Any recommendations for Scotish Highlands?

[curtism1234]

I'm looking to take the family on a trip to Scotland in a couple years - mainly for tourism but I have noticed a lot of Estates are set up for a good central base for the week and they also offer stalking as a side activity. I understand hunting is very inexpensive over there if you stick to free range and don't have trophy expectations.

I wouldn't mind hunting a late July stag in the highlands with traditional ponies. I would be looking for a stag that would be a nice compact euro mount - maybe a old cull stag with decent symetrity.

There are so many different Estates that I am pulling up online. Would anyone be able to make a recommendation for what I'm describing?

Thanks

 

[Rimbaud]

We hunted sika stags last year in the Highlands. I would check out Hunting Consortium and others, but many of the better hotels offer hunting, too. Once you determine your itinerary, you could even call the local police station for advice. We found the shooting to be quite good. We also did some wing shooting. Have fun.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I met an outfitter at the Houston Safari Club that interested me and I have since communicated with them a number of times. Nothing booked yet, given the COVID deal, but this is someone I am likely to book a future hunt with. This is the type of trip to take my non-hunting wife along and then do some non-hunting tourist type things.

This is the last email note I received from Joseph Croot with Royal Outfitters:

100% no trophy fees on our red stags. Sometimes we have trophy fees on Muntjac bucks if clients are holding out for a monster.

We have several hunting areas the smallest is around 1000 acres and the largest is over 20,000 acres.

All our properties are unfenced and all hun ting is fair chase.

The west coast of Scotland is littered with islands, in fact we are know as the “highlands & islands” in this area.

We hunt on the isle of Bute, isle of Mull, Jura & Isley also.

I hope this answers your questions

Regards
Joseph Croot
Mobile: +44 (0) 7970 528 779
Email: joseph@royaloutfittersuk.com
Website: www.royaloutfittersuk.com
Website: www.the-armoury.co.uk

 

[Saul]

We hunted sika stags last year in the Highlands. I would check out Hunting Consortium and others, but many of the better hotels offer hunting, too. Once you determine your itinerary, you could even call the local police station for advice. We found the shooting to be quite good. We also did some wing shooting. Have fun.

+1 on Hunting Consortium, they are a great resource for this type of thing, and you have to make some time for wing shooting.

I met an outfitter at the Houston Safari Club that interested me and I have since communicated with them a number of times. Nothing booked yet, given the COVID deal, but this is someone I am likely to book a future hunt with. This is the type of trip to take my non-hunting wife along and then do some non-hunting tourist type things.

This is the last email note I received from Joseph Croot with Royal Outfitters:

100% no trophy fees on our red stags. Sometimes we have trophy fees on Muntjac bucks if clients are holding out for a monster.

We have several hunting areas the smallest is around 1000 acres and the largest is over 20,000 acres.

All our properties are unfenced and all hun ting is fair chase.

The west coast of Scotland is littered with islands, in fact we are know as the “highlands & islands” in this area.

We hunt on the isle of Bute, isle of Mull, Jura & Isley also.

I hope this answers your questions

Regards
Joseph Croot
Mobile: +44 (0) 7970 528 779
Email: joseph@royaloutfittersuk.com
Website: www.royaloutfittersuk.com
Website: www.the-armoury.co.uk

You could visit some great distilleries in that area...

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Try Cara Richardson of International Big Game and Bird Hunting Ltd. Cara organised us a days stalking and we got a pair of red stags, it was a wonderful experience. Mine was a little 6 pointer, but had to climb a mountain into the clouds to get him, so just perfect! We stayed at the Muchrach Country In, excellent, just what you would expect from a top notch traditional lodge. Log fires, excellent food. You access this area through Inverness.

 

[Saul]

Try Cara Richardson of International Big Game and Bird Hunting Ltd. Cara organised us a days stalking and we got a pair of red stags, it was a wonderful experience. Mine was a little 6 pointer, but had to climb a mountain into the clouds to get him, so just perfect! We stayed at the Muchrach Country In, excellent, just what you would expect from a top notch traditional lodge. Log fires, excellent food. You access this area through Inverness.

View attachment 356178

Beautiful stag and that smile on your face says it all. The hard highland hunts in the fog are the best. Inverness is beautiful country too.

 

[Nkawu]

You should join a group called ‘the stalking directory’. Much like AH except for British hunting etc. Always loads of outfitters/ game keepers advertising packages.

 

[UKHunter]

You should join a group called ‘the stalking directory’. Much like AH except for British hunting etc. Always loads of outfitters/ game keepers advertising packages.

+ 1 for this. I am a member and I think just a month or so ago a thread was running with your exact questions. If you search back, there are threads on this every year, so lots of recommendations to choose from

 

[MarkCZ]

I don,t wish to through cold water on your plans but almost all of the stag stalking will be booked up for this season. Unless there are cancelations because of Covid. The place I go and most other places you have to book at least 12 months in advance.
The Stalking Directory would be worth a go it is a very good sauce of information. Good luck.
MarkCZ

 

[curtism1234]

Thanks for all the recommendations, I'll check them all out!

 

[SRvet]

Have a look at the atholl estates, they are quite central and I think they still use ponies to extract the stag. There are also many estates that offer stalking by the day or week. I have stalked at Glen Tanar estate and with Winston Churchill Venison in Dunoon, both were excellent but no ponies. Google them and drop them an email and they will give you the availability. George Goldsmith is also a good contact with many contacts to help find an estate with availability. Hope this helps, Scottish stalking is truly special

 

[Fred Gunner]