Savage pride and quiet respect
Shooting Times & Country|April 15, 2020
We know from ancient cave paintings that our ancestors revered their quarry and it’s vital that we retain our traditions, says Patrick Laurie
Patrick Laurie
Savage pride and quiet respect

The shooting world is full of tradition. From plus fours and tweed caps to our enduring obsession with side-by-side shotguns, it’s clear that we place tremendous value on heritage and continuity in the countryside. As a community, we’re often mocked for our tweediness and the attendant “lifestyle” that comes with our sport, but traditions seem to mark a kind of respect to those who went before us.

It is interesting to wonder why we are so fixated on our traditions, particularly when so many of them are relatively new. Germans and Scandinavians observe hunting traditions that have their roots in medieval chivalry, but most of our culture harks back to the Victorian period. There are many modern Guns who would not look out of place standing beside Edward VII.

And despite advances in outdoor clothing, many of us still choose to freeze in crispy old wax jackets that were outdated half a century ago.

In common with many shooting enthusiasts, my father made me learn the poem A Father’s Advice before I was allowed into the field. Slow at school and generally reluctant to learn anything that even resembled poetry, I memorised the verses in record time because I had a clear objective in mind. It was a matter of hours before I was able to recite “never, never let your gun pointed be at anyone / That it may unloaded be, matters not the least to me”. In learning those words I had swallowed a sensible but extremely dated piece of Victorian sporting literature.

Esta historia es de la edición April 15, 2020 de Shooting Times & Country.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición April 15, 2020 de Shooting Times & Country.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYVer todo
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 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
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 minutos  |
August 02, 2023