I don't get out after stags as often as I would like to due to my "usual" ground changing ownership.
However, when I saw @KeithW was offering a day in Perthshire, I thought it would be nice to break our journey North and have a day on the hill before heading up to Sutherland for a week tormenting Salmon (or at least trying to!). After a a few emails, we arranged a day and we (me and Mrs O) booked into the Ailean Chraggan Hotel at Weem - not far off the A9, dog and field sports friendly, decent bar and food, friendly staff.
We met up with Jimmy, the stalker in the bar the night before and made plans for the next day.
Although we've climbed the hills in Glen Lyon a few years back, it's been a while since we roamed the Perthshire hills and thankfully the day was fine with a few "showers" promised later. We droove up through the estate and some of the young plantings until we reached the tussock/heather/hidden bog line! Then we started to climb...... Sadly, I forgot my own rule of never try and keep up with a Stalker who is on the hill day and day out - Jimmy was off like a whippet we me trying desperately to keep up and not keel over.....
Thankfully, we crested a rise not long afterwards and were onto a couple of animals, after a quick scan, it was decided they would be good animals to take if the chance came. One of the Stags presented itself flank on and I took a heart lung shot. Meanwhile his pal has decided to scarper before we could have got another shot off. A couple of minutes and then a check to make sure the shot was good and a successful stalk was done.
After the gralloch, Jimmy was keen to do a bit more of a spy over the next rise, but by this time I had to admit my batteries were flat and I was knackered! However after a rest and recovery period, we stood the air ambulance down and carried on back down off the hill to the pickup. Jimmy would come out with his quad and collect the Stag and transfer it to the larder - what a star..... After that, back down to the Hotel and a late morning coffee and a nice old switch in the larder.
Big thank to Jimmy and Keith for the day and will be up again....After all this, we headed North and to the sun soaked beauty of Sutherland for a week to recuperate!
However, when I saw @KeithW was offering a day in Perthshire, I thought it would be nice to break our journey North and have a day on the hill before heading up to Sutherland for a week tormenting Salmon (or at least trying to!). After a a few emails, we arranged a day and we (me and Mrs O) booked into the Ailean Chraggan Hotel at Weem - not far off the A9, dog and field sports friendly, decent bar and food, friendly staff.
We met up with Jimmy, the stalker in the bar the night before and made plans for the next day.
Although we've climbed the hills in Glen Lyon a few years back, it's been a while since we roamed the Perthshire hills and thankfully the day was fine with a few "showers" promised later. We droove up through the estate and some of the young plantings until we reached the tussock/heather/hidden bog line! Then we started to climb...... Sadly, I forgot my own rule of never try and keep up with a Stalker who is on the hill day and day out - Jimmy was off like a whippet we me trying desperately to keep up and not keel over.....
Thankfully, we crested a rise not long afterwards and were onto a couple of animals, after a quick scan, it was decided they would be good animals to take if the chance came. One of the Stags presented itself flank on and I took a heart lung shot. Meanwhile his pal has decided to scarper before we could have got another shot off. A couple of minutes and then a check to make sure the shot was good and a successful stalk was done.
After the gralloch, Jimmy was keen to do a bit more of a spy over the next rise, but by this time I had to admit my batteries were flat and I was knackered! However after a rest and recovery period, we stood the air ambulance down and carried on back down off the hill to the pickup. Jimmy would come out with his quad and collect the Stag and transfer it to the larder - what a star..... After that, back down to the Hotel and a late morning coffee and a nice old switch in the larder.
Big thank to Jimmy and Keith for the day and will be up again....After all this, we headed North and to the sun soaked beauty of Sutherland for a week to recuperate!
