The term ‘gralloch’ is derived from the Scottish word grealach and defined as “the process of removing the entrails of a dead deer”. Efficient, timely, and hygienic removal of a deer’s internal organs is required to avoid any risk of food contamination or damage. The gralloch is the process of removal of the stomach and intestines, with the term ‘pluck’ meaning the organs on the head side of the diaphragm, primarily the heart and lungs.
I oversee training for people who are starting out on their stalking journey, along with those at the other end of the spectrum as they work towards the standard required to negotiate Deer Stalking Certificate Level 2. There are various methods of conducting a hygienic gralloch and best practice would recommend doing the minimum in the field, with the bulk of the work conducted in a clean larder environment.
It matters not which method you use, as long as it is compliant with the relevant food-handling regulations and you are not potentially exposing the carcass to any form of contamination during the process. In my case, as I am stalking on foot a long way from the larder and with little opportunity to get a vehicle to the shot site, I have to gralloch in the field.
Time is one of the primary factors in preventing carcass contamination and we need the beast to cool quickly. As a general guide, the deer should be bled immediately, gralloched within 20 minutes, and back in the larder within two hours. I often opt to conduct a full evisceration of the deer close to where I shoot it.
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Denne historien er fra June 23, 2021-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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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
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
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
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
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
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
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
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside