The ultimate quarry

Peter Theobald delights that he is still learning about the ways of the wily woodie after 50 years

- Peter Theobald

When I wrote my book The Woodpigeon: The Ultimate Quarry 25 years ago, people would often ask me why I deemed the humble woody to be a superior quarry to all the other species available to sportsmen in the UK.

Surely a cock pheasant slipping sideways on a strong crosswind, having launched itself from 150ft up a Welsh mountain, or a late-season grouse hurtling around the contours of a Scottish moor, would present a far greater challenge for the average Gun?

The fact is, the skills you need to acquire to deal with the aforementioned game birds can be learned relatively quickly; all you need is a good coach and deep pockets. To become proficient at killing pigeons can take a lifetime, hence, at 68, with 50 years of practice behind me, I am still learning.

Stick a good game shooter in a pigeon hide for the first time and it will very likely bea humbling experience for him, as the birds twist and turn in a way that no other bird can. If you can hit pigeons consistently, you can deal with any bird that flies.

Admiration

My admiration for the woodpigeon goes beyond the skill required to put it in the bag, as, with every arable farmer’s hand against it, its numbers continue to thrive, despite the best efforts of us decoyers. What really gets my juices flowing is the challenge to pit my wits against the survival instincts of our most prolific pest species (a conservative estimate of numbers is five million).