The birds that tower above

With concerns rising over wounding game and showing restraint, Guy Maddocks puts a forward the case for the high-bird Gun

In a moment of complete madness, I suggested to the Editor that I head off to a high tower to investigate whether or not we should be shooting high birds, hopefully highlighting that it’s more a case of a Gun’s ability.

Here in the West Country, where I am lucky enough to reside, we tend to shoot fairly high birds. The shoots I visit offer sport that will test the best of Guns. When I moved to Devon some 25 years ago, I had left my usual Hampshire lowland shoots and walked smack-bang into high-bird heaven, with birds like nothing I had shot before.

So here I am at the wonderful Lady’s Wood Shooting School, standing at the foot of their 75-yard tower, thinking, “Me and my big mouth.” Luckily, I’m here with instructor Chris Hanks who will, I’m sure, help me out and pass on some tips and advice if needed — and by ‘if’, I mean ‘when’.

We leave the very comfortable surroundings of the Lady’s Wood clubhouse and head out to the shooting ground to see what is on offer. There is a multitude of shooting available, spread over 50 acres, from a Sporting layout to a woodcock drive, a simulated pigeon hide and, of course, the high towers. The six towers range from 30 yards to the mighty 75-yard monster, all equipped with Bowman ABT traps. I do believe I have arrived in a game shooter’s paradise.

So what is the point of all this? I am a little worried about the murmurings that are getting louder regarding the shooting of high birds and the need for Guns to show restraint for fear of wounding and not killing the bird. I’m hoping to put forward a case for the high-bird Gun.