Occasionally I am asked to act as a Gun at field trials and I always accept with enthusiasm, for these events are both interesting and — dare I say it — amusing. Last autumn I watched a poor soul who had abandoned any pretence that her dog was on the line of a runner, vainly whistling while her labrador indulged in the canine equivalent of a drunken spree, galloping through the sugar beet and raising birds in all directions.
To my left stood the headkeeper, his face, after years of self-discipline, quite expressionless, and to my right two judges erased the beast’s name from their sheets.
Even more rewarding to the keen student of human behaviour is the face of the man who has voluntarily resigned after his dog has run-in. In dead silence he walks from the line, head erect, features set, as if the firing squad waited behind the hedge.
The pleasure I gain from watching the intensity of emotion with which the experts view the minor errors of their stars should not be interpreted as a criticism of their desire for perfection. I both appreciate and applaud the patience and time required to make a good dog. What I do regret is the sight of the ordinary shooting man abusing his dog and marring his own day because it falls below the unreasonably high standard he has set.
Obviously it is desirable to train a dog to the best possible level, but busy men who have many other interests besides dog training must make a realistic appraisal of the standard they can hope to achieve and, equally important, maintain.
For better or worse
Denne historien er fra April 15, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra April 15, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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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