Shooting grey ghosts in winter’s darkening woods

Woodpigeon roost shooting can be as thrilling as any form of country pursuit. It teases all of our senses and emotions as we stand in our little woodland world on a windy February afternoon. Anticipation fires adrenaline as we watch the downwind sky through the lattice of bare winter branches for approaching pigeon. That anticipation is for the potential excitement of testing, spontaneous shots that, if successful, bring deep inner personal satisfaction and thrill. However, such moments are tempered by frustration, humiliation and possibly expletives after a silly miss. All are possible in a couple of hours as the heart of the lone hunter is tested. The bag is immaterial as five birds or 50 generate the same emotions. One thing is for sure and it is that those hard-earned pigeons will taste all the better when on the plate.

Am I exaggerating? And what is roost shooting all about? Admittedly the memory can play tricks and as we remember summers of our childhood to have been