First days of the partridge season

The anticipation builds

September 2020 has been remarkable for the stunning Indian summer enjoyed by much of the country, with the partridge shooting season getting off to a glorious start.

Blue skies

Photographs of partridge days

Thanks to Louisa North, head of operations at the British Game Alliance for sharing photographs of her first partridge day with us.

A glorious September day in the field

Louisa says: “I have been shooting on and off most of my life but mainly sharing a peg with my father. I only really started having lessons this year at the Royal Berkshire Shooting School.

Louisa shoots with her grandfather’s gun

“My gun was my grandfather’s and was given to me by my father last Christmas. It is a Beretta S56E, an over and under 20-bore.

The beating line

Louisa is a firm believer in eating what she shoots and adds: “I actually create most of the recipes that are on Eat Wild. My favourite one at the moment is the partridge satay salad. However I am also working on a partridge and chorizo risotto.”

Taking home the day’s bag

More photographs of September partridge days

Partridge tips

• Safety is a top concern when you’re shooting partridges
• Make sure you know where other Guns, beaters and pickers-up are located
• Don’t be tempted to take low shots, even though early season partridges can lose height quickly.
• Practising shooting partridges on clays before you go out into the field will pay dividends
• Focus on your footwork
• Consider the cartridges you are using.
• You can replace any chicken recipe with partridge meat
• Young partridges taste cooked delicious in salads