Preseason prep
In some parts of the world, hunting is a year-round activity. Here in Ireland, our deer-hunting season is six months of the year, and starts on 1 September. For me, this means a six-month break from hunting. Of course, there is still opportunity for fox control, some rabbit shooting and also activities likes pigeon decoying with the shotgun. There was a time when nights spent fox shooting were high on the agenda, but not for me in more recent years.
I do, on occasion and at the request of farmers, conduct some summer culling under special licence, but to be honest I like the break from hunting. It keeps me hungry for the season, and allows me time to develop my skills on the range. One reason I think that I enjoy the break is because I hunt hard during the winter, and am out in the field a lot. February is the last month of our season, and I always try to maximise this time on the hill, often taking weeks off work in order to guide and hunt for myself, stocking the freezer and making the
