young guns

Young people do things differently as Young in the Field (July issue) rightly observes. Apart from (usually) being professionally trained in using a gun, they can also (usually) identify a low-gain opportunity when they see one.

Not being driven by a desire to kill something, they view flogging round the country on the offchance of half-a-dozen pigeon and a few corvids as a low-gain opportunity. The alternative, halfan-hour at a clay-pigeon ground with as many challenging targets as you like, is much more attractive.

Indeed, some people might feel a little uneasy about such a small tally. It’s not vermin control in any meaningful way, it’s not even sport.

Another source of unease to the game-shooting community should be the pheasant slaughter highlighted in Charles Nodder’s excellent piece. If we’re not very careful this one will turn round and bite us on the bum. Probably sooner rather than later.

Richard Capstick, by email