These posts have made me nostalgic to the max. The Highlands and the area around Inverness is magical. We spent time year in and year out there for several years, hunting, fishing and playing golf out of Skibo until the kids took too much time and the distance and expense seemed too much not to use the facilities. Seemed like a terrific hunt and a great, great time. Makes me long for some Haggis and great scotch. Well, can't do the Haggis, but one out of two ain't bad...

bwanamrm,

It wasn't too bad, as I was wearing a proper pair of long handles.

I tried to tell my stalker that "crawl" was something people much skinnier and younger than myself did on hunts. That I was more into the "leisurely stroll" method of hunting. Unfortunately, he didn't take me at my word and had me doing the elephant seal dance for hours on end. Gotta admit, except for the occasional losing of the pants, it worked out alright.

Haggis...I just don't think I could do that and I have eaten some unusual things.

YD,

It really isn't original haggis as it is illegal to feed the authentic thing to the public. What they called haggis was quite tasty like all the food.

Mark

I didn't know you couldn't feed it to the public. That's an interesting law. What is the difference between it and what you ate Mark?

Bwanamrm
As time passes one forgets alot about one's passed trips.. Those pictures sure brought much back to me of my "04" hunt with UK Outfitters..
You know them pictures are so good I can smell the Highlands again..
AK

Finally, I have found the pictures from my 2005 hunt with Mike McCrave. As I thought, they are all film-photos without an accompanying disc. Soooooo, I took the negatives to my friendly neighborhood photo shop and had a bunch transferred from negatives to cd (at $.75 per image, ouch!)

BTW, ignore the date burned-in on the image. It says '99, but they were all taken in October of '05. Changing dates on my camera has never been one of my fortes.

The Estate is Wyvis or Ben Wyvis on Loch Glauss, about forty-five minutes north of Inverness.

Estate from afar. We hunted on the top of that hill you see behind the estate the first day. In fact, my partner and I ended up scaling down that cliff you see about half-way up after the stalker left us up there to make our own way down (he was pulling down a dead stag). That was scary.


The Estate up close.


This is the main staircase.


The view from above the estate was spectacular.


Now for the hunting: my buddy, Bob Michael, shot this one on the first day with Mike's borrowed .308.


This was my first stag of the hunt, also shot with Mike's .308.


The backdrop is like nowhere else on earth. Again, my first stag.


This is Bob with my second stag, which I had shoulder mounted (His second stag was a tiny 3x3 which the stalker made him shoot. He was not happy)


This is my first stag, back home in Atlanta.


This is stag number 2, which I had shoulder mounted.


Anyone who has never been to the Highlands to hunt owes it to himself to go a least once. The beauty of the place is indescribable. It is a unique experience for both you and your mate, and the perfect "couples" vacation.

That's quite the setting. It sounds like this hunt just reeks of class and nostalgia...the old ways are alive and well in some places. Many of us have family roots in places like this. I would love to see it someday.

Thanks for the photos. Very nice.

I haven't revisited this thread in awhile and was surprised to see GAHUNTER pictures added. They are excellent! Nice trophies and beautiful estate... I guess Mike moves every so often as needs dictate. Thanks for sharing!

I have just spotted this thread for the first time and thought this may be of interest to everyone.
I am lucky enough to live only a couple of hours from the Scottish border and so I hunt there regularly ( eat your heart out America )
There is a company called Strutt&Parker who are letting agents for most of the Scottish estates and they offer some fantastic deals. You can rent the whole estate for a period of time and play at being a Scottish Laird. The lets quite often include fishing and bird shooting along with the stalking.Some of the houses can be a bit "tired" and some can be newly refurbished, but this is reflected in the price. I have experienced both, but I have always been delighted. Check out the web link. If anyone wants any more info on Scotland I will be pleased to help where I can.
http://www.struttandparker.com/html/spolodgesandstalking.php

Nice stags!
Those are nice heads for a highland deer (or any deer). I understand it can be tough for a life-long trophy hunter to be asked to shoot a 6pt, but that is the way of stalking in the highlands. People often get asked to take a pricket (spike) or switch (just main beams) and the price is the same regardless as a cull is a cull.

Boghossian,

McCrave tries to take only 8 point or better stags. Actually I shot a 10 point witha 4 point crown on the right side but like you stated this is not a true trophy hunt. You come for the expereince of hunting in the traditional manner. Of course the Argo makes the climbing a litte easier.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by R.Jolly:
I am lucky enough to live only a couple of hours from the Scottish border and so I hunt there regularly

Hi Robert, look fwd to talking to you about this in camp! A trip to the homeland is on the list.

I spend three days in westcoast of Scottland, and take this Sika deer with 7 points.
a lovely hunt:

That is a very nice sika you shot, also lucky not to be missing any points. I have not taken many sika deer but they often have broken/chipped tines.

Man I would take a switch in a heart beat. I am trying to find time to get back. The highlands are second only to Africa.

There are 3 spots available on this hunt for this coming Sept at a $2500.00 discount. Details are on the Outfitter's offered and discounted hunt forum.

Mark

How about this for a wild Scottish Sika Stag. Taken off my personal 8000 acre lease.

I take clients each year and we harvest about 9 stags a year, so numbers are high.

One weeks stalking four clients West Coast of Scotland. www.ukoutfitters.co.uk

This is a great thread with several folks adding pictures. Beautiful country and critters.