Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them
Shooting Times & Country|November 15,2017

Massive Galloway stags can weigh as much as 25st — a throwback from wapiti blood introduced in the 19th century, says Patrick Laurie

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

We crouched down behind a massive boulder. A glacier had dumped this chunk of granite on top of the hill and it had endured thousands of winters here. I stared into the stone and counted the flakes of lichen to pass the time. Half an hour had dribbled by, during which time the rain had started to fall with a deafening clatter. I could see the tread of my friend’s walking boots as he lay a few yards away.

I often forget that stalking is defined as much by tiny, random details as it is by grand, sweeping vistas. While most of the day is spent in glorious scenery, the nuts and bolts often take place in strange corners where attention is focused on a few square feet. While we waited for the stag to emerge from his gully, my day shrank down to nothing but those flakes of lichen and the soles of those size-10 boots.

We were up on the high ground near Carsphairn, approaching the final days of the stag season in pursuit of a Galloway monster. Centuries of human tradition have washed over this landscape, leaving a fantastic array of placenames. I looked towards the Dungeon past Mulwarcher and the Wolf Slock. A tiny nick in the hills revealed a corner of Curlywee and the Buckdas of Cairnbaber.

If the day had been any clearer, we might have been able to see everything from Jura to the Isle of Man, including big swathes of Northern Ireland and the Pennines. As it was, the rain brought visibility down to a few miles, and the clouds began to descend.

The stag had been with his hinds but a swirling wind seemed to have blown our scent in their direction and they had dropped out of sight. A wicked old hind stared back over her shoulder at us before leading the group slowly away. I was left to mull over the enduring image of a vast, black beast with dark, heavy antlers walking slowly in the rear.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYView all
United we stand
Shooting Times & Country

United we stand

Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023
They're not always as easy as they seem
Shooting Times & Country

They're not always as easy as they seem

While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Debutant gundogs
Shooting Times & Country

Debutant gundogs

There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
When the going gets rough
Shooting Times & Country

When the going gets rough

Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
Shooting Times & Country

The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition

In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
A step too far?
Shooting Times & Country

A step too far?

Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Two bucks before breakfast
Shooting Times & Country

Two bucks before breakfast

A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Stalking Diary
Shooting Times & Country

Stalking Diary

Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill

time-read
2 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Gamekeeper
Shooting Times & Country

Gamekeeper

Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023