YOUNGSTERS at a Dorset school helped keep a tradition alive at a pheasant shoot.

Milton Abbey School runs and hosts its own shoot during the season, with help from neighbours, and this year it got off to a great start.

The event is run by sixth form pupils studying countryside management BTEC who take care of all the staffing and catering requirements as well as sending out invitations.

Parents were guests at the first shoot day of the season on October 19 and pupils made up the beating team.

Gamekeeper and countryside management technician Kevin Hurst was delighted with how the day went. He said: “It was unseasonably mild, with the trees still full of leaf and perhaps not the best weather for shooting, however the guns and beaters turned up full of smiles and eager to have an enjoyable day. The beating team were up against it all day, there was very little wind and sound was carrying a long way. It was the first day ever beating for most the team and they got around the first three drives really well. By the end of the day the beating lines were very slick and communication along the line was brief and accurate. The birds performed admirably, flushing high and fast challenging the guns to full effect.”

After some very long walks for the beating team in particular, lunch in the Princes Room in the Milton Abbey mansion was welcomed by all.

Kevin added: “After many hours in the class room our first shoot day is always a cascade of eureka moments for pupils when theory suddenly becomes reality before their eyes. The relevance of habitat management, release pen design and functionality, feeding regimes, predator control all becomes relevant. Education does not get any more interactive than this. The bag for the day was 24 pheasant for 86 shots which for our humble shoot is a very reasonable day.”

Lissy Carr, director of land based studies at Milton Abbey School said: “On days like this we see our pupils grow in knowledge, confidence and stature. I saw the birds that we reared in perfect condition flying high and fast over the guns with many making it through to battle another day. Above all it was a pleasure to see proud students and even prouder parents enjoy a day of shooting which was carried out extremely safely and with real respect for our beautiful environment.”