The last week of guests EVER!!!
We had a bit of a breather, just finishing off the butchering of the last stags, then a day later our Danish guests arrived, the weather was damp, grey and breezy but the guests were in good spirits. They had seen stags on their way into the harbour and we were seeing some good stags about, the week ahead looked promising.
Knud has been coming to Rona now for over 10 years, we think 12. He is a very good stalker, very calm and enjoys Rona. I think it is his second (hunting) home. So for the first outing I let him take his Sister Inger out, he was the stalker , she was the guest. I was the boatman. I dropped them off on the rocks on the West side, a North Westerly swell was coming in but we got a good shelf and the Alu’ boat did not mind a few bumps, they took off. I did not get right back into the harbour and the phone went off. Come back, we have shot a stag!!! So myself and Per, got organised, got some more rope and headed off for the pick up. Inger and Knud had just got up onto the first ridge when they spied an ideal candidate. A good short stalk in and Inger, who is a very good shot, did the deed, but the stag decided not to play ball and toppled over a cliff.
A succesful start, they decided to walk back and were told no more to-day. The drag and loading intio the rubber dinghy was exciting but not as half exciting as getting it into the sea and back to the boat. We dealt with that stag and as we were seeing some good stags about, we thought no pressure, the weather was fine, what else but a bit of fishing.
I think we got a lobster if not the remains of one, definitely a Dogfish, but we caught quite a few fish with the rod on our trips out, with Per catching the biggest pollock. Good to get out on the sea. You know it is quite a while ago now but the order of the pictures says that Inger yet again got the next stag and what a beauty.
This was broken antler from last year, he took up residence around Big Harbour but was rutting out in the Outrun, we stalked into him and found ourselves in an elevated position, now to wait. We could not see him but he would not show, I told Inger to stay put whilst I went forward. There he was in the trees roaring for Rona. I thought he may follow the hinds and true to form he came out of the forest but running. I roared, he stopped, I said to Inger take him and she duly did. A calm perfect shot. His days were over and I had a very (shaky) but happy hunter yet again. Back to the larder, drams , beers and the stalk was talked about, a lot.
Next up was Marc, my long serving ghillie, he had Helge and Per’s Brother Sven, a new stalking guest, a cracking stalk and very fine shot.
We were elsewhere and Marc took his two guests to Dry Harbour, but they had only started out when they caught sight of their stag, rutting with hinds North of the village, a good stalk in, the only option a longer shot that normal and the stag was down. A good clean kill and yet again, happy hunters.
Three good stags and the week was still young, the weather was dampish!!! but the forecast was promising. We headed North with an eye to try for one of the resident ‘big stags’ up there.
It was a good outing, the walking was tough, I still had this dreadful cold so I guess I was not in top form, but it is always good to be out in the fresh air.
We had headed North, Marc our Second Stalker this week took Sven and Helge in the opposite direction. It was a while ago now but I remember we were bumping deer all day and to be honest there was not a lot of deer moving. Sometimes in the Rut it can just go dead, this was one of these days. We took our lunch and a break, then changed sides, we decided to head over to the West side. Again whilst taking a break, one of our party said ” look at that’, here were four people out on the West side standing on top of the highest hill taking selfies. In my time on Rona we have never had this and I sympathise with stalkers with Munros/paths that attract walkers. To me this was incomprehensible?
We headed back, the ground spoiled, a quick beer and over to Big Harbour to see where these people came from. I forgot to get a picture of it but a yacht was in the Bay with a Danish flag, (very late) I rowed out and asked the Skipper, why, despite signs did the passengers decide to go so far off piste. Once explained to him the situation, he was very apologetic and embarrassed. To cap it all he did not pay the mooring, but a wee email to the email address all over the yacht and the funds came through. Late yachts like this I can do without.
Time was moving on and we still wanted to get two, perhaps three stags. So Marc went South, in fact I may have dropped them off with the boat (it’s my memory you see!!!). But what I know is we (knud, Inger and myself) went over to the East side, South first then back along the East heading North.
We were only about 20 minutes into heading North when we heard a roar, on spying ahead we saw some hinds. I took Inger forward but there was no sign of the stag. We went back then I went forward to the other side of the knoll we were behind, Knud was sitting down taking in the view. I found the stag, a young beast, perfectly okay to cull. I went back to Knud and asked him to come forwards to have a look. We stalked in on a bare hillside, keeping close to the ground. Once behind a rock Knud had a look. The stag was lying down and I said for me, a neck shot would be no problem. Knud said, for him, no problem also. So it was that Knud took the shot and we had another stag. Then the phone ranfg. Here was Marc with his two guests. They had had an incredible stalk, a good stag was grassed.
So I rushed back to get the bike and our stag. then headed South for Marc’s.
I got my directions and made my way to the South West, expecting a long drag but the location was good and far from an easy retrieve it passed with no issues.
Back to the larder, skinning two stags, more beers and whiskies, even more retold tales of the stalks and happy hunters.
A good week with good friends. Nothing left but to clean the heads/trophies, go fishing and head over to Dry Harbour on the last night to eat all the food, expertly prepared by Knud’s sister Inger, a feast. And then the sun came out.
As a footnote here is a link to Marc’;s take on his week, Marc has been coming to Rona for more years than I can frewmember, he was a very keen countryman when I first met him, now he is a first class satalker (on Rona!!!) but seriously he has done well all these years in at the deepend. Now a very capable stalker: Marks take.
isleofronalog 