To Caledonia and Back

To Caledonia and Back
​ Young Sports and The High Lands

We start this story off in by beloved West Country and Gods own County of Somersetshire here in Englandshire, since I last put pen to paper its been one hell of a ride as the title says from Caledonia (Scotland) to right here at home in Somersetshire.

Jamie one of my trainee pest controllers and his good lady Jess have had a baby, may I introduce you all to Evangeline (Evi) I feel like a proud Pappy (Grandfather) again, for young Jamie is like a son to me now and jess like my Daughter in law, at The Scottish Game fair I spent a fortune on this little pink bundle, you will see this in future articles.

I have the greatest honour to promote yet another of my wonderful Pass It On Young Sports to the highly sublime rank of my personal Ambassador for the National Organisation I started off, I am still the head honcho and pointy hat wearer of, meet Pass it On young Sports Ambassador Theo, a truly hard working inspirational young man, he has busted gut over the last year or so to get on to my Ambassadorship programme, each Ambassador I promote to this sublime rank really has to earn it, or as I say earn your your stripes, Theo like many young folk really struggle in life, so has to work extra hard to achieve, I always love an underdog, Theo is no exception his passion and drive to be better than he is and achieve his goals really shines, this is what I look for in an Ambassador, a true sportsman he is humble in victory and gracious in defeat, I always give the new Ambassadors a talk and a certificate of achievement as well as a contract, what I expect from them and what they will get from me, I always say its been hard work to get on my Ambassadorship programme, now the work really starts for you stay on it.

One thing I will not stand for is a bully or being bullied, I have got in so many situations where I have had to deal with a bully, either they are trying to bully me or I see someone being bullied, as a young man my fists did the talking, many a bully fell because they thought they could put on me, they learned this ole country boy was fast with word or fist, now days I have learnt to be quick of wit and sharp of tong, my Pappy (Grandfather) taught me to be sharp of mind, my one liners of which are vast can cuts like my best hunting knife and that blade sings, I am very proud of Young Sports Ambassador Theo for just recently he got a shiner (black eye) for stopping a bully and defended someone who needed his help, he informed the headteacher and this was all sorted out without a fuss, what a boy.

Now my other Young Sports Ambassador Dom, he has a lot of problems in life starting with being born premature, parts of his brain have not developed fully, with other physical problems and complications too, yet again another underdog who has a passion to succeed and punch above his weight, not only does he achieve he does it in style too, part of his problem his hair falls out in batches, sometimes due to his medication/treatment and stress of it all, he said to me one night at the rifle range I feel so alone and a freak? So I sat on the sofa and talked things over with him, turns out he was very upset as hi hair was falling out again and his mother was going to have to shave his head again, he said about the other kids at school and being bullied by them and all the names he gets called and they hide his hat, so I gave him an inspirational speech about being a slap head being one of the names call him, I then said I tell you what son, see I have a fair bit of hair on my head even with and Eagles egg in a Sparrows nest (bald spot) if you let your Mum shave your head I will shave mine, we can both be slap heads together, wear our Eley hats and have a pic or 20 together, you can show these children I am a slap head too, so when I come in to do a class talk they will know well you are a Pass It On Young Sports Ambassador, let them bull you now and I will be right behind you so rise above them, this pleased my little mate Dom, you know his school report was fantastic too, I bloody hate bullies in any form.

Out in the fields, my estate management and pest control duties have gotten so busy both by day and by night, the Grey Squirrel work has gotten really busy both on the trapping lines and shooting over the feeders, I must admit my air rifle of choice just lately has been the awesome Air Arms S510 TDR in .22 my favourite calibre, this kit from Air Arms is whisper quiet, packs a deadly accurate punch on target, everything I have come to expect from this brilliant English Brand.

​I was called in by one of my oldest VIP clients for pest control, he had foxes attacking his pedigree rare breed free range flock, he had tried every from electric fencing and all sorts, but still the foxes were attacking the flock, I rocked up late afternoon to settle myself in and track around the farm to get an idea of how these foxes were attacking etc, as I got there he said could I also take a few rabbits and find a balance as they are eating more grass than his live stock, good job I brought the .22Lrs and Eley Ammunition too I thought, I had a cruise around taking the odd Rabbit from the truck, I let Goose my Cocker spaniel retrieve the shot rabbits, this was a good time to do a bit of training with his and polish some retrieves with him on fresh shot quarry, I must say I love this little dog with heart of lion, he never missed a beat, ole Brook would have taught him a few good lessons though, I really miss that ole dog, but Goose is starting to fill big paw prints and really making our partnership his own, I am so looking forward to many adventures together I telle, like Brook he will be one of the most written about and photographed Dogs on the planet so watch this space.

I shot a few rabbits until night fell, then I switched to the other 22LR and the Night Pearl Marten dedicated thermal scope, this made the rabbit shooting so easy, Spot them with my Scops Max III thermal Spotter, then switch to the gun and take them with the rifle using the Eley Subsonic Ammunition, I also mounted the ole 243 on to my Primos Trigger sticks, to this I added the Night Pearl Seer 50 max front add on thermal scope, again still using the Night Pearl Spotter for spotting the quarry, all of a sudden I heard the Magpie kicking off, I thought eye eye ole Charlie fox is about, then I saw him 400 yards to my left across the big field, by golly he is almost black I remarked, he was huge too at first sight I thought it was someone's German Sheppard he had one hell of a mane on him, alas he did not present a safe shot he followed the road hedge along then disappeared out on the road under the farm by one of the farm cottages, my thought was he will be back shall I move position and try and head him off on his return journey, whilst I was trying to decide what to do as these fields are very vast, the guinea fowl started kicking off in the orchard by the farm house to my right of me, I knew Charlie fox had out flanked me and come in from the road, stealthily I grabbed the ole 243 and trigger sticks and sleeked off like a Tiger on the hunt hugging the hedge line, got to the corner of the orchard dropped the trigger sticks and mounted the gun scanning with the spotter, there was a fox not 30 yards away none the wiser I was there, I would love to say it was a brilliant stalk and topping shot, but no it was pretty text book, cross hairs on thwack and another humane job done administering a 58grn V Max lead injection, this was not the big black dog fox though, it was a vixen, the big boy was still out there, this Night Pearl scopes and spotters etc are of the highest quality built by hunters for hunter, but I will say it makes the job way too easy, I still love the old lamping the best with a good lamp man its so much more social, times changed and I have to remember I am here to do a professional job not to enjoy a good walk.

Reginald The Roe Buck came to see what all the fuss was about.

The Build up to The Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace took many weeks of planning, I was there as a three pointed spear this year, first as myself The Ole Hedge Creeper and representing my own company Really Wild Adventures www.reallywildadventures.co.uk , also working for Night Pearl International on their stand as well as representing Eley Out Doors International as their International Out doors Ambassador, thirdly the most dear to my heart helping Ken Mcillop my Scottish Regional Director for Pass It On Yong Sports and his awesome team of volunteers on our stand too.

​I had a fantastic weekend representing internationally myself and the many brands I work with, I attended a VIP invite to a short film opening for The GWFT, the Night Pearl Stand was packed all weekend, I signed some books and autographs, met up with so many old friends and making lots of knew one, I had breakfast very early one morning in the hotel with a band of black musicians who were up in Scotland recording an album, such wonderful young folk, they really could sing, they serenaded over a mug of tea, the two lads came from London, but the two girls were from Bristol and guess what they were from the next road over from where I was brought up, how about that Bristolians Rock especially us Knowle Westers, this was really a special moment, such wonderful young people their positive energy was enchanting I left smiling like a Cheshire Cat.

Pass It On Young Sports Scotland with Ken at the helm is flying high, what an inspirational team of volunteers he has too, the stand was buzzing all weekend, the kettle was constantly brewing too, a sea of families flocking to the stand, a stand that was totally interactive and family friendly, I cannot sing highly enough ken and his teams praises, or how truly proud I am of all of them, the recent triumph of a wonderful taster day they put on for 321 folk was amazing, the next one is already booked and will be on our website soon, if you would like to know more about Pass It On Young Sports or any of our English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish events and shows just click on our website link www.pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk you will find all you need and more.

I must send a huge thanks to my ole mucker Scott from SAC SHOOTING for my venison and pigeon Haggis, it came through the post, Goose my cocker spaniel mugged the postman and retrieved it for me, the poor old postie didn't know what hit him.

​I stayed a couple of nights extra in Scotland with my old friend and bro Tam and his family, Tam and I met more years ago than I care to mention, from foreign shores to home here in the UK we have travelled the world together on many an adventure, Lake Belton in Texas fishing for Bass with Tommy C on his boat being one of our most memorable, I said good by to my Caledonian (Scotland) home and flew back to Somersetshire leaving a piece of my heart behind, I can see me retiring there one day, I love the place, I love the people, the food, drink and sporting opportunities are second to none, I landed at Bristol air port got a taxi to the rifle range just in time to run a Sporting Rifle Night as the Head Coach and RO, no rest for the wicked eh.

Catch me back live on air in the studio between 2 and 4 pm every Monday 

Our next show will be the Ragley Game Fair at the end of July, I will be heading up a star studded national cast at The Countryman's Village, come see us on the stand and in our main show ring, you are guaranteed to be entertained, inspired and educated Ole Hedge Creeper Stylie, well until next time I hope you have enjoyed my humble scribbles of my latest adventures with some of the finest folk you will ever have the privilege to me. Stay safe and well one and all God Bless you all.

To Caledonia and Back
Young Sports and The High Lands​

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk