Scouting for chances to promote our sport

“ Hey mister,” said the slightly breathless young lad, “can you please tell me where people are getting the mouse body parts?” Well, it was from me; another crazy Swan idea that happened to work out.

I was running a small GWCT stand at a schools’ countryside day in Suffolk. For this sort of audience, promoting shooting directly was likely to meet teacher resistance, so I was after a more gentle approach. Simply reminding people that the whole of nature is not vegetarian, by pulling apart barn owl pellets and showing how to tell mouse, vole and shrew skulls apart is perfect. The fact that owl pellets are regurgitated remains and not poo, even though they look like it, also fascinates the children — and many of their teachers.

“It was a joy to watch the young