Apologies to anyone that doesnt agree with it

But I went on my first beat yesterday, pheasants that is.
Twenty of us walking through the woods banging sticks on trees and shouting ay ay , ay ay.As is tradition we all stopped for a glass of port or two in a clearing then cracked on. It was brilliant watching the dogs work fetching the birds.
Five hours later and thoroughly soaked we retired to the "mancave" for more port, copious beers plus cheese and biscuits.
I shall be going again but better attired next time. Ah country loif.

 

No need to apologise to me, in fact we're having pheasant for tea tonight! It is fascinating watching dogs working whether it's herding, hunting, flushing or retrieving. They are only following their natural instincts but the way they work in harmony with humans in a mutually beneficial relationship always fills me with wonder.

 

I had a wonderful mutually beneficial relationship with my black Labrador retriever.

I fed him, walked him and kept him safe , warm and happy. In return he farted loudly, snored and ate all my biscuits.

 

Where abouts were you beating ??

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

Did you bag any working class people? Always good sport.

 

Nonington, between Dover and Canterbury

 

We was all workin' class guv, only the guns was posh.

 

On a tree. Try to keep up at the back.

 

To be fair, they are bred specifically for shooting....it's not like you came upon a nest of wild birds and blasted away with your 12 bore.
Better than being killed by a vehicle, they do so much damage.

 

Never got that far with my dogs, closest was training on cold game. More formal shoots want dogs that will not detract from the paid guns shooting i.e. by running off at the wrong time.

 

Excuse me my good man.
I was shooting yesterday and I do not consider myself to be posh!
Ask my servants and they will agree.

 

“The increase in pheasants and partridges being released into Britain, from around 4 million annually in the early 1970s to an estimated 60 million today...is harming native wildlife, including reptiles, insects and plants.
“From 2021 the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) will require shoots in England to seek a licence to release the captive-bred birds within 500 metres of protected areas, such as Special Areas of Conservation(SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs).
“The new legal requirement for releasing the birds, now classified as a species that causes ecological, environmental or socio-economic harm, could affect a quarter of English shoots. Wild Justice estimates the measure could reduce the annual number of pheasants and partridges being released by 7.5 million.”
Hooray!
Anyone who thinks it’s fun to kill sentient beings for ‘sport’ is a loathsome moron in my book.
Apologies to those who don’t agree with that!

 

I say steady on

 

I suppose i was fortunate to live on a private estate growing up as my Dad and grandad where Gamekeepers on it.
Got my first 22 rifle when i was 6 we reared pheasants and well as other.
We had pheasant meat all the time i can remember spitting out lead shot on the dining table. (Yes Lead)

If shooting wasn't a sport there wouldn't be many Pheasants if you like doing it then only shoot what your prepared to eat.

 

I use to earn my pocket money as a teenager on shoots unfortunately most shoots around here use manly dogs for flushing.

 

As I said , apologies to those that dont like it, and I mean that, and I do appreciate your point of view which I dont have enough knowledge to argue against, if there is an argument.The estate here is low key, only a few areas where they breed pheasants in excellent surroundings. There is a good percentage that escape the net which I am happy about.God knows we have fed them enough times.160 pheasant shot which will all be distributed and consumed.Shoots here are not run as a business, just friends.This has to be better than the battery pheasants that supermarkets sell.

 

Great fun!
Used to do it as a teenager, for the shoots on the Duke of SomersetS land. Sloe gin and beer, for the beaters, at lunchtime, in one of the barns.
A few of the guns were proper snobs, but you get the odd one or too, that were a real good laugh.
First time I fired a vintage side by side.Not a Purdy, but in the same bracket.
Was only ever used to my dads 5 shot Beretta.