Foxy lady! Good long shot this for an old chap with an old rifle and an old landrover. Good thing was I had a very solid rest on a tree stump and just held about two inches above her shoulder. Bang on!

Here’s a spiky (or spikey) roe buck that I shot the other night. I’ve heard ones like this described as “murder bucks” as they can do a lot of damage to other bucks in the rut with their antlers.

It’s a bit of a quaint photo as I took it with my book in mind, so the rifle, the binoculars and the range finder are arrayed and will ultimately appear as “The Roe stalkers equipment”. I see my roe sack is not in it, nor my stick so I’ll have to shoot another one and get everything in! A giant bottle of midge repellent should take centre stage!!

I should put in a plug for Continental Shooting Supplies here as I purchased much of the stuff there. Jim Young fitted the muzzle brake and the ’scope, bins and range finder came from them too.

One of the numerous reasons for being away is that I have been out on the hill, deer stalking.  I managed to get this fine beast out on the hills of Argyll. Fantastic.Yes I do know that it’s quite irresponsible to shoot a stag such as this but I reckon everybody is due one in their lifetime. This is mine!

It’s been ages since I’ve been here, but, one day, I shot some ball trap – not very well I must say. I did have one superb shot however, when, after hitting the target with my first barrel, I opened the gun, took the empty cartridge out and then, as I usually do, blew the smoke out. On this occasion however, my chewing gum shot out of my mouth and straight down the barrel onto the ground! What a shot. Perfecto!

The pest’s gun broke late week. Really broke! So, over to the best gunsmith in the world, and in turn on the phone to Alan Rhone who deals with Kreighof.

To cut a long story short, there was a new action and fore-end iron at the BGITW’s workshop at 0930 the next morning. Up and running by 10 o’clock. What service. Thanks to Andy, Alan and all at Kreighof. Marvellous service.

Ah, the trusty 30.06 goes on forever. Last three shots with that mighty weapon were, a warthog in Africa, a fox and a roe buck. Fantastic eh? I think I shall go out and shoot a wabbit tonight just to keep it going. Then maybe a crow, or a pigeon. How many different things are possible consecutively?

For a 40 odd year old rifle, it really is wonderful.

Our man John, the only one in the team to shoot a 25 straight at the International, observed wryly that, yet again, Scotland had swept the board in the veteran runner up category!!!

‘Nuff said!

We couldn’t get a full team for the OS Home International. It would seem particulary appropriate then that we can call ourselves Jagdstaffel elf and be proud of it.

Happy day. The clever ones will know what I’m talking about!

“that’s how elementary it’s gonna be”. I don’t remember the crooner who sang this but I see that 123 is what was needed for the final of the World Championship Olympic Skeet. And then of course 11 doubles for the winner, Shomin from Russia. 149 to take the win from Falco on the same score but one less bird on that last double. Tough going. Achilleos came third which I don’t imagine he’ll be too cheery about. Two Cypriots on 148 for third and fourth (Achilleos and Antonakis) and then Hancock and Golding on 147 for 5th and 6th. Four 25 straights and two 24’s in the final. Two targets out of 150. Hmmm. Not many pick ups there then.

A great effort.

Jon McGrath from USA took the juniors with 123 but even there, there was a big shoot off for 5th and 6th – 8 doubles being needed to separate them.

What a display of skeet shooting talent. Joy.

Young Robbie Shedden won the Scottish Skeet Championship yesterday with a very fine 100 straight. This after a shoot off into the bargain! he also won the Scottish Junior Championship. Oh joy! Youth comes through. I will of course harrass, torment, cajole, bribe and harangue him mercilessly to be an Olympic Skeet shooter, but at the moment he (and indeed all of us) should revel in his win.

Is it not the most peculiar thing however that we have two Skeet Championships – OS and National – a week apart, both won by somebody called Robbie???  That, to me,  is seriously spooky.

I had an ancestor called Robbie, or Rob anyway. He was married to a Campbell (!) from Glenlyon just up the road from my family home. His second name was Roy. Aye, Rob Roy indeed. It’s all in the name for those heroes!! Gregalach!

Anyway a big well done to the lad. I hope he blows them all away at the Home International also.