Stalking two Red Deer stags from South Strathy and shooting five hare from Broubster as we were assisted by Chris Ross, the ranger after which we could learn from the process of butchering and preparation. Back just in time for dinner and then, after cleaning the gun, very tired to bed.
Nigel and I had our first experience of Red Deer stalking today and ended up with a fine 8-pointer stag each of about 200lbs carcase weight. We met up with Chris Ross, the ranger, at 6.30am and then followed him along the endless unmade road into South Strathy until we arrived just after dawn to hear the stags hollering and roaring away. There then followed the stalking process which involved listening out for the nearest stag, creeping up on him very quietly from a down-wind direction to get within 1-200 yards when a single rifle shot aimed below their shoulder with reasonable accuracy would kill the beast. Nigel was given the first chance when we saw a stag trotting through some trees and so were able to run ahead and ambush it as it stepped out into the clearing. The ranger made a stag call (a guttural roaring sound) which made it stop and then Nigel fired.
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Even though it was shot well it jumped across a few tree furrows before collapsing and, after a search, we found it. There then followed the start of the meat preparation process. Chris drags the carcase head down into a ditch, cuts the place the throat meets the chest with a sharp knife and lets the stag bleed whilst treading on the thorax. then he slits the stomach from below the rib cage to between the legs and pulls out the guts, leaving the beast for collection in the "All-Terrain-Vehicle" or "A.T.V." later. We pressed on and it was some time later that I got my chance. We tried to get close to two different stags on a long stalking process before we came over a rise, following a roaring noise, and found another stag below. We had to crawl along ditches to get into position and then, when 90 yards away and above the stag whilst hiding amongst some small trees, I fired a chest shot from the front and knocked it over pretty instantly. An hour to get the bike to this one and then the same process.
We went back with Chris and saw him finish the preparation. The head was removed, the legs shortened and the hind legs split so that a hooked bar could be used to lift the carcase up. Then the heart and liver removed and kept separately and the rest of the body emptied out, washed with copious water, and then hung up ready for the game dealer to call and collect it. Chris is going to trim and boil the heads so that we can each have the antlers as a souvenir. This finished, we then came back to Thormaid and, after no success with the wildfowl started shooting hare from the car, dazzling them with the headlights. Nigel drove and I shot five, not missing one. Back just in time for dinner and then, after cleaning the gun, very tired to bed.