1 – The Scottish Borders

Easily accessible from both Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports (1 hour 20 minutes drive), the Scottish Borders is one of the best Scottish hunting vacation locations for those who enjoy wing shooting including everything from driven grouse to walked up pheasant and partridge. The scenery is beautiful with everything from low rolling hills, to manicured parkland, to rugged wind-swept grouse moors.

Not only is there excellent wing shooting and roe deer stalking in the Borders, there is also a huge amount for non hunters to see and do; there are ruined abbeys, castles (both ruined and still intact), beautiful hiking opportunities, horse riding stables, a whisky distillery, golf courses and of course salmon fishing on the River Tweed.

Click on the number “1” on the map above to see which species are available and their seasons.

2 – Highland Perthshire

For anyone who is looking for the whole Scottish experience all in one place we recommend Highland Perthshire as the very best all-in-one Scottish hunting location there is.

Spend your 1st day hunting red deer on the heather clad hills then head back to the bar for a whisky by the fire. On day 2 you can visit the distillery where last night’s whisky was made (or maybe even 2 or 3 distilleries!!?). Day 3 could be reserved for a bit of history with a castle or two and maybe a palace and an Abbey thrown in for good measure. On the 4th day you could get back to hunting with a day of pheasant and partridge, day 5 could be for fallow buck, day 6 for fishing, day 7 for roe buck etc. etc.

There is so much to do in Highland Perthshire for both hunters and non hunters alike that we could probably dedicate a whole website to it on its own.

Perhaps the best way to get the most out of Highland Perthshire is to click on the number “2” above to see the species available and their seasons and then get in touch and we will create a personalised proposal for you so you can see all the best bits of this beautiful area of Scotland.

3 – The Trossachs

About an hour and  half’s drive will take you into the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The whole area is stunning, from Rob Roy’s Grave, to Glen Orchy, across Rannoch Moor and all the way through to Glen Coe, the scenery is wild and as stereotypical Scottish as you can imagine and its this scenery that provides the topography for some serious hunting.

As a Scottish hunting location this area is not for the faint hearted; it’s Scottish Highland stalking at it toughest and consequently, most rewarding.  To be able to bag a red deer stag in this terrain you need to be able to walk (and crawl!) up hill at pace all day, from 09:00 to 17:00 with minimal breaks. The hills are not gentle, they are very steep and we recommend this stalking only to the very fittest of our guests.

Click on the number “3” to get a taste of some of the scenery of this beautiful area and to see what species are available (we’ll give you a hint…… it’s red deer and red deer only).

4 – The Isle of Skye

A little further afield from the main entry points to Scotland (Edinburgh & Glasgow Airports) lies the beautiful and romantic Isle of Skye. Skye is home to some breath-taking scenery including beaches that look like they are in the Caribbean, mountains that look like they’ve been taken from a fairy tale and quaint towns straight from a story book. There’s also a few nice castles and some excellent distilleries including the world famous Talisker and also the lesser known but very unique “Gaelic Whiskies” (and Gealic Gins as well!). A drive to Skye from Edinburgh takes around 5 and a half hours so, although it’s quite a drive, it is doable in a day. The Isle of Skye has something for everyone and is the perfect holiday Island for hunters and non-hunters alike. Our insider tip would be to avoid Skye in high season as this small island gets somewhat overwhelmed with visitors.

As a Scottish hunting location, the best time to visit Skye would be either September and October for the red deer stags or November through to January for the woodcock shooting which is a truly memorable experience. Woodcock fly low and fast through the trees, jinking as they go making them a challenge for even the most experienced guns. A woodcock shoot will take you to places no other visitor to Skye get to see whilst also enjoying some of the finest shooting Scotland has to offer. Woodcock arrive in Scotland with the 1st full moon in November so why not book a trip in December or January and combine it with some red deer hind stalking?

We can safely say from experience there’s nothing better than relaxing in the pub after a cold day on the red hinds and sipping a Gaelic whisky in front of the fire with live folk music playing and the locals chatting away in Gaelic. Click on the number “4” to have a look at the species and the seasons available.

If you’d like to enjoy the full shooting, Gaelic, whisky, pub, folk music and roaring fire experience then get in touch today as there’s only one place that has all of those and it’s a trade secret, but it’s a secret we are happy to share with River & Green customers!

 5- Cairngorm Mountains National Park

The Cairngorm Mountains National Park is a truly special part of Scotland and is only about 1 hour 50 minutes drive from Edinburgh City centre. The Cairngorms are a hub for outdoor activities from mountain biking to hiking, all the way through to skiing and of course, hunting.

For the non hunters there is plenty to see and do including visiting Balmoral Castle (The Queen’s residence in Scotland), Skiing at Glenshee, visiting Braemar Castle or visiting a variety of distilleries. The 1 main road through the Cairngorms is breathtaking and it makes an excellent road trip especially for the whisky lovers. Starting at Royal Lochnagar Distillery you can take the road through the mountains all the way to Spey-side which is a veritable Nirvana for those whose appreciate the “Water Of Life”(or whisky as it’s more commonly known).

For the hunters, the main draw to this area is the unrivalled grouse shooting. Grouse are probably the most sought after quarry in Scotland (and have the price tag to match!). There is nothing more iconic than the image of a tweed-clad hunter in the purple heather hills trying to bag a brace of grouse, it is a bucket-list activity and one for those who have ticked off every other hunting experience Scotland has to offer and are now looking for the ultimate challenge. Grouse fly low and fast and are therefore for experienced hunters only as there is a not inconsiderable element of risk involved in a grouse shoot. Choose between walked up grouse shooting (for the very fit), or driven grouse shooting (for those for whom price is of no import), either will be a day out that will live long in the memory.

Click on the number “5” to see a photo of some of our VVIP American clients after their latest grouse shooting day in the Cairngorms.

If any of the various Scottish hunting locations mentioned here have sparked your imagination, then please do get in touch today and we would be delighted to put together a personalised proposal for you. Either email me (Alex) on alex@river-green.com or fill in the enquiry form on the right hand side of this page.

We look forward to hearing from you!