The story begins...
|
“As the winter sun begins its journey down over the hills, we find ourselves at the start of the last drive of the day, the signature drive where the highest and most challenging birds are found. It is here where shooters make their mark and where legends are born.
The beaters have been moving through the undergrowth of the dense woodland for more than ten minutes, flanking the birds into the middle of the drive. A flush of high pheasant and fast-moving partridge have already broken out over the middle of the line of guns. The end pegs are yet to have seen any action, but patiently they wait. On Peg 8 is our host. He sits and waits, puffing on his cigar. He smiles. He is happy at what he sees, but he is happier at what he knows is to come. His guests are making their mark. Legends are being born…” |
Peg 1 - "Eyes to the Skies"
As the first flush of birds pours towards the guns in the middle of the line, our man at Peg 1 waits patiently with his loader, watching proceedings and dreaming of the birds that will soon be coming his way. He will not be waiting for long. Some of the crossing partridge breaking back out of the flush will provide him with the best sport he has ever experienced.
They say time waits for no man, but this man will have to wait just a little longer. |
PEG 1 - click to enlarge
|
Peg 2 - "A Helping Hand"The lady gun at Peg 2 is still relatively new to the sport of shooting, but now she is ready to take on the challenge of driven birds. Here we see her raising her gun to yet another challenging target.
She is ably assisted by her instructor, who lends a helping hand, while whispering words of encouragement. |
PEG 2 - click to enlarge
|
Peg 3 - "The Dance"When the gun has been reloaded, the most difficult and skilled part of double gunning comes into play. The empty gun is blindly passed backwards by the shooter, while the loader simultaneously sends a loaded gun forwards into the shooter’s hands. This must be done quickly and efficiently, whilst taking great care not to clash the barrels together.
Our shooter at Peg 3 is greatly experienced, as is his loader, and this wonderful dance plays out once again |
PEG 3 - click to enlarge
|
Peg 4 - "Teamwork"After the dance where loaded gun is exchanged for empty gun, the teamwork begins.
As our shooter on Peg 4 picks another high bird from the flush going overhead, his loader behind him is already preparing his next gun, cartridges in hand and reloading the empty weapon. It is this teamwork and our shooter’s trust in his loader that gives him the edge and helps him to be the best at what he does. |
PEG 4 - click to enlarge
|
Peg 5 - "Bird of the Day"The seamless teamwork between a loader and his gun is briefly interrupted as the loader is distracted… he points to the skies with a wide grin on his face. The shooter stares in disbelief. The bird that he just took was higher than anything he has shot before and most likely higher than anything either of them has seen anyone else shoot before.
This bird will not just be discussed over a glass of finest Scotch whisky in front of a roaring fire tonight… this bird will be discussed for years to come. It is here in this moment that a new legend is born. |
PEG 5 - click to enlarge
|
Peg 6 - "Doubled Over"As the highest pheasants of the day head over the middle of the line, our man at Peg 6 decides it’s all or nothing. His years in the field have taught him to make sure that he picks his bird. Make a decision and stick with it: don’t forget to get on your bird early and take it out in front.
But seemingly out of nowhere, one of the highest pheasants he has seen suddenly appears directly above him. He throws himself backwards, bent over double, for he knows that if he can get on this bird successfully, then he too will enter the story books for years to come. |
PEG 6 - click to enlarge
|
Peg 7 - "The Leading Lady"Wherever you find our host, his leading lady will not be far away. Today she is pegged next to him and her competitive instincts drive her to put on her best performance.
She needn’t try hard: her skill in the art of shooting is second to none. She was trained by the very best at a young age and we see her in this moment in the most perfect position, as if trained by Percy Stanbury himself, her footwork and gun mount as if from a textbook. If you are looking for style, look no further. |
PEG 7 - click to enlarge
|
Peg 8 - "Smoking Gun"At the end of the line, a large Churchillian figure sits on his shooting stick, cigar in hand.
Our host waits, admiring the sport he has put on for his guests. To him, watching his friends is as enjoyable as the sport itself. He knows his time will come; he has seen this all before. He is the very creator of these legends and so watching the drive unfold is as enjoyable as the shooting itself. |
PEG 8 - click to enlarge
|
Behind the Scenes - "The Picker-up"A driven shoot has many moving parts and many staff who often go unseen. The picker-up is an essential part of any shoot, ensuring all the birds that have been shot are collected, including any that may have been wounded.
Here we see our experienced dog handler with her faithful companion, the English Springer Spaniel. |
The Picker-up, seen here in clay form before bronze casting - click to enlarge
|