Well after my success on tuesday it was with great apprehension that i set out on wednesday to see if we could find another stag to cull and I wanted this one to drop to the first shot. Anyway once more we had a slightly late start as i had to visit the local doctors for a blood test but I met up with Niall and Steevy at the larder and that i was to be going out with them today. So we set out towards the higher parts of the estate where the hills are steeper and the stags often smaller in both weight and antler.
So we set off in the landy with the mud ox on the back and headed up around the back of Glenborodale castle onto the hill. We got as far as the landy could get and then switched to the mud ox (a very serious piece of kit similar to the argo but better) I rode in the back up the hill and as we headed up the weather was closing in fast with rain and a heavy mist on the top. Now this was a time when i realised that my choice of clothing would be put to the test today as it was going to get wet. We waited in the mud ox at the top for the mist to clear and had an early lunch and we were sat up for about 30-45 mins waiting for the mist to clear. Anyway, clear it did and we were off. It had not been 10 minuets walking until niall froze so i did too and a nice stag ran across the other side of the valley from us less than 100 yards away and Niall realised that as he had expected we had disturbed a lot of deer in the mist and most had dropped down a long way towards the coast. After a couple of hours walking and seeing very little Steevy was sent back for the mud ox to get it nearer to us whilst we (mainly Niall spied for stags and he spotted a group of 5 that were just on the neighbouring estate but only by 50 yards or so but as they were a long way from us we moved off towards Corie Vatoc where Niall was sure the deer would be as Steevy was now back with us. anyway we walked up and down several more valley's and cories and now the day was getting on and it was gone 3.
It was as we rounded a corner than Niall froze as did steevy and me. We sank to the floor and edged back. I had seen 4 stags and Niall had seen 6 or 7. It was at this point we spotted two groups of 10 stags on the opposite slope the the ones we had first spied so the stalk was on. Niall explained as we doubled back that we would go for the original stags we had seen so it was a crawl along a gully with a tiny stream running through the bottom. Anyway we crawled 100 yards or so and got into position and there were 7 stags on the slope and Niall and steevy agreed that i was to go for this small six pointer that was about 4 or 5 and was never going to become much more than he was. So we hunkered down in the gully and i got into position with the rifle on the bipod and it was a case of waiting for the stag to stand as with the weather as it was they were happy in the lea of the wind unlike me. My hi-tech boots had leaked in a horrible way and my feet were getting very cold in the wind and my seeland jacket had held out not much better so i think a pair of new boots and a nomad smock will be on my christmas list. Although the +4s were wet the stayed warm (good old tweed). So anyway it was now a waiting game and about 3.20 by the time i was in position and the stag was at about 200 yards.
Slowly, one by one the each of the other stags stood up and started to graze before laying back down. An hour had passed and all 6 of the other stags had stood up and lain down but not the one we were after. Anyway gradually each of the others stood up and started to graze but my stag would not shift. It was as if he realised we were there and as every other stag had presented a good shot he knew his time had come.
Eventually, after two hours, my stag finally stood and it was on. However, he was still not playing ball. He would not present broad side at first and every time as he did another deer passed in front or behind. By this point all 7 stags had stood up and were grazing towards us and it was getting to the point were the stag was about to leave my field of vision and out of range of my fire so i took the stag quartering and dropped him clean on the spot with the first shot at about 120 yards. I was over the moon to have killed it cleanly and we waited slowly for the other stags to drift off before I moved forward, with the rifle loaded, and tapped the deer on the eye with my stick and he was stone dead and i was very happy. His larder weight was just under 12 stone but i was happy to have done such a thing justice and dropped him to the first shot.
George
So we set off in the landy with the mud ox on the back and headed up around the back of Glenborodale castle onto the hill. We got as far as the landy could get and then switched to the mud ox (a very serious piece of kit similar to the argo but better) I rode in the back up the hill and as we headed up the weather was closing in fast with rain and a heavy mist on the top. Now this was a time when i realised that my choice of clothing would be put to the test today as it was going to get wet. We waited in the mud ox at the top for the mist to clear and had an early lunch and we were sat up for about 30-45 mins waiting for the mist to clear. Anyway, clear it did and we were off. It had not been 10 minuets walking until niall froze so i did too and a nice stag ran across the other side of the valley from us less than 100 yards away and Niall realised that as he had expected we had disturbed a lot of deer in the mist and most had dropped down a long way towards the coast. After a couple of hours walking and seeing very little Steevy was sent back for the mud ox to get it nearer to us whilst we (mainly Niall spied for stags and he spotted a group of 5 that were just on the neighbouring estate but only by 50 yards or so but as they were a long way from us we moved off towards Corie Vatoc where Niall was sure the deer would be as Steevy was now back with us. anyway we walked up and down several more valley's and cories and now the day was getting on and it was gone 3.
It was as we rounded a corner than Niall froze as did steevy and me. We sank to the floor and edged back. I had seen 4 stags and Niall had seen 6 or 7. It was at this point we spotted two groups of 10 stags on the opposite slope the the ones we had first spied so the stalk was on. Niall explained as we doubled back that we would go for the original stags we had seen so it was a crawl along a gully with a tiny stream running through the bottom. Anyway we crawled 100 yards or so and got into position and there were 7 stags on the slope and Niall and steevy agreed that i was to go for this small six pointer that was about 4 or 5 and was never going to become much more than he was. So we hunkered down in the gully and i got into position with the rifle on the bipod and it was a case of waiting for the stag to stand as with the weather as it was they were happy in the lea of the wind unlike me. My hi-tech boots had leaked in a horrible way and my feet were getting very cold in the wind and my seeland jacket had held out not much better so i think a pair of new boots and a nomad smock will be on my christmas list. Although the +4s were wet the stayed warm (good old tweed). So anyway it was now a waiting game and about 3.20 by the time i was in position and the stag was at about 200 yards.
Slowly, one by one the each of the other stags stood up and started to graze before laying back down. An hour had passed and all 6 of the other stags had stood up and lain down but not the one we were after. Anyway gradually each of the others stood up and started to graze but my stag would not shift. It was as if he realised we were there and as every other stag had presented a good shot he knew his time had come.
Eventually, after two hours, my stag finally stood and it was on. However, he was still not playing ball. He would not present broad side at first and every time as he did another deer passed in front or behind. By this point all 7 stags had stood up and were grazing towards us and it was getting to the point were the stag was about to leave my field of vision and out of range of my fire so i took the stag quartering and dropped him clean on the spot with the first shot at about 120 yards. I was over the moon to have killed it cleanly and we waited slowly for the other stags to drift off before I moved forward, with the rifle loaded, and tapped the deer on the eye with my stick and he was stone dead and i was very happy. His larder weight was just under 12 stone but i was happy to have done such a thing justice and dropped him to the first shot.
George
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and like you say well worth the patience, still got one more to write up though.
