IT’S NEARLY 25 YEARS since I shot my first pheasant off a point. Shooting birds over pointing dogs may not be particularly challenging, as the shot is often quite simple, but as anyone who has tried it will confirm, it’s still awfully easy to miss. The real challenge and satisfaction comes from the hunt itself: watching the dog work the ground, seeing how it handles the scent, then enjoying the excitement as it locks on to the point. There’s always the thrill of the flush itself, followed, hopefully, by a satisfying retrieve.
Through I’ve been out on the moors with both pointers and setters, I’ve never had the good fortune to carry a gun on such occasions — I’ve always been armed with my camera. Shooting grouse over pointing dogs may be the purest shooting sport there is, but lowland shooting over HPRs is not a bad substitute at all, as my own experience confirms.
Memorable shooting
My first time shooting over pointers was memorable not just for bagging my pheasant, but the dogs I was shooting over. They were German longhaired pointers (GLP), at the time rare dogs in the UK, but a breed that I predicted had a bright future here. Time has proven me wrong, though I still wonder why.
The most elegant and setter-like of the German pointers, the stylish GLP has enjoyed considerable success in trials in the UK. However, despite its attractive looks and undoubted ability in the shooting field, the breed remains a rarity here: only 13 puppies were registered by the Kennel Club in 2022, up from zero the year before. Its lack of popularity is puzzling, as it is an accomplished all-rounder.
Denne historien er fra June 14, 2023-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra June 14, 2023-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
