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Whether you're accompanied by a gillie often depends on the estate and your experience. If you've completed the Deer Stalking Certificate (DSC) levels 1 & 2, th

Whether you're accompanied by a gillie often depends on the estate and your experience. If you've completed the Deer Stalking Certificate (DSC) levels 1 & 2, there are many opportunities to wander around on your own with a gun, with the landholder's permission of course. I agree this is unlikely to happen on many of the larger estates, but there are still opportunities, including joining an existing syndicate or leasing land yourself. I'd also point out that generally you have the right to decline a specific animal pointed out to you by the gillie, but need to keep in mind it may be the only stag you're onto all day! Also define "large distance." I'd contend there's not many deer highland stalking shots taken at distances greater than 200 meters and most more likely between 100-150 meters.

david-given 11y ago
I'll admit to never actually done it myself (due to aforesaid huge sums of money). If you do go out on your own, what do you do with the carcass? Phone in and get the keepers to come and pick it up? I assume it still belongs to them, and they've adequately briefed you on where you're supposed to go and what they want you to shoot.
- phillc73 11y ago
  It depends.... If you're unaccompanied on someone else's estate, then it's your responsibility to bring the carcass down off the hill. That usually involves tying yourself to the carcass and dragging it (or if the hill is steep enough, it will drag you) down the hill. At the bottom of the hill, or along the way a little, you are likely to have parked a quad or utility vehicle. The carcass remains property of the estate. If you've leased land, or as part of a syndicate, then you still need to remove the carcass from the hill and transport it to a cool room, where you butcher it yourself and a game dealer will collect it the next day. Carcasses are always gralloched immediately on the hill, and the entrails left behind. Part of the training in DSC 1 and then much more thoroughly in DSC 2 is how to properly butcher a carcass. http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/deer-stalking-certificate-dsc1/ http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/d... http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/deer-stalking-certificate-dsc2/ http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/d... There are also specific basic carcass and butchery courses: http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/carcase-inspection-and-butchery/ http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/c... In the Scottish Highlands a red deer stag isn't really prohibitively expensive, usually around the £450 mark. Hinds, later in the season, are much cheaper. The real expense is everything that goes with it - the travel to the highlands, accommodation, appropriate clothing and equipment. I think you could probably cull one stag for £1,000 all included.

david-given 11y ago

I'll admit to never actually done it myself (due to aforesaid huge sums of money). If you do go out on your own, what do you do with the carcass? Phone in and get the keepers to come and pick it up? I assume it still belongs to them, and they've adequately briefed you on where you're supposed to go and what they want you to shoot.

phillc73 11y ago
It depends.... If you're unaccompanied on someone else's estate, then it's your responsibility to bring the carcass down off the hill. That usually involves tying yourself to the carcass and dragging it (or if the hill is steep enough, it will drag you) down the hill. At the bottom of the hill, or along the way a little, you are likely to have parked a quad or utility vehicle. The carcass remains property of the estate. If you've leased land, or as part of a syndicate, then you still need to remove the carcass from the hill and transport it to a cool room, where you butcher it yourself and a game dealer will collect it the next day. Carcasses are always gralloched immediately on the hill, and the entrails left behind. Part of the training in DSC 1 and then much more thoroughly in DSC 2 is how to properly butcher a carcass. http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/deer-stalking-certificate-dsc1/ http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/d... http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/deer-stalking-certificate-dsc2/ http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/d... There are also specific basic carcass and butchery courses: http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/carcase-inspection-and-butchery/ http://basc.org.uk/sporting-services/basc-training-courses/c... In the Scottish Highlands a red deer stag isn't really prohibitively expensive, usually around the £450 mark. Hinds, later in the season, are much cheaper. The real expense is everything that goes with it - the travel to the highlands, accommodation, appropriate clothing and equipment. I think you could probably cull one stag for £1,000 all included.