Driving down a small country lane earlier today, and became aware that there was a driven shoot taking place in the woodland alongside. I passed the keeper and a couple of pickers-up, who stood aside to let me pass, and could hear the beaters working through the wood and shots.
Rounded a bend and found one of the guns in the middle of the lane, waiting to get a shot at birds as they passed over. He - somewhat reluctantly - moved to the side of the road as I approached, and stood with his gun held horizontally across his arm. POINTING STRAIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD, LEVEL WITH MY HEAD!!!! He appeared totally mystified as to why I refused to drive past! Just gave repeated impatient (and rather pompous) gestures for me to get a move on!
Now, bearing in mind that this is the same shoot that owns sporting rights over part of my farm, and that my kids go beating there on the weekends, and the shoot owner has been a reference for my son's university applications, how should I have handled this?
(Also bearing in mind that this is the same shoot owner who sent pickers-up and flag waving flankers onto parts of my farm where he DOESN'T have sporting rights, when shooting adjacent woodland, and without asking permission, and then got annoyed when I quizzed him about it).
Rounded a bend and found one of the guns in the middle of the lane, waiting to get a shot at birds as they passed over. He - somewhat reluctantly - moved to the side of the road as I approached, and stood with his gun held horizontally across his arm. POINTING STRAIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD, LEVEL WITH MY HEAD!!!! He appeared totally mystified as to why I refused to drive past! Just gave repeated impatient (and rather pompous) gestures for me to get a move on!
Now, bearing in mind that this is the same shoot that owns sporting rights over part of my farm, and that my kids go beating there on the weekends, and the shoot owner has been a reference for my son's university applications, how should I have handled this?
(Also bearing in mind that this is the same shoot owner who sent pickers-up and flag waving flankers onto parts of my farm where he DOESN'T have sporting rights, when shooting adjacent woodland, and without asking permission, and then got annoyed when I quizzed him about it).