Its the glorious twelfth! No shooting for me this time round as I’m heading back to the river Ponoi today. Can’t complain too much… but it does bring back fond memories from two years ago when I shot my first grouse. Lester’s dad and top chap Chris (Smudge) invited Sam and me to shoot with him near Dinnet in Aberdeenshire at the start of last season. We arrived in time for a piss up the night before and as usual things got loose. A big lineup the next day included Les’s brothers Winnie and Riley and his mate Will, not forgetting of course smudge. Chief photographer was Les’s sister, Thomasin, and taking up the rear and trying not to be shot was her (now ex but still alive!) boyfriend Chris. The heather was late that year and just starting to turn the lush purple one usually associates with early season grouse but the weather was fantastic, lovely blue skies if a little windy. The keeper’s were both top lads – Sam used to work with one of them, so after some craic and a bit of sloe gin we were soon off.
To counter the wind we set a V shape up the hill with Sam and I (who were sharing a gun) at one end of the line – the thoughts here being that we might lift birds going left and behind with the wind, making them good driven birds for the guns in the neck of the V. We started seeing birds straight away and the first birds to lift anywhere near us were followed by Sam shouting “shoot them” and me missing by a country mile! It was all so quick and having never shot grouse before I didn’t really know what to expect. I was closer to the next birds that got up still managed to miss them. Several birds took with the wind behind us providing great driven sport for Will who with only one barrel working managed to kill pretty consistently throughout the morning. Before long we were on the top of the hill breathing out our arses! We had definitely drawn the short straw being at the end of the line. More slow gin did the trick and we continued round the circle. It was worth it though as Sam shot a pair a birds going right and as we got onto lower ground I missed an easy pair. Gutted! The keeper was with us now and we could see the cars… perhaps it wasn’t to be my day. With words of encouragement (don’t ^&*$%£$ poke at them) a pair got up in front of me and I nailed one with both barrels (just to make sure) going left to right. The dogs were soon on it and Sam let slip I hadn’t shot one before so the keeper took the liberty of first blooding me. What a morning!
A quick bite in the house before the next walk which again turned out to be up the hill and sure enough Sam and I found ourselves at the end of the line. Having bagged a bird I wasn’t too fussed about the rest of the day and could just enjoy myself. Sam missed some absolute sitters that afternoon but ended the day with another decent pair. The closest I came to a bird the rest of the day was a perfect driven Black Cock that I almost pegged (thanks for the heads up boys) – Lesson learnt. Beers in Braemar followed by fish and chips and a session back at the cottage. I think it was all just too much for Sam who passed out early doors. I thoroughly enjoyed my day – what a place to bag my first grouse! Amazing creatures and great sport.
And that unfortunate first grouse got the full treatment … Lester came back to Edinburgh with me and cooked it up shortly before getting a call from his mum who had to remind him it was his birthday! Birthday grouse washed down by some of Lester’s favorite port followed by a fringe show. Not a bad long weekend! Thanks again Smudge! I write this now about to head back to the River Ponoi for the second half of the season. The first fall fish has already been caught and I can’t wait to get back in the boat!
