Shoots during the Christmas and New Year break will likelyhave a special significance this year. With a chunk of the season lost to lockdown in most cases, we will all be relishing the Boxing Day armed ramble more than ever. And, as always, it will be a joy to see the younger generation out and enjoying what may be their only day of the season.
With a month to the season’s end, and perhaps a bit more to pack in than usual due to postponements, it will be all too easy to forget that what next season will look like is influenced by decisions made right now. But, if you are involved in shoot management in any way, do try to pause for thought through the festive season.
Low bird counts
With longer breaks than normal between shoot days, we might hope that there are extra birds for the late shoots. If this does not materialise, ask yourself why. Have you failed to provide the extra feed that the higher numbers needed, or is something more fundamental wrong?
Cover crops that have not stood up well could be a factor, so could declining habitat quality in the woods. Is there still a decent shrub layer, or has canopy closure started to starve out the sunlight that is so essential to woodland floor habitat?
Aside from a few very early starters such as ravens and mistle thrushes, there are three months between now and the start of the breeding season for work in the woods that will not risk disrupting any nesting attempts. So working up a plan now gives you the chance to get going as soon as shooting is over, and perhaps hire some help too.
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.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
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.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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
