An interesting and unusual shooting suit.

**Jock Scot** · 26th December 10, 03:28 AM

Many of you may have gathered that I spend a lot(ok most!) of my time out and about in the Hunting(horses and hounds) shooting and fishing world and I have spotted something in our shooting world that will not even cause the mods to loose a wink of sleep!

Alright then chaps, you people outwith the UK need to understand that we are talking UK here. But you may be interested in a style of shooting suit that is unusual, in the shooting fields of the UK. So here we go! Not the usual greens and browns of a traditional tweed shooting suit, oh no, but tartan!

I think I know the tartan, but can you identify it?

It is also unusual that there is a matching cap. These are usually reserved for "estate staff" which in this case it is not. This suit has, to my certain knowledge, been around for 20 years at least, so whilst it certainly is not the norm, it is not a new idea.

**xman** · 26th December 10, 04:30 AM

Particularly because of the colours I'll bet that it's Gammell rather than Blair.

**M. A. C. Newsome** · 26th December 10, 05:00 AM

Looks like Blair to me. Weathered (reproduction) colors.

**Jock Scot** · 26th December 10, 06:15 AM

Well Matt is along the lines that I would, have in fact gone down, but in fact Xman may be nearer the actual fact.

In true British fashion we observe and make conclusions ,but unless we know a person really well we would not dream of actually asking! And no, I have not actually asked the owner of the suit for details, but as I understand it, it is his Gammell family tartan.When I know him really well, say in another 20 years, maybe I will get around to asking him!

**Tartan Hiker** · 26th December 10, 06:29 AM

And the horn around the other gentleman's neck?

**auld argonian** · 26th December 10, 07:07 AM

Oh, Jock...please be careful of the pictures that you post...with the lot here there'll now be a demand for those suits! By next Christmas we'll have pages of pictures of Xmarksers showing off their tartan shooting suits and reams of queries about where to find the matching socks and whether or not it's appropriate to wear one's tartan shooting suit to the funeral of a cousin three times removed.

Best

AA

**Jock Scot** · 26th December 10, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by Tartan Hiker

And the horn around the other gentleman's neck?

Ah yes the horn, it is carried by the chap organising the day usually. It is the traditional way of starting and stopping the "drive" and it lets the "guns" know when it is safe to start shooting and when to stop. In places the terrain does confound modern technology-----the radio----so he reverts back to the old methods when the occasion arises.

In the UK shooting often is done on a more formal style than I think you are accustomed to in North America. There is a team of beaters who "Drive" the birds over the awaiting "guns" (usually between 7 to 10 in number). I could provide some pictures if it will not upset the mods and the rules?

**Jock Scot** · 26th December 10, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by auld argonian

Oh, Jock...please be careful of the pictures that you post...with the lot here there'll now be a demand for those suits! By next Christmas we'll have pages of pictures of Xmarksers showing off their tartan shooting suits and reams of queries about where to find the matching socks and whether or not it's appropriate to wear one's tartan shooting suit to the funeral of a cousin three times removed.

Best

AA

AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! What have I done??????

**muirkirkca** · 26th December 10, 08:10 AM

Tartan outfit blends fairly well with the background. If the birds love it, then it should make hunting success easier.

**davidlpope** · 26th December 10, 08:18 AM

Jock,

So is this sort of suit "genuine shooting attire" or is the sort of thing that folks up from London wear because they think it is what one should wear when shooting?

I ask because I sometimes encounter this phenomenon here in the Southern US. On a couple occasions when I have invited friends to come quail hunting (shooting, to you), they show up dressed in head to toe Orvis "hunting attire", complete with lots of tweed, leather recoil pads, specially crafted amber lensed shooting glasses, etc. This looks quite a bit out of place among the folks who are lifelong hunters around here that typically wear brush/briar pants that have seen better days, old ratty "plaid" (never called tartan!) flannel shirts, ancient LL Bean rubber-bottomed boots, etc!

Cordially,

David