I’d rather be sporting than just put stuff on the ground,” the end Gun muttered as the horn sounded and his neighbour’s old cocker bumbled over to where the first of her master’s redlegs lay dead. I was on the flank of the beating line, from where I’d watched Mr Mutterer leave anything below 40 yards high and struggle with the rest.
His fellow Gun had taken three partridges as they fizzed over energetically at half the height — all folded neatly and pickable. It got me thinking, what does ‘sporting’ really mean… and why do people’s perceptions of the term differ?
Pinning down a definition for all fieldsports without straying into the realms of vagueness is tricky, yet most of us seem able to decide whether or not something is ‘sporting’ in a split second. Or do we?
The Oxford English Dictionary interpretation is simple enough: “Fair and generous in one’s behaviour or treatment of others, especially in a contest.” But what does that mean in the context of shooting and other country pursuits?
I put the question to a few friends. While terms such as ‘fairness’, ‘level playing field’ and ‘hard-earned’ were thrown into the melting pot as expected, so too were factors such as personal skill level, familiarity with a place, weather conditions, the kit we use and the status of the quarry itself.
Might they have been overthinking it? It seems that deciding what is and isn’t sporting is more straightforward for some scenarios — and some people — than it is for others.
Denne historien er fra May 12, 2021-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra May 12, 2021-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