A shot of adrenalin

Woodlands, wetlands and lakes provide a superb setting for building a mixed bag on a ‘mop-up day’ in Shropshire, says Simon Garnham

- Simon Garnham

After a distinguished war — fighting tours in Afghanistan and Iraq — James ‘Tommo’ Thompson left the Royal Marines to take over the family estate.

As you might expect for a commando-trained Mountain Leader used to operational service at 10,000ft, he set about phase two of his career with energy and in 10 years has transformed the business. He and his wife Asa have established a profitable and ever-increasing dairy herd and have built a sustainable business park, as well as raising four strapping sons.

While the estate develops on hard-headed practical lines, the shoot retains an informal feel. And as a former colleague and godfather to Tommo’s eldest son, William, I was delighted to be invited to the family’s ‘mop-up day’ in late January with the rest of the Garnham gang. It’s a highlight of our shooting year.

With connotations of thin pickings, ‘mop up’ doesn’t tell the full story of what can be a hugely enjoyable occasion. Often such days are cocks only, when gamekeepers try to rebalance the ratio or introduce new bloodlines, leading to inevitable mishaps in low winter sunlight and much leg-pulling.

Skill and fieldcraft

Birds are wary, which adds excitement. Instructions are whispered, doors of shoot vehicles are shut with caution and building a bag takes skill and fieldcraft. On a mop-up day, quarry species can be varied, with woodies and squirrels providing as much fun as wily pheasants. Paying Guns can get lucky with the chance to exceed agreed bags when keepers want to minimise wild stock and possible infection or simply to improve their averages.