By Dr Anthony O’ Halloran
A Treasure Trove of Firsts
A
solid thump on the riverbank was followed by a gasp of amazement from an eight year old child. The moment for that is what it was; remains embedded in my memory. I cannot recall the journey to or from the river. Whilst I cannot remember the precise time of the year, I am certain that it was either September or early October. Neither can I recall the shotgun sound or swishing of wings but there is a vague memory which suggests the mallard duck was taken from a pair rather than a sizeable flock and that no other ducks flighted on the evening in question. The bird was shot by my brother Paky on the banks of the River Suir. The farm we were on was owned by a man long since deceased. I am pleased to report that the stretch of river where the mallard was shot remains a prime spot for mallard and brown trout. When the surroundings ponds and splashes freeze teal flock to the inlets in abundance. Ephemeral as this moment was it constitutes a key memory in my hunting life. This is because it constituted the first
occasion that I witnessed a quarry species being shot. This formative experience explains my lifelong craving for riverbanks. Firsts of all sorts provide the game hunter with a treasure trove of memories. And the older we get the more we dip into this trove. Throw a blazing fire, a decent brandy and hunting friends into the mix and the scene is set for a myriad of relived experiences. In time the stories may even become repetitive. The boundaries between fact and fiction certainly become blurred. I like to think that my treasure trove of firsts is particularly rich. Apart from personal firsts, I have been blessed to witness many more. I still remember my nephew Glen tumbling a bolting rabbit shortly after dawn with his side by side in a dew laden pasture field. An excited run and very hurried run towards the dead rabbit was followed by a beaming smile. Perhaps, the sceptical reader protests that one should not become too sentimental about shooting a rabbit. I beg to differ. Whether a game hunter’s first quarry species is a bolting rabbit shot with an ageing Baikal or a driven grouse shot from with a new Purdy, the fact remains that the moment belongs to him and to a lesser extent to those who bear witness.
I stood aghast as Sam our pointer froze solid in the middle of a shallow pond
Glen O'Halloran with a brace of November cock pheasants. Glen's first quarry species in the bag was a bolting rabbit. 38
Returning to my childhood days, I remember the first time that I saw a dog setting. I was mesmerised by the sight of a Pointer called Sally standing motionless as if in a trance with tail erect and right front paw raised as she gazed intensely towards a hedgerow. A cock pheasant was eventually flushed but I cannot recall if he was shot. In the intervening years, I have witnessed setters and pointers adopt this classic poise on rabbits, snipe and grouse. Over twenty five years ago, I stood aghast as Sam our pointer froze solid in the middle of a shallow pond. Praying that a
Winter 2021 Irish Country Sports and Country Life
mallard was sitting tight, I raised my gun in eager and bemused anticipation. I could only smile when a moorhen flew awkwardly towards an adjacent drain. I should add that Sam provided me with another incredibly special sporting memory: the first time I saw a cock grouse being set. Sam surprised the bird as he erupted no more than three yards in front of him. I still vividly recall the cock’s hoarse cackle as he erupted from the heather. Incidentally, he lived to cackle another day! Returning to firsts the years 2001 and 2002 filled the trove to almost overflowing point. On September 1st, 2001, I was privileged to witness one young man shoot their first grouse. Shooting grouse on our mountains is a genuine sporting achievement. The grouse reside well above the tree line ensuring that there is no easy access to the heather. It is a tough and gruelling walk and grouse have a habit of flushing when one is at one’s lowest ebb. Most people do not possess the physical endurance required for the kind of walking involved never mind focus on hunting a truly elusive game bird. Patrick Condon shot his first grouse on September 1st, 2001. The bird was shot on a high plateau. I recall Patrick thinking that he had missed the bird, a common experience for most of us on the hill. However, our dear and sadly deceased friend Dr Douglas Butler spotted the bird falling over a brow and seconds later a chuffed Patrick was holding the bird in his hand. For those of us who love working retrieving breeds that first live retrieve on a shooting day can be most unnerving. After over eighteen months of patient training the decisive moment arrives. In my experience, whilst one tries to relax inevitably anxiety levels rise. Of course, your dog senses the mood and this can impact on his behaviour. I remember occasions when that first retrieve went as per the textbook.
