Town & Country Diary - updated by country people

05.08.08

AUGUST THE TWELFTH �A GLORIOUS DAY�

August 12 is the start of the grouse shooting season. Many shooters will be travelling to the moors of Scotland and northern England from all over the world. The season lasts from August 12 to December 10 on mainland Great Britain and from August 12 to November 30 in Northern Ireland..

This is a traditional sport which is mainly in the form of formal shooting from butts and started in the mid 1800s, but which is seeing resurgence in popularity, driven grouse shooting is the only commercially viable means of running a grouse moor as grouse are wild and can not be artificially reared

Red grouse are only found in the British Isles feeding on young heather, being a short-lived species, with two out of three dying within one year of hatching.

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01.07.08

WELL WHATS HAPPENING?

Down in this neck of the woods we have had some pretty bad weather, but for those of us that have a corvid population that needs controlling the laid barley has been giving us some good opportunities. It has also given us the chance to get a few woodpigeon which is always a bonus.

I have just purchased a FOXPRO FX3 which proved very productive, at first I thought it was a bit pricey but after using it a few times I have changed my mind because it is so effective, but I will be getting a re-charging battery pack for it as it seems to eat batteries after a few outings.

Once the crops start to be harvested it will be in use nearly every night as all my friends want to try it out. The last time I had so many invitations to go fox shooting was when I bought a new rifle �bonus

Good news for the shooters of any HORNADY products EDGAR BROTHERS are now importing, we have been told to expect delivery around mid JULY.

Clay shooting seems to be slowly picking up, and so it should after all it is SUMMER TIME.

GAMEBORE have just released their 12gauge SUPER XLR 21gram FIBRE Cartridge (only available in LEAD SHOT SIZE 8 ) @ �133.00 Per Thousand .For those of you who are wondering whether they are up to breaking clays , I would say how much lead do you need in your pencil ?

Recipe of the Month

STUFFED BRAISED PIGEON

Ingredients

2 Large pigeons (plucked and ready for oven)

50gm cooked ham

50gm butter

50 gm fresh breadcrumbs

1 egg yolk

1 good handful of grated cheese

Chopped parsley

Streaky bacon

1 bay leaf

1 Large glass of good fine white wine

Chicken stock

Mince the livers and ham. Heat half the butter in a frying pan and cook the mixture until brown and remove from the heat.

Add the breadcrumbs, egg yolk, cheese, parsley and season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Stuff the pigeon with the stuffing and truss.Brown all sides of the pigeons in the rest of the butter.

Place in a casserole dish and put the bacon on the pigeons, put bay leaf in dish and add enough stock to cover bottom. Cover and cook for 1 hour until they are tender adding more stock if necessary.

NOW TAKE THAT GLASS OF WINE AND DRINK

Best served with new potatoes and a red wine sauce