Winning a game of patience

At this time of year, there always seems to be a slight lull in the sporting calendar. The main game seasons are well behind us and the focus switches to the one on the horizon. The movement of vast pigeon numbers has ebbed away as the birds begin to nest up, and the stalking seasons have not long closed. While some of the rivers in the far north have begun to see their salmon runs, many are yet to begin, and the main mayfly hatches that mark the real start of trout fishing are still a few weeks off. The beginning of May is a pause in an otherwise busy year.

There is, however, one animal that has often stepped into this void. The increase in the activity and abundance of rabbits always seems to coincide with the start of the