We were in the woods, with just 30 yards to go on the final drive. I’d been working hard, covering some eight miles on foot, asking lots of questions and picking up useful snippets. One thing I’d learned was that late-season pheasants are not easily disconcerted. Despite the cacophony and eager dogs running hither and thither, they would crouch under a bush and let you pass within inches if they thought they could get away with it.
With this in mind, I diverted slightly from my path to give a squat rhododendron bush a good shake. A cock bird immediately launched itself skywards, aiming for a crack of grey cloud between the trees, desperate to gain height before it had to overfly the Guns in the neighbouring field. Gamekeeper Ed
