As we move from spring into summer, the warmer weather beckons, but I’m in Scotland. With the next season just around the corner, I start to make some changes to the stalking kit that hangs in my utility room. Early morning starts are not conducive to domestic harmony, especially if I am thudding around at 4 am looking through cupboards for my gear.
Therefore a selection of any kit I might need is hanging or stored there with the added bonus that, as it is also the boiler room, anything damp or wet from the previous evening will be warm and dry.
It occurs to me that one of the least written about, and possibly least thought about, items of stalking gear are trousers. When you think about it that seems strange — if you head out with the wrong coat or your gloves are a bit thin when you get to the ground, most of us have a change or spares in the truck. However, who carries a spare pair of trousers?
Primarily, what I want from my stalking trousers is comfort and to achieve this they must fit well. I don’t want them to be heavy and they should be breathable, along with having sufficient and sensibly located pockets. They must be silent and made of material strong enough to withstand the brambles and thorns I invariably have to negotiate on most of my stalks.
Waterproofing also helps, as kneeling and crawling over wet grass — an early morning dew or the vagaries of the Scottish weather — will feature on most days. Finally, I’m not a massive fan of camo and much prefer one of the subtle shades of green, but that is just my choice.
1 Seeland Hawker Advance trousers
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Denne historien er fra May 19, 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