I have come to the Aberarder Estate in the central highlands where guests are arriving
for a lovely day of pheasant shooting.
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That was the first drive.
Proof that the Aberarder 50-yarder makes it harder to fill the larder.
Now, that kind of mixed pheasant and partridge off moorland does not happen by accident.
As the pickers-up busy themelves, let's talk to one of the men behind it.
People like to travel and they hear of Scotland and they think of the hills and the mountains
and that is what they come for and when they finally get here they are not disappointed.
But I am a Yorkshire man so I can be balanced in my viewpoint.
For a local Scot's view, let's turn to the gamekeeper.
We try and cater for all tastes really.
We can do anything from rough day walking up pheasant, hares, ducks and grouse up to
premium driven days in the region of 250 per head, maybe 300 tops.
And that's what we're here to do today.
So,it's off to the second drive.
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For me it is the sheer beauty of the place.
The incredibly kind people and the fabulous bird shooting.
Also the estates are so tidy and pretty and so well kept.
It is a blast to be here.
Thank you.
Well I think we have a huge advantage in Scotland with the hills and at Aberarder we are got
a lot of hills and some beautiful trees to be able to show the pheasants around and over
and we have an excellent head keeper who understands pheasants and who has been at it for many
years.
We are shooting over about 13,000 acres and about 6,000 acres of that is open hill for
driven grouse.
We have got about 3,000 acres of commercially planted forestry where we do quite a lot of
deer stalking and the rest is low ground and is hard wood and deciduous wood.
Yes it is good for the pheasants we have got a good mix with more open woodlands and then
the thicker woodlands for winter cover.
We can get quite a few woodcock through the winter here as well.
They love the birchwoods in particular and the ground is quite soft.
Still a bit early for woodcock today - but not too early for a drink.
We stop by the loch and fill up on sausages and soup.
This team of guns is American, as you probably worked out - the same team of guns we were
out on our Hull Cartridge day - and they are doing well, so there is time to fit in something
a bit different: there are only a few duck in this little corrie and, like the Texan
businessmen who are shooting them, they are highfliers.
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Marcus has one word to describe the last drive of the day.
Showpiece.
This is one of my favourite ones, particularly with the wind, we haven't got it today the
birds should do well.
It is one of Euan's favourites.
He has the habit of having two release pens for each drive.
One is behind us and the other is over here.
So we are never quite sure which way the birds are going to turn and with the wind they can
go to one and turn on the wind and go to the other.
Everybody can have shooting there is no favourite peg.
Perhaps the low numbers get more, but the higher numbers get higher birds.
Young man's sport for the beaters here.
We have got lots of hills here.
If you are new here you go to the top of the hill and it is quite a pull for them.
First couple shots of the drive so let's sit back and watch.
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One of the reasons we like to come here is because it is the whole package not just the
hunting, not just the shooting, we enjoy the whole place and it is important to see a bit
of the country as well.
So they are not just into shooting, they want to see a bit of everything, but they do want
to shoot as well.
Right, what is next the chef needs a drink that is what is next.
Well a lovely day's shooting there in gorgeous autumn colours and if you would like to find
out more about shooting at Aberarder, duck, grouse, pheasant or partridge email lackiesmithls@highlandsporting.com