Does anyone know how much it costs (roughly) for a days deer stalking? I have to say I quite like the idea, although i'm not sure i'd actually want to slot one. The ghillie chappy can do that, although i'm more than happy to eat the spoils.

Certainly a lot less if you don't actually want to shoot anything.

That is something I would really love to do and one of these days I will 8)

I would happily eat it except it will need to be hung for a bit.

Do let us know if it pans out.

Do you like all your meat well hung c_g?

Oh yes, oh yes 😉

£150 per day for red and £100 for roe in Scotland.

come to the forest of new – I reckon you could ride up close enough to throttle one during daylight, though a lot more skittish at night

(I think they're only frightened by fast moving things 😥 )

Roe deer are very highly strung. Fallow don't tend to bother too much. Muntjac are a lot smaller but bark when alarmed.

Mate of mine does a lot of hunting and its (from what he says) really good, however, if you are a novice then dont expect to roll up and start taking pot shots! they guy you are with will literally call the shots and that means you wont necessarily get a chance. you also will probably have to show you are a good enough shot to get a kill. He reckons the stalking is the bigger part and he loves that part. His first kill was like nothing else he has done (really into all sorts of field sports) purely due to the effort involved. couldn't be bothered me self (just go the butchers!).

woof! 😯

I think it would be so interesting to learn how to stalk, crawling around on the ground (in the right colour clothing obviously), observing how the herd goes about their daily business, the hierarchy etc etc.

One of these days …

How about this?

http://highlandsafaris.net/corporate/team-activities/red-deer-photo-stalking

The cost will vary hugely depending on type of deer and location. Didn't know you could buy roe stalking. All red deer stalking is in Scotland. c_g's price of £150 could be about right for hinds (possibly at bit low?), but stags would be considerably more. Prices will vary from estate to estate. Stag season is now until 20th October, and hinds from then until 15th Feb.

thegreatape – have you done one of the Highland Safari stalks? They are about 2 miles up the road from us, and Donald who runs it is a top bloke

Shoot as many of the vermin as you can. they eat everything in sight and are responsible for the tree free wilderness that is the highlands now. More destructive than goats.

shoot 'em!

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Yes I know its more complex than that – but the overpopulation of deer is a major factor

I haven't done one, but it's something I've thought about a few times. I'm up in Lochaber and see a lot of deer when I take my dogs out. Never get anywhere near them though, (although I don't suppose the dogs help in that respect).

TJ, happy for me to kill foxes as well then?

😉

CFH – only if you don't chase em around for fun first and only if you can prove they do harm.

So – sneak up on 'em and shoot them with a single shot to kill if they are proven to be doing harm.

And CFH – only if you eat the fox after you kill it. It is morally wrong to kill any animal you are not going to eat.

Ever seen Rentokil at work, TJ? They don't eat the rats, you know….

(Hoping I've got the right fly on for a bite this time….. 😉 _

Well they should either eat the rats or leave them alone. Honestly!

Rats make a good fricassee

Ooooh, it's nibbling at the fly……should I play it?

😉

Nah. Its not very tasty and catching fish is cruel anyway

No it's not! Trout are yummy! 🙂

Haven't been stalking in a few years, but I used to do a lot, and was a fully qualified "deer mahanagement hexpert"

The hard to explain thing is, that the kill is only a tiny percentage of the enjoyment of the stalk – and to be honest it takes a certain mindset and its hard to be dispassionate and emotional, especially when you do **** up a shot (and it will happen!)

best sport in the world, on so many levels – you really do need to research and understand the species to become a good stalker, and you cannot but form a love and respect for deer!

As for hunting Charlie boy, I'd suggest you go out and try sneaking up on one and getting a safe shot in rural Northumberland TJ 🙄

Yes I know its more complex than that – but the overpopulation of deer is a major factor

If only we could have as simplistic a solution to the human overpopulation problem

Thats easy DD. We tell flashy and his crew that chavs are the new foxes and let them be hunted

Stalking Deer for sport and not eating them is something I cant quite agree with, but stalking them to manage their numbers is something I have done. I know a Vegan that works stalking Deer – she loves her job.

Gralloch is a great word too.

On the other hand TJ, we could don camos..none of this silly "pinks" thing that Flash and his likes go on with, get on some jeeps (purely for off-road use don't you know) with mounted machine gun and go rampaging through the countryside taking the landed gentry out. It would solve problems on multiple levels and a bit of the only justified blood sport I can think of.

Now that sounds like a fun sport. Could we do it on quads or argos though.

Stalking Deer for sport and not eating them is something I cant quite agree with, but stalking them to manage their numbers is something I have done.

Funny, I cant really think that the animal getting 115 grains of lead at 2900fps really is that bothered about motive or who their carcass gets sold to – as long as the shot placement is good for a humane ending, then anything else is merely indulgent anthropomorphism.

(guess what, even the ones shot for sport normally go to the game dealers too)

"crawling around on the ground (in the right colour clothing obviously), observing how the herd goes about their daily business, the hierarchy etc etc."

Lol at CG.

Go on a shoot, san-preconceptions, learn what realy happens.

CC.

I got a restraining order last time I went stalking.

mi dads got all of his stalking levels/qualifications end of season stag shooting is the best and cheapest if you go out with some stalkers any your a novice they set the gun up ready for you you dont even have to look through the sights just pull the trigger and bang youve shot a deer i shot one the other day by mistake thought it was a fox 😕 good thing my uncles a butcher going out in an hour duck and goose flighting

annnnnnnd that about sms up my life story