I would give up all other forms of shooting if I could still flight pigeons into a wood on a February afternoon. It’s where I began; where I grasped the need for effort to understand my quarry; where I learned to watch for patterns of behaviour, for preferred roosting trees and how pigeons adjust flight lines to the wind conditions. Pigeon shooting, in general, is perhaps the best grounding for anyone looking to understand the essence of hunting with a shotgun. The added difficulty of the height, speed, and angles when roost shooting pigeons make it a real examination of your ability and there are no guarantees of success.
Roost shooting is not an exercise in high self-esteem. It is difficult to shoot consistently well at this most sporting of birds. Occasionally, driving through the countryside, you will have a pigeon fly down a hedge alongside the car. Only then do you realise that their cruising speed is between 45 and 50 miles per hour. In average weather conditions, when they open the throttle to avoid danger, their acceleration and agility are quite astonishing. When they lift a wing to catch the power of a February gale heading for the leeward side of the wood, it is not worth wasting a shot.
Most game shooting coaches will tell you that getting your feet into the correct position is vital for successful shooting. Most roost shooting advice focuses on keeping still. Move; don’t move — the contradiction is obvious. How should we satisfy both requirements?
Denne historien er fra February 26, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra February 26, 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