End Of Season

Jamie Chandler reveals the day he looks forward to each year, which gives him unfettered access to airgun hunting

- Jamie Chandler

Many well-heeled shotgun shooters in the UK hanker for the treasured 12th of August and the opening day of grouse season. Those with deep pockets might get excited around the 1st of September and 1st of October, too, for the opening of the partridge and pheasant seasons There is certainly a dedicated group of powder-burning bang monkeys who hold the openings of the various stag and buck seasons as only three steps more important than their children’s birthdays.

My most important hunting date, though, is normally on a different day each year and doesn’t actually herald the opening day of any quarry season. In fact, depending on which shoot decides what, it is the second day after the last shoot of the season, meaning I’m privileged to be allowed almost full roaming over the shoot with the air rifle.

Finally, I can access the drives where I’ve seen so much quarry over the last five months, but not been able to get in and hunt! This hallowed day fell on the last day of the pheasant shooting season, and as though all the angels in heaven had woven me a golden cloak of luck, the keeper had given me permission to take down any remaining cock birds I came across.

PRIVATELY OWNED

The ground was saturated as I arrived, and just getting the car into where I was heading gave it a mud bath to be proud of, but after a couple of dicey slips I finally parked, unbagged the ever-awesome Air Arms TX200, stuffed 20 or so 5.52 Air Arms Field Diablos in my pocket and having zero checked the day before at home, started the 20-minute wander through the woods to a flushing point where I’d seen plenty of pheasants, pigeons and squirrels on the few occasions I’d been beating here, but had yet to hunt.