I
shootwithGermanrifles.I drive
a Germancar,doa lotofwork
fora Germanfamily,speak
passableGermanandhavebeen
fortunateenoughtospendquitea bit
oftimesamplingGermany’s sporting
cultureandtraditions.
Thedifferencesinapproachand
seemingboundlessenthusiasmfor
regulationsandqualificationsset
ourcontinentalfriendsmilesapart
fromoursportingnorms.Readily
availabletraining,radioearpieces
andmyriadsafetyrules,plusthe
universaladoptionofhigh-visibility
clothing,makethewholeendeavour
considerablysaferandfarmore
controlledthanit mightfirstappear.
I’malwayskeentolearnfrom
anybodyworthlisteningto.I have
importedoneoftheelementsofmy
sampledcontinentalsportandfound
it tobeideallysuitedtoourconditions
at home— thehuntingtower.
Regularreaderswillknowthat
mystalkingis distinctlylowland,with
arableanda mixtureofestablished
woodlands,togetherwithextensive
C.WARREN new hardwood planting — much of
/R. HARDY / ALAMY
40 • SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRY MAGAZINE
it nestledamongthetightchalk
valleysofWiltshire,withmany
hamletsincloseproximity.Highseats
area necessityforsafeandsuccessful
stalking,affordinga stableshooting
platformandgettingyourhuman
scentwellabovethehypersensitive
nostrilsofthecervinae.
Sightlines
Highseatsgenerallyneeda treefor
supportandthereinliesthefirst
problem— a treethatis toosmall
tendstoreportanymovementas
noisefromtheleaves.Myoverall
interestis usuallytoprotectyoung
trees,soit seemsperversetohack
branchesfromolderspecimens
toprovidethedesiredsightlines.
A tallandsolidtreeis therefore
requiredandthatcanbea bigask
inthedesiredlocation.Onmynew
tree-plantingprojectsI’veplanned
aheadfordeercontrol,withlongrides
leftthroughtherowsoftreeguards
thatofferbotha safebackstopat one
endandoftena sizeableoakwith
highcanopyat theother.Theaimis
to provide the ideal home for a high
Germantraditions maybedifferent tooursbut thereis muchwecan
learn from them, not least their hunting towers, says Richard Hardy
Thismediumheighttoweris bigenoughtoallow
two stalkers to sit and wait fairly comfortably
Towering
ambition
TheRolls-Royce
ofhuntingtowers,
roughlythesizeofa
small garden shed
West Country stalker