WORLD OF FIELDCRAFT
Over the years, photographers have had to develop fieldcraft skills for guaranteed shots, and the same can be said for shooters hunting their quarry
Last week I was talking to a good friend, who is a very keen wildlife photographer. We were discussing how difficult it has become to make a living out of taking and selling images of wild animals and birds, and how the professional photographers have had to diversify to make a living.
Many of them are now running courses or setting up hides so “punters” can pay their money, turn up on the day and be put in a situation where they will almost be guaranteed shots of kingfishers, owls or ospreys. The point about this situation is that in years gone by the photographer would have to have spent hours scouting out suitable locations, it could take them days or even weeks to locate a particular bird or animal. Then they would gradually introduce a hide over a period of time so as not to disturb the creature – in short they would have had to develop a skill known as “fieldcraft”.
Shooters’ fieldcraft
Pigeon shooters are very good at their fieldcraft, they will watch and observe flightlines, and plan their ambush accordingly. A true rough shooter with a willing spaniel will know the kind of scrubby areas where he may find an old cock pheasant, he will know where there is a small depression that may fill up with water after a storm and the odd teal may be flushed. There may be a train of thought that if you hunt with a dog then you don’t really have to bother much with fieldcraft because the dog will do it all for you, but in truth it can save you a lot of time and effort if you know your quarry, its habits and its lifestyle.
Over the past few years I have been lucky enough to enjoy quite a few rat- hunting trips with Harry Parsons and the Working Sealyham Terrier Club. Just after the end of the last shooting season I got invited to a private hunt, which took place on a farm in the Cotswolds. The rats had been enjoying a winter of eating grain used for feeding the pheasants and the shoot owner did not want to use poisons because he had some dogs of his own and he was concerned about secondary poisoning. Harry and his team have a very particular way of organising a day; initially all the dogs are kept in the vehicles and a plan of action is discussed. Then the most important aspect of the day takes place – the recce, where good old-fashioned fieldcraft comes in to play.
creatures of habit
As we headed down towards an old barn, Harry explained that the rat is a very clever