The Field – August 2019

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quicklysinkstoa quiveringpointbutasthe
gunshurryforwarda smallcoveyofgrouse
lifts50ydahead and issnatchedviolently
awaybythewind.A frustratingstartbutthe
pleasureofwatchinga dog’seasylopeacross
rough ground,followed by theabrupt halt
whengameiswinded,isa bigpartofdays
suchasthisandmorethanadequate com-
pensation for uncooperative birds.

ATRICKYRETRIEVE
Withinhalfanhourofsettingofftwofacts
areapparent:therearea lotmoregrouseon
thisfirstbeatthananticipated;andgetting
withinrangeofjumpygameis provingtobe
difficultforguestsarmedwith20-bores.The
gunsmustalsoadapttoshootingbirdsgoing
awayagainsta heatherbackdrop,whichis
contrarytowhattheyareusedto,butthere
isreliefallroundwhenStifelknocksa bird
down at long range, followed by another
hardhit,whichglidestowardsthewind-stip-
pledsurfaceofWatchWaterReservoirand
landsoutofsight.JuneLaingsetsherrak-
ishGermanshort-hairedpointer,Brigadier,
loose on what is bound to be a difficult
retrieve.Wewatchashequarterstherocky
shorelinebelowus,butwhena lonegrouse
liftsfrom thisinhospitableterrainLaingis
adamantthatit’snotourbird.Sureenough,
six-year-old Brigadier hunts determinedly
onandisrewardedbythefinestretrieveof
theday.Aswewalk backontothehillwe
passa signsaying‘BewareofAdders’that
makes us chuckle, for Matheson had just
pointed out that one of the many differences

betweenshootinghereandinIdahoisthe

welcomelackofsnakes–“norattlesnakes,

no copperheads,andno needforsnake-

proofboots”,butinthesecoolerconditions

weareunlikelytobetroubledbyadders.

Afterthatbirdscomeslowlyindribsand

drabsbutmostcontinuetoliftbeyondrange,

causing one of the Americans to remark, “It

lesseffectivethanwalkingina line;point-

ersandsettersreallycomeintotheirownon

unkeeperedground,wherebirdsarefewand

farbetweenanda doglessmancouldtramp

alldaywithouta shot.Onourwaytolunch

a largepackofgrousesuddenlyappearson

thehorizontoswoopoverthetrackinfront

ofus,a finesightthatYoungattributestothe

presenceofa huntinghenharrier.Bothguns

areenjoyingtheexperiencehugelydespite

the unhelpfulquarry. “It’sdelightful,”Stifel

enthusesatlunch,overlookingthereservoir.

“This kindofterrainandthis levelofdog

workjustdon’texistbackhome.I’veloved

watchingthedogsatworkandtodoit so

wellinthiswindis franklyremarkable.”

We move onto a different beat after

lunch;thereis lessheatherhereanda prolif-

erationofsievebedsconcealingbigbrown

haresthatrustleawayatourapproach,the

occasionalscarpingsnipeanda hostofflut-

teringpipets.Despiteitscloseproximityto

themorninggroundtherearemarkedlyless

grouse on this higher,flattermoor,which

overlooks rolling green pastures grazed

bybeefcattleandflocksofbleatingsheep.

A line of immaculate, stone-built butts,

wooden boxes concealing traps to catch

stoatsandshallowwatercontainersareall

a reminderthatthisisa carefullynurtured

moor,andthatthemoorlandkeeper’swork

goes on regardless of whether the year

Left:Shootfreezesontopoint.Above:Andrew Stifel

swingsontoa packrisingbythereservoir

Below:guidance from Young

wouldbenicetohavethechanceofgetting

betteracquainted.”Inanattempttodojust

that,YoungasksDarraghtocatchuphisdogs

andinstructsthegunstowalkintoambusha

coveythathaspitchedintotherusset-brown

heather200ydahead.Therusepaysoffand

isa reminderthatwheregrouseareplenti-

ful, shooting them over dogs is sometimes