Watching a fairway show
Shooting Times & Country|July 15, 2020
During lockdown, Burghley Park became a stage for wildlife. Jamie Tusting watched in wonder
Jamie Tusting
Watching a fairway show

It wasn’t long after we had finished building our new deck and lowering the adjacent stone wall that the golf course we live next to closed its doors temporarily. Cynthia and I spent many evenings sitting on the deck with a gin and tonic in hand, watching the wildlife reclaim what was once theirs.

The rabbits arrived first, followed closely by the foxes. As the light faded each evening, we would see a vixen follow the same route up through the trees on the 12th fairway and explore different areas in search of some supper. The muntjac were the next to venture out onto the calm grass of the golf course, grazing contently now the general hum of golfers had subsided.

This re-colonisation was watched over by the kestrels, buzzards and kites ever-present in the skies above. The last to arrive, and perhaps fashionably late, was a magnificent roebuck. Each evening, he would come sauntering down the ride through the woods and strut boldly out onto the course. It was his stage and he revelled in the limelight, often coming close up to the deck from where we watched on, as though we were looking down on a dancer from the gods at the Royal Opera House.

Sadly, however, as the weeks wore on, and perhaps like any ballet dancer after a long run of performances, his condition began to fade and after a while we saw him hobbling out onto the course; a sad fall from the rather triumphant march of a few weeks previously. After some time, he stopped coming out at all and our hearts sank. The rabbits and the fox, the muntjac and the birds seemed to continue their roles without noticing the absence of their lead performer.

Fore!

Bu hikaye Shooting Times & Country dergisinin July 15, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Shooting Times & Country dergisinin July 15, 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRY DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
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 dak  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

time-read
3 dak  |
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 dak  |
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 dak  |
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 dak  |
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 dak  |
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 dak  |
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 dak  |
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 dak  |
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 dak  |
August 02, 2023