Standing at a peg is not something I do very often, so when I was invited to a ‘walk one stand one’ syndicate day in north Wales, I accepted. It was to be this syndicate’s first day of the year, and so I was warned that a tweak to the way their drives work and a change in the placement of the feeders could work really well, or it could be really challenging. Bringing a gundog was welcome as not everyone had one.
The forecast was wet, so I packed my waterproofs and a warming soup for lunchtime. One of my Munsterlanders was in season, so it would be the 11-year-old Ilka accompanying me this time. She was up to it, but I would need to keep her a little calmer, as HPRs do naturally range more.
Following a shoot briefing (strictly no ground game or low birds), we were split into two teams, with the group I was with beating first. We allowed 10 minutes for the Guns to get into position and we walked to the first woodland. As I stood waiting to start, I certainly had a sense of a well-run syndicate – neatly carved out tracks in the woods for the quad, no rubbish, very tidy pens – there was obviously a formula that was working. With that we were off! I must admit it took a lot of restraint and handling on my part to stop the dog from ranging too much, as she could smell the pheasants the whole time we were stood there.
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Sporting Shooter.
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Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Sporting Shooter.
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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RSPB gives mixed message on shooting
Having recently attended the RSPB’s virtual AGM, Conor O’Gorman discusses the outcome of the charity’s year-long review of game bird shooting
Causeway for concern
Alan Jarrett’s renewed interest in reading takes him down memory lane to an offshore island duck flight that very nearly ended in disaster
Through a purple patch
The Garrows Estate is taking a conservation-focused approach to restoring the wildlife populations and biodiversity on the Scottish heather moorland.
When the wheels fall off
Losing form on a day’s shooting can be infuriating, especially if you’ve been shooting like a god up to that point. Simon O’Leary looks at some common causes and how to remedy them
Beaches, books & bad behaviour!
The annual Kay family vacation to Northumberland offers a chance to give the cockers a blast on the beach – although they don’t always shower themselves in glory, as Ryan Kay recalls...
Using the Stop whistle
Now you’ve instilled the basics, it’s time to up the ante with some more tricky distance work. Howard Kirby explains how to take the core Stop whistle command to the next level
The humble teal
They may be tiny, but as far as Rupert Butler is concerned, the appeal of this little duck is huge. He recalls some of his most memorable nights in pursuit of these aerial acrobats
Fab all-rounder
Mike is impressed with the Fabarm Elos B2 Field Notte, which offers great value for money, is suited to fieldwork or clays and is future-proofed for use with steel in all choke constrictions
CALL OF THE WILD
Dom Holtam reconnects with one of the purest forms of shotgun shooting as he walks-up woodcock over pointing dogs in the Scottish Highlands
A yen for the Fens
Tony Jackson recounts a memorable duck flight over an area of Fenland in Norfolk with his friend and author, the late Alan Savory
