Christmas and wildfowling are both family affairs in Jonathan Young’s household, where getting up early is not just about surprising Santa Claus
UNDERWEAR strewn across the floor usually fills a page or two in bonkbusters but not in the plot of 50 shades of greylag. With a maximum of four hours’ sleep a night in a bedroom shared with a hulking son, you need to operate on automatic when the alarm clock shrieks. And the easiest way to dress without cursing is to work along a conveyor belt of socks – shreddies – shirt – trousers before stumbling into the kitchen for breakfast.
Richard and Raymond, being iron-hard Orcadians, seemed immune to sleep deprivation. Both had been up an hour before us, preparing the gear for morning flight and chatted amiably while the southern zombies could barely mumble, “pass the toast”.
Gratifyingly, the fathers seemed less bleary than the heirs. I grew up on fowling, Rob combines a hunt mastership with a ferocious City job and Simon’s body clock has been so disrupted by years of overseas travel he doesn’t much care if it’s 4am in the Orkneys or 4pm in Toronto so long as he’s got a mug of builder’s. The boys looked a little mouldy by comparison and that’s partly why they were there.
Since we did our reproductive bit, the papas had determined that our kinder would not be spoiled by too much covert love. It’s a treat to be under a stream of well-shown birds on a boys’ shoot and the offspring are damned lucky, but we wanted our young men to undertake the long armoury apprenticeship that served us and our forebears (airgun, small gun, 12-bore), join the beating line and appreciate that rabbiting, pigeon decoying and fowling are art forms that a proper sportsman should respect and love.
Denne historien er fra December 2017-utgaven av The Field.
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Denne historien er fra December 2017-utgaven av The Field.
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
Strength in Numbers -The success of Britain's growing band of Farmer Clusters shows the value in working together and engaging with the public in the name of conservation, says Gabriel Stone
In a world that leans into gloomy headlines, it's important to wave the flag for a refreshing success story. That's especially the case when it comes to our overburdened farming sector and the wider way in which we manage the landscape. Yes, we: everyone can play a role, not least through one inspirational initiative. Ever since a 2013 pilot project by the GWCT in association with Natural England, Farmer Clusters have mushroomed across Britain. Led by farmers with guidance from expert advisers, today's network of about 125 clusters encourages a cohesively managed, locally tailored, larger-scale approach to conservation work.
Going over old ground
Forget modern tractors and minimum tillage - there is something glorious about the sight of farmer, horse and vintage plough in perfect harmony
Return of the natives
There is nothing as satisfying as creating a magical miniature woodland or conservation hedgerow using our native trees - and now is the best time to start.
Tagging the Cornish tunny
Enormous Atlantic bluefin tuna are once again making waves in UK waters almost a century after their showstopping appearance in the North Sea
In it for the long haul
It may have fallen out of favour at the elite level but long-format three-day eventing is still proving popular with grassroots riders
Unpicking the story of hunt buttons
These treasured tokens are bestowed only upon those who go above and beyond in service of their hunt but the rules around them can be complex
A place of tradition in the heart of town
Cordings has helped shape the sartorial landscape of Britain for 185 years, with its classic country tailoring a firm staple of many sporting wardrobes
Don't play it by ear
Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on day-to-day life, making ear protection a non-negotiable piece of field kit
Back to base-ics
Britain's famously unpredictable climate can make staying comfortable in the field a challenge but the right under layers can be a game changer
Stand and deliver
A good stance provides the platform for shotgun marksmanship and is fundamental to consistent success in the field or breaking clays