Getting the lay of the land
Shooting Times & Country|July 26, 2023
Tom Payne tries his luck over laid barley and rues missed opportunities earlier in the year
Getting the lay of the land

It’s been quite a long time since I’ve seen laid barley like the ‘good ol’ days’. New shorter-stemmed strains, growth regulators and accurate nitrogen application have made shooting vast laid patches a thing of the past — or so I thought. After weeks without shooting, as pigeons held on the buds, suddenly everything changed. It was like somebody had turned on the pigeon tap; great for a pigeon shooter but not for a farmer.

It’s been quite a sombre summer so far, with temperatures fluctuating and sporadic conditions. I’ve known the birds were starting to hang around the winter barley for a while. The telephone lines running through the middle of fields are a great indicator as they slowly start to warp under the weight of hungry pigeons looking to get into the bounty of milky grain. Where most would be looking forward to warm sunny evenings by the barbecue, I was becoming increasingly excited by the thick, thundery clouds forming. Stormy skies are a welcome sight to any passionate pigeon shooter, as the tall winter barley fights to stay upright.

When the thunderstorms arrived they were consistent, with evening after evening of heavy downpours. After the third evening, the phone started ringing. Crops were going flat everywhere and not just the small patches that have become common over the past few years. Whole acres were going over. The first two calls came from Rob Swift and Ian Adams. I couldn’t make the first outing as I was trying to shoot the team flushes at the Schöffel Country Ptarmigan 30year celebration, superbly organised by Gordon Robinson and his team. Gordon won’t mind me saying that the shoot he set up was great, but no match for the pigeon hide.

Enjoyable challenge 

Esta historia es de la edición July 26, 2023 de Shooting Times & Country.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición July 26, 2023 de Shooting Times & Country.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYVer todo
United we stand
Shooting Times & Country

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

time-read
5 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
They're not always as easy as they seem
Shooting Times & Country

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

time-read
5 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Debutant gundogs
Shooting Times & Country

Debutant gundogs

There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting

time-read
4 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
When the going gets rough
Shooting Times & Country

When the going gets rough

Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique

time-read
5 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
Shooting Times & Country

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

time-read
4 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
A step too far?
Shooting Times & Country

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

time-read
6 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Two bucks before breakfast
Shooting Times & Country

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

time-read
6 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Stalking Diary
Shooting Times & Country

Stalking Diary

Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill

time-read
2 minutos  |
August 02, 2023
Gamekeeper
Shooting Times & Country

Gamekeeper

Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside

time-read
3 minutos  |
August 02, 2023