In the teeth of the storm
Shooting Times & Country|March 04, 2020
Raging February winds make it a day to savour for Simon Garnham on a three-phase expedition geared to capitalise on the conditions
Simon Garnham
In the teeth of the storm
Gale-force winds can supercharge rain like claymore mines firing. They assault your face and find every way to knife at your body. They break branches for fun and send the estuary into a vortex of angry spray and lather. Forecasters advise staying indoors. But, in February, to a sportsman such winds bring the same joy that an early school closure does to a schoolboy.

One such February day occurred. Tess and I set out into the teeth of the storm. On my little piece of East Anglian coast, wigeon are still considering their next mammoth journey. There are pintail too. And teal zip around in packs.

The lure of the marsh proved too great. I decided on three phases: a walk out at low tide, an afternoon in the woods chasing pigeon, then later back on the saltings for evening flight at high tide.

Phase one was creek crawling. Daytime shooting on the estuary near me has to be approached with caution. It’s a favourite spot for bird watchers, and rightly so. On the Big Farmland Bird Count this year, I was able to report lapwings, curlew, skylarks, grey partridges, linnets and corn buntings on the fields, while on the marshes, for the discerning twitcher, there were all manner of waders, duck and geese.

Entirely alone

While I’m proud of what we do within the shooting community, I don’t wish to upset people, so I rarely venture out during daylight hours when binoculars are poised and telescopes are ready on the seawall. But on the afternoon in question, Tess and I were entirely alone between the dark sky and the foaming deep.

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