What Father’s Day means to me

On a more serious note, Father’s Day presents us with an opportunity to reflect on fatherhood, paternal bonds with loved ones, and the influence of fathers and other paternal figures. Their role and ability to ignite a passion for the countryside and country sports has been an important one for many. 

My own journey into shooting and fishing was exclusively driven by my father and grandfather, who were held at superhero levels of esteem and were the most influential role models for me growing up as a kid.

I was very young when I was first exposed to shooting, certainly before I could walk, as my father recalls stories of him carrying me around the family pheasant shoot on his shoulders. An anecdote which sticks with me from my early days, although I cannot remember my age at the time, was when I accompanied my father and uncle on a lamping trip for the first time. 

I remember the evening well. Walking around for what felt like miles and more than once bumping my head off the car battery in the satchel being used to power the lamp. I vividly remember the change in atmosphere and the soft whispering starting, “It’s Charlie… up in the gorse”, and my first reaction was of utter confusion as to why someone called Charlie was walking around the fell at this time of night – and through gorse, of all bushes – alas, childhood innocence.

I often recall these types of stories from my childhood and ponder when the best time to introduce my own children to the different aspects of shooting is. Given that my life is dominated by fieldsports, the lines between my professional life and personal life are blurred by the fact that shooting is, and has always been, my job and my passion. 

I made the conscious decision that I would not push or force fieldsports upon my children. I wanted them to want it, not because I did.