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Merry Christmas, everybody !!! Talk to you in the New Year!

My English Pheasant Shoot...

I thought I'd hung up my guns when I left the states, but as you can see I've been on a proper english pheasant shoot. (Like the outfit? That's not Buster, by the way, he sat this one out, although I will take him to flush birds on the next hunt.) We had seven guns, the rest are "beaters", and gathered at a pub for coffee and to organise ourselves for the day's hunt. I was invited by Mike, a nice man from our village, who organised the hunt, loaned me his gun, a spanish over-under, and got me a "license to kill game" from a post office in Sherborne. The hunt was on a Thursday, and the Sunday prior Mike took me to a clay trap and skeet range to test out the gun and hone my skills. The skeet range was more like an amusement park, there were more than a score of different areas that were set up as simulations, one that threw a pair of slow clays over a reed pond that simulated ducks flying over, for example. I've decided since that day I would pursue a shotgun certificate, that was great fun!
The hunt was a unique experience. We were scheduled for seven "drives", where we "stand on a peg" according to our drawn numbers. The beaters go around and try to drive the birds over to us. There a very limited area where we can actually shoot a bird, about 30 degrees laterally from the center and 45 degrees elevation up to 90, but never behind. The reason is obviously you don't want to shoot towards anyone to either side, or towards the beaters, or behind, where the retrievers may be standing. This calls for some quickness.
We had a lunch break after four drives, about midday. One of the hunters had brought a pot of broccoli and stilton soup which was heated on a gas burner in the back of a Land Rover. The soup was accompanied by some nice port and some buns.


As you can see, I was successful on this drive, although I shot a few other birds as well later in the day. There was one drive where I couldn't reload the gun fast enough to shoot at all the birds that were being flushed! The weather turned a bit nasty, and it was windy most of the day, so after three drives in the afternoon we packed it up and returned to the pub for a pint and some supper. We had killed 22 birds, not a bad day, and had a grand time of it. I made some new friends, and have been asked to beat for the next hunt, and to bring Buster along as a flusher/retriever - he'll love that!
I have a "brace" (a pair of birds, one cock and one hen) hanging in my garage, to let them age a bit, which enhances the flavor. Some will hang them until they drop to the floor, but I think I'll clean and cook mine tomorrow. In the mean time, Rhonda and I picked up our Christmas tree and got down some of the decorations from the garage. I put up some lights on the house, so it's beginning to look like Christmas around here. Tom and Vic had to cancel, so we'll be on our own this year, but we're hosting a party for our neighbors, they're always a hoot.
I'm sure I'll have another post before Christmas, but Rhonda and I want to wish you all some fine, merry Christmas Spirit! (With love and joy!) Also, a specially warm wish from me to all my "in-laws"... I think of you often, always fondly, and am so glad to have you (all of you) in my life. Thank you for all the letters and cards, phone calls and e-mails! We're planning to come visit you next fall (hopefully for a hunt with Dad and 'the boys'). Merry Christmas !!!