The grandest danger
Feb 10, 2021
5 minutes
“If you shoot a bird from a boat and it falls on land, it belongs to the landowner; if it lands in the sea it is yours”
“The number of punt-gunners in the British Isles is steadily diminishing but the number of enthusiasts who use a boat for shooting is growing,” wrote Richard Arnold in 1954.
His observation of trends in postwar Britain, the DIY nature of make-do-and-mend and his enthusiasm for old guns and old ways is beautifully captured in The Shooter’s Handbook. His words reflect the move away from a punt-mounted cannon to more conventional sporting guns in pursuit of waterfowl.
Punt-gunning today is a curiosity. Once it was a business. To some Victorian sportsmen, it was an art to be learned and practised. The punt, the punt-gun and the punt-gunner are characters
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days