Deer Hunting In Scotland: A Week on the Hinds. Part Nine

  

And that's how the week ended, pretty much. Ever the 'Highland Professional' the Ghillie made sure everyone goes home with a fitness-appropriate stalk under his belt, and at least one withering remark stinging his ears.   

SBW :I saw lots of Grouse, how do you raise them?  

Big Tim's head sinks towards his hands 

Ghillie: [record setting deadpan]  They’re wild   

Regarding the trigger on the Ruger 77 

Ghillie: "For a guy who loves his shooting, Tim always brings such rubbish rifles."   

SBW: Do you mind if I wear these gloves? 

The Ghillie: I don't care as long as you hit the fecker.   

Watching a pair of Roe I've missed bound away 

Ghillie: At least you managed to shoot the one I tied up wit a dog lead last night 

  

Watching Little Tim wheeze up a near vertical hillside 

Ghillie: I think Big Tim maybe fitter than Little Tim. 

 Big Tim: So you're seeing young miss (names mutual acquaintance) 

Ghillie: Aye I asked her if she'd like 50 shades of Ghillie   

SBW: Where do you stand on the Blaser debate? 

The Ghillie: [dryness on setting one] You can tell a lot about a craftsman by the quality of his tools. 

SBW: What do you shoot yourself? 

The Ghillie: [dryness on setting two] Custom rifle 

SBW: [guessing] Calum Ferguson? 

The Ghillie:[using his extra dry voice, shaken over two rocks of smugness] Aye I’ve got two, 270 & 243 

[for overseas readers: people argue about which of the many British gunsmith's is the second best, you never hear a word said against Calum Ferguson's work, the waiting list is years and for two of them, with glass, easily £10,000]    

Big Tim and Little Tim both went out of their way to make sure my first Highland Stalking experience was a success, pushing me to the front and I suspect ‘aving a word with the ghillie. I also suspect that they also enjoyed sitting it the warm watching the Ghillie beast me along through the binoculars.  It was a fantastic week, which would never have happened without The Big Tim's endless enthusiasm and generosity. Many thanks to my new friend Little Tim, hopefully we'll all do it again someday.   

Final scores   SBW:  7 ( six roe and one red) Ruger 77 chambered in 7x57  -  Big Tim 3 (roe) Ruger No.1 chambered in 25-06  -  Little Tim 2 (roe) + 1 hare CZ 527 re-barreled and chambered in 6.5 Grendel [badass little rifle even the ghillie approved.]

Thanks for reading, I'll be posting some of old tales re-told and a few new ones as the weeks go by.     My formatting    may or or may  not   improve.  I do some target shooting and archery too. Occasionally I go fishing but to be totally honest with you, its more like I collect fishing equipment than actually catch fish.

your pal

SBW