Just back from the hills after 3 days on the incredibly kind and generous invitation from a friend.
Stalking on Lude Estate, just before Blair Atholl.
The hills that would be home for this week - Carn Liath on the left, Sròn Eanraig to the right, and just coming into view on the very right is Meall Bheag (I think is the way it's spelled).
Day 1 saw us stalking round Mall Bheag, after a group of hinds the stalker had spied on the nearer face of the hill.
Said group of hinds did not oblige however, and decided to shift over below south face of Sròn Eanraig (the side to the photo). They also joined what felt like every other hind on the 6,000 acres of Lude Estate, and it's neighbours! Trying to crawl down into them with was an exercise in futility sadly... Too many eyes able to focus on the slope to get away.
As they walked away though, we noticed them starting to split into two smaller groups - one heading over the march to the next estate, but the other group heading back towards Meall Bheag. Had our pieces, then back we went - hoping that the 3 roe we saw (and had to move past) didn't manage to disturb the hinds.
Through the saddle, a quick peek over the ridge. They're still there! Short crawl and we have a shot through the heather. Down goes one and as the others run off to crest the bump, another hind slows down. Down she goes too. Those were my first reds.
Was crazy to think how we spent 5 hours chasing them around to end up shooting them 20 mins from where we started in the morning!
Day 2 was disturbingly similar - likely due to the near identical conditions and wind, except thankfully the deer decided to go halfway along Sròn Eanraig, rather than down the west face. Another hind added to the list.
This is though where I confess to some shame... Shot the hind at 80yd, watched her calf storm off with the herd, but kept looking back at mum. Never presented a good broadside, and I never checked with the stalker on his thoughts of headshots... Presented a short moment of face away which was ideal, but by the time I'd started to ask if I should take the shot, calf was away again... After action report with the stalker cleared that up - next time it happens, they get a pill in the back of the noggin...
My friend had split with me and had gone the long way around Carn Liath with the ghillie, managing to take one hind as well.
No picture of that deer, but have one of the midday sun at the top of Sròn Eanraig.
Day 3 we again split, this time me with the ghillie and my friend with the stalker. As luck happened (or deer anyway...), we were presented with almost identical stalks as on day 2.
Only difference was that the ghillie and I had to take a much more direct route to Carn Liath from the tracks, to avoid risk of bumping the deer my friend would be hopefully getting!
Added challenge was the large mixed group of deer we were trying to get into had strung out. With a few young stags going much higher on the ridge. The ghillie's knowledge of the terrain was tested to the limits here, as there was very limited routes we could take and stay out of sight.
As we got closer, we (I) took a pause as the ghillie crawled over to the next ridge to make sure the deer were still there. As a Munro, Carn Liath had a handful of walkers heading up the path (other side of the skyline), and he was concerned that the deer may be pushed towards us unknowingly! Few minutes later, ghillie reappears to say, yes, group is still where we left them, even better? The stags have buggered off round the corner, so we can take the higher ground (with more cover).
So off we trot, make it some 100yd and we're just away to approach another ridge when the ghillie slams the brakes and ducks down - there's some advantage of being 5'7"... Him ducking down was the same height as I stand
The group had shifted... They were now 40yd below us on the hill
Crawled back to better cover, then up the slope more to try and get some sort of distance between us and them. Found a spot, up on the bipods and then - **** all the hinds were below our point, just stags showing! We tried to wait them out, but they must have heard something or just decided to be ornery, as they then started to walk further away from us (but still out of sight!).
Right... Crawl a wee bit back, and then back onto the trail, let's try and intercept them further along, see if they stop - as they didn't seem spooked from us...
Short crawl to the next vantage point, and they're away... Leaving in their big group over towards the hiking trail. Despondent, I start to look at the positives, invited to shoot hinds for 3 days, shot 3 hinds over the first 2 days, who cares if the 3rd is a blank? I've had a great day and week!
Ghillie taps me, "there's a wounded stag at the back of the group, do you see it?"
Back down to the scope (yes, should have brought the binos...) and sure enough, there's a stag inching it's way trying to keep up with the group. Back right leg was completely frozen in the contracted position and no signs of it moving at all, despite the awkward efforts of the stag to make it up a small slope.
We kept eyeing it up for a few minutes, then the ghillie says, "shoot it, he's not right, put him out of his misery." Right, what's my range? "280yd." Roger, cross hairs on the back of the beast, and trigger pulled.
Down he went, and I can now say I've shot a red stag. Poor chap had little in the way of teeth left (later estimated to be at least 10yo), and his back leg had clearly been broken last season then healed solid... Absolutely no movement in the joint, and explained his gait as well as very light weight... Gralloched weight was just touching 150lb.
I can only say thank you again to my amazing friend who invited me, and to the stalker and ghillie on Lude Estate for all their efforts this week.
Stalking on Lude Estate, just before Blair Atholl.
The hills that would be home for this week - Carn Liath on the left, Sròn Eanraig to the right, and just coming into view on the very right is Meall Bheag (I think is the way it's spelled).
Day 1 saw us stalking round Mall Bheag, after a group of hinds the stalker had spied on the nearer face of the hill.
Said group of hinds did not oblige however, and decided to shift over below south face of Sròn Eanraig (the side to the photo). They also joined what felt like every other hind on the 6,000 acres of Lude Estate, and it's neighbours! Trying to crawl down into them with was an exercise in futility sadly... Too many eyes able to focus on the slope to get away.
As they walked away though, we noticed them starting to split into two smaller groups - one heading over the march to the next estate, but the other group heading back towards Meall Bheag. Had our pieces, then back we went - hoping that the 3 roe we saw (and had to move past) didn't manage to disturb the hinds.
Through the saddle, a quick peek over the ridge. They're still there! Short crawl and we have a shot through the heather. Down goes one and as the others run off to crest the bump, another hind slows down. Down she goes too. Those were my first reds.
Was crazy to think how we spent 5 hours chasing them around to end up shooting them 20 mins from where we started in the morning!
Day 2 was disturbingly similar - likely due to the near identical conditions and wind, except thankfully the deer decided to go halfway along Sròn Eanraig, rather than down the west face. Another hind added to the list.
This is though where I confess to some shame... Shot the hind at 80yd, watched her calf storm off with the herd, but kept looking back at mum. Never presented a good broadside, and I never checked with the stalker on his thoughts of headshots... Presented a short moment of face away which was ideal, but by the time I'd started to ask if I should take the shot, calf was away again... After action report with the stalker cleared that up - next time it happens, they get a pill in the back of the noggin...
My friend had split with me and had gone the long way around Carn Liath with the ghillie, managing to take one hind as well.
No picture of that deer, but have one of the midday sun at the top of Sròn Eanraig.
Day 3 we again split, this time me with the ghillie and my friend with the stalker. As luck happened (or deer anyway...), we were presented with almost identical stalks as on day 2.
Only difference was that the ghillie and I had to take a much more direct route to Carn Liath from the tracks, to avoid risk of bumping the deer my friend would be hopefully getting!
Added challenge was the large mixed group of deer we were trying to get into had strung out. With a few young stags going much higher on the ridge. The ghillie's knowledge of the terrain was tested to the limits here, as there was very limited routes we could take and stay out of sight.
As we got closer, we (I) took a pause as the ghillie crawled over to the next ridge to make sure the deer were still there. As a Munro, Carn Liath had a handful of walkers heading up the path (other side of the skyline), and he was concerned that the deer may be pushed towards us unknowingly! Few minutes later, ghillie reappears to say, yes, group is still where we left them, even better? The stags have buggered off round the corner, so we can take the higher ground (with more cover).
So off we trot, make it some 100yd and we're just away to approach another ridge when the ghillie slams the brakes and ducks down - there's some advantage of being 5'7"... Him ducking down was the same height as I stand
The group had shifted... They were now 40yd below us on the hill
Crawled back to better cover, then up the slope more to try and get some sort of distance between us and them. Found a spot, up on the bipods and then - **** all the hinds were below our point, just stags showing! We tried to wait them out, but they must have heard something or just decided to be ornery, as they then started to walk further away from us (but still out of sight!).
Right... Crawl a wee bit back, and then back onto the trail, let's try and intercept them further along, see if they stop - as they didn't seem spooked from us...
Short crawl to the next vantage point, and they're away... Leaving in their big group over towards the hiking trail. Despondent, I start to look at the positives, invited to shoot hinds for 3 days, shot 3 hinds over the first 2 days, who cares if the 3rd is a blank? I've had a great day and week!
Ghillie taps me, "there's a wounded stag at the back of the group, do you see it?"
Back down to the scope (yes, should have brought the binos...) and sure enough, there's a stag inching it's way trying to keep up with the group. Back right leg was completely frozen in the contracted position and no signs of it moving at all, despite the awkward efforts of the stag to make it up a small slope.
We kept eyeing it up for a few minutes, then the ghillie says, "shoot it, he's not right, put him out of his misery." Right, what's my range? "280yd." Roger, cross hairs on the back of the beast, and trigger pulled.
Down he went, and I can now say I've shot a red stag. Poor chap had little in the way of teeth left (later estimated to be at least 10yo), and his back leg had clearly been broken last season then healed solid... Absolutely no movement in the joint, and explained his gait as well as very light weight... Gralloched weight was just touching 150lb.
I can only say thank you again to my amazing friend who invited me, and to the stalker and ghillie on Lude Estate for all their efforts this week.
