We may be in Lockdown 3, but the 2021 clay season is coming. Jasper Fellows asks the experts what you should be doing to make sure you’re good and ready

R eturning to the stands at the start of the clay season can be challenging at the best of times, let alone after a global pandemic has forced many of us away from the clays for so long. Techniques may have slipped and scores may be lower than hoped for the first few shoots of the season. So, how can we save face in front of friends and rivals?

Prepared excuses. Some of my early season favourites include: The sun being lower than usual at this time of year. My old gun is just a bit worn out and not shooting its best anymore, of course, my gun fit being off due to a new, more circular, physique honed over the Christmas holidays!

This year, however, I’ve decided to get my act together. I’ve enlisted the help of the experts to assist me in preparing more than excuses, and to help claw my scores back from the abyss.

A poor workman always blames his tools, so that’s the first excuse I aim to eliminate. Where better to go to talk the tools of the trade than the beautiful gunroom at E.J. Churchill’s West Wycombe Estate, where manager Rupert Haynes explains the importance of a pre-season gun service.

“Here at E.J. Churchill we treat gun servicing like a mechanic would an MOT for your car,” explains Rupert. “A gun service isn’t just a matter of giving it a good clean, but also giving it a full check over to ensure everything is functioning as it should. From a basic visual inspection to measuring the barrel wall thickness and the function of the safety, we’re checking every aspect of the gun and inspecting for any issues associated with use, wear and damage.” “The last thing anyone wants is for their gun to fail on them in the middle of a shoot,” continues Rupert. “But there’s also the important matter of safety.