Gralloching course

tom_o_m

Well-Known Member
Hello all,

I'm looking for a hands on gralloching course. I have my DSC1 but am not comfortable certifying a carcass as fit for the food chain.


I was hoping to attend the one at sparsholt college but it was full, and the BASC intermediate course, which covers gralloching, isn't available until November.


My dad is also wanting to attend.


Please let me know if there is a course anyone is aware of.


Many thanks


Tom
 
Jon - roestalker on here did a course, was great when I attended one a few year ago, could try pm him to see what he has coming up.

David

Edit: this was a hands on course where we helped and gralloch 2 red stags.
 
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Tom you could do worse than book an outing with a decent outfitter, there are plenty on here, local to me I'd recommend jim DGVM on here. They will be able to walk you through it far better than any course, first hand experience plus and outing you and your dad can enjoy together?
 
Thanks both for the rapid responses.

Ideally we would like something in the south or south west of England, or east Wales as we stalk in Monmouth.


The risk going out with a pro stalker is not getting anything, and if we do get something the option is demonstration or we get stuck in, not both. The ideal would be a cull day at a park with multiple beasts allowing for a demonstration followed by a beast each.


Tom
 
Jelen are down your way..... Plenty of park culling opportunities...

They only seem to have the pre DSC2 course, which given its breadth only covers a gralloching demonstration. It is also seriously expensive for one day, £250!!


I like Jelen, I did my DSC1 with them, and had a few very successful stalks with Dave. but this doesn't really fit what I'm after.


Tom
 
They only seem to have the pre DSC2 course, which given its breadth only covers a gralloching demonstration. It is also seriously expensive for one day, £250!!


I like Jelen, I did my DSC1 with them, and had a few very successful stalks with Dave. but this doesn't really fit what I'm after.


Tom
given what you've said I'd pick up the phone and ask them what they can do? I'm sure they could offer something ??
 
Get yourself a number of stalks with a good mentor / experienced stalker. Gralloching is a hands on skill that's really only learned by doing and is just part of stalking. Prior to any stalk state that you want to do it and be guided through the process. Most stalkers should be happy to let you do it. There are a number of ways. Some do it on the floor, some start at the back end, others open up from the thorax. Some open the neck, others don't, some core out the anus/ uterus/bladder, others split the pelvis and cut them out that way. All are correct, main thing is to minimise contamination and to do it cleanly.

There was was a good piece on Fieldsports Britain last week and I posted a link to the complete video here Good Video on Gralloching and Carcass Prep.

Which shows mosts of the processes, albeit done in the cleanliness of a larder. You would go through the same in field.
 
Get yourself a number of stalks with a good mentor / experienced stalker. Gralloching is a hands on skill that's really only learned by doing and is just part of stalking. Prior to any stalk state that you want to do it and be guided through the process. Most stalkers should be happy to let you do it. There are a number of ways. Some do it on the floor, some start at the back end, others open up from the thorax. Some open the neck, others don't, some core out the anus/ uterus/bladder, others split the pelvis and cut them out that way. All are correct, main thing is to minimise contamination and to do it cleanly.

There was was a good piece on Fieldsports Britain last week and I posted a link to the complete video here Good Video on Gralloching and Carcass Prep.

Which shows mosts of the processes, albeit done in the cleanliness of a larder. You would go through the same in field.

Many thanks, this is an excellent video.


I definitely want to get hands on, rather than pay for a number of stalks that might be successful and allow me to receive tuition on gralloching I would rather a dedicated course with guaranteed carcasses for me to practice on.
 
My son's mother did one, including butchery, with Donington Deer Management near J22 of the M1 for East Midlands Airport at Castle Donington. No stalking about it is basically a number of deer are shot by the principal (for the table) and you then go straight into the gralloch within twenty minutes of arriving at the venue.

So there's no wasted time on shooting, quarry identification, stalking or anything that isn't what (at that time) what you want.

Contact | Donington Deer Management

Excellent! She observed the first deer gralloched, assisted in the second gralloch with stalker and then did the third herself as the instructing proprietor looked on. I cannot praise it highly enough. Then asssisted in butchering a carcass and was able to see the various ways of cuting it into steaks and etc., etc. The proprietor is an excellent teacher of the art.

If you can't get there then DVDs are available:

DVD | Donington Deer Management

Here's a picture or two of my son's mother on her visit there:

View attachment 66826View attachment 66823 View attachment 66824 View attachment 66825
 
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If you are restricted to the south west i did a day with Ian F on here ,a full day with a carcase each to gralloch and skin and as i stayed in the bothy at Ian,s he kindly took me out stalking on one of his permissions ,give him a pm atb Iain
 
Thanks all.

I have tried Ian, he hasn't any gralloching days coming up unfortunately as I gather he is highly rated.

I can do anywhere across the south of England and the wye valley area.

The Donnington course looks ideal, bit too much of a trek unfortunately.
 
its not too far M25/M1 then m42 to His farm.I go to West Sussex from here in 3 to 4 hours and your closer .His farm is only 6 miles from me and there,s a cracking Hotel just round the corner from there if you dont want to there n back in a day .atb Iain
 
One point re Donington Deer Management is that is near enough to East Mids Airport that you could fly up. And, of course, being an airport it has many hotels.

If in the area Melbourne Gun Shop is worth a visit. You could make a two day 'jolly' of it and drop in, on the M1 at Norman Clarke on the way up the day before or early morning.
 
hi enfieldspares,any idea of cost of that as they not o far from me and i would be interested
 
What about Andy Papworth at Eridge Park in Sussex/Kent? He is a great guy and has access to a park full of fallow if it's not too far for you to travel.
 
Topgun just google Donnington Deer management,he,s on tinternet theres a full list of prices/courses equipment and he,s only at Isley Walton just round the corner from the racetrack atb
 
Thanks all, my dad is coming from the south west so donnington deer isn't ideal, but I'll certainly not rule it out (he's an institution for a reason!).

Nun Hunter, do you have an email address for Andy Papworth, this would work for location.


Tom
 
No but I have PM'd you the mobile number I have for him. He ran the DSC1 course via BASC I did at Eridge Park which was very good as he is a nice guy who is very knowledgeable.
 
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