Travelling hopefully

While we want to encourage the young in fieldsports, spoon-feeding them is selfish and unhelpul in the long run, warns John Humphreys

- John Humphreys

There can be few sportsmen who do not owe much of their enthusiasm and knowledge to receiving sound guidance from a mentor when they were young. Many of us must have a clear memory of such a hero — often a grandfather, father, or uncle — who, recognizing a kindred spirit, was able to recapture his own youth by guiding a youngster on the paths he should follow. Gunstocks were eagerly, and often recklessly, shortened to fit the novice, small rods and spare tackle hunted out, ill-fitting oilskins provided and Christmas and birthday present carefully chosen to foster the interest.

More important than the kitting out was the store of long-accumulated knowledge, wisdom, and golden rules which was also handed down. Boys who were thus prepared for field sports graduated slowly to better equipment, and to more important and well-attended occasions when it was felt that the lessons had been truly learned.

BB tells a rather shocking story of his first invitation as a boy to an important shoot. At lunchtime his gun was left inadvertently loaded, was knocked down by a dog, and went off. I still cringe when I read his description of the irate host and subsequent slow journey home in disgrace. It is a good reminder that any mentor needs to instil, in their pupil, that safety matters more than anything.

Benign