff all over his head at 70 on the motorway! exit stage left at services :lol: Steve.
 
Well done Paul,

I only live about 20-30 minutes from Loch Shin so I have a good idea of where you were. We had a good couple of days last week, blue skies and white grass beautiful mornings. However putting your 6 inch boot into a 12 inch Sutherland peaty, slippy hole does remind you that we are only mortal :eek: that and dragging an eight point Sika stag of course.

Time for the tasty hinds now :D :D

John
 
Greg, you're dead right and I just got from there now after leaving at 2am again this morning to get there on time. Nailed another sika stag just a 5 pointer but at 20 meters :eek: !! The nearby plantations are felling and I seem to be catching refugees. :D Will post pic later.

Hey John, it's funny but even getting soaked doesn't make us think twice about going out. It just reminds us to take extra socks! The game place I'm weighing in at is only paying £1.40/kilo for Sika so you knowing better for the area, is that usual for this time of year at the season end for stags?

cheers

P
 
Sika

Great write up and pics, thats some serious mileage you clocked up there, you wont forget those two animals too quick.

wicklow202
 
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