10/01/2008 - Dan Reynolds reviews the '07-'08 season

The end of the season always comes with mixed feelings and while it is always a relief for us and our estates to get to the 'finish line', there is now no tangible break between the end of one season and the planning of the next. Such is the popularity of shooting these days, clearly illustrated by the recent PACEC report, that many of our clients want to fix their entire shooting diaries well before the leaves start to appear and summer is upon us.

This season did, however, bring with it a huge amount of relief as back in July and early August, with the incessant summer rain, we all thought it would be a very tough winter with poor cover crop establishment. As luck would have it, disease was, for the most part, not as prevalent as we had anticipated and the wet weather did give the birds a huge appetite, the net result of which was that they grew extremely well and were ready well ahead of the start of the season. The grouse moors too had very unexpected good fortune and some huge, record-breaking bags were achieved up and down the land.

Looking back now, it would appear that many estates have had a near vintage season but at the same time we have all been reminded to look closer than ever at our modus operandi and to improve even further our level of management, cover crop establishment and creature comforts for visiting guests. The sharp and totally unforeseen rise in the prices of wheat and energy left many a shoot budget in tatters and much more attention to detail will be applied to the way most shoots operate in the future.

We have had some excellent days at our new estate Perrystone in Herefordshire where a very relaxed and uncommercial atmosphere prevails. It is a beautiful estate with stunning views into the Black Mountains - a day here would be something to consider if you are looking for something new.

There are other changes afoot closer to London and on our home patch near Hungerford there are likely to be some new and exciting opportunities for those not wanting to travel so far for their sport.

Please call us now so that we can arrange the best possible chance of sporting excellence for you in the 2008-09 season.