A kestrel hovered above us as the shoot briefing began. Edward Bromet, our host, welcomed in the new season, the Twelfth and the Guns to Bingley Moor under the management of the Bingley Moor Partnership.
Guns pulled from a deck for pegs and, under the watchful eye of headkeeper Simon, the beaters, flankers, underkeepers and dog handlers took flight to ready the first drive. A two-minute drive landed us on a gently sloping edge. In the valley below lay Bingley and on the horizon loomed the dark shape of Pendle Hill.
I was going to be sharing my day with Philip one of the shoot's old hands and, on the opening day of the season, the only man brave enough to share his butt with a stranger to witness an off-season’s-worth of potential rust and bad habits. But with his Purdey in hand and 59 grouse seasons behind him, he felt equal to the task.
The Guns lay eerily quiet, knowing the acrobatic skill of the grouse on this moor as Ed, on our neighbouring butt, began a 1950s-style calisthenics routine followed by some necessary dry mounts of his gun.
Breaking the line
A buzzard soared overhead as beaters, spaniels, pointers, labradors and an old, yet determined, terrier pushed forth. The ground ahead started to move. A covey of six grouse took flight, quickly hitting top speed with the wind at their backs.
They picked their moment well, managing to break the line without a single shot being fired in front and two desperate efforts leaving them untouched as they built ground behind the Guns. Shots rang out further down the line, with the odd bird beginning to drop. A single grouse hammered its way down Ed’s throat and, with a clean miss, it was pushed up to us, allowing Philip to dispatch the ‘crosser’ with his first barrel.
この記事は Shooting Times & Country の August 12, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Shooting Times & Country の August 12, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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