MY FATHER remembers wild grey partridges regularly bursting from cover and spooking his horse as he hacked home from days with the Hampshire hunt in the early 1960s. I’m sure many Field readers will, like him, recall the thrill of disturbing this beautiful native gamebird while out riding or walking-up a hedgerow. Go back further to the establishment of the GWCT Partridge Count Scheme (PCS), celebrating its 90th birthday this year, and the experience would have been even more universal, with annual reports being published on prospects for the wild partridge season in every county in Britain. Just as the song of the curlew is associated with the uplands, the partridge’s distinctive rasping call was part of the soundtrack of British farmland. Back then, as well as being the quarry of kings on the great partridge manors of Norfolk, the English partridge was the mainstay of the farmer’s shoot and the pinnacle of walked-up sport for the pot hunter.
This story is from the September 2023 edition of The Field.
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This story is from the September 2023 edition of The Field.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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
Heaven is a High Four
A team of guns enjoy a day of the finest sport Devon has to offer, courtesy of the GWCT and a quartet of generous shoot owners
