Shooting is an endeavour that requires a fair amount of kit. There are the ubiquitous essentials, without which it would be challenging to go shooting: gun, gunslip, cartridges and something to carry them in, ear defenders - that’s probably the ultimate pared-down kitbag, and assumes that you don’t mind having wet feet and being cold.
But let’s face it, we all own plenty more shooting accessories. These days when I go shooting for a day it can look like I’m heading out for a month, such is the amount of stuff I seem to have to pack into the car. In addition to the above I obviously pack my coat and boots, and among my ‘superfluous’ paraphernalia are an antler-topped thumbstick, a pair of leather shooting gloves, some less-fancy backup gloves, and a selection of headgear for all weathers.
Recently I was poking around on the Fine Shooting Accesories website, and reached the conclusion that there is more or less a limitless array of shooting or shooting-adjacent accesseries, gewgaws and trinkets out there. From art and table decorations to luggage and jewellery, there’s an amazing choice for anyone looking for a gift for the shooting person in their life, or to treat themselves.
Many of these are what you might call ‘nice to haves’, but I thought it might be fun to pick out a few items that, while not strictly ‘necessary’ to enjoy a day’s shooting, nevertheless serve a purpose.
The Norfolk Liar (game counter) - £306
Have you ever had a long and busy drive and then, when it came to accounting for your shot game, not been quite certain how many birds you have to pick? These one-way ratcheted game counters have four dials, one each for, as it might be, pheasant, partridge, grouse and woodcock. For each bird down, one can simply click the relevant counter on by one, helping you to keep an accurate tally, preventing any of those wild goose chases that pickers up do so enjoy.
The Norfolk Liar comes from an age when the number of birds an individual had shot on any given drive or day could be the subject of newspaper reports and played a part in making (or breaking) reputations. The name is a reference to the tendency of unscrupulous or dishonest guns to surrepticiously add a few additional head of game to their tally in the event that they felt their shooting had not been up to snuff.
Leather ear defender case - from £58
Modern ear defenders are pretty fancy, with digital stereo sound, bluetooth connectivity, and, for all I know, radar. With the hightech comes a high price tag, with top-of-the-range cans coming in around the £300 mark. The last thing you want to do, then, is leave them lying in a ploughed field because they’ve popped off your head, or sling them in the car loose with a load of muddy boots and a dog.
This leather case not only gives you a convenient way to carry your ear defenders when you’re not wearing them (the handy D ring means you can attach it to your belt or cartridge bag), but also protects them from the ingress of mud, water and other unwanted contaminants, helping to extend their lifespan.
Game Book - from £595
All shoot days are memorable, that goes without saying. Nevertheless, keeping a game book is a wonderful way to ensure that you have a permanent record of your days in the field. The very act of filling in the book can be a pleasure in itself, as you recall the company, the birds and the setting. Of course, once the record is completed, you can return to it in February as you mourn the passing of yet another season, or pull it out on a winter’s evening and relive days from seasons gone by.
Fine Shooting Accessories offer three different game books, but our favourite is the 100+ page behemoth that is the ‘Deluxe’. Clad in timeless green and maroon leather, and with space to record over a 1,000 days, and with separate pages for annual totals, it is ideal as an estate book or as a personal record for someone serious about keeping their records. The high quality paper and construction mean that it can be kept proudly on display on a coffee table for you or your guests to flick through.
Silent Dog Whistle - from £60
Is your gundog perfect? Thought not. Avoid drawing attention to your hound’s shortcomings with a silent whistle.
Of course, the whistle isn’t totally silent, but the pitch is so high that it is barely perceptible to human ears, yet the sound travels up to a 1.5km. You can even adjust the frequencies, so you can adapt it to your dog, or use different notes if you have two or more unruly dogs.
Leather shooting stick - from £120
I’m in my late 30s and have twins aged two, so I now appreciate a good sit down as much as the next person. But for those who are more advanced in years, or who have mobility issues, a shooting stick can make the difference between an enjoyable day in the field and hour upon hour of discomfort.
The sturdy construction of this metal-framed stick is complemented by the wide leather seat, the result being a solid platform upon which to rest one’s posterior, and even from which to shoot.
Pathfinder position finder - from £2,250
If you own or run a shoot, or host days, you’re always looking for those little touches that will help your shoot to stand out. One of the great ceremonies of a shoot day is the drawing of pegs, but the old sloe-gin with a number at the bottom is old hat these days, and traditional position finders even more so.
The Pathfinder brings a whole load of pomp and not a little circumstance to the ceremony. The solid silver case opens to reveal a gilded interior and a turkey-tail fan of engraved silver pegs, which sit in sockets that hides the numbers.
Cigar tubes - from £110
What sensation screams shooting for you? For some it is the smell of a recently fired cartridge, for others it’s the crunch of frosted grass under foot on a winter’s morning, and for some it is the taste and aroma of a good cigar, enjoyed at elevenses or after lunch. But how to keep your Havana in tip top condition?
These elegant tortoiseshell tubes are available in two sizes - to suit a Robusto or Churchill - and can be customised with a game bird motif of your choice on the end of the cap.
For more luxurious shooting accessories, visit Fine Shooting Accessories.
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