Page 78 - The Light Dragoon 2024

Gralloching
Ex HINDS DEMISE
November 2023 brought the Light Dragoons to Kinloch Hourn on the west coast of Scotland. Hosted by former Light Dragoon Josh Osborne, the stalking excursion spanned across three days of arduous trekking across the hills and on all modes of transport. Cpl Coldwell Dabbs, LCpl Marshall, LCpl Keaton, Tpr Gough, and I travelled up on Monday morning, arriving at the Lodge just before dark. Josh greeted us and introduced us to the team; Darren his assistant stalker; Megan the chef; and Andy the Gilly. We showered, changed, and received a safety brief from Josh before sitting down for supper. The weather was set to be grey the following day.
Keeping good on it’s promise, the weather was drizzling in the morning and nearly all our kit breached on the hill by the afternoon. We zeroed the rifles in the morning and stepped off up the hill by 9am. Splitting off into two groups, Tpr Gough brought down his first deer and was blooded in the tradi- tional fashion. We learnt gralloching on the hill and under the supervision of Josh had a crack ourselves. The second team were not as fortunate during the ascent however. On the return, LCpl Marshall killed three deer residing in the woods above the lodge. We did wonder as we heard on the radio which deer he had come across. Could it be the deer that we bypassed? Surely not, they were so close. Back down at the lodge we headed to the larder and learnt that it was those three, but also how to butcher the rest and make the carcasses ready for the game dealer. A candle lit dinner due to a power outage, and a few drinks later, our tired legs informed us to head upstairs.
The following day brought good weather and we headed off up the estate West along the Loch. We stuck as one group and Megan was also able to join us. On the ascent behind the lodge, LCpl Keaton shot “the biggest billy goat” that Josh had
seen. Afterwards, the first couple of stalks were not successful, however Cpl Coldwell Dabbs and I were able to conduct some coordinated shooting on a mother and calf pair before we dragged both to the boat for extraction – after I too was blooded. Josh took the rest for a further stalk which returned three deer by Tpr Gough and LCpl Marshall. A similar wash up to the previous day, however I took LCpl Keaton aside to show him how to breast some grouse that Josh had brought; we had grouse fritters to start.
The final day brought good weather again: the consistent east wind held the clouds over the Atlantic at bay. We stepped off in two groups. Darren took his boat assault force along the north edge of the Loch while Josh, Cpl Coldwell Dabbs, Tpr Gough and I headed up the hill towards the northern edge of the estate. A successful day on the hill yielded three deer and LCpl Keaton shot another goat. Our return at 2pm to the lodge, it allowed for the heads of some deer and goats to be skinned and they will now be sitting proudly in the soldiers’ rooms. We all returned with a cut of meat that Darren had skinned the previous day – the calf that LCpl Marshall was blooded with. I can confirm that venison shot yourself is very good. The Officers’ Mess kitchen turned into something out of Hannibal as I gleaned every last ounce of meat from the bone. With a bit of help from 2Lt Deakin, a fine venison steak supper for those in that weekend.
A thoroughly enjoyable few days: LCpl Keaton remarked on the drive home that it was the best £250 he had ever spent. I can think of few better ways to spend our time in Scotland, and I thank Josh, Darren, Megan, and Andy for a phenomenal trip. A second trip is being run by Lt Greaves in February 2024, we will have to see whether he can match the bag of 13 Hinds and two Billy Goats.
LCpl Goat Killer Keaton
The Lodge
Cpl Dabbs tracks the kill
Relaxing in the drawing room
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