Buckland SOMERSET

I arrived early at the Buckland shoot in Somerset, just south of Taunton, to give me a chance to chat to owners Tom Aplin and his partner Emily Wells.

Tom has been involved in running the shoot since he was 13 years old, having helped the original tenant on his father’s 600-acre farm that the shoot comprised in those days. He took over the reins at the tender age of 19, just 11 years ago, with Emily arriving in 2010.

Tony Constance, the team captain, arrived first and confessed he might well have issued the wrong postcode to the team. Tom smilingly scolded him as he’d been several times before and should know where he was coming to. Tony laughed and confided in me they had all stayed over in a pub a few miles away. He explained they were a team