I’m taking the safety off,” I whispered.
“Are you about to take the shot?” asked my guide, Martin Edwards.
“Not yet,” I replied, “I just think I need to be ready.”
I snicked off the two-stage safety catch on the Sauer 101 rifle and we both continued to stare intently through the dense tree cover ahead of us. Martin switched between his hand-held thermal and his binoculars, while I peered through the Leica scope. The understanding between us was that I could take the shot when I felt it was right. If Martin became aware of a problem, he would let me know.
Christmas card scene
About 70 yards away was a teardrop-shaped frame of branches in an otherwise chaotic tangle of old coppicing and half-fallen tree trunks. A little farther on stood a mature roe doe. From our position, she was in the middle of the frame, looking like a scene from a Victorian Christmas card. That said, we had a less-than-perfect view. We could see her left flank, the straight line of her back, most of her shoulder plus her rump and anal tush, helpfully confirming her sex. We couldn’t see her head, except when she craned around to lick her back. I didn’t have a shot. At the base of the teardrop was a stick, poking upwards. It was blurry in the scope, but it covered the exact spot where I needed to aim.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 19, 2023-Ausgabe von Shooting Times & Country.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der April 19, 2023-Ausgabe von Shooting Times & Country.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
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
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
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
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
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
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
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
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside