Shooting Times & Country – 21 August 2019

Gamekeeping

Not in my day

Timeflies and, 50 years on,Jeremy Hobson reflects onwhat

keepering was like when he fi rst started and how it has changed

S

omechangesaresosubtleyou
don’tnoticethemhappening
untilyoufindyourselfuttering
thatawfulcliché:“Things
weren’tlikethatinmyday.”
Personally,thismomentous
statementoccurredrecentlywhen
a gamekeepingfriendandI were
discussinghowthingswerenow
comparedwithhowtheywerewhen
webothbeganourrespectivecareers.
Whilesomethingsneverreallychange
— as19thcenturyFrenchcriticJean-
BaptisteKarropined:“Plusçachange,
plusc’estlamêmechose” — otherthings
PA / S & G AND BARRATTS / GETTY / C. WARREN / D. IRELANDare very diff erent nowadays.

28 • SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRY MAGAZINE

Nowadays,transporthas

become more luxurious