Gale McMillan
Member In Memoriam
I was lucky enough to be invited to an English Pheasant shoot over Thanksgiving weekend . If you have never been to one and get an opportunity to attend I would encourage you to attend if only as a spectator .
On this drive there were eight shooters called guns. And eight loaders. Each shooter has two guns. In this case they were from $80,000 to 125,000 each ,matched sets of Purdies. Side by sides. I have never in my life seen such a collection of high dollar guns! The guns are placed on positions called pegs. After each drive they rotate pegs so every one gets an equal position. The Pegs are located in the bottom of a creek to that the flushed birds are flying at 50 to 60 yards high. As the birds flush in front of the beaters they fly over the shooters in flights that darken the sky. The shooter shoots both barrels and hands the shotgun to the loader and then shoot the other shotgun. To watch the actions of the shooter and loader is something to see. Behind the pegs about 50 yards are the men with dogs who pick up. I have never seen such beautiful working dogs. They work the area where the birds fall and never miss recovering a cripple.
At the end of the shoot there had been 400 pheasant shot by eight guns. For this the shooters are given a brace of birds and have paid the equivalent of $1000.00 for the privilege.
On this particular shoot men had come from as far away as Hong Kong , Canada and the US.
On this drive there were eight shooters called guns. And eight loaders. Each shooter has two guns. In this case they were from $80,000 to 125,000 each ,matched sets of Purdies. Side by sides. I have never in my life seen such a collection of high dollar guns! The guns are placed on positions called pegs. After each drive they rotate pegs so every one gets an equal position. The Pegs are located in the bottom of a creek to that the flushed birds are flying at 50 to 60 yards high. As the birds flush in front of the beaters they fly over the shooters in flights that darken the sky. The shooter shoots both barrels and hands the shotgun to the loader and then shoot the other shotgun. To watch the actions of the shooter and loader is something to see. Behind the pegs about 50 yards are the men with dogs who pick up. I have never seen such beautiful working dogs. They work the area where the birds fall and never miss recovering a cripple.
At the end of the shoot there had been 400 pheasant shot by eight guns. For this the shooters are given a brace of birds and have paid the equivalent of $1000.00 for the privilege.
On this particular shoot men had come from as far away as Hong Kong , Canada and the US.