Diggory Hadoke, aka: smallbore, has taken me shooting twice; recently at a Beaters’ Day and for pigeons about this time last year. Both trips will always occupy a special and wonderful place in my memories. This report will be for the recent shooting. The earlier thread about the price of shooting in the UK contained an invitation for next season. The event last Saturday was similar enough that you can get a picture of the grounds and activities that Dig’s invitation encompasses.
Dig is, by profession, a college professor (a department head at Golders Green College in London). On this day he had a work associate, Sharmila, who had no previous experience with hunting and wished to see for herself what it was all about, and me as guests.
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Upon arrival at North Mymms Park, we joined the usual milling around of hunters getting geared up and dogs that can hardly wait.
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Did I mention that Dig is as good an ambassador of the outdoors as I’ve ever met?
The club house is one of those wonderful places of a fireplace with a real wood fire, comfortable seating, and dogs.
Immediately prior to departure, eighteen guns drew place cards for shooting team and first drive peg number. This was a stand and drive shoot; teams alternate shooting and driving. Guns rotated two pegs per turn standing. The participants were mostly people who work as beaters and pickers-up during the season (September through January), hence the name of Beaters’ Day. Our host and Head Keeper, Peter, has managed the shoot for over 30 years. He briefed all participants as to how the day was to be run, expected shooting ground rules, and safety issues.
Team “A” beat the first drive and Team “B” stood on the shooting line. I had peg #9, the far right, and this is my view.
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Drive #2 and #3 were shot in wooded areas. This presented some very challenging shots; the shoot is purposefully so arranged.
Peter organizes the drive. Phesants in the woods was a new twist for me.
Morning break of eat and drink what you brought, visit, and pet the dogs.
Lunch was sandwiches, sausage, bread, and cookies/biscuits in the back of the lorry.
Lunch also included a fair amount of friendly and inclusive levity; these are hunters, so one of the guests was included a little more than the other.
A hunting machine on four legs! This guy, and a couple of his associates, makes sure that any runners or hiders are found out and returned to the bag; you can run, you can hide, but you WILL NOT escape.
Pickers-up worked for the love of working dogs. Consider that we had ten or so dogs that handles 130+ birds and they have been doing it all season. That is experience.
Jen was our hostess and a picker-up extraordinare.
Afternoon drives focused on partridge. 17 year old Michael was a safe shooter and a fine example of a young hunter. A reward for all the days of beating.
A late in the day line for high partridge.
The bag was over 130 birds. The shoot remained a bit overpopulated according to the gamekeeper. He had hoped for a 200 bird day.
Dinner was lamb stew or game pie, roasties (potato), peas, carrots, and several desserts.
Dress leaned toward wax jackets and chaps and a tattersol shirt with tie under a green, tan, or brown sweater. Wellie boots were very appropriate due to mud. Dig wore a more traditional shooting suit of tweed breeks and knee sox, and vest. This is not a stuffy shoot, but does need a nod to attire. And, a flat hat is not absolutely necessary – although, it is a very practical piece of head gear. Ball cap, watch cap, brimmed hat, mop of hair, bald head --- all seem to work OK.
Birds are wild, having come from season survivors and offspring plus pen raised birds released as young adults; as soon as they can survive without parenting. There are no shoot-day plants. Bags and drives are controlled so as to provide a full day’s shooting with sporting presentations. By so managing, the shoot can have quality days for the entire season. There is no slaughter or mayhem!
Does it cost too much? No, not at all. Can an American fit in? Yes, if he/she is willing to defer to Brit custom, safety, and generally be a good guest. There are no bowing and scraping servants --- no servants at all, for that matter. If you want that kind of attention, you will need to pay a lot more. If you want a huge personal bag, you will need to pay a lot more. If you want to be among people with a common interest in game, shooting, and dogs, then this one will get ‘er done. Come with an open mind and prepared to learn about another way of hunting. Please don’t come with the idea of dazzling your hosts with your shooting skill and setting them straight on how hunting is to be properly conducted. Frankly, I suspect that what you will experience is the future of American hunting. Actually, I hope American hunters are so lucky as to have this as their future. Oh, I know; sure, I wish the future of hunting was like the good ‘ole days of my teens. I’m afraid those days are gone forever. The world of rural America is different today in ways that don’t support the bounty of nature as it did at one time. Since we can’t depend on the bounty of nature, we will just have to learn to give MN a helping hand as this shoot has obviously done!
