This picture was taken last week during a 02 day Red stag stalk on a scottish private estate on the east coast.

Together with the game keeper we saw this red deer run and topgether we counted up to 400 before we fell asleep, No seriously it went on for about 15 minutes continously. Never seen anything like it.

The hills opposite to us was ranged serially some 1800 yards away. We started our stalk down the valley and the story starts from there.

BTW My first day was fruitless. I have my cross hair zeroed on 03 seperate stags after 03 lenghting stalk and each time they were sppoked. I initally put it down to my inexperience however I got cheesed off and stood up. To my amazement I saw 05 tents in the middle on the valley by the stream. Hill walkers and according to scottish law there is very little one can do about it.

Day 02 was a different matter once they were off the estate.



Enlarged view

Impressive!

Did you get any closer?

Wow

yes we were lucky and stalked from he far end of the hills. The last 1.5 miles of the stalk was done on the belly ! They are just to smart and sharp.

This stag was nailed on day 02 (my last day) on the estate. I had 42 stags to choose and this one had the best colour coat but had 11 points. I though it will make a fantastic shoulder mount.

I used my only hunting rifle ie 6.5 x 55 so for all though sceptics it is plenty gun even at 336 yards shooting uphill. I had over 10 minutes with the reticle holding from stag to stag. They had no idea we were below them. The wind was kind to us that day. Thoughts went through my head trying to remember the drop for 300 yards and 350 yards which was suppose to be at the tips of my finger and also how much I compensated for uphill shooting. Rain was pouring down prior to the shot as usual but once it was taken the sky cleared and sun shone for the picture !



I especailly like the profile of this stag eventhough it was not a royal as a shoudler mount

My stay at the estate was only for 02 days eventhough my hunting friends have been there for 05 days prior to my arrival.

In total we stalked 07 stags of which 05 were Royals 01 x 10 pointer and my ODDBALL 11 pointer

During autopsy the pathologist found that the ventricles were missing so likely cause of death is to be noted as congenital rather than by the Blaser K95 .............



After the hunt we spotted the real Loch ness monster in disguise enroute to Edinburgh !



Went for a Scottish Whisky at a pub Dated from 961 A.D. !



Ye olde pub was staffed by a cross dressing gentleman from Paskistan wearing a kilt. Picture to proof that I was not drinking or under the influence of highland spring water



The we drove pass SCONE Palace the original place for the stone of scone



In Edinbugh we tried scottish oyster lunch and then went to try on a pair of hand made roudn body McNaughton game guns





until next year ......................

Very Nice!

Beautiful photographs.Congratulations on a great hunt and thanks for sharing.

Best-
Locksley,R

Super shots Ben - camera and rifle! Weidmannsheil on a great stag.

- mike

Things I will change after stalking in the hills :

Clothing

I have been using Larken and Harlika otudoor wear.
How wrong can I be totally useless
Waterproof is a very good marketing tool and I fell for it.
Since my trip was short. I did not have time to dry my kit before flying home.
On the out bound trip my bag was 19 pounds checked in. On the return trip my bag weighed 26 pounds..........ALL due to water absorbed

So solution I am changing to the British army kit but wearing base and middle layer so I can switch according to weather. During this hunt and previous hunts in karelia temeperature ranges from 4 degrees to 26 degrees in 12 hours.
Please correct me if I am wrong are they call NPM material

Morale of this dont fall for waterproof it should be non absorben as well

Second lesson I have learn

I am retiring my Swarosvoki
Z7 scope with 10 - 50 x 72 magnification. Totally pointless on such hunts. Talking to the game keeper I will be putting on my trusty 7 x 50 with illumincated reticle weight nothing on such stalks. lesson learned

Bino I really dont need an expensive ranging bino. So I am now looking for a compact. Ranging bino is great and give confidence but the weight is hell on a real hunting trip. Lesson learned. Any selling a leica ultravid compact ?

by changing the above I think I can trim my kit down by 14 pounds plus a few pounds off the middle rift I'll be ready for next season.