PHEASANT Lessons

Stirred by recent mentions of wasted game meat and waning interest in shooting among the young, I took the initiative to contact my local scout group. I was immediately invited to attend a meeting the editor responds: I believe that you can recycle cartridges but the black ones can’t be recycled due to the pigment used. I have been trying to find someone qualified to give you a proper answer on this. I’ve failed so far but will continue to do so. Can any readers help? to demonstrate preparing a pheasant and simple cookery.

Far from there being a lack of interest, a good crowd hung back for the demonstration and I duly plucked a pheasant, skinned one, handed over a few for the audience to have a go with, then fried some breast fillets for them. with a grin from ear to ear. I often got a fiver for my efforts. When I go out shooting now, I always make an effort to talk to the beaters and the keeper to try to understand their shoot, their way of doing things and their story.

I understand what is happening on a day’s shooting and I have no doubt that my time with the spaniels helps.

All too often these days, you see Guns with no interest in either the quarry they are shooting or the people making sure the quarry goes over their gun.

I am disheartened greatly when I happen to be drawn on the peg next to them.

If only they took the time to understand what they are doing and where they are, I’m

This all went down very well and I pass the idea on to the Shooting Times readership. It only takes part of an evening and builds bridges.

Who knows, if we all try to do it, it might also increase sales of game and get youngsters involved.

R. morton, Norfolk sure they would get a lot more out of their day than simply quaffing sloe gin and telling everyone how many they shot that drive.

J. Tusting, by email Further to your correspondent’s comments about fox cannibalism (Letters, 12 September), a friend of mine was harvesting recently when he accidently put an adult fox through the combine. As he finished the field, he saw five fox cubs. That night he saw five cubs at the site where the remains of the killed fox had been.

I went to look the next morning and the remains had gone; eaten, we think, by those cubs.

W. H. Reynolds, Belfast Shooting deer, then making use of every last bit of the meat. As concerns grow over how it is being run, we explore why the Kennel Club needs to change.

... AND much MORE!

Shooting times & Country magazine • 13

We all know that pheasant is tasty — let’s share that knowledge whenever, and however, we can