Our winter has been characterised by rain of almost biblical proportions. The wet meadows of the Hampshire Avon valley have been flooded for what seems like months and even the usually dryer chalk uplands have been transformed into sodden sponges. Every step is betrayed by comical squelching and it is often dangerously slippery underfoot to boot.
Considering all these impediments, my roe doe cull has gone remarkably well, with the mantra of my wise old mentor — “Push really hard in November and the first few weeks of December, because January and February are rarely kind to the stalker” — proving its worth again.
Given a fair wind, I’ll soon be slowly stalking some of my first bucks through coppice woodlands surrounded by carpets of bluebells, with the warmth of the spring sunshine on my back. Events this year may well take a turn for the worse, but I tend not to worry about things that are genuinely out of my control.
The rhythm of our wild seasons will continue without reference to our puny human interventions and I’ll plan for normality, while keeping a weather eye open for serious trouble on the horizon.
Buck cull
Much of March is spent in reconnaissance for the first crucial weeks of the buck cull, when the woodland and arable vistas are still relatively bare, missing the rapidly thickening vegetation of April and well before the choking verdancy of May.
There is no specific trophy hunting on any of my ground, so decisions on buck quality can be made directly through the binoculars and handed immediately to the rifle without any conflicting pressures to “leave him for later and a paying visiting Gun”.
Denne historien er fra April 08, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra April 08, 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