So, here we are today at Uperwood Shoot, a team put together by Nathan Little d what an amazing day.
Spectacular scenery, amazing topography and some of the
best birds I've seen so far this season and we haven't seen the tallest birds
yet. The fogs comes around us a little, bit but the birds that were picking out
the fog is still magnificent.There really is something here for everybody,
This shoot is famed for its super-high tall towering pheasants.
First drive was a bit windy, took me a little bit to get on to the birds. Rather than
shooting my AYA Number One Deluxe with 1/2 and 3/4 I'd normally shoot, today I'm
shooting Miroku MK64 32 inch barrel. So, huge field artillery guns that getting a
little bit of getting used to. But, I'm starting to hit birds now, which is great
my loader Fred we're making a great team, he's not only helping me pick out
the birds that coming through the clouds, but also a few hints and tips here and
there about what I'm missing and what I should be shooting. Great thing about
today is the company. I haven't shot with these guys before, they're all incredibly
friendly and some very, very good shots, which is a pleasure for me to watch.
Sometimes it can be a bit too moralizing watching people bring down towering
birds, well my feeble attempts go to shooting off into the atmosphere, but it
really is encouraging to be with a team of selective but highly skilled guns and
they're also great fun. So, this is the beginning of the day I can't wait to see what's coming next.
Shooting into the fog can be pretty tricky, not only because the birds are
difficult to spot, but also you gotta be very careful about your backdrop. The
mountain in front of us is pretty steep and there's beaters crossing, there's dogs
working all the time, So not any have you got to pick the birds that are the best
out of the bunch, but you're also going to make sure that they're safe shots, but
everything here that's coming through that you can just about see through the
fog is a good sporting bird a 40 to 50 yard plus bird. I'm pretty sure there's
more coming higher or we just can't see them see the fog, but it can be
challenging judging distance, judging range, judging lead, judging speeds are
all pretty tricky when your visibility is limited. So far we're doing okay,
myself and my loader Fred, he's got a system in terms of pass him the gun I
can keep concentrating on the sky, looking for the birds, trying to pick
them out and that gives you as much time as you need to then swing onto the bird
right onto it pull in front of it and hopefully give it enough lead, so it's
been a challenging start but a very enjoyable one.
I'm Nathan Little, today we're here with the team I'm hosting a team of my
friends at the Upperworld Estate in border of Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Tremendous shoot and I've been coming here for quite a few years now the shoot
owners and the keepers, they're a good friends of mine and they really do put
on a tremendous day, I always bring a team of guns here, we shoot we have a
great time, the guns know what the shooting, they know what they want to
shoot they want to come to shoot really good challenging birds and this place
offers it as well as a really good atmosphere, great people and just great
camaraderie and a bit of banter as well thrown into the mix.
good afternoon Martin Stratton speaking, but I've just had the most fantastic day
on this shoot. I've shot probably the least birds for the most cartridges I've
ever shot, but they've been so fabulously challenging that even to shoot a few of
them has been really satisfying and great company as ever.
These were easily the most magnificent birds I've ever seen on a shoot.
I'm sure there's other similar, but it must be one of the top ones, absolutely fabulous.
What an incredible finish to an incredible day shooting here at Upperwood, it
has been something very special, some of the highest birds I've ever seen.
Some of the most challenging conditions, incredible wind, a great team of guys to
shoot with. So, yeah, it's it's had just about everything. I have to say I've been
humbled a little bit by these birds, they have been a little bit higher than I'm
use to and I just like the angles and twisting and the turning and the judging
of speed as well as distance it's been a real learning experience I'd say. But,
it's been great. The hospitality here is second to none, the banter has been
fantastic and it's a day that I'll remember for a long time. It's what I
think I need to practice for before I come again, but really the only way you
can learn how to shoot these really tall birds is just by turning up and shooting
them. It's been a real privilege. Thanks to Nathan and the team here at Upperwood
for making it so special and hopefully I can come back and do it all again next season.