As a young Guns day at Whitehill stirs up fond memories of his own first shoot day, Jack Knott urges other syndicates to think about what they could do to encourage the next generation
Can you remember shooting your first driven gamebird? That very first day standing on a peg alongside your mentor, usually a family member of sorts, excitedly waiting for that first bird to flush and break in your direction? Do you remember at the end of the drive going over to collect the birds that you had successfully brought down? It doesn’t matter what age it happens – the emotions, the nerves and the enjoyment of the day are all comparable.
I remember my first day out shooting with fond memories. I was on the local syndicate shoot where my father had a peg, and it was the drive after lunch when he finally allowed me to unsheathe my .410 and have a go. I remember the drive and I also remember the one cock pheasant that I successfully connected with (the picture of me holding the pheasant is still hanging up in my parents’ home). These earliest shooting opportunities were an incredible experience in education and excitement, setting me up perfectly for a future of shooting in the many different forms and disciplines it takes.
Bu hikaye Sporting Shooter dergisinin January 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Sporting Shooter dergisinin January 2018 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
RSPB gives mixed message on shooting
Having recently attended the RSPB’s virtual AGM, Conor O’Gorman discusses the outcome of the charity’s year-long review of game bird shooting
Causeway for concern
Alan Jarrett’s renewed interest in reading takes him down memory lane to an offshore island duck flight that very nearly ended in disaster
Through a purple patch
The Garrows Estate is taking a conservation-focused approach to restoring the wildlife populations and biodiversity on the Scottish heather moorland.
When the wheels fall off
Losing form on a day’s shooting can be infuriating, especially if you’ve been shooting like a god up to that point. Simon O’Leary looks at some common causes and how to remedy them
Beaches, books & bad behaviour!
The annual Kay family vacation to Northumberland offers a chance to give the cockers a blast on the beach – although they don’t always shower themselves in glory, as Ryan Kay recalls...
Using the Stop whistle
Now you’ve instilled the basics, it’s time to up the ante with some more tricky distance work. Howard Kirby explains how to take the core Stop whistle command to the next level
The humble teal
They may be tiny, but as far as Rupert Butler is concerned, the appeal of this little duck is huge. He recalls some of his most memorable nights in pursuit of these aerial acrobats
Fab all-rounder
Mike is impressed with the Fabarm Elos B2 Field Notte, which offers great value for money, is suited to fieldwork or clays and is future-proofed for use with steel in all choke constrictions
CALL OF THE WILD
Dom Holtam reconnects with one of the purest forms of shotgun shooting as he walks-up woodcock over pointing dogs in the Scottish Highlands
A yen for the Fens
Tony Jackson recounts a memorable duck flight over an area of Fenland in Norfolk with his friend and author, the late Alan Savory
