Forget rats and eels, this is the creel thing
Shooting Times & Country|October 14, 2020
Various DIY efforts have brought ridicule but not much else, so the next project seems doomed to fail — but Soldier Palmer strikes gold
Mark Firth
Forget rats and eels, this is the creel thing

During the course of the summer, I’ve written at length about the various traps and cages I made to while away the lengthy lockdown (Trappings of success in rat-catching quest, 24 June, and Use a sheep to snare an eel, 22 July). Some of these traps met with success, but the design and execution of other projects left a great deal to be desired.

I relished the triumph of catching rats and mice, then reminisced about the days when it was easy to catch eels in a home-made wicker basket trap. Making traps is a good way to pass the time, and the various demands of catching different species mean that you always have to stay one step ahead of the game.

And all the while, I circled around one exciting possibility. I had always wanted to make a lobster pot and the idea steadily became something of an obsession. As I began to work towards that objective, I realised that I was entering the major leagues. Anyone can turn out a moderately successful mouse trap, but lobster pots are the real deal.

Not only do they have to operate in some of the most inhospitable terrain of the sea floor, but the payoff for success is extraordinary. Make a trap to catch a mouse and you might enjoy the satisfaction of succeeding in your objective. Make a trap that catches a lobster and you can add the extraordinary luxury of fine dining to follow. I love eating lobster, even though the usual price tag for buying them in shops and fishmongers mean they are a rarity on my kitchen table.

This story is from the October 14, 2020 edition of Shooting Times & Country.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the October 14, 2020 edition of Shooting Times & Country.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRYView All
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 mins  |
August 02, 2023
Serious matters
Shooting Times & Country

Serious matters

An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning

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