For HM the Queen the short periods of time in which she can relax are most precious. Her constant companions, the royal dogs, corgis and ‘dorgies’, and her gundogs — labradors and cocker spaniels — provide the opportunities to unwind in the privacy of her home or on her estates. Whether she is visiting the kennels, walking on the estate, helping with the training or working on shoot days, Her Majesty’s dogs provide that means of escape that everyone needs.
Though extremely modest when talking of her knowledge and ability with dogs, the Queen has a wide experience of gundogs — particularly the way they work — and her handling ability either in competition or pickingup is undoubtedly that of a true expert. She keeps mainly labradors because she felt it was a normal thing to do, following in the footsteps of her father, King George VI. But the King did not encourage the young Princess Elizabeth; he did not feel it was right that princesses should be working gundogs in the field.
The young Princess, however, had other ideas and at Balmoral would take corgis, or any dog available, to find the birds. When relating tales of these times, the Queen smiles at the memory of the corgis, which have very good noses, finding more game in the deep heather than the labradors. For a corgi, however, retrieving is a little difficult, so she would watch the dogs working and read from their actions where they had found the grouse, rescuing them from the depths of the heather.
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Denne historien er fra February 24, 2021-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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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