Exclusive interview with Chelsea King

Who is Chelsea King?

Well, in a nutshell I’d say I’m an all-round country lover. I’m a dental therapist by occupation, but my true passion is shooting in all its various forms. I live on a farm in Bedfordshire with Scott Shuckford, who is also a successful clay shot and gamekeeper, so during the week it’s drilling and filling, and every other waking hour I spend in the field in one form or another or at the clay ground.

Tell us about your childhood and how you got into shooting.

I grew up in Derbyshire surrounded by the countryside, spending summers around places like Hardwick Hall and Chatsworth House, enjoying stately homes, bike rides with my dad and generally any time I could get outdoors. But interestingly I never picked up a gun until adulthood.

When I moved to Buckinghamshire for my career about 14 years ago, in 2016 I went along to a fun have-a-go day at the Oxford Gun Club. We shot air rifles for the first time, threw axes and other things, but the sheer elation of firing a shotgun and hitting my first clay had me totally hooked.

In 2016 I started attending Shotgun & Chelsea Bun Club days. They were really enjoyable, and I progressed through the ranks from intermediate to experienced groups. I then bought my first gun and kept winning club events, so was encouraged to join the CPSA despite my nerves and fear of people watching, and started entering more serious competitions. I was welcomed by so many and developed a good network of friends who have shared many tips to improve over the years.

Naturally I was introduced to game shooting and really loved that too. My desire to try deer stalking grew, which is how I met Scott, and the rest has all branched out from there. It was quite a shock for my family, who had never been near a gun until I brought one home one weekend, but they’ve always been very supportive – even if they don’t take part themselves. They have enjoyed many a game meal from my successful outings, so they get well rewarded for their support.

How often do you shoot clays and game?

At the moment, not at all! Around four years ago I had a car accident that badly injured my shoulder. I had two years of physiotherapy, which didn’t do much, then I had all sorts of injections that helped for short windows and my shooting results would ebb and flow as a result. After the jab I had full range of movement back and was told to enjoy it and treat it as normal, and I put in a few really good scores. We thought it had been cured, but as the injections wore off, movement would be restricted again and it would severely affect where I’d finish. I was a fraction off progressing into A-class before I had to stop. Now that it has been operated on and I have been off work resting for a number of months, I will hopefully be able to return to shooting properly again and I can’t wait.

Prior to my op, though, I would shoot at least one clay competition every weekend – sometimes three or four. On game I try to shoot around a dozen days a year and have been very fortunate to attend some fantastic shoots from Scotland to Devon, with North Yorkshire, East Anglia, Wales and many other places in between. Now that we have four labs – Thor, Willow, Bracken and Clover – I spend many a day in the season picking-up behind the line, which I love just as much as shooting. People used to say to me: “Oh, I love working the dog”. And I used to think, “Wouldn’t you rather be in the line shooting?” But I now see just how rewarding it is and totally get it.

Then there are pigeons, which offer every shot in the book and really help with my game and clay shooting skills. We decoy them and roost shoot them depending on the time of year and what crop needs protecting. Wildfowling is also a great love, and every Christmas Eve we go to Norfolk and head out onto the marsh for geese and ducks, which is a festive tradition I would never have expected in my teens.

What have been your greatest shooting achievements?

That’s a tough one. Probably getting into the final of the British Open Sporting last year, as that is a major event. I have also won the Purdey Royal Berkshire Ladies Cup, was top shot in the Holland & Holland Ladies event and won the ladies .410 British Open Championships at E.J. Churchill.

As for rare achievements on game, I successfully shot a right-and-left snipe last season in Devon, which I am told is rather impressive. There’s no tie or club to join for this, as there is for woodcock, though. It happened on a drive before I disappeared into a quagmire on my way to the next peg. Looking back, it was rather funny despite the screams and wellies full of muddy water at the time.

What have been your most memorable days shooting?

Llechweddygarth has to be up there for the most challenging shooting I have done, and successfully killing some of the birds shown there is just an amazing feeling. I will never forget one particular partridge I shot on that day.

Then there was a really special ladies simulated clay day at Balmoral with Glad Rags & Cartridge Bags. Everyone had to wear tiaras due to the estate’s connection with HM the Queen. While it was a super day and the shooting was great, there is a picture of a girl from behind adjusting my tiara as it had started to fall off, which stuck with me: “Be the woman who fixes another woman’s crown without telling the world it was crooked.” I am having the scene engraved into a new grip-cap for my main gun.

Have you any other custom shooting kit?

Yes, I have a beautiful matching shotgun slip, cartridge bag and pouch crafted by Coleman Baines. It is made from lovely tan leather, with the main flap and details made from a fallow doe I shot. We actually went to Geoff Garrod’s to stalk her and it took five days to get the one I wanted. Earlier on in the week I had the perfect deer in my sights and just as I was about to pull the trigger another beast walked past that was limping badly, so ethically I shot that one and the meat was used to feed a shooting party. It was another two days until we saw the one I wanted again.

I have also had my grade 1 Miroku MK38 stock and forend stripped down and transformed into a very special looking gun by Custom Stockz. The wood grain now really pops like that of a Grade 5 and it is now known by many as ‘The Tiger’.

You are a brand ambassador for Coleman Baines. Which other brands do you represent?

I do a lot to promote the Country Food Trust in getting game made into meals for those in need. It is a fantastic charity and one I feel very strongly about. I am also an ambassador for Lyalvale Express, which I believe makes the best game and clay shells; Swatcom, whose hearing protection is absolutely fantastic; Seeland, which makes clothes that are actually fitted to a woman’s figure; and HIKMICRO, a brand making top quality hunting optics and solutions.

Your top tips?

Focus on one bird. That is probably my biggest weakness and something I am always reminding myself when a flush of birds comes over. Second, purchasing a shotgun isn’t cheap, and lots of people recommend ladies buying smaller bores. Try guns before you buy and if you can handle a 12 bore, get one. Ignore who it was ‘designed for’ – check that a gun fits correctly and you’re comfortable with it, because any woman can shoot any type of gun as long as it fits them. There’s no steadfast rule, we’re all different.

What’s on the sporting bucket list?

I have a huge list of places I would still like to shoot. At the top would have to be Dyfi Falls. I keep seeing pictures and videos of the birds, scenery, waterfalls and topography – I just think it looks incredible. I have not shot a grouse yet either, so both driven and walked-up feature high up.

On the stalking side, I have shot five of the six UK deer species and would like to complete the set, with sika being the last on my list. Plans are already in motion for that.

While not a bucket list entry, one of things I need to do is have taxidermied my large collection of firsts – duck species predominantly – that I have kept in the freezer. I have had all my deer shoulder-mounted and need to add these to the collection.

f you could invite anyone, dead or alive, to stand with you in your gun line, who would it be?

Queen Elizabeth II. The stories Her Majesty would be able to tell would be so fascinating in a Gun bus, and we all know she loved working her dogs behind the line.

How often do you eat game through the season?

At least a few times a week, mostly in a hearty stew. Some of my favourite things to make and serve on a shoot day at elevenses are Asian-inspired treats such as pheasant and partridge bhajis and samosas. One of my biggest bugbears is when people don’t take game and cook it after a shoot – it is a fundamental part of being able to shoot.

Finally, tell us something about yourself that not many people know.

Well, there are probably two things. Firstly that while I have been off work I have had my first children’s book published – Farm Days with Finn and Fern. The stories follow Finn and Fern as they explore their farm, encouraging an early education of where our food comes from.

Secondly, I have a massive collection of feathers. They are categorised by species from gamebirds to waterfowl and even emus. I have helped many a person who is looking for something specific for jewellery, for example. I must have thousands. I’m still not sure what I am going to do with them yet.