It was the penultimate drive and one of my favourites. Although I was on the end of the line, this drive always offers good birds throughout and at the right-hand end in particular. There had been some excellent birds so far and I reloaded my gun and waited for the next flurry. As I focused my attention to my front again, a hen bird lifted over an oak tree and presented a nice shot. I had already started to my raise my gun when a fantastic cock bird came into view. He had broken over the tall chestnut trees on the far bank and was seemingly nearly double the hen bird in height. I changed my footing, readjusted my gun and gave the cock bird some decent lead. Upon the report I watched with immense satisfaction as it crumpled in the air, tumbling fully to land a good way behind my peg. Easily the best bird of the day for me and one that I can happily remember as a highlight from last season. I opened my gun and caught the still smoking standard steel cartridge case and thought once again, “Why are people still so reticent to shoot steel out of their game guns?”
This little memory was from last season, late November 2019, and is very much a true story. I was delighted with that cock bird, not because I am so consistently lucky (we all have moments of seeming greatness, although a lot is overshadowed with horrible mediocrity) but due to the ammunition I was using. Aside from wildfowl, I was gaining more and more confidence in steel cartridges and using them on all types of quarry. I found that I was no longer limiting myself to distances that I felt were ‘safe’ to guarantee bringing down a bird ethically, but rather reaching for birds that I would be delighted with if my gun was loaded with lead, let alone steel.
ãã®èšäºã¯ The Field ã® July 2020 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã8,500 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã ?  ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
ãã®èšäºã¯ The Field ã® July 2020 çã«æ²èŒãããŠããŸãã
7 æ¥éã® Magzter GOLD ç¡æãã©ã€ã¢ã«ãéå§ããŠãäœåãã®å³éžããããã¬ãã¢ã ã¹ããŒãªãŒã8,500 以äžã®éèªãæ°èã«ã¢ã¯ã»ã¹ããŠãã ããã
ãã§ã«è³Œèªè ã§ã? ãµã€ã³ã€ã³
A sweet-pea Summer
Sweet peas are enjoying an Instagram momentâ but to appreciate fully these charming flowers one must hasten back to the real world, says Ursula Buchan
Top sporting stays
Effortlessly smart and with superb shooting and fishing on the doorstep, these British hotels are the perfect base for fieldsports enthusiasts, says Madeleine Silver
Tradition with a twist
Showcasing the finest British produce from honey, beer and butter to game and venison, this monthâs trio of dishes truly encapsulate the taste of Britain, says Philippa Davis
Daylesford
Organic farming at its finest
The best of British breeds
When it comes to developing and establishing the worldâs most popular gundog breeds, Britain has a lot to be proud of, says David Tomlinson
Ping and you're winning
An email alert for burgonets coming to auction draws Roger Fieldâs attention to a promising lot. Meanwhile, a sale from novelist John le Carréâs estate temporarily raises an eyebrow
Saving the queen of flowers
Trailing clouds of glory into your garden, historic roses are as vital a part of British heritage as a Gainsborough painting and must be preserved
Long live the sporting pub
Not just a place to drink, the right kind of country pub is a beacon for fieldsports enthusiasts. The Star Inn in Harome is one such spot
The sole survivors
An increasingly casual attitude to what we wear has given rise to the so-called dress sneakerâ but proper gentlemen's shoes will never go out of fashion
A win in the willow
The cricket bat industry is steeped in tradition yet must move with the times to meet demand, opening a lucrative door for landowners in the process