Last weekend I spent a very enjoyable few days stalking up in Scotland. Saturday morning saw us installing an old caravan as a base on a new piece of ground which holds quite a bit of promise for the future. I had a good start when I took a nice 6 pointer Roe buck after a challenging stalk which entailed avoiding a doe and twins browsing near by. Roe bucks do not normally present much of a problem as far as recovering the carcass goes, but in response to my neck shot this beast jumped head long off a bank into a deep step sided burn! After some searching I found him deep in some reeds with just part of his nose above the water.

On Sunday we moved back to our original lease about 25 miles away. This particular block of forestry holds quite a few resident Roe but only a handful of hinds and stagies for most of the year, but around this time stags from the surrounding area travel in to chance their luck during the rut. Sunday morning broke clear and chilly and the hills were filled with the roaring of stags as they went through their rituals. To say it was primeval would be an understatement... I missed one stag and messed up the chance on another due to squeaky boots of all things! In the evening, I climbed a small hill and was treated to a grandstand view to of several parties of stag's and hinds in the valley below and on the hillside opposite where my mate was stalking.

On Monday morning my luck finally changed and I was able to connect with the beast below. Not a Royal by any means, but a decent 10 pointer taken in difficult woodland conditions without the luxury of choice usually afforded to the stalker chasing stags on the open hill. The rifle is my Sako .308 and I apologize if the big scope offends any of our American friends ; All in all a great weekend!



[ 10-10-2002, 01:39: Message edited by: Pete E ]

Pete,

Lovely looking animal and nice rifle too! Is that an illumination device I see on that Swarovski?

As to scope size I think I'm right in saying that the 50mm objective fits in the lowest 30mm rings so apart from a small increase in bulk you gain no extra cheek weld etc by a 42mm scope

Glad to hear you have some new ground.

1894,

Thanks for the kind words; this is my best Red to date and I am just pleased to have taken it on my own rather than following a Stalker on the open Hill�

I bought the scope "used" a few years back, and the retailer never factored in the fact it has the IR facility. I actually bought it with a view to using it on my Ruger .223 for lamping Charlie, but it ended up on my .308 first and has stayed there ever since. The mounts Sako Opticlock rings and bases & are the lowest I could find in 30mm; I would have preferred all-in-one rings mounts similar to those on my Ruger, but I could not find any 30mm Optilocks in that style.

The IR device is very useful at times, but does tempt you to take shots at the very last gasp of daylight when it is not really wise to do so�

As to the new ground, it looks like a very nice bit of mixed woodland bordered by a little farm land..unfortunately the loggers are in at present and it is impossible to find anywhere the big Harvesters have not been. Once this disturbance stops I think the deer will start to filter back in again....

Regards

Pete

Congratulations Pete!
Now can you define for me what a Royal is?

Thanks

A royal is a 12 pointer I think. Nice bull Pete, congrats!

As KB says, most people consider a Royal to be a 12 pointer stag and that is the bench mark as far stags on the open hill in Scotland go..The stag in the picture would probably have needed another year or two to make that. Another slightly different definition is that not only must it be a 12 pointer, but the top 3 tines on each side must form a "cup" in the antlers capable of holding a dram of Scotch in each!

Thanks King and Pete!
It is a very pretty Stag none the less!
Are you having a shoulder mount done Pete?

I am going to go for a European skull mount in keeping with my other trophies, but I have not decide what cut to make yet. Most of the Red and Fallow mounts I have seen in the UK have been just very small skull plates, but i have seen pictures on here more comparable to a long nose cut which also looked very effective.

Pete: Great stag! An outstanding accomplishment, especially considering you had to do it with a scope nearly as large as the gun!

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Great Stag....Congrats!!!

How much is a dram?

Lovely stag, my congratulations!

Deer stalking in Scotland is an old dream, I have been fishing for salmon in the River Spey a couple of times, but not hunted yet. But one day I will!

Tom,

I am not sure fromm a weights and measures point of view, but if you think of a "shot"
of whiskey you will not be too far out.....

Marterius,

Funny, I have always dreamed of hunting in Scandinavia! Especially out on the tundra or the birch forests...

Stonecreek,

My only defence is that the scope was adjusted not to give an exit pupil bigger than 6!


I hope to clean the head and that of the Roe this weekend, and then work out where to put them!

Regards,

Pete

Marterius,

No, actually I was thinking of deer/moose or maybe some of the preditors; I believe the Lapps get pretty pissed if you take a reindeer though!

I don't do much with a shotgun although I enjoy watching all dogs working...The lease we are on also has a fair chunk of moor with it and they have 4 or 5 days driven Grouse shooting on it along with the odd day over pointers.

Are there any english web sites giving details of deer stalking in Scandinavia? Things like seasons, permits/tags whether there is any "public" hunting areas ect?

Regards,

Pete

Pete E
Really nice red stag. Congratulations, well done. What is the weight on thoose horns.

Good to see that more people are using big and good scopes
I like scopes such as 3-12X50 with a 30mm tube.

Cheers
/ JOHAN

I think I understand now. Many American hunters like to carry a handgun as a "back up" in case something happens to their hunting rifle. You Continentals like to carry a scope big enough that it can be used as a club for the same purpose!

[ 10-11-2002, 18:50: Message edited by: Stonecreek ]

Stonecreek,

Yup and that's why we used to like them made of STEEL so we could whack the deer on the back of the head and not dent the tube - try that with a Loopold!

Stonecreek

Europeans have been inspred by the fly fishers
Priest is a might good tool for back up
I guess this gives you an idea, why whe like steel tubes

The Krauts like to kill boars with a long knife, rifle is only a cover

/ JOHAN

Nice stag Pete

Good one Pete. Saw similar in my wood the other day... not sure if I should whack him on next siting or let him live and hope the neighbours do the same!

That's a nice looking stag Pete. Here in Alberta a Royal is an elk with 7 points per side (western count). I've not gotten one yet, but I've seen quite a few in the off seasons. I just have to figure out where they hide come November. Anyway, a good hunting story, thank you. Oh, and "caravan" is British I take it for holiday trailer? - Dan

Deerdogs,

In your situation, its pretty hard to say what is best..I guess it all depends what the stalkers next door are like...

Dan,
I would love to see one of those elk, they must be truely impressive!

Caravan does =hoilday trailer, but only to a point...see pic below!



This was before we managed to find a spot off the beaten track. When my mate turned up at my house with it the people next door were horrified! I think they pictured it rotting away on my drive for the next couple of year!

Anyways, it means we can be on the ground at first light and have somewhere for a brew and breakfast out the rain and I don't care if it does make the guys here laugh!

Below is a pic of our main Cabin and I guess is a bit more on the lines of whats found in the States
& Canada

Actually Pete, I do most of my hunting farther from home using a "caravan" (I kind of like that term). Not much differant then the one in the picture. I think my neighbours would be happy to see just the caravan, they're getting tired of my Jeep collection. - Dan

Dan,

I friend of mine worked on the coast around Vancouver and he said alot of locals there had floating fishing shacks moored in the inlets. these were small cabins built on a raft of logs as far as I can tell with access only by boat. That sort of arrangement sounds really good to me!

What sort of jeeps are you into?? The same guy as above has just finnished doing up an old series 3 landrover for his local hunting...I prefer to stick to my Trooper for longer trips!

Pete

I have three of the old full sized Jeeps, a J-10 pickup, a Cherokee Sport, and a Wagoneer. I like them, they're cheap, work really well, and have good 4 X 4 drivetrains. On the downside, they rust like crazy, suck gas (10 mpg), and parts are getting harder to find (they stopped making them in '91). My daily driver is actually a Chevrolet Blazer (I have to have something to go for parts with). Years ago I had a Land Rover, I think it was a series one (it was a '63 with a little 4 cylinder engine in it). I liked it too. Also hard to get parts for, and the outer axle seals always leaked (must be that protection against excessive pressure you were telling me about). I'll see if I can find one of my elk pictures and scan and try to post it. - Dan

Pete E,

Haven't been on this forum for a while and just saw this topic. Hope this link to hunting in Sweden helps.

http://www.jagareforbundet.se/englishhuntinginsweden/default.asp#1

Pete

Nice stag. Its a bonny ripper. I love red deer.