Five of us from our syndicate headed up into Lancashire for some early season walked-up partridge shooting. It was meant to be six of us, the same group as shot that ground last season, but one dropped out last minute and we were unable to replace him even with 50% of the cost already paid!
0500hrs woke, took my dogs for a walk and fed them. It is a field trial training day so we would be shooting over other dogs. Normally I take mine to these sorts of things and have them to heel during the social parts, then away (good training of the not being used on a shoot day) then out for some retrieves etc. With the forecast of all day sunshine and 27°C I decided to leave them at home.
0745hrs we arrived at a nice country house hotel for breakfast. Normally I have breakfast (muesli and whole milk) at home and a bacon and egg sandwich on route but last year we were served breakfast so I ended up having had three meals by 0900hrs. Risked arriving on an empty stomach but it paid off, the food was lovely. I quickly wolfed down four rashers of bacon, two sausages, two poached eggs, two fried eggs, scrambled egg, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, a pain au raison, pan au chocolate, grapefruit, melon, orange, Greek yoghurt, a couple of pieces of Brie and then whole juice and four espressos.
On arrival it was baking hot already. The waistcoat and tie were jettisoned. The shooting started over turnip, I was in sprayed off wheat and white grass. The first bird of the day flushed in front of me. It got 30 yards until I dropped it with a single shot, stone dead and a perfect retrieve opportunity for the dog with the first run. I felt the pressure release. Completely out of it after that but enjoying the sunshine and watching the dogs working. My two pals at the far end of the line were shooting very well. One is an outstanding rifle shot and weak gun, but today he was dead-eyed. My other pal is reliably the best gun of our group and it was a strong start.
At lunch we had my pal’s sloe gin, an ice cold cider and one of the European handler’s peach schnapps with the food. My breeks and socks came off in favour of the spare shorts to much good-spirited ridicule and earning me the nickname “Legs Eleven” as overheard on the radios. Everything clicked into place and I finished on 17 birds for 22 shots, only three shots missed and they were stretching. I have peaked far too early for the season and it is only downhill from here. We hit over our bag but were commended by the dog handlers as a team for our reliable shooting. Late afternoon we retired to the pub, as designated driver I was drinking pints of none alcoholic on draught, FreeDam. It was actually fine, everyone was in such good spirits that it didn’t matter and I didn’t feel I was missing out on the booze. A long drive back down the M6 to Cheshire on a sunny Friday in traffic with no AC.
0500hrs woke, took my dogs for a walk and fed them. It is a field trial training day so we would be shooting over other dogs. Normally I take mine to these sorts of things and have them to heel during the social parts, then away (good training of the not being used on a shoot day) then out for some retrieves etc. With the forecast of all day sunshine and 27°C I decided to leave them at home.
0745hrs we arrived at a nice country house hotel for breakfast. Normally I have breakfast (muesli and whole milk) at home and a bacon and egg sandwich on route but last year we were served breakfast so I ended up having had three meals by 0900hrs. Risked arriving on an empty stomach but it paid off, the food was lovely. I quickly wolfed down four rashers of bacon, two sausages, two poached eggs, two fried eggs, scrambled egg, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, a pain au raison, pan au chocolate, grapefruit, melon, orange, Greek yoghurt, a couple of pieces of Brie and then whole juice and four espressos.
On arrival it was baking hot already. The waistcoat and tie were jettisoned. The shooting started over turnip, I was in sprayed off wheat and white grass. The first bird of the day flushed in front of me. It got 30 yards until I dropped it with a single shot, stone dead and a perfect retrieve opportunity for the dog with the first run. I felt the pressure release. Completely out of it after that but enjoying the sunshine and watching the dogs working. My two pals at the far end of the line were shooting very well. One is an outstanding rifle shot and weak gun, but today he was dead-eyed. My other pal is reliably the best gun of our group and it was a strong start.
At lunch we had my pal’s sloe gin, an ice cold cider and one of the European handler’s peach schnapps with the food. My breeks and socks came off in favour of the spare shorts to much good-spirited ridicule and earning me the nickname “Legs Eleven” as overheard on the radios. Everything clicked into place and I finished on 17 birds for 22 shots, only three shots missed and they were stretching. I have peaked far too early for the season and it is only downhill from here. We hit over our bag but were commended by the dog handlers as a team for our reliable shooting. Late afternoon we retired to the pub, as designated driver I was drinking pints of none alcoholic on draught, FreeDam. It was actually fine, everyone was in such good spirits that it didn’t matter and I didn’t feel I was missing out on the booze. A long drive back down the M6 to Cheshire on a sunny Friday in traffic with no AC.
