Myself and the wife went up to my grounds in Scotland this weekend, firstly to drop off loads of christmas presents as we are staying up there over christmas and my kids and grand kids will be joining us for the week, secondly to get a few stalks in weather permitting (snow forecast).
Arrived Friday night (in the snow) but got there with out any problems, over night it was very cold so come the morning it was crispy crunchy snow, just what you need for some foot stalking, any way went out still.
Arrived on the grounds at about 0715 and decided to stalk the edge of the forest close to the trees so less snow to walk through. I had only been out of the car for 10 mins glassing the edge of the trees and the fields near by when I saw a red on top of a hill approximately a mile off. Great that’s were I am heading then. I halved the distance and looked again to see it was a stag with some hinds. I ducked back in the trees and got closer, now about 200m glassed them, 5 hinds with 2 calves and the biggest stag I have ever seen, on first count got to 12 points but thought I was mistaken so stalked closer now 120m. I was right it had 14 points and such a wide beam it made me wonder how it could move through the trees in the forests. I sat and watched them with the sun rise behind and snow now just starting to fall not even thinking about taking a shot at one of the hinds. After 20 mins or so the huge stag decided that they had eaten enough and moved them all on herding them back into the trees.
I have only been stalking for a few years and have taken plenty of deer but I just felt so blessed to have seen such a magnificent animal. I will from now on take as part of my kit a camera for occasions like this. A few may see this as an unsuccessful stalk but for me I fell it was one of my best and one I will remember for a long time.
Arrived Friday night (in the snow) but got there with out any problems, over night it was very cold so come the morning it was crispy crunchy snow, just what you need for some foot stalking, any way went out still.
Arrived on the grounds at about 0715 and decided to stalk the edge of the forest close to the trees so less snow to walk through. I had only been out of the car for 10 mins glassing the edge of the trees and the fields near by when I saw a red on top of a hill approximately a mile off. Great that’s were I am heading then. I halved the distance and looked again to see it was a stag with some hinds. I ducked back in the trees and got closer, now about 200m glassed them, 5 hinds with 2 calves and the biggest stag I have ever seen, on first count got to 12 points but thought I was mistaken so stalked closer now 120m. I was right it had 14 points and such a wide beam it made me wonder how it could move through the trees in the forests. I sat and watched them with the sun rise behind and snow now just starting to fall not even thinking about taking a shot at one of the hinds. After 20 mins or so the huge stag decided that they had eaten enough and moved them all on herding them back into the trees.
I have only been stalking for a few years and have taken plenty of deer but I just felt so blessed to have seen such a magnificent animal. I will from now on take as part of my kit a camera for occasions like this. A few may see this as an unsuccessful stalk but for me I fell it was one of my best and one I will remember for a long time.
