The Stalker - BBC 1 Scotland

[woodmaster]

Maybe BASC could make a representation to BBC to congratulate them on airing this piece (didn't see it I'm afraid) drawing considerable attention to all the good points and perhaps making an example of some of the biast programmes which have been produced. The Beeb can then perhaps know what to look for in future.

 

[Fishpond]

I watched it on I player very good just a straightforward documentary with no alarmist PC rubbish, urban angle or bias - very refreshing

Richard

 

[norma 308]

Fair play to Alex MacDonald too for doing it very well done loved it .
Norma

 

[Harry mac]

Yes! At last a positive piece from the BBC about some kind of field sport. However. Balanced? No, it wasn't. Be careful what you wish for on balance, or the next one might be a piece about a nice family of hunt saboteurs.

 

[zambezi]

...I wonder if Chris Packham was on leave when it was made and edited?

 

[Malxwal]

Yes! At last a positive piece from the BBC about some kind of field sport. However. Balanced? No, it wasn't. Be careful what you wish for on balance, or the next one might be a piece about a nice family of hunt saboteurs.

Would that be such a bad thing, apart from the fact that their activities are predominantly criminal ?

 

[WillC]

Wonder if the lad will follow in his dads footsteps ?

 

[reloader54]

Yes! At last a positive piece from the BBC about some kind of field sport. However. Balanced? No, it wasn't. Be careful what you wish for on balance, or the next one might be a piece about a nice family of hunt saboteurs.

no offence harry but I spotted two things wrong with your post,,

1, "a nice family of hunt saboteurs",,,, this is an oxymoron.
2, hunt saboteurs,,,, "you appear to have made a small spelling mistake in the first word."

 

[andychas]

Be careful what you wish for on balance, or the next one might be a piece about a nice family of hunt saboteurs.

here you go

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0663yhb/the-hunt-battle-in-the-countryside


in fairness, and much as I dislike the programme, all credit to the bbc for making that too, nothing wrong with people expressing their point of view, I'll defend that always, as long of course as they dont force that opinion on others using violence or intimidation. The point is that we need more documentaries like both of these that give fair and equal airtime to a point of view or subject - in the case of most country matters, there is a big gap to make up imo.

 

[ndjfb00]

Agree with mist comments on here, my observations were;

1. Not sure with all that land I would make my range targeting UPHILL! the stalker had already said he likes to shoot down onto the reds so why range in uphill?

2. A few clips of weapon carried with bolt closed, is a round loaded? is it empty, who knows for sure.

3. Missing photos in the stalkers family album - could these have been of reds about to be or being gralloched and proving to graghic for the viewer? I noticed we didn't see much in the larder post culling so I think that was the case.


Overall better than watching shag me island or some other dreary rubbish

 

[bogtrotter]

Agree with mist comments on here, my observations were;

1. Not sure with all that land I would make my range targeting UPHILL! the stalker had already said he likes to shoot down onto the reds so why range in uphill?

2. A few clips of weapon carried with bolt closed, is a round loaded? is it empty, who knows for sure.

3. Missing photos in the stalkers family album - could these have been of reds about to be or being gralloched and proving to graghic for the viewer? I noticed we didn't see much in the larder post culling so I think that was the case.


Overall better than watching shag me island or some other dreary rubbish

On the hill its traditional for the stalker to carry the rifle not the client ,the rifle will normally be carried with the bolt closed but with bullets under the bolt ie nothing in the chamber, a round is not chambered until in position and a shot about to be taken.

 

[bowji john]

On the hill its traditional for the stalker to carry the rifle not the client ,the rifle will normally be carried with the bolt closed but with bullets under the bolt ie nothing in the chamber, a round is not chambered until in position and a shot about to be taken.

It is an interesting tradition but not one that suits me

I might be on my own here but ....

If you are being guided into your quarry, your rifle carried for you; your sticks set up for you (common practice elsewhere) and you are then invited forward to shoot

My reaction would be

''You might as well get on with it and shoot it yourself bud, coz, for me, you have sucked all the interest right out of the whole procedure.''

The one thing that interests me least of all is pulling the trigger

 

[JabaliHunter]

Not sure with all that land I would make my range targeting UPHILL! the stalker had already said he likes to shoot down onto the reds so why range in uphill?

Uphill/downhill makes no difference - but a knowing the trajectory over a flat range makes adjustment easier...

 

[zambezi]

It is an interesting tradition but not one that suits me

I might be on my own here but ....

If you are being guided into your quarry, your rifle carried for you; your sticks set up for you (common practice elsewhere) and you are then invited forward to shoot

My reaction would be

''You might as well get on with it and shoot it yourself bud, coz, for me, you have sucked all the interest right out of the whole procedure.''

You are not alone. I suspect that the reason why highland PHs carry the rifle is for a number of reasons or mix thereof. My guesses are below. But, like you, it would not suit me whatever their argument.

(1) Highland PHs are fitter than the average stag stalker and used to the hills. So by taking a 10lb burden off the paying guest it improves the chances of the stalker keeping up with the PH
(2) The peat hags and bogs offer the clumsy stalker too many opportunities to plug the barrel, particularly on a final approach involving a crawl
(3) It is an estate/family rifle which the PH treasures [related to (2) above]
(4) Too many stalkers have tripped behind highland PHs with "unloaded" rifles

 

[bowji john]

You are not alone. I suspect that the reason why highland PHs carry the rifle is for a number of reasons or mix thereof. My guesses are below. But, like you, it would not suit me whatever their argument.

(1) Highland PHs are fitter than the average stag stalker and used to the hills. So by taking a 10lb burden off the paying guest it improves the chances of the stalker keeping up with the PH
(2) The peat hags and bogs offer the clumsy stalker too many opportunities to plug the barrel, particularly on a final approach involving a crawl
(3) It is an estate/family rifle which the PH treasures [related to (2) above]
(4) Too many stalkers have tripped behind highland PHs with "unloaded" rifles

All good points

And not being one to shy away from a little bit of hypocrisy - if I were the PH I too would want to carry the rifle for just those reasons

However - I wonder how many are put off because of it

 

[mealiejimmy]

I have a couple of pals who stalk on the same estate on the West Coast of Scotland a couple of times each year.
They knew the stalkers trusted them when they were told to carry their own rifles!!

Cheers

Bruce

 

[Frank Homes]

Packman was probably in his house in France with Oddie, the most unfunny comedian who has ever lived, apart from Ben Elton of course.

And Victoria Wood

 

[bogtrotter]

It is an interesting tradition but not one that suits me

I might be on my own here but ....

If you are being guided into your quarry, your rifle carried for you; your sticks set up for you (common practice elsewhere) and you are then invited forward to shoot

My reaction would be

''You might as well get on with it and shoot it yourself bud, coz, for me, you have sucked all the interest right out of the whole procedure.''

The one thing that interests me least of all is pulling the trigger

No sticks in Highland stalking 99.9% of shots are taken prone the final approach is usually a crawl , I and most of my colleagues don't want to be doing that crawl being followed by a client with a rifle pointing at my ar@e even if I have been assured there is not one in the chamber unless I know the client very well.

As for the possibility of plugging the barrel thats why the rifle is usually kept in the slip until the final approach.

Don't dismiss it out of hand you will find plenty to get the adrenaline flowing in that final approach.

 

[Freeforester]

I'd recommend any doubters to go out for a crawl on the hill, even with a trusted friend (let alone a stranger, perhaps even from a foreign land) and have them follow you with their rifle barrel pointing toward your arse - you may quickly have a bit of a strange and disconcerting feeling, irrespective of the 'stated safe status' of the rifle!

 

[zambezi]

I'd recommend any doubters to go out for a crawl on the hill, even with a trusted friend (let alone a stranger, perhaps even from a foreign land) and have them follow you with their rifle barrel pointing toward your arse - you may quickly have a bit of a strange and disconcerting feeling, irrespective of the 'stated safe status' of the rifle!

Don't dismiss it out of hand you will find plenty to get the adrenaline flowing in that final approach.

My suspicions re the reasons for Highland PH rifle porterage have been validated. But I stick with bowji john: its not for me. Whether in lowland UK or Africa, I carry my rifle, and prefer that it is so. Navigating scrub/obstacles, final approach, set up, deciding when I will transition from shouldered to ready-to-fire are all part of my stalk. All PHs I have stalked behind have been happy with my safety regime [Blaser R8 (UK) firing spring remains uncompressed until rifle on target, Sako 30.06 (Africa) has round chambered but bolt handle skyward until rifle on target].

I concede that the prone approach heightens the sense of "harm's way" and that informs Highland PH preferences. Got that. But it does not work for me.