Travelling hopefully
Shooting Times & Country|June 23, 2021
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
Travelling hopefully

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.

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