Born out of necessity, turned into recreation and now often a business, how would we classify game shooting? It no longer harvests wild produce, nor is it essential to feed us; quite the opposite, it holds precious little value as a food source. It is not a sport, per se, when the definition of such is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment”.
Though we may pursue game, it is certainly not a game — it is far more serious than that. What we have done is placed game shooting under the umbrella of ‘fieldsports’. The definition or description of fieldsports is “the non-competitive killing or capture of wild animals for pleasure in a rural environment, also referred to as countryside pursuits”. The one word that so many have a problem with is ‘pleasure’ or enjoyment, the fact that we enjoy killing living creatures. To be honest, when applied to fieldsports, it does deserve an explanation.
Even when life on earth started as simple pond-living amoeba-like creatures, they had to hunt for food, the success of which meant a meal, and that gave pleasure. We often forget that we are just part of the animal kingdom. Today our intelligence and dexterity have allowed us to be faster on land, air and sea than any other living creature, but for our ancestors this was not the case. Hunting must have been a hard and dangerous activity, with success the difference between life and death.
Hunting instinct
Esta historia es de la edición April 12, 2023 de Shooting Times & Country.
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Esta historia es de la edición April 12, 2023 de Shooting Times & Country.
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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