Stalking and shooting two red deer stags with ranger Chris today, the largest an active large beast that was going from hill to hill, trailing us in its wake, before I got a shoulder shot into it after a breath-taking crawl and felled it through the top of the heart. It weighed 19st 9lbs with a good head to keep.
Back to the hotel for dinner and then to bed after arranging some fishing with Ian's son, Peter for, as they say here ‘the morrow’.
I also met Chris early in the morning, this time at our normal rendezvous at The Hallerdale turn near Melvich. I had got there early and fed and watered Sam and so was ready to take the long trip along the uneven Strathy Road, turning off past Alan Brooke's house and away to stalk red stags. There was not a lot of calling but we tracked and stalked an active large beast that was going from hill to hill, trailing us in its wake. I got a shoulder shot into it after a breath-taking crawl and felled it through the top of the heart. It was later found to weigh 19st 9lbs and we found that all of this season's deer were quite fat and well-nourished.
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Strange to see the two accompanying hinds just hanging around waiting and watching afterwards and, if they were not out of season, we could have taken them too. Sam had stayed quite contentedly in the car all this time and we then went back to let him out and then I to the hotel for some rest and recuperation. The opportunity to telephone Diana who, with the family, was well but experiencing much worse weather than that in Scotland where I had chosen the right week to come.
Time also to tidy up the mess of gear in my room before spending another hour at Broubster with Sam after grouse again but did not get one. Back to Chris's house by arrangement again later in the afternoon and a stalk up until dusk in the plantation near to his home at Altnabreac Station. I met his lady there before and we were a little delayed in getting out but still got a young stag as light failed. Back to the hotel for dinner and then to bed after arranging some fishing with Ian's son, Peter for the morrow.