Just a few selected pictures from "Highland Deer Stalking" to give you guys an idea of stalking hinds in winter on the Scottish hill...

The first shows a stalker spying from an argo in a typical winter setting. Due to the number of beasts often culled in a day, the argo is ideal for getting the carcasses down to the larder.



The second picture shows the Stalker and Rifle spying beasts in more civilized conditions. Note the drawscopes, still the optics of choice; I have never seen a spotting style scope used on the hill!



The next picture shows the quarry, a party of hinds and calfs. The Stalker will be trying to select the old, injured or very young from this group. You will hear stalkers talking of "Yeld Hinds" in a lot of cases..these are hinds which have not produced a calf that particular year. Because of this, they tend to be in better winter condition and make more at the gamedealers..



The next two pictures are obvious!





Note the weather again! One of those times its actually quite nice getting your hands into the still warm gralloch!

Regards,

Pete

[ 10-27-2002, 16:04: Message edited by: Pete E ]

Pete,
Thanks for the pictures. I especially like the ones of the telescopes. I was wondering how does the opitical quality of these instruments compare to a more "modern" spotting scope? Also, what are the most popular calibers for hind hunting?

Good Shooting,
HBB

HBB,

The only company I am aware of that makes these draw scopes today (at least here in the UK anyway) is Grays. They are very much a traditional draw scope but with modern high quality optics. A friend has one and the image quality is in the same class as my Swarovski bino's..
However, they are not water or fog proof! The whole scope comes apart section by section for the user to clean and dry it as required. Each is made from alloy or brass and can be replaced as can the individual lens with very little trouble again by the user himself once he has ordered the replacement part(s). The whole scope is very lightweight, and very compact when shut and usually comes in something between x20 and x30 mag.

I have never used one of these, but I am told that their length is what makes them so usable although it does take practice. With a spotting scope you really need a tripod where as with these the stalker can use his stick or some other field support.

New,I would guess a Grays scope would be in the region of $1000 and I just can't swallow paying that much for optics that are not waterproof. However, like I said these are the optics of choice amgunst proffesional and serious amature stalksers alike for stalking on the Scottish hill.The conditions in the pics would be typical of winter stalking across most of the Highlands. These same folks will very often be using Zeiss, Swarovski or S&B rifle scopes and bino's so obviously appriciate good optics.

I have an Optolynth draw scope which I bought second hand. It is rubber armoured, supposedly waterproof and has very good optics but is very heavy and bulky compared to the Grays. I paid just under $200 from a place that caters for birdwatchers optics. It seems that it was cheap as this style is no longer fashionalable with birders having been replaced with modern spotting scopes. I have not really used it enough in the field to form an opinion on its usefullness yet...

As to calibers, anything from .243Rem to .30-06w will do nicely, with the .308 and the .270 being very popular. Shots are normally in the 100yard to 150yard range with 250yards considered a very long shot...

regards,

Pete

[ 10-27-2002, 22:49: Message edited by: Pete E ]

Fine Scottish weather indeed!

Pete,
Thanks for the info. I'm in complete agreement with you on buying the Grays glass. 1k for no fog no waterproof is just too much.

Good Hunting,
HBB

PETE

I know that Swarosvki is making draw scopes for around 1000-1200 $ CT 75 and CT 85

I guess it can be quite cold in the highlands winter time, but fun shooting does

Say, those pictures weren't taken yesterday

/ JOHAN

Johan,

mine is very similar to the CT85...swarovski claim theirs is waterproof too...how do they make a waterproof draw scope?? it sucks in air everytime its opened???

Not sure how old the pics are, but that pretty much how things are on the Hill today, including the tweed breeks and deer stalker hats...!

Pete

Agreed, Pete. The better draw scopes may be termed water resistant at best, but not really waterproof due to their very construction. BTW, all hunting is not economical in Scotland. I used to stalk Stags in Blair Atholl and, while the game population is astronomical, I can't say the prices are democratic...

I don't know how old those photos are, but the attire is the same my outfitter and stalker were wearing three weeks ago when I was hunting hill stags near Brora in northern Scotland.

They told me the wool pants stayed warm on the wet hills and nothing better had come along, as far as they were concerned.

That Argo could have been the same vehicle I rode in.

Hunting red deer is tough work--there'a a good reason they call those hills "The Highlands!"

Andre,

With regards the costs, I have been asking around for some info on stalking down south for one or two of the guys here. I was quoted �600 by one famous pro stalker down in Dorset for a typical Roe buck! However, I am waiting for further info which should reflect what I consider to be reasonable prices. Yep, you can pay a lot and it is sometimes hard for a visitor to effectivily shop around. I think a small premium on normal rates is reasonable on visiting sports man as it reflects the extra work that is needed, but �600 for a roe buck is way over the top..!

Tweed and Loden are still very higly thought of on the Hill as are wax proof waterproofs for the very worst weather. I think this is not only a reflection on there weather performance but also on the fact that will take the punishment.

Having said that, gortex and similar waterproof membranes are making themselves felt, very often teamed up with the more traditional materials.

Regards,

Pete

[ 10-29-2002, 20:00: Message edited by: Pete E ]

Pete
I read somewhere that the gillie suit that brit snipers used in WW1&11 came from the scottish game keepers and they were taught observation skills from the same fella's. Do you know if that's true?
I've also seen pictures of snipers using the same sort of scope.

Bakes

Bakes,

I have heard that story about the ghilie suit too, but in all the reading I have done, I have never come across any original references to it in that context. Tweed is reckoned to be one of the earliest "modern" camo patterns with some Estates deliberatly picking patterns that blended with their particular areas......Ghillies and gamekeepers were used by the British for snipers and sniper training as were there opposite numbers, the Jaegers, in the German Army...I think the original Lovat Scouts were ex Ghilies/gamekeepers from the scotish estates if i remember correctly...

Pete

I always wondered why you POM's liked tweed so much.

Bakes