Out with the old and in with the new, as we say here in Scotland. Let’s hope the incoming year is better than the past. Well, as I raised a glass of the finest Scottish malt as the bells rang out, I was sure there would be many who would agree with me.
It’s a time I look through the pages of my journal and reflect on my successes, and disappointments, of my sporting year. In over thirty years of keeping a journal, this past year 2020, there were not many outings, COVID -19 saw to that. I do not complain. The restrictions placed upon me, a retired man in his late 60s living here in Aberdeen were not as harsh as those living elsewhere. Being in Lockdown in a major city, being furloughed, made unemployed and having to entertain and educate young children at home, and worse still, losing a loved one, all these pains I cannot comprehend, yet my thoughts are with them. I am both lucky and fortunate as I read through the pages of my journal for 2020.
The dark days of both January and February saw me having three days shooting one of which was a Beaters Day shoot on an estate that I regularly beat on close to Strathdon and adjacent to the River Don, where I am privileged to fish. I enjoy the Beater's day as there is much leg-pulling and banter among us all. On this estate, there is some excellent shooting to be had and I take a let day with some of the beaters, even at the ending of the season we enjoy a mixed bag of pheasants, partridge and woodcock. Another memorable day was at the foot of the Angus Glens. A friend I have known for a number years who I shoot and fish with invited me to a mixed driven day and what a spectacular day it was too, especially given the wind, my it was “blowy”. The bag was a little over 100 but the talk was on the number of shots fired between us to achieve that.
Many of us start our doe cull early in the season just after the buck’s finish. I don’t. I am not keen on shooting very small kids hence I start on my does at the end of January and into February when the kids, should I decide to leave them can take care of themselves. I don’t take many though and I know I should shoot more. I have no excuse as both estates I stalk are close at hand with the furthest away next to Alford. I see in my Journal that only three are recorded for this year. I must do better next year.
Being a member of an Angling Association that has over 40km of riverbank which includes the Rivers Dee, Don, and Ythan, and not forgetting three stocked lochs, I am not short of fishing opportunities. That said, this is the first year since I moved to Aberdeen from Glasgow in 1982 that I have not caught a salmon. Compare that to a day of 7 salmon I had on the bank from the Spey, though that was many years ago. However, the March April lockdown obviously impacted on catches as I am sure it did on many of us. The trout fishing this year for me was excellent. The River Don offers some of the finest brown trout fishing to be had, and they are all wild. One member of the Association had an 8lb trout, a wild fish, and a river too. I bet that raised his blood pressure up a bit.
I’m not all that fussed on loch fishing though as I see through my journal. I did, however, had a few outings and only caught one Rainbow trout at that to a dry fly. But, then again as I said to friends, I’m only there for an hour or two and for a catch-up chat.
My stalking is my passion but sadly COVID-19 certainly held back my planned opportunities and as such my success this year was to shoot only two bucks when on average, I would have between eight and ten. May, my start month was a no go because, as you will be well aware, of the National Lockdown. And come the time of the Rut, when all was getting brighter on the activities front, our Lord and Master, the “First Minister” dear Nicola, put Aberdeen in a lockdown. That action of course all thanks to a couple of footballer’s indiscretions in a pub in the city. I was never a Dons fan and will continue not being so.
Thankfully, the Aberdeen Lockdown was lifted in time enabling me to enjoy two days of walked-up grouse shooting at Invercauld near Braemar. Both days were limited to a bag of 15 brace and in a line of 8 friendly guns, we all had some testing shooting over the two days. It was unfortunate that one day was a little bit on the wet side. These two grouse shooting days see the end of August see the shotgun put aside enabling me to pick up the fishing rod once more for more days at the trout and trying in vain for a salmon on both the Dee and the Don. However, a seatrout was most welcomed from one of our Don beats in September.
With my shortened Roebuck stalking leaving me somewhat disheartened, my three days at the stags in Glen Lyon certainly made up for it. Three wonderful October days indeed all dry and bright. I saw ravens, Golden Eagles and would you believe – a mole on the track up the hill. There was plenty of deer and much rutting activity. It was most entertaining watching young stags jousting. My success was met with three stags grassed one of which only had one antler. A fourth stag could have joined the other three if I had kept my head down when crawling into the firing point, but that’s stalking. I long for the coming season when once more, I shall be among the high tops of Perthshire.
And so, the year comes to a gradual close, and once again we are all in another lockdown of sorts. I managed a couple of days walked up shooting before Christmas and spent the rest of the time tidying up the garden for the winter. I do like my garden and thanks to that I managed to survive the mental anguish of the COVID -19 restrictions placed upon us all by working in the garden. Thank goodness we now have a vaccine and I for one, who gets so much out of life, will certainly be in the queue for a jab.
I raise my glass once more in gratitude for the sport and friendship I have enjoyed this past year and hopefully, for a better year to come. And to you too SD readers, my fellow sportsmen. Should you be on the high tops stalking red deer may the wind be on your face and the rain off your glass, and if in the glen below I hope the midges are not too fierce, and if by a river may there be a light breeze from behind and a rising fish before you.
Happy New Year to you all
Donsider
It’s a time I look through the pages of my journal and reflect on my successes, and disappointments, of my sporting year. In over thirty years of keeping a journal, this past year 2020, there were not many outings, COVID -19 saw to that. I do not complain. The restrictions placed upon me, a retired man in his late 60s living here in Aberdeen were not as harsh as those living elsewhere. Being in Lockdown in a major city, being furloughed, made unemployed and having to entertain and educate young children at home, and worse still, losing a loved one, all these pains I cannot comprehend, yet my thoughts are with them. I am both lucky and fortunate as I read through the pages of my journal for 2020.
The dark days of both January and February saw me having three days shooting one of which was a Beaters Day shoot on an estate that I regularly beat on close to Strathdon and adjacent to the River Don, where I am privileged to fish. I enjoy the Beater's day as there is much leg-pulling and banter among us all. On this estate, there is some excellent shooting to be had and I take a let day with some of the beaters, even at the ending of the season we enjoy a mixed bag of pheasants, partridge and woodcock. Another memorable day was at the foot of the Angus Glens. A friend I have known for a number years who I shoot and fish with invited me to a mixed driven day and what a spectacular day it was too, especially given the wind, my it was “blowy”. The bag was a little over 100 but the talk was on the number of shots fired between us to achieve that.
Many of us start our doe cull early in the season just after the buck’s finish. I don’t. I am not keen on shooting very small kids hence I start on my does at the end of January and into February when the kids, should I decide to leave them can take care of themselves. I don’t take many though and I know I should shoot more. I have no excuse as both estates I stalk are close at hand with the furthest away next to Alford. I see in my Journal that only three are recorded for this year. I must do better next year.
Being a member of an Angling Association that has over 40km of riverbank which includes the Rivers Dee, Don, and Ythan, and not forgetting three stocked lochs, I am not short of fishing opportunities. That said, this is the first year since I moved to Aberdeen from Glasgow in 1982 that I have not caught a salmon. Compare that to a day of 7 salmon I had on the bank from the Spey, though that was many years ago. However, the March April lockdown obviously impacted on catches as I am sure it did on many of us. The trout fishing this year for me was excellent. The River Don offers some of the finest brown trout fishing to be had, and they are all wild. One member of the Association had an 8lb trout, a wild fish, and a river too. I bet that raised his blood pressure up a bit.
I’m not all that fussed on loch fishing though as I see through my journal. I did, however, had a few outings and only caught one Rainbow trout at that to a dry fly. But, then again as I said to friends, I’m only there for an hour or two and for a catch-up chat.
My stalking is my passion but sadly COVID-19 certainly held back my planned opportunities and as such my success this year was to shoot only two bucks when on average, I would have between eight and ten. May, my start month was a no go because, as you will be well aware, of the National Lockdown. And come the time of the Rut, when all was getting brighter on the activities front, our Lord and Master, the “First Minister” dear Nicola, put Aberdeen in a lockdown. That action of course all thanks to a couple of footballer’s indiscretions in a pub in the city. I was never a Dons fan and will continue not being so.
Thankfully, the Aberdeen Lockdown was lifted in time enabling me to enjoy two days of walked-up grouse shooting at Invercauld near Braemar. Both days were limited to a bag of 15 brace and in a line of 8 friendly guns, we all had some testing shooting over the two days. It was unfortunate that one day was a little bit on the wet side. These two grouse shooting days see the end of August see the shotgun put aside enabling me to pick up the fishing rod once more for more days at the trout and trying in vain for a salmon on both the Dee and the Don. However, a seatrout was most welcomed from one of our Don beats in September.
With my shortened Roebuck stalking leaving me somewhat disheartened, my three days at the stags in Glen Lyon certainly made up for it. Three wonderful October days indeed all dry and bright. I saw ravens, Golden Eagles and would you believe – a mole on the track up the hill. There was plenty of deer and much rutting activity. It was most entertaining watching young stags jousting. My success was met with three stags grassed one of which only had one antler. A fourth stag could have joined the other three if I had kept my head down when crawling into the firing point, but that’s stalking. I long for the coming season when once more, I shall be among the high tops of Perthshire.
And so, the year comes to a gradual close, and once again we are all in another lockdown of sorts. I managed a couple of days walked up shooting before Christmas and spent the rest of the time tidying up the garden for the winter. I do like my garden and thanks to that I managed to survive the mental anguish of the COVID -19 restrictions placed upon us all by working in the garden. Thank goodness we now have a vaccine and I for one, who gets so much out of life, will certainly be in the queue for a jab.
I raise my glass once more in gratitude for the sport and friendship I have enjoyed this past year and hopefully, for a better year to come. And to you too SD readers, my fellow sportsmen. Should you be on the high tops stalking red deer may the wind be on your face and the rain off your glass, and if in the glen below I hope the midges are not too fierce, and if by a river may there be a light breeze from behind and a rising fish before you.
Happy New Year to you all
Donsider
