The Harwood Arms | A typical stalk

At the Harwood Arms, (and at the Pot Kiln and Ledbury) ingredients are key to our success. One of the most important of these is Venison. We ONLY use wild venison, culled from areas where the deer population is in need of control. The deer may be Fallow, Roe or Muntjac, but the method used to stalk them is the same. Stalking is hard work and very physical, and requires excellent fieldcraft and skill to outwit these challenging creatures. The goal is to get close enough ( under 200yds) to kill the deer instantly. The ultimate in humane meat, the deer is unaware of the presence of the skilled stalker, thus is completely unstressed when killed. Deer stalking in the UK is highly controlled and requires both the possession of a Firearms Certificate and a Deer Stalking qualification (usually a DSC1 or 2 certificate issued by BASC, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation). UK law requires that a high powered rifle with expanding ammunition be used to ensure a clean kill and obviously this requires scrupulous adherence to safety and security. The wind direction, combined with an intimate knowledge of the terrain tells us how best to approach the deer. We then carefully scout various locations until we find a stalkable beast. This will be in a safe place, in season and accessible. A stealthy approach follows, often crawling on ones stomach, moving exquisitely slowly (movement is what they see) until we are in position. Next we make sure there are no obstacles between us and the deer which may deflect a bullet ( grass, twigs etc) and that there is a safe backstop behind it. We then wait until the deer is perfectly side on, presenting a clean shot. The stalker will then check the range, squeeze the trigger and the deer falls dead. We then wait for two minutes to be sure there is no movement, then the trained dog will run forward to locate the carcass (when they are in long grass or woodland they can be hard to find). Having located the carcass, it is essential to cleanly gralloch (gut) the deer. The sooner this is done the better, and we usually carry out the gralloch within five minutes of shooting. The liver and kidneys are kept and go on the menu at the Pot tKiln straight away. The law requires that we tag the carcass so that it can be traced back through the food chain. Each tag carries a unique number which can be traced back to the qualified stalker. We then carry the carcass to the Land Rover and take it to the Game dealer where it is hung and inspected by a vet for quality. After a specified period of time the carcass is skinned and butchered to our specifications, then returned to the restaurant where we work our magic!! Occasionally, there are opportunities to come stalking with me - but it does involve some very early mornings! If you are really keen, please get in touch. This record Fallow buck was shot in February