None in the bag but very enjoyable

[7daysinaweek]

I had booked an evening and a morning stalking up in Scotland on roe bucks. A few days before I had a run out and checked the zero on the 243 as I have not shot it since the original lockdown. I was shooting straight off the sticks and was very, very happy with 3 shots at about 110 yards in a stiff wind from the right resulted in all being inside a 3 inch circle despite me being blown a bit. After running out to the target after the first two rounds and having a visual check I was puffing a bit but soon settled down.

I set off early afternoon and the drive up was pleasant and uneventful. I stopped in Castle Douglas and ran into the Tesco and grabbed some Scottish 'plain bread', four loaves to be precise as we all like it toasted at home and cannot get it in outside Scotland as far as I am aware. Then it was  off for something to eat and had a bit of a stroll in the town then set off and arrived up on the ground at around 6pm and met up with the guide who I have stalked with plenty of times before.

The weather was dry and overcast with little wind, almost immediately after exiting my vehicle I was being savaged by the midges that amassed in the hundreds around my face, but there was little I could do about the annoyance. The plan was to walk and cover ground then back to vehicles and drive to different part and then walk and cover again, I am familiar somewhat with this ground as I have been visiting for quite a few years now.  We covered a lot of ground walking, stopping and glassing at very regular intervals, after a short time the guide suddenly stopped and dropped the sticks open which I know is the sign for a possible shot safety allowing but, no sooner had I got onto the sticks the buck was away, and I saw very little of him. We continued to come across deer not too infrequently, however they were mostly young reds and roe does and no sooner had we started and covered a huge acreage the light was starting to draw, no further opportunity presented itself for a buck that evening. We had heard a few barking and the areas we covered different ground and the guide had mentioned specific 'good bucks' holding up in specific areas but alas, it was time to wrap up the evening.

I stayed over and was up at 3am and met the guide back on the ground at 4pm a bit weary and blurry eyed as I had only had about 3 hours sleep thinking about the evening and what the morning would bring but my senses soon had me wide awake.

The morning was dry and overcast with very little wind and within minutes of walking one of the forest tracks a huge fox crossed in front of us at a zillion miles an hour and was gone in a flash into the forest. The morning light came quick and again like the previous evening each deer we came across was either a red or a roe doe and the guide commented on 'how quiet' it was for buck not to be around.  After a couple of hours a decision was made to head round to a much higher part of the estate that though would be a little colder for the roe, but it had been forested out a couple of years back so plenty for them to browse on. So off we went and with each hour passing my chance of getting on one was diminished. 

After a good few hours we admitted defeat and despite being a no show it had been extremely enjoyable couple of outings. Saw a few red kites, a handful of foxes and heard a cuckoo for the first time I would say in thirty odd years. So with thanks and goodbyes I set off home with a brief stop in Castle Dougy for a bacon sarnie and a cup of tea, and I was home by 1pm, very tired but a happy chap. Still falling asleep today as the tiredness is still catching up with me. I am going back up in the next month so hopefully will be a little more productive and will post up.

atb

7diaw

[Mice!]

Just needs a few pictures mate, but when your walking and looking that's normally the last thing on your mind.

Got to love those Scottish midges as well, tiny little things in there thousands. 

[7daysinaweek]

10 hours ago, Mice! said:

Just needs a few pictures mate, but when your walking and looking that's normally the last thing on your mind.

Got to love those Scottish midges as well, tiny little things in there thousands. 

No pics this time K but will get some next month, that landscape changes every time I go up, different areas felled, new areas fenced and planted. What I did note was how low the usual large bodies of water were on the ground, I have never seen them as low. The guide said they had had very little snow last year, so that would have contributed somewhat.

Them bloody midges, they seem to be a different class from the 'Sassenach' midge.  Still itching today, and you know you are in 'the wilds' when they descend within seconds of exhaling your first breath of c02, drawn like a moth to the flame to feed upon you. 

I recall a few years back on the same ground in a low-lying boggy area we covered that I had never been swarmed as much as ever before. The guide told me that a chap the day before had asked to cut the outing short as he could not 'stand it any longer,' or words to that effect. Ahh the misery!

[WalkedUp]

Nice write up 👍

I have a midget face net 

[Good shot?]

55 minutes ago, WalkedUp said:

Nice write up 👍

I have a midget face net 

I would suggest a larger one would be better😃.

[7daysinaweek]

2 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

Nice write up 👍

I have a midget face net 

Cheers walked up.

I have one knocking about somewhere. I have tried to use it in the past, but cannot get on with one over my eyes when trying to scan the landscape. When I have used it before I have somehow trapped many a midge on the inner aspect of the face covering with uncanny regularity resulting in mutterings of expletives. 

[Jim Neal]

23 hours ago, 7daysinaweek said:

I stayed over and was up at 3am and met the guide back on the ground at 4pm a bit weary and blurry eyed

I know work's been a bit full-on lately but did it really take you 13 hours to get out of bed? 😂

Great report, shame you didn't get a shot off but that's the nature of it I suppose

[7daysinaweek]

10 hours ago, Jim Neal said:

I know work's been a bit full-on lately but did it really take you 13 hours to get out of bed? 😂

Great report, shame you didn't get a shot off but that's the nature of it I suppose

Well spotted Jim. 

Was still a little weary when I wrote the post, and feel I have only just caught up on my sleep today. Despite the no show it was a very enjoyable trip and I have just booked to go back up in a few weeks so fingers crossed.

Mrs 7days and myself Just about to set off down to Felixstowe for a few days which will be nice break.

atb

7diaw

[Jim Neal]

13 hours ago, 7daysinaweek said:

Well spotted Jim. 

Was still a little weary when I wrote the post, and feel I have only just caught up on my sleep today. Despite the no show it was a very enjoyable trip and I have just booked to go back up in a few weeks so fingers crossed.

Mrs 7days and myself Just about to set off down to Felixstowe for a few days which will be nice break.

atb

7diaw

You can always rely on a pedant like me

Enjoy Felixstowe, I used to knock about with a few lads from there in my younger days... spent a fair few nights out on the razz round town, sketchy memories and a few scars remain... the boys play rough down there!!