Those last stubbles are worth the trouble
Shooting Times & Country|September 23, 2020
A final or cultivated stubble may not ooze potential but if you’re lucky it can produce some exciting shooting, says Tom Payne
Tom Payne
Those last stubbles are worth the trouble

It’s been a bit of a strange harvest really. Last year was similar. Wheat has certainly been the crop of choice, from standing milky corn to old stubbles. My only theory is the timing that keeps them on the crop.

The first rape and barley stubbles didn’t shoot particularly well, not like they have in the past. Having said that, there weren’t a lot of rape stubbles. Peas are taking over as the break crop of choice in many areas.

The only reason I can think of for the early stubbles not being as productive is the early timing of the harvest. The standing wheat was still in the irresistible milky stage of growth, so why would birds leave it to scratch around for seed and grain?

Bag sizes have stayed consistent throughout the harvest, numbering from 75 to the 200s — nothing extreme but good and healthy nonetheless.

With the fields starting to be cultivated and the patchwork quilt of rural Britain beginning to change to a slightly bleak covering of browns and greens as the agricultural year comes to an end, I’m left reflecting on the harvest but also on the lookout for those final stubbles that can offer many a successful outing.

September is the month where, if you are lucky, a last stubble could produce a belter. Bean stubbles are worth looking out for, especially if there’s been a bit of rain to soften the spilt beans up a bit, making them palatable for the greedy woodpigeon.

To be honest, I haven’t seen a lot of farmers this year who are raving about their beans. Yields and general quality of crop are, to be quite frank, a bit of a disaster for many.

Stunted

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 23, 2020 من Shooting Times & Country.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 23, 2020 من Shooting Times & Country.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRY مشاهدة الكل
United we stand
Shooting Times & Country

United we stand

Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023
They're not always as easy as they seem
Shooting Times & Country

They're not always as easy as they seem

While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Debutant gundogs
Shooting Times & Country

Debutant gundogs

There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
When the going gets rough
Shooting Times & Country

When the going gets rough

Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique

time-read
5 mins  |
August 02, 2023
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
Shooting Times & Country

The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition

In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make

time-read
4 mins  |
August 02, 2023
A step too far?
Shooting Times & Country

A step too far?

Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Two bucks before breakfast
Shooting Times & Country

Two bucks before breakfast

A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem

time-read
6 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Stalking Diary
Shooting Times & Country

Stalking Diary

Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill

time-read
2 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Gamekeeper
Shooting Times & Country

Gamekeeper

Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside

time-read
3 mins  |
August 02, 2023