Orvis /Techniques & Tactics /What Are Estate Shoots And Continental Hunts? |
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Orvis HuntingWhat Are Estate Shoots And Continental Hunts?Just as many golfers dream of visiting St Andrews one day and fly fisherman fantasize about to walking the banks of the River Test, many bird hunters long to travel to an estate in Great Britain to experience driven shooting. Bird hunting as we know it started in France hundreds of years ago and was brought to England in the 17th century by King Charles II. By 1800, it was popular throughout the UK and practiced in a fashion like today: Hunters used pointers, setters, or spaniels to find and flush birds. These birds would then be shot at while they were flying away. But in the 1870s, this style of bird hunting turned into something much grander and much different. Driven shootingInstead of going out and finding game, sportsmen had grouse, pheasants, partridge, and other birds "driven" to them. Standing at positions called "butts" or "pegs", shooters had hundreds of birds pushed towards them by walking groups of "beaters". As the birds approached the butts or pegs, they took flight and shooters took aim. By the 1900s, driven shoots had evolved into elaborate events involving a handful of shooters, dozens or even hundreds of beaters, and gamekeepers who managed all the activity. These shoots included "loaders" who stood beside shooters to reload their guns and "picker ups" who used dogs to retrieve downed game. In a single day, thousands of shots were fired and hundreds of birds were killed. Depending on the birds being hunted, driven shoots were held in either large, open areas called moors or on fields and farmlands near luxurious estates. Some game, like grouse and woodcock, were wild-bird only. For pheasant and some partridge shoots, birds were pen raised and added to the field to supplement local populations. Driven shooting todayAcross the U.K. and in France and other parts of Europe, driven shoots are still popular. Starting in mid-August and running through January, some are still as grand as the ones held in the early 1900s. Others are smaller, less formal occasions. Anyone interested in driven shooting in the U.K. can contact a British sporting agency for full details. Many American companies also offer trips overseas featuring driven shooting. Go online for more information. Types of birds encountered on driven shoots
You're going to payOf all the ways driven shooting differs from American bird hunting, costs is the most significant. As part of something called the "North American Wildlife Conservation Model", all wildlife in the U.S. belongs to all Americans. Any of us can hunt it on public land for free as long as we follow state and federal laws. In the UK, public hunting land barely exists and game is owned by the landowners. For the most part, they're free to manage this game as they see fit. When it comes to driven shooting, this includes a large, per-bird-killed price tag. For pheasants, this runs around £25 a piece. For red grouse, expect to pay £50+ per bird. On a typical pheasant shoot, a team of six guns will kill 150-200 birds. Per person, this equals $1000 or more for a day in the field. Ouch. Shotguns for driven shootingTraditionally, driven shooting called for a pair of 6 ¾ pound 12-gauge side-by-side shotguns, preferably sidelocks, with straight grips, and double triggers. Today, more and more shooters use 12- and 20-gauge over-unders, especially heavy ones with long barrels, single triggers, and pistol grips if they're shooting pheasants. Some driven shoots require you use a pair of guns and a loader. On others, you can use a single gun and reload it on your own or use a "stuffer" (a person who stuffs fresh cartridges into your gun after you fire and break it open). Driven and "Continental" shoots in the U.S.In the past decade, the popularity of British driven shooting has spilled across the Atlantic and created similar opportunities here in the U.S.
Ready? Go.Driven shooting has thrived in the U.K. and Europe for well over a century now. For almost as long, Americans have dreamed about travelling overseas to try it for themselves. It's easy to understand why. Driven shooting is thrilling and challenging. It's also social, giving you the chance to make friends and share experiences with people who also love bird hunting. If driven shooting is on you bucket, make plans to next season. And if it's not on your list, is should be. See Orvis endorsed options for driven shooting |
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