It might be more famous for the high notes but this South Downs estate shows some impressively high birds, too.
Glyndebourne, owned by the Christie family, is very much a family affair. The 40 shoot days each year include let days, but the family only deal with friends and people they know, so it’s an exclusive club. And the family theme extends to the keeping team too. Husband and wife Colin and Jane Hartley are the longstanding custodians of the land here. Colin is now in his 40th year and Jane her 30th, while his daughter Bobbie and
Jane’s son Luke are the under keepers, having served for many years and never worked anywhere else. Colin and Jane are passionate about pheasants, breeding many ornamental varieties, including Reeves, as well as English partridge that may be shot on driven days. They also hatch and rear all the pheasants that are released on the shoot. The let days are sold as either high-ground days or low ground, but we were assured that birds are demanding on both.
On the day of our visit we were the guests of Bill Hunter, a regular on the shoot who has been taking days for many years. His guests, most of whom had shot here before, were a friendly bunch and very much looking forward to the day. It was a high-ground day so the bag would be between 200 and 250 and we would enjoy some drives on the top of the Downs, which sounded very exciting.
“It’s one of the best shoots in the county,” Robin Marten told me, and then, with a big grin, “it can also be a very levelling day – the birds are extremely challenging.”
Join the queue
この記事は Shooting Gazette の March 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Shooting Gazette の March 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
ONE TO ANOTHER
What are the ingredients for a stella season in the field and how should we approach comparing different seasons with each other?
Of tweeds and texts
Like it or not, mobile phones are part and parcel of everyday life. How do you use yours when out in the field, if at all?
The life and times of a retired moorkeeper
The remarkable story of one man's passion for gamekeeping and fieldsports.
Masters of our own destiny
While resistance to moving on from lead shot is deep rooted, game shooting can make great strides in securing its future if it changes now
The year past, THE YEAR TO COME
Shooting Gazette asked a host of leading figures in the game shooting community for their reflections on the highs and lows of 2019, what they are looking forward to about 2020 and also the one issue they are concerned about in the year ahead.
Davenport House Estate SHROPSHIRE
A shoot running on new lines uses its time-served assets to bring traditional shooting to a modern audience.
A WEIGHT ON YOUR MIND
Keeping ourselves in tip-top condition needn't be seen as nannying because we all know that when we see it elsewhere in our daily lives
Range Rover Evoque
Every bit the proper Range Rover, as Ben Samuelson explains.
The Keeper's View
Headkeeper David Whitby ponders the impact a ban on lead shot would have on shooting.
What December Means To Me…
When Shooting Gazette’s venerable list of writers and photographers aren’t producing thought-provoking copy and truly outstanding images, they are out in the field at every opportunity. December is a month just like any other, but with temperatures low and spirits high as Christmas approaches, we thought we’d share with you what our people get up to at this time of year.