anthonychez Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 hi i have a trip booked to the oakneys at the end of the month , im not going with a guide. is it really as bad as what people make out to get shooting. i know they dont have the same shooting laws as the main land regarding the foreshore . has anyone shot up there that would be able to shed light on it. also where did you catch the ferry? i,ve noticed you can catch it from a few diferent ports thanks any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Cant help with the shooting but ive been a few times on the ferry to dive the ships in the flow.Northlink run from aberdeen to kirkwall in the evening arriving about 11.30 pm this is my fave route as it makes the drive up and down easy peasy,dual carridgeway right into aberdeen,Northlink also run from scrabster into stromness twice a day,plenty of food and pubs/accomodation in stromness,Pentland run from St gills bay to st margarets hope,this is a great drive across the churchill barriers and the italian chapel,Dont underestimate the drive from inverness to the top it saps your will to live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonychez Posted November 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 thanks for that we were thinking along the same lines of catching it lower down to have a break from driving. a 12 hour drive otherwise . just pricing the difference in fuel and ferry cost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Save you 5hrs driving each way going from aberdeen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonychez Posted November 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 only save 50 pound on crossing., and will prob cost me around the same in extra fuel.you dont know if the price is the same if you turn up on the day as if you book early? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossEM Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 PM'd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bad lindz Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 Three crossing options, Aberdeen-Kirkwall (a longer sailing and costs a bit more) Scrabster-Stromness Gills Bay- St Margaret’s Hope. The 3rd option is by far the cheapest and only around an 1hr sailing time. Also if you travel with Northlink dont go dressed in all your shooting gear and keep your guns well hidden in the car as they may ask you to declare them and lock them away in the ships safe Regarding the shooting, It will depend where you stay, some cottages, B&B etc have land that you can shoot over and they may point you in directions of other land owners that will let you shoot otherwise its knocking on the farmers door and asking permission. A lot of the areas are grabbed up with the guides. I was up in early October but I went out with a guide Rob Frampton and I was well looked after, driven to & from Kirkwall to the shoot and had some good flights and the evening duck flight was great. He was also able to provide breasting & vac packing of them. Makes it easier for transporting home especially if you have a long drive. Rob has a lot of flight ponds and feeds them well and both geese & duck come into them in the evening. I am sure you will have read various posts on PW by Pole Star drop him a line and he maby able to help you. Why not when if travel up to Thurso or John O Groats stop over around the Cromarty Firth / Dornoch areas. Its my stomping ground and I could tell you whats about although I may not be at home when you travel as I work offshore. It was nearly a £100 cheaper each way for me the Mrs & caravan to travel from Gills Bay rather than From Scrabster. It will be best if you book, The Gills Bay - St Margaret’s Hope option do not take any payment from you until you actually go onto the ferry Keep us posted on how you get on. And just to be correct its an `R` not an `A` Cheers, BBL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy.plinker Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 I agree BBL,Rob is very good,I've heard of fantastic shooting with him morning and night. I reckon it would be difficult to come up here without knowing anyone or anywhere to go, you could waste valuable shooting time.Robs built up some good relationships with landowners with ponds/stubble fields etc. (ps I have no financial link to Rob). hp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawntredder Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 oakneys??? never heard of it.. just messing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pole Star Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 hi i have a trip booked to the oakneys at the end of the month , im not going with a guide. is it really as bad as what people make out to get shooting. i know they dont have the same shooting laws as the main land regarding the foreshore . has anyone shot up there that would be able to shed light on it. also where did you catch the ferry? i,ve noticed you can catch it from a few diferent ports thanks any help would be appreciated. Things have & are changing up here at such a rate even I cant keep pace with them anthonychez ! there have been just to many goosers & free loaders knocking on farmers doors which have upset a lot of locals who shoot . I saw moaning on Face Book about it for the first time ever just now which is the reason I came on tonight to post this I don't want to be a kill joy but if you come up best if you don't expect all you want . It was all ok a 2 years or so ago but you know the old saying " All good things come to an end ! " also the goose cull up here has made a difference & the geese have got very jumpy & are now very wary of decoys ! . Ross on here I think pm'ed you bye the look of it & he can tell you what happens if you turn up in the morning only to find the Italians setting up in a field that you are supposed to be doing ! anyway I don't think they will be a problem here for too much longer as they are in court with the RSPB on the 8th of November & I will let you know what the verdict as soon as I know it . Good Luck . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthonychez Posted November 5, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 thanks for all your help , much appreciated. we are going to sail from aberdeen and see how we get on. if we have no luck will end up goin back down to scotland and shoot somewhere that i have been a few time before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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