As the stalking season here in Ireland stutters to a close, many of us are left reflecting on a season that never really happened.
Following lockdown 2.0 in October and November, the resumption of some form of stalking normality in December lasted about as long as a typical Irish summer — approximately three-and-a-half weeks. By the first week in January, COVID-19’s catastrophic Christmas present had us back in hard lockdown once more and confined to travel within 5km of home.
While deer management for essential crop or forest protection was not explicitly prohibited, the interpretation of ‘essential’ was largely left to the discretion of individual Garda. The general consensus among stalkers in my acquaintance was that stalking more than 5km from home would certainly leave you open to the hefty fines laid out for breaching lockdown rules, quite apart from being somewhat against the spirit of the restrictions.
With the accompanying closure of pubs, restaurants and the hospitality sector, the demand for venison — already severely depressed — dried to a trickle and I am not aware of a single game dealer collecting venison in Kerry. What had been frozen ahead of the festive season is still largely on ice and those of us fortunate enough to still be able to indulge in a bit of ultra-local stalking are filling our own freezers and those of our neighbours.
Positives
Like many, I am aware that in recent weeks I have been doing more than my fair share of grumbling. With this in mind, I reasoned that it would do me no harm at all to reflect on some of the positive aspects of this season amid the challenges that stalking is facing here in Ireland (and elsewhere).
Denne historien er fra March 10, 2021-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra March 10, 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.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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
