Heading Through A Purple Patch
Shooting Times & Country|September 02, 2020
Simon Garnham heads to wild West Yorkshire for his first taste of driven grouse shooting
Simon Garnham
Heading Through A Purple Patch

The old cock grouse had run the gauntlet of at least five seasons. His dark plumage and granite beak spokeof a mature bird. He had survived a muggy COVID-19 summer and the long cold winter of 2018, growing impressive feathers on his ridged toes with every passing year.

In August 2020 he slipped early through the line of Guns on rolling wings. He jinked on an easterly breeze and curled at an impossible angle. Despite the best efforts of Guns hidden in butts number five and six, he twisted unscathed like a fighter jet back towards his territory. Beaters and flankers were still out of sight. He was alone, cutting the air at speeds of up to 80mph.

Heart pounding, I crouched among the heather of Worsthorne Moor, a broken stone dam behind me on the banks of a steeply sloping valley. It had been a tough slog up the rush-beds and dampness seeped into the lining of my jacket. Coasting on set wings, Lagopus lagopus curled into view below me along the valley side, following the line of the heather. I twisted as I might when a teal zips along a creek. The ground beneath me was boggy, making foot movements almost impossible. When my hips could twist no further, I squeezed the trigger.

The handsome bird dropped into the moorland grasses. I marked the spot where he had fallen, Britain’s most iconic and exciting quarry species. My first ever grouse and my first bird of the eagerly awaited 20202021 season.

Brontë country

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYView all
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