b'TURN A WALK INTO AN ADVENTUREI could see the odd red-wattled headthought it best to stay put while Markthe noggin. He was well happy.or the pure white neck feather ringwent quietly along the hedgerow again.Two brace was enough he thought, as bobbing in the undergrowth but had toThere was nothing for a goodly few yardshis other half Leigh has a great recipe for keep back to avoid blowing the shoot.and I was sure we had had all we werepheasant breast crowns. By now, I admit I I was more nervous than when I huntgoing to get. But as I saw him get to thewas puke sick jealous.but Mark wasnt worried. Sweat drippedend, he sti ened and sort of hunkeredI admit I had the WASP Enzo in my down my temples and into my eyes as Idown. Next thing, he got back up andpocket on the best lanyard I can knot, stayed behind, with my face fixed to thestrode forwards to grab the third bird ofand a moron-proof pinch pouch as well back of the camera, trying not to messour mooch. Another hen, a darker one.as a few 9.5mm steels in my tattered everything up. He started his way back to me, grinning.waistcoat pocket. Camera hanging on its At that point I wished I had had theI walked down to the hedge from wherestrap on my chest and turned sideways, daft action cam and my pith helmetI was and just waited, thinking we hadI had the frame ready and Mark basically on, as the very first time he had causea wicked result. I should have knownreturned the compliment as a cock bird to draw back in actual kill-intent, hebetter. came pitter-pattering back. I froze and it smashed it. Or rather his 8mm steelPheasants are stupid but not idiotic. Ifstopped, looked almost shocked as if to (for that is his choice these days) andone is scared and running away, otherswonder WHAT that fat bastard thing WAS? the thick end of 300fps did. The cockwill run otoo without needing the proofWhen my 9.5mm hit him too low, solidly in bird didnt know what hit it. It was Tonyof the threat. (Pheasants running in unisonthe neck. A tad miscalculated and a thing Soprano at the end of the last show. across the end of the ride usually meansI have done before. The plot is to grab as There was that audible hard-to- the keeper is coming, as yet unseen.) As Isoon as you can get to the flapping phezzy describe thump of the ammo strikingwalked up to the hedge, I definitely pushedand in this case, it was terminal but I did home and unlike the frantic flapping youa few birds back away from me, that keptgrip it firmly so as to speed the unfortunate see sometimes, this one was so poleaxedto the edge as they went directly awaybirds demise.that it just extended and stretched outfrom me but they didnt know Mark wasI can tell you that the luckless birds the wings as it collapsed with nary awalking towards them. He heard the pitterwere delicious. Fresh, not remotely gamey squark. Just WHAPP and flex. patter of big scaly feet in the leaf litter,and utterly lead-free!Mark was well delighted as he knewplopped the hen down in the grass and inGoing for a mooch with the King of the we had our feature secured. a trice had bopped a second cock bird onWeald is a day I will remember forever.But he wanted a brace and there were loads still there, even after the birdMarks beloved Asa and brand new was retrieved. Just a few yards onwardsbirthday JJ pfs.and there was a pale hen bird that was nervous and had squatted rather than run o . Trusting her camouflage was a bad move, though and Mark added her to the first. She did flap a bit as it was a terminal blunt force impact yet not quite as brain stem as the first, so the birds nearest him did scarper.A moment of happy triumph and I The WASP Enzo, blooded, with help from the KOTW033030-033 SSW005 the mooch.indd 33 26/11/2021 14:53'