Danny the Champion of the World

[KneesUp]

In the above book, the hero successfully poaches hundreds of pheasants by feeding them raisins stuffed with powdered sleeping tablets.

Would this work, could you safely eat the birds afterwards?

 

[Poacher]

'twould make the pheasants go to sleep, but not necessarily where they ate the raisins. Should be OK to eat, especially if the birds are hung for a week or two, as is traditional. There are better ways of taking them, though, but please don't ask!

 

[Dave 123]

Whatever the answer, that book lit up my childhood. I last read it about 10 years ago. Still brilliant!

 

[LarryDuff]

I nearly ran one over on my bike last Saturday.

 

[Easytigers]

Brilliant book!

 

[Alex H]

Only seen the film and that's carp probably due to Jeremy Irons and his son (now a pro photographer ) being the 'stars'

 

[Saluki]

Wouldn't you be better soaking the raisins and then threading them along a horses tail hair and then snipping between the raisins so that a little bit of hair sticks out either side. Pheasant then comes along and pecks it and the raisin gets stuck in its throat and pheasant will then stand still. You then just go along and neck it. Simples.
Pheasants sleep on their roost without falling off so not totally sure that the sleeping tablet thing really would work.

In the book, the chap should have necked them as he collected them. Rookie mistake IMO.