Trip To Scotland

[nhamm2]

Guys - your help and expertise needed please. Next month (Oct 23-30) to be precise, I am heading with the family up to Kircudbright, Galloway and Dumfries, for the week.

 

I was hoping to sneak off for a few hours to enjoy some of the amazing wildlife and fieldsports on offer, but don't really know where to start. Must say first up that money is tight so am looking for value here, if it's possible to find.

 

I would love to try my hand at stalking, although am a novice. I would also relish the chance for a rough shoot, goose or duck flight, chance at snipe or woodcock - anything really to get me out there! In an ideal world, I would be borrowing a gun as I would prefer not to travel on the train with my shotgun and ammo, two kids and a wife being more than enough to deal with

 

Hope you might be able to point me in the right direction so I can make the most of this opportunity.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you are able to offer.

[scolopax]

Google it, there are quite a few agents, guides and hotels offering such like in that part of the world.

 

It will cost of course but should not be too expensive.

[nhamm2]

Thanks Scolopax, of course have done that but would much rather rely on personal experience and word of mouth from the good folks on here

 

Isn't that what the forum is for?

[Bleeh]

How much are you looking to spend per day?

[humperdingle]

I know where you'd get a bit of stalking, but a buck roe would cost upwards of £200 or £300.

 

If you're anywhere near Fife on your travels, pop into Cluny Clays, where you can rent a shotgun on your SGC and have a pop at some well laid-out sporting clays and skeet.

[fullbore]

I can put you in touch with a stalker over near Jedburgh for Roe, but it's a hike from Kircudbright

[anser2]

If you are thinking about a goose or duck contact Solway Wildfowlers ( BASC will have contact info ).

[spotlight]

Hello mate,

 

Try the shooting organisations in Scotland! But even then some shooting agents, that advertise in organisations' magazines, might not be as good as you would have hoped. A friend gave me an example which was reported in one such organisation's magazine. They are called SACS and here's the link; http://www.sacs.org.uk/Sacs/Current%20Magazine.pdf. It's on page 27.

 

I don't know how true the horror story is, nor which shooting association recommended the agent to the lads in question, but it seems you need to watch out! I know that SACS is the only shooting association to attend the Dumfries and Galloway Game Fair from its inception. This is in the area where you intend to stay, so if anyone knows of reputable agents it should be them!

 

Why not come over to N. Ireland and visit us next time? By the way i'm not knocking the Scottish hospitality! My mate gets 15% discount with SACS for P&O Ferries, i only get 10% with BASC.

[nhamm2]

Thanks all, that's some really useful advice. Spotlight - great stuff, many thanks. I will DEFINITELY take you up on your kind offer and get over to NI sometime. Sounds bloody great

 

I have been in contact with a very nice chap (put onto me by Toursism Scotland) who is looking at providing some Roe Doe (he ho doe) stalking at around £75 per trip (sounds very reasonable to me?). He is also looking into setting up a bit of rough/mini driven/duck flight and coming back to me, so I will let you all know how I fare and what sort of deal I can arrange. Might be useful information to others and if the agent and sport is as good as they sound, they will deserve the publicity.

 

Thanks again.