Well, my first day of the season was a belter.

Like everyone else in the country I am enjoying what is now the customary Indian summer and these conditions certainly alter the shooting experience. On Saturday I shot in the shoes I wore to drive to the shoot as there wasn't a semblance of mud on the Wiltshire hills.

Sunny conditions of course are not necessarily good for shooting, however there was enough of a breeze to give the partridge the gentle persuasion they require and they flew well. It was a tough day to be a black labrador though. They are not designed for work in this heat and I have rarely seen such an exhausted group of dogs at the end of a day.

On the peg I had my fair share of the action and felt that my shooting was not too bad, which was a relief. A light lunch of salmon and salad was served on the top of a hill with a 360 degree view of the stunning surrounding countryside - a far cry from the heavy fare I will be enjoying in the failing light come mid-winter!

With good birds, good weather and great company this was a dream start to the season. I couldn't have asked for more and the day has set the tone nicely for what will, I hope, be a bumper season.