".................And don't come back with a broken ankle again...." were the last words my wife said to me as she kissed me goodbye as I set off on my few days at the stags in Glen Lyon in early October and this my 18th year in the glen.
The weather forecast for my few days away looked good and I was especially pleased of this as chum was to join me on this trip. Richard, who I have shot with for a number of years both grouse and pheasants, had stalked this glen before, on the Meganie Estate on a number of occasions, though never had the opportunity to stalk on this particular estate.
A quick visit to the target before setting off for the hill to check the rifle is our usual custom and as I was using a new type of bullet I wanted a we boost to my confidence, even though all was fine on the range at home in Aberdeen a day of two before. No problem. The two shots with the 30 grain copper Fox bullets from my 7mm08 went where they there aimed, and so without further ado we set off in the Land Rover to the west beat.
Dave, our stalker wasted no time spotting deer close to the sky line ( why do they always have to on the top of the hills....?) and given a favourable wind decided upon a plan of approach in their general direction, notwithstanding that we would most likely come upon deer as we off. And as expected we did. However, these few deer seen in a gully and with the given wind pointed us in a change of direction which led us to better things. A stag with about 15 hinds and he was very happy and contented as he chased his hinds about giving the occasional roar. He was still a good way off but as we moved in closer for a better view and coming round an adjacent peat hag, there not more that 150m away from us lay four stags enjoying the warmth of the sun on their backs. A we crouch for about 15 m and the rifle was out the slip and I was set up on a grassy tusk ,and ready for a shot......... Dave said, that the two on the left were both shootable beasts and when they stand take the one that presents the safest shot for you. Wait we did. 5 minuets, 10 minuets and then 20 minuets. Not a problem, as we were dry and warm and the big fellow further away was giving us plenty of entertainment with his bellowing. Anyway, stand he did as did, the one on the far left and the one I had my sights on, as the others too stood. After a stretch and a few steps turning sideways on he offered me a broadside shot. Bang, a jump at the reaction of the bullet strike, and drop he did.
At the stag some 170m from the firing point, the rifle was unloaded and put away in the slip. Richard had his hip flask out for a wee dram for us all and then I watched Davie turning the beast over for the gralloch lending a hand when needed.
So much for the easy part................... The hard work was about to begin getting it home. It wasn't much of a drag between the three of us before we we passed by the peat hags that prevented the quad gaining access to a suitable spot enabling it to take the beast further down the hill and to the Land Rover on the track,
At the the larder we reviewed our day and a great day it turned out to be. In all the years I have stalked this estate it was the first time I came off the hill totally dry. In fact I had the same tweed suit on all the days stalking but on the last day, when a shower was forecast and even that came to nothing.
We had a great time that in the glen, I talking two stags and Richard also taking two stags also. We saw Golden Eagles, Ravens and lots of deer with some exceptional and impressive stags too.
As for next year, well that's booked.
The weather forecast for my few days away looked good and I was especially pleased of this as chum was to join me on this trip. Richard, who I have shot with for a number of years both grouse and pheasants, had stalked this glen before, on the Meganie Estate on a number of occasions, though never had the opportunity to stalk on this particular estate.
A quick visit to the target before setting off for the hill to check the rifle is our usual custom and as I was using a new type of bullet I wanted a we boost to my confidence, even though all was fine on the range at home in Aberdeen a day of two before. No problem. The two shots with the 30 grain copper Fox bullets from my 7mm08 went where they there aimed, and so without further ado we set off in the Land Rover to the west beat.
Dave, our stalker wasted no time spotting deer close to the sky line ( why do they always have to on the top of the hills....?) and given a favourable wind decided upon a plan of approach in their general direction, notwithstanding that we would most likely come upon deer as we off. And as expected we did. However, these few deer seen in a gully and with the given wind pointed us in a change of direction which led us to better things. A stag with about 15 hinds and he was very happy and contented as he chased his hinds about giving the occasional roar. He was still a good way off but as we moved in closer for a better view and coming round an adjacent peat hag, there not more that 150m away from us lay four stags enjoying the warmth of the sun on their backs. A we crouch for about 15 m and the rifle was out the slip and I was set up on a grassy tusk ,and ready for a shot......... Dave said, that the two on the left were both shootable beasts and when they stand take the one that presents the safest shot for you. Wait we did. 5 minuets, 10 minuets and then 20 minuets. Not a problem, as we were dry and warm and the big fellow further away was giving us plenty of entertainment with his bellowing. Anyway, stand he did as did, the one on the far left and the one I had my sights on, as the others too stood. After a stretch and a few steps turning sideways on he offered me a broadside shot. Bang, a jump at the reaction of the bullet strike, and drop he did.
At the stag some 170m from the firing point, the rifle was unloaded and put away in the slip. Richard had his hip flask out for a wee dram for us all and then I watched Davie turning the beast over for the gralloch lending a hand when needed.
So much for the easy part................... The hard work was about to begin getting it home. It wasn't much of a drag between the three of us before we we passed by the peat hags that prevented the quad gaining access to a suitable spot enabling it to take the beast further down the hill and to the Land Rover on the track,
At the the larder we reviewed our day and a great day it turned out to be. In all the years I have stalked this estate it was the first time I came off the hill totally dry. In fact I had the same tweed suit on all the days stalking but on the last day, when a shower was forecast and even that came to nothing.
We had a great time that in the glen, I talking two stags and Richard also taking two stags also. We saw Golden Eagles, Ravens and lots of deer with some exceptional and impressive stags too.
As for next year, well that's booked.
