My Favorite Place to Hunt
By Ken Lehman
Where is my favorite place to hunt? Once upon a very long time ago I was reading a sporting magazine about roebuck hunting in Scotland. Major Neil Ramsey of Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland was a well-known and respected booking agent for this sport. So I contracted for a week on the 55,000 acre Glenlivet estate during the early May season.
Gail and I would be housed at the Kylnadrochit Lodge, a beautiful three story stone castle on the banks of the River Avon near Tomintoul.
The hunting consortium was leased from a trust set up by the Royals. It was run by a Dutch couple who would let out hunting, fishing and lodge accommodations for tourists from many parts of the world. I would be hunting the spot and stalk method. The event would start each day at about 4 a.m. which was first light, except on Monday when I sited in my gun. Following the first outing breakfast would be from 8 to 9 and the rest of the day would be used with our rental car to explore the many unique features of the highlands.
We were expected to wear coat and tie for the dinner which took place from 6 to 7 pm with from 12 to 20 guests gathered around a large table. Following the meal I would do a quick change and meet my guide outside. He would be known as the gamekeeper. We’d be off in a Landrover Jeep vehicle, 2 door, for the evening adventure. Returning back to the lodge around 11:30 p.m. was the usual routine.
The terrain of northern Scotland varies from rough mountain to rolling hills and large forest tracts with pine and spruce trees. Some of the rolling land was farmable or used for grazing. A larger portion of the steeper elevations are covered with heather, a low bush brush type vegetation. This is excellent habitat for roe deer, some red deer and for the famous red grouse.
Reasonable expectation for the week was 3-5 roebucks. My first outing took place on Monday night. The head keeper assigned me to a young interesting Scotsman, named Ian. We would drive our Rangerover through two tract roads and trails on the farms, glassing for bucks. At one place Ian pulled out his expanding telescope, rested it on the open window, and reported he was seeing a shootable buck. It was maybe 8:30 in the evening when we left the vehicle and we climbed all around the mountain, but no buck was spotted. It was starting to get dark and we could see the Rover in the distance. As Ian reported there is a shootable buck in the gateway behind the vehicle. I was certainly a little over-gunned when I rested my 7mm rifle on his shoulder and collected my first trophy roebuck. It was a nice even six point, and I would certainly be getting it mounted. I was hooked! And I mean hooked.
Time was available between our morning and evening hunting to explore the charming country of Scotland. Ian and his wife, Kathleen, often would accompany us and they knew all the good spots! The House of Bruar on the A9 sold distinctive country clothing, original highland artwork, everything in hunting and fishing equipment and always a 5-star bar lunch. We checked out several castles, but the Blair Atholl was a favorite. The grounds were a real show place and you could view almost every room in the castle. They also had their own private army with pipers.
As a hunter I went down many trails, but maybe the most enjoyable one would be the world famous Malt Whiskey Trail where you could sample a wee dram and compare distilleries products.
Ian ,the gamekeeper, knew the country side well and would show us many kinds of shore birds nesting. One time we visited a big forest and we were challenged by a cock capercaillie guarding his hen’s nest. We photographed several new born roe fawns and from time to time we’d stop in to visit a farmer who always showed a new born highland calf to us or a newborn lamb.
I was keen on collecting old fishing equipment and that took us to many old hardware and sporting shops. As the owners got to know us there some would save some split bamboo rod or Hardy reels until we returned on our next year visit.
For twenty years Gail and I and occasionally accompanied by other friends from the U.S. returned to stalk the highlands. The accommodations at the Lodge were always five star. Special friendships were formed with other hunters, fishers and tourists who often came year after year. We can never forget the class people Tom and Francine, our hosts ,were and all the gamekeepers we got to know through the years.
As time passed Ian became the head keeper. By this time I was able to ask Ian to guide me each time I returned. But he would still say from time to time, “Guess we’ll let that buck go. It will be better next year.” Sometimes when we collected our five bucks he would say, “We are seeing more bucks than we should be. So I think we should take a couple more.” I never objected. When I look at my walls I see one bronze, two silver and one gold medal CIC measured trophies. But I recall so many very special bucks that we tried to take but outsmarted us. Scotland is about friendships and Ian and Kathleen came many times to the States to visit us including a trip to Alaska where we jointly killed thousands of mosquitoes!
To satisfy my desire to hunt I went a couple times for roebucks in Sweden and once in Devonshire, England. I also tried western Poland where reasonable expectations were 10 to 15 bucks. During one of those over populated times I took 23 bucks in ten days. But, in summing it up, the roebuck hunting experiences in Scotland were truly world class adventures.
Time changes many things. Many of my friends and contacts in Scotland have moved on and some have gone on to the Happy Hunting Grounds. But, all the memories are still recalled with great enjoyment and a smile. What is my favorite place to hunt? Josh, as a hunter a person should not be asked such a difficult question. ..may I tell you about my adventures chasing wild dall sheep? or what about my 69 inch moose? etc. All that is for another time, but thanks for asking the question.