THE RED DEER 
There are a good many places in Highland forests where deer are, 
and always have been, unstalkable, no matter what the airt of wind. 
These spots the deer know well and invariably choose as their resting 
ground. 
As Mr Grimble says, the only way is to go through the form of making 
the stalk and chance deer moving to some better place where a shot 
may be possible after they have settled down. It is seldom the case that 
a big herd remains long in such a position, for the simple reason that 
it is unlikely that it contains good and sufficient feeding for all. Con- 
sequently in this case it is well to subdue the soul in patience and spend 
the hours in practising with the glass, studying heads, and talking to the 
stalker. With the evening a big herd is sure to move, and then by some 
swift manoeuvre from the top it may be possible to cut off and get a shot 
at a good beast as he comes up into the wind. 
I remember once when I was young lying on a very wet hilltop from 
10 a.m. till 4 p.m., watching some 300 stags that were below — the finest 
herd of adult stags I have ever seen in Scotland — and being at last re- 
warded by a shot at the best of the lot, a good eleven -pointer, which 
I killed. I know that if I had been by myself I should have tried to get in 
more than once during the day, but the stalker. Grant, knew his ground, 
and how the wind curled “ all ways ” half way down the slope, and coun- 
selled patience. Of course he was right, as events proved. 
The usual position in which the largest stags are found, except early 
in the season, when they often lie just under the tops in fine weather, is 
somewhat low down on the sheltered side of a valley, with hinds and small 
beasts scattered or outlying up above. This means that the wind is coming 
over the top of the hill and probably “ lapping ” in on both flanks. If the 
wind is strong it is sometimes possible to get in on one or other of the 
flanks, but a stalk either from above or below is impossible. Nevertheless 
stalking a first-class stag in such circumstances — often hopeless as 
it is — is far more amusing than any number of easy stalks against a 
fair wind with nothing in the way. After all, the triumph of mind over 
matter is what is interesting, so let us always try the difficult problem 
in preference to the easy victory. 
The next important thing is not to move deer. One bad error or over- 
sight in the morning will often spoil the beat on the whole forest for the 
day. That little party which has seen you and crossed the skyline at a 
gentle trot, will probably not settle down in the next corrie; but will go 
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