Two very tiring but enjoyable days
By David Hudson.
OUR first day shooting grouse this year ended when we drove home through monsoon rain. It cleared up a bit overnight but as we headed north first thing the next morning the rain started again and continued until we stopped for breakfast in Callander. Then, as we set off for the last bit of the trek, the sun suddenly appeared and that was the end of the rain for the day. With a good south-westerly breeze as well it looked like the perfect day for shooting over dogs and that is pretty much how it turned out.
We decided to head for the higher ground for our second day’s shoot and bumped our way up the hill road to park right at the top of the ridge. A while to sort out guns and dogs, lunches and flasks and then we were off with the first dog quartering the heather and two of our four Guns primed for action.
It wasn’t long coming. Hannah’s black pointer ‘Boo’ suddenly winded something interesting in the heather below a little rocky knoll and drew steadily in with her head up and her nostrils quivering until she was sure of what was in front of her. Then she froze on to point and looked as if she was prepared to stay there all day if necessary.
