Deer stalking courses for beginners and novices who want to experience truly wild and sustainable country sports with the unpredictability that it brings

Beginners Season

We host our deer stalking courses for beginners and novices from 21st October until mid-March inviting our guests the chance to hunt Red Hinds and Roe Does.

Our experiences are 4 days long and you will be stalking every day, fully accompanied at all times by one of our stalking guides.

Our Estates

We stalk Roe Deer on lowland estates in Angus & Fife, and Red Deer on estates in Perthshire and the Highlands.

Our destination each day will be dependent on weather, time of day, daylight and past sightings. We may start the day in pursuit of one animal and if the opportunity arises we may go in search of another. The beauty and drive of this sport is it’s unpredictable nature and the knowledge of your guides who have an incredible understanding the land and the animal.

Stalking Knowledge

• Firearms and safety
• Bullet placement and target practice
• Animal recognition
• Differentiating sexes
• Anatomy
• Fieldcraft
• Butchering

What To Bring

We will provide all of the hunting equipment you need for the duration of your experience. We have the rifles, vehicles, land permissions and carcass handling infrastructure along with fully equipped butchering department.

What you will require to bring is clothing that will ensure you are most comfortable throughout your experience. We are in rural Scotland where temperatures can vary and as an active sport that can see you trekking for miles and then sitting awaiting activity, it is vital to dress appropriately.  The essentials we recommend include:

• Walking boots
• Waterproof over trousers
• Hat & gloves
• We always stress that cammo clothing is not required, dark colours will suffice.

The Hunting Agenda 

Day 1

You will arrive at Woodmill around midday where we will start with a short introductory film on deer species and the outline of our deer stalking courses for beginners and novices. You will have a safety discussion on firearms and we’ll discuss stalking and fieldcraft principles. Behind Woodmill we have our own range for target practice where you will become familiar with the rifle. After all of the introductions, we will head out for our first stalking experience in the late afternoon for Roe Does.

If you are staying in Woodmill House your evening will start with a 2 course meal by an open log fire in the comfort of our drawing room. If you are staying in the self-catered Woodmill Arches, you will be able to relax in pure comfort and take the evening at your own pace.

Day 2

To make the most of the daylight, we start early for hill stalking on our Highlands estates.  You will be out for the entire day and have the opportunity for Red Hinds. We stalk in a traditional way on foot which requires a degree of fitness with a normal day lasting 6 – 8 hours. We stop frequently to spy for or listen out for the sounds of roaring stags as we plan our approach in the hope of locating a mature specimen. Lunch is often enjoyed perched in a suitable sheltered spot out of sight. If the day is successful the animals are brought back to our larder at Woodmill where they are chilled in readiness for processing as they enter our food supply business Woodmill Game.

Day 3

Same as day 2

Day 4

We will make an early start for Roe Doe stalking on our lowland estates, returning mid morning. You will then be taken through a butchering class lead by our skilled team showing the best techniques to make the most of the animal shot by you. You have the opportunity to take home the fully butchered deer and we will prepare this for you ahead of your departure.  Your stalking experience with Woodmill Shootings will finish around 2pm.