Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2016 i Shooting Gazette

SHOOTING GAZETTE’S legal advisor Peter Glenser has been elected chairman of BASC at a council meeting following the association’s AGM in Chester. John Thornley was elected as vice-chairman while Oliver McCullough was elected chairman of the executive and finance committee. All three were elected unanimously. Elsewhere, Cara Richardson was elected to council, and with the English national seat being uncontested, Robin Marshall-Ball was elected unopposed. Peter Glenser said: "I would like to thank all of the members who took the time to attend this year's AGM. All of us on the council would like to welcome our new members. Cara and Robin bring with them a wealth of expertise and we are delighted to have them on board. I would like to thank my fellow members of council for electing…

587,681 Number of people who, as of April 1, now hold a firearm and/or shotgun certificate (Home Office) £27,500 Amount raised in aid of the Army Benevolent Fund and the GWCT during a charity clay shoot hosted by Raisthorpe Flyers, based near Thixendale on the Yorkshire Wolds (Raisthorpe Flyers) £5,000 Amount raised for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and North West Air Ambulance during the Deerstalkers’ Best Practice charity evening. (BASC) £2,000,000 Estimated purchase price of Orston Shooting Ground in Nottinghamshire after its sale through Richard Watkinson & Partners (Cartwright Communications) £42,000 The amount the British Deer Society’s online auction raised for the charity (BDS) £80,000 Amount to be shared between Demelza Hospice Care for Children and the GWCT following charity clay shoot at the Detling Shoot near Maidstone (GWCT).…

A good shoot day is all about pace and timing – it can’t be crash, bang wallop all day long. And the elevenses break comes as the perfect opportunity to stop and reflect on the privilege of spending a day in the field. So in recognition of this most excellent of sporting traditions we have teamed up with Foxdenton, makers of traditional drinks for the perfect elevenses and famous for their Goliath bottle, to select one shoot to feature in excellent elevenses each month. Now we realise that not every shoot will have the resources to emulate Wemmergill, this month’s winner, but we couldn’t let it go unrecognised. There are gun buses and then there are gun buses, and you can see from the pictures that not only does Wemmergill…

Currently, one of the most annoying traits in spoken English is the predilection for almost anyone being asked a question to begin their answer with the word ‘so, but now, I find myself enmeshed in this trap. So, what now? I mean, of course, so what now that 17.4 million or 52 per cent of our fellow travellers have voted to divorce us from the EU? Under normal circumstances, we would look to our politicians for wise guidance, but the fall-out effect of the exit vote within Westminster, Holyrood and Stormont most closely resembles three monkeys trying to make love to a football. About as unedifying a spectacle as the campaigning that preceded it and the subsequent bleating of members of academia and the young, who fear that the feather…

How has the weather affected your invitations for the forthcoming grouse season? “Horrific thunderstorms don’t help because the water forms into torrents and washes everything down. It’s just a question of where we are in the cycle. It is not good if they have had this rain in Scotland but these places often have their own localised weather patterns so they might have missed some of this horrific flooding that we have had recently. The Royal Ascot week has always traditionally been the partridge hatching week and the grouse are normally a little earlier. You just have to hope they are old enough to get onto some higher ground and if they are in their nests then you hope that their nests aren’t being flooded.” Grouse clearly fascinate you? “The…

For the fourth time in as many years, Dylan Williams and his team at Royal Berkshire Shooting School hosted John Hall’s Birdshot Uveitis charity shoot. The weather was not ideal for early June but it did not prevent the 28 teams of four having tremendous fun on the 10 stands. The top team, winning engraved whiskey tumblers, were the Marksmen with a superb score of 437, some way ahead of their rivals. Top gun was Richard Estrop of the creatively named Paragon Pigeon Punishers, while Carol Limehouse carried away the prize for Top Lady. Before the auction, Miles Stanford, professor of clinical ophthalmology at Guy’s and St. Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust, gave a brief talk about the current research being done on uveitis, a rare eye condition. Lord Archer then…

“ The bucks thrash themselves into a frenzy and exude a kind of thrusting macho arrogance.” August must be the finest month of the year. Sea trout are running, the grouse come in and the roe rut reaches a peak in Dumfries and Galloway. All three present some unique sporting opportunities, but the last few years have elevated the roe rut to a particular peak of the sporting calendar. High up on the heather hill, the bucks thrash themselves into a frenzy of excitement, and they exude a kind of thrusting macho arrogance that is vastly engaging. I took a friend out for his first roebuck two years ago, the morning after we had shot grouse on the hill to celebrate the Glorious Twelfth. This was my first trip as…

“As we trayed up the 334 birds for the cold store we were giggling like schoolboys.” The weather forecasters were positive that following a wet night the rain would clear between 11am and noon the following day. My one-legged pigeon shooting companion AC and I had planned a day on a farm he shoots at in Hertfordshire where he had seen pigeons feeding on wheat stubbles. We arrived at 11am and anticipated that we would soon be setting up but wipers were still casting their monotonous arc across our windscreens. Rain was still falling from a leaden sky that stretched from one horizon to the other. We had to sit it out chatting in the shelter of the car. Midday came and our conversation was becoming critical of the Met…

Certain names in the world of shooting carry a great weight, and Browning’s Custom Shop is no exception. Among the most popular names in the shooting world, Browning’s heritage and links with the Fabrique National d’Herstal in Belgium have long made their hand-made firearms sought after. However, as with all hand-made guns, they are often out of reach for the majority of sportsmen and women. The new B15 Beauchamp, however, is looking to change this state of affairs. Newly renamed as the John M. Browning Collection, Browning’s custom shop has conceived this gun as an item with a custom finish befitting the B25, but without the resultant 24-month build time. First conceived in 2015, hence the name, the B15 is a gun built on the B725 action, constructed from the…

Q How can I make my gunmount more consistent? A Getting your gunmount accurate and above all consistent is probably one of the most important but equally difficult things you can master to improve your shooting. I am a firm believer that you need good, solid foundations and these come from three main elements: gunfit, accurate and consistent gunmounting and footwork. Before trying to improve your mount it is important to try to get a gun to roughly fit, a process that can be carried out with tape/ comb raisers and, if required, a neoprene stock cover. Once the gun is a reasonable fit it’s time for the hard work. Firstly I would recommend viewing various shooters’ techniques, which can be easily sourced online. Let’s begin with your feet (this…

When I was growing up in the 1970s, every farmer and gamekeeper that I knew had a Land Rover. As a spindly-legged nipper, I spent many of my happiest hours sitting in the middle front seat of various ripe-smelling Landies, looking down at the array of knobs and levers that opened the door to the magical, nearly Narnia-like lands of diff-lock and low range. But today the Defender is no more and the paramilitary wing of the Land Rover Owners’ Club is already preparing for a campaign of civil disobedience over the gentrification of the new one, despite the fact no-one has seen it yet. In these post-All Creatures Great and Small years, every farmer and keeper I know uses a quad or a Gator to get around their land.…

The Gastight from Alexander Robertson & Son of Wick, Caithness (1900); the Expert from Alexander Robertson & Son of Wick, Caithness (1919); the Bellheath from MacDougal & Co. of Grantown-on-Spey (1880); and the Triumph from W.G. Donaldson of Grantown-on-Spey (1919). The Special Blue from J. Graham & Co. of Inverness (1900); the Highland from J. Graham & Co. of Inverness (1900); the Bas-Cinnteach from D. Gray & Co. of Inverness (1900); and the Erskine from Erskine of Newton Stewart (1880). The Yellow Seal from Watson & Bracewell of Peebles (1926); the Special from A. Benigno of Peebles (1926); the Mullerite High Velocity from William Welsh of Dumfries & Castle Douglas (1926); and the Queen of the South from William Welsh of Dumfries & Castle Douglas (1926). MORE THAN JUST A…

THE LINCOLNSHIRE Area of the United Retriever Club held an intermediate working test at Worlaby, thanks to Mr T. Lamyman, writes Gilly Bell. Worlaby is one of the prettiest grounds that we visit where we are able to use the lovely lakes to challenge our dogs. We also thank Thomas Bell and co. for sponsoring the event. Sue Lowe was the chief steward and Gill Stewart and Martin Eveleigh judged the 15 entries. There were four tests for all dogs in the morning. Test one was a mark and a blind. The handler stood on the valley floor and the mark, picked first, was thrown, with a shot, onto the grass at the top of the valley side. Most dogs found this fairly straightforward, but the blind proved to be…

HOW MANY clays could you hit in 60 seconds? Inspired by Edwardian game shot Lord Ripon, who once allegedly shot 28 pheasants in 60 seconds using three guns and two loaders at Sandringham, the West London Shooting School (WLSS), in association with Shooting Gazette and ASI, is offering modern game shots the chance to match or even better that feat in its new Ripon Challenge. WLSS is inviting individuals (within teams of three) to step forward and take on its driven clays using three AYA No.2s and the assistance of two WLSS loaders. Each competitor’s attempt will be preceded by a short practice session, after which, under the watchful eye of an umpire with a stopwatch, they can start their attempt. The highest individual scoring competitors will be invited to…

PEGS ON shoot days in Devon, stalking in Bedfordshire, fishing in North Yorkshire and private shooting tuition from Olympic double trap gold medallist Richard Faulds are just a few of over 130 lots up for offer in the NGO 2016 auction. Proceeds from the auction will go to fund the NGO’s vital work in both promoting and defending the work of gamekeepers and their profession. Brian Mitchell, the NGO’s national vice-chairman, said: “The auction catalogue has something for you whatever your sporting interest. It is crammed with quality lots, some of which can’t be had from anywhere else for love nor money. Please get hold of a catalogue and bid generously, the funds raised go on defending and promoting keepers and keepering. “There are some real treats for the lucky…

How were you introduced to shooting? I’ve a batty old aunt, Aunt Bee, in Somerset, who knew that I used to shoot matchboxes with an old air rifle in my garden at home and, during a family holiday with her, she asked if I’d like to do some ‘real shooting?’ So, aged 11 or so, I spent hours shooting rats off the rafters in a local farmer’s barn. I spent fortunes on weird, pointy copper-coated pellets. Where was your first shoot day? My first ever formal driven day was as a guest of a chap called Tony Davis, this was at the Ballard’s home, Nether Hall, in Pakenham near Bury St. Edmunds. I adored every moment. I don’t think I could have shot the inside of a fridge even if…

SERVES FOUR PEOPLE Ingredients • 8 grouse breasts• 8 pieces of sourdough• 4 chicory• 2 radicchio• 10g fresh chopped chives• Lemon oil• Cornish sea salt• Milled black pepper Method Season the grouse and cook over a hot barbecue for two minutes each side. Remove from the barbecue and allow to rest for a further two minutes. Split the chicory in half lengthways and barbecue until a little charred. Also barbecue the radicchio leaves and lastly barbecue the sourdough. Place the grouse and charred leaves on the bread and drizzle over a little lemon oil and chopped chives before serving.…

Dear Uncle Giles Is it poor form to shoot driven grouse with an over-under? I have my first two driven days lined up this season and I only ever use this barrel alignment. I wouldn't want to diminish my shooting ability by switching to a side-by-side, but feel the conventions of the moors might deserve a more traditional shotgun. WLH, by email Uncle Giles writes It is quite right and meet and proper of you to be concerned about what might, to some people, seem a trivial matter. Game shooting is set about with conventions and many of them are there for perfectly good reasons when you look at them hard enough. Not least the safety of all concerned before, beside and behind the shooting line. However, you need have…

For your chance to win a bottle of Taittinger Champagne for Picture of the Month, send us a team photograph or a picture of something unusual from your shoot. Send high-resolution images or prints with captions to Shooting Gazette Gallery, Time Inc (UK) Ltd, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7BF or email: will.hetherington@timeinc.com. Hartpury College students enjoyed the National Colleges Clay Shooting Championships at Moreton Morrell. Hugo Peerman won the under-16s competition by six shots. Hartpury also claimed second spot in the championship as well as finishing top in their pool. Mikey Hook was Hartpury’s top gun, just one ahead of Peerman, and Adam Osbaldiston, Matt Davies, Cormac Thompson and Tom Beers were also in the team. From left: Adam Osbaldiston, Matt Davies, Hugo Peerman, Mikey Hook, Tom…

Thousands of fieldsports lovers descended on Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire in June for the inaugural Field & Country Fair. Shooting Gazette was amongst a host of shooting and rural-lifestyle magazines joining gunmakers, artists, gundog trainers, shooting grounds and clothing retailers across the intimate layout. The stylish and user-friendly layout allowed visitors and exhibitors alike the opportunity to really enjoy time with like-minded shooting enthusiasts. We were thrilled to welcome readers old and new onto our stand, with many visitors taking the time to chat with contributors including Will Garfit, Tom Grange and John Walker swapping stories and sharing their thoughts about the issues that matter to them. The Game Cookery Theatre proved to be a huge hit, with scores of foodies hearing all kinds of tips and advice about game…

“This sporting paradise has everything it needs to continue delivering the goods for generations to come.” Driving across the Yorkshire Dales towards County Durham there’s not a soul to be seen, just the odd sheep and acres and acres of heather coming into bloom. It is a beautiful, stark landscape. To the uninitiated it’s bleak and lonely but keep climbing and driving away from any sign of civilisation, and then turn into Stackholme Farm. Welcome to Wemmergill Moor, one of the world’s premier grouse moors. The atmosphere changes immediately on arrival at the farm, the heart of Wemmergill on a shoot day. The place hums with activity. The first thing I notice is a row of green, clean pick-ups, all with consecutive number plates, lined up waiting. Keepers dressed smartly…

TRAVEL On the eastern edge of Loch Ness, ‘the quiet side’ as it’s known locally, Garrogie sits in the Great Glen running from Inverness to Fort William. Visitors can take their choice of the two directions depending on their itinerary but there’s no doubt that Inverness offers the fastest access to the A9, plus access to the rail network and airport links to nationwide or international destinations (or even parking for your own plane). A vehicle is essential to travel the 40 minutes from Inverness and that’s what most guests opt for. STAY Garrogie is close enough to Inverness to open up a variety of hotel options, from luxury country houses to budget city centre beds. If you’d like to make the most of your trip there’s also a choice…

Human The good news is that we are off and running. Which is to say that there is an increasingly fat spaniel up the road; and up the duff by all accounts. For the time being there is little enough to do because we are still a good month to the implied date for touch down and there is always the possibility that the wee minx has been having us all on and that her impressively swollen look is no more than wind. However the Batty Spaniel Woman, who has been through this procedure more than once – hence the number of batty spaniels about the place – assures us that everything is going according to plan. So we cross our fingers, take a deep breath and another sip of…

Alexander Henry had created probably the most famous rifle-making business in Britain in the 19th century but when he died in 1894 his business promptly fell apart. He left it to his two sons, Alick and John, but John immediately sold his share in 1894, followed by Alick in 1895. The Henry business was bought by a wine merchant who re-established it as Alexander Henry & Co. It was then bought by a lawyer and finally sold to Alex Martin, the Glasgow gunmaker, in 1902. Alick Henry then set himself up as an independent gunmaker in Edinburgh and the odd situation developed whereby two Alexander Henry gunmakers existed in the city – Alexander Henry & Co and Alexander Henry, two entirely different businesses. Alick Henry had an interest in golf…

This gun offers a heady combination for your investment; the history, craftsmanship and skill of Browning's Belgian gunmaking, finishing and engraving, together with the peerless engineering skill and precision of the best modern manufacturing methods. Taking Browning's very popular and successful 725 action, this "Herstal Grade" gun is honed, fitted, engraved and finished by hand to the standards you would expect of their custom shop. The B15 is available at various levels of finish, starting at 'B' and finishing with ‘E’ at the top end as on our test gun. These grades are differentiated by the engraving pattern, grade of wood and extra aesthetic items such as a metal pistol grip cap, dummy three-piece fore-end and skeleton butt plate, all of which look superb. All grades of gun are completely…

For the uninitiated, Rutland is England’s smallest county but this hilly little shire tucked in between east Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and south Lincolnshire packs a mighty punch as you might expect from its Latin motto, multum in parvo (much in little). The headline act is probably the stunning Rutland Water, which sits right in the middle of the county and was created by the damming of the River Gwash in 1976 by Anglian Water. This changed the landscape completely and left what used to be Upper Hambleton as the only remaining village of the group on its own peninsular. These days it is known as just Hambleton and it hosts one of the finest country house hotels in the United Kingdom. When Tim Hart bought the hall in the late 1970s…

Rodger McPhail cut a dapper figure at the recent Field & Country Fair, but those who know him well expect anything less from an artist with an equally charming personality. Born and raised in Lancashire, the 63-year-old can’t remember a time when he wasn’t interested in art, and though his parents suggested otherwise, he always wanted it for a career rather than just a hobby. Rodger’s work has been a regular fixture in the art auction we run with Countryside Learning (see pages 96-97 of this issue), and anyone who visited his stand at the Field & Country Fair, and anywhere else he has shown his work for that matter, can’t help but have been captivated by an instantly recognisable rich use of colour. And there is a distinctly tangible…

Q I HAVE A one-year-old labrador and have been training the basics for several months. I read about the importance of direction work. When should I start this and how do I go about it? A I WOULD START as soon as you can. Depending on what you are doing with your dog, direction control is as important as recall. On a shoot it is vital as you are usually directing your dog with obstacles in the way. At a very early age you can introduce direction changes with a visual command whilst changing direction yourself on a walk, and introduce a whistle command to this sooner or later. Make sure the whistle command is sufficiently different from a sit or recall tone and make it positive and decisive. Direction…

THE NORFOLK Gundog Club held a charity gundog training day at The Lings, near Fakenham by kind permission of Mr and Mrs John Cushing, writes Peter Abbs. The aim of the day was to raise sufficient funds to enable the club to purchase a defibrillator. Five tests and a walk-up scenario were set up to allow the 42 handlers to run their dogs whilst our judges/advisors Jennie Hankey, Glynis Hillier, Steve Ellis, Tony Parnell and Phil Parkins observed and then offered training advice and tips for improvement where necessary. The day was supported by Gayton Crown, who donated the hog roast and many others who donated raffle and auction prizes. A big thank you must go to all who helped and supported our day and special mention made to Jennie…

HAVING A NEW puppy around reminds me there is so much to learn and observe everyday whilst hoping and dreaming they will one day be field trial champions. This had me reflecting on my training over the last few years. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that time and experience are the two fundamentals you need with anything to do with dogs and I find it frustrating that my experience is still limited. Thinking about the bitch that started me off competing, I now realise I should have listened far more intently to the advice given by a good friend of mine who I picked-up with. He had stopped competing by the time I came to know him but his advice was spot on and how I…

DAVID CLARK, co-founder of the NGO, winner and judge of the Laurent Perrier and Purdey Awards, and current headkeeper at Sandringham, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Time Inc. Shooting Industry Awards. Mr Clark founded the NGO in 1997 along with Shooting Gazette columnist David Whitby, Castle Hill headkeeper Brian Mitchell and £100 in a pint pot. Nineteen years later the organisation boasts over 15,000 members. Mr Clark’s career in gamekeeping started much earlier, of course. He held the top job at Boconnoc in Cornwall and was low ground headkeeper for Lord Barnard at Raby in County Durham (where he won a Laurent Perrier Award for Game and Conservation) before moving to Sandringham in 2001 to take over from Bill Meldrum. Ahead of awarding Mr Clark with…

The latest from Eley Hawk, the Zenith Copper Game Shot, is the ultimate cartridge that Eley Hawk produces. With the best components and superior patterning, this cartridge certainly delivers the killer blow. Zenith has copper plated shot to deliver outstanding performance. Copper is electroplated to the lead to reduce pellet deformation as the shot goes down the barrel and through the choke of the gun. This ensures it maintains its pattern during flight with more shot reaching the target and increases the impact power of the shot on the quarry. The 12 bore cartridge is built for the discerning game shooter in 70mm case length with a 16mm brass and true English shot sizes of No. 4, 5 and 6. The variety of 30, 32 and 36gram fibre wad loads…

“A triumph for sense over extremism” BASC’s response to the news the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council will continue to allow grouse shooting on Ilkley Moor. “ We are absolutely thrilled!” Willoughton Estate owner Graham Rowles Nicholson’s response to winning the GWCT’s Lincolnshire Grey Partridge Trophy, thanks to the efforts of the keepering team led by Des Wykes. “ The risk of prosecution is very real” Peter Glenser’s warning to BASC members about buying pistol-style dummy launchers from abroad, products which breach UK laws governing imitation firearms. INSTAGRAM.COM/SHOOTINGGAZETTE…

Eagles must be some of the most closely studied birds in the world, and they generate such a tremendous amount of books and articles every year that it’s difficult to stand back and really get a clear idea of the birds themselves. So many bird books are written by scientists for other scientists, and it’s easy to lose interest in densely-packed text relating to plumage detail or distribution. MacNally’s book on eagles is unquestionably the best of its kind because it was written by a man with a simple passion for the birds themselves. He writes as a highland stalker and true countryman, and it’s impossible not to feel his enthusiasm rising off the page. There are no graphs, charts or technical diagrams, just patient anecdotes of days spent on…

Q: "It's August so it's grouse and I am off for a walked-up day on the moors on the 12th. What else can I legally shoot should it pop its head up?" A: Grouse are special. Those of us that live down south only see them on rare trips to the north. My advice would be concentrate on the grouse and only the grouse. Legally speaking, common snipe come into season on August 12 but you have to be very careful not to confuse them with the protected Jack snipe. No other game birds are on the menu yet except ptarmigan in Scotland. Hares of both sorts are legal, as are rabbits, but do you really want to carry one all day? Vermin are of course acceptable on a walked-up…

“ David has been a Purdey Awards judge since 2003, another feather in a heavily adorned cap. ” As you will have seen on the news pages this month David Clark was this year’s winner of the Time Inc Shooting Industry Lifetime Achievement Award, and it was my great pleasure to present the award to David, one of shooting’s greatest ambassadors. Having been a gamekeeper from his very early days he really came to national prominence during the establishment of the National Gamekeeper’s Organisation in 1997. In conjunction with four other keepers, including Shooting Gazette writer David Whitby and legendary Castle Hill headkeeper Brian Mitchell, David formed the NGO with just £100 in a pint pot. And in the intervening 19 years that simple idea has caught on so rapidly…

When is a shotgun a telescope? I booked some months ago to stay at the Amesbury Travelodge for one night on June 3. I was attending a simulated game day at a nearby shoot the next day. I went to the reception desk to check in and collect my key with my sleeved shotgun and baggage. The receptionist asked if it was a firearm then proceed to tell me that Travelodge did not allow firearms in the room and I had to leave it either in my car in the car park (where they suggest not leaving valuables in your car) or at the local police station. Really, can you imagine? “Hello officer would you look after my gun for me?” I have stayed in many Travelodges over the years…

“Many of the better shoots like to remain under the radar.” We all know what we want in our perfect day’s shooting. So when deciding to buy a day – for the first or umpteenth time – the agony of choice can be unbearable. We toss and turn over whether we have made the best choice to deliver the day of our dreams. After all, it’s not like there is only a limited choice of local shoots that have to be taken, warts and all. Nowadays everything is available and, thanks to the internet, agents and a plethora of well-travelled guns willing to share knowledge, there are many sources to help you find what you are looking for. The first question must be just that: what are you looking for?…

“Once these delicate hair cells are killed they will not regenerate.” The older gentleman with whom I was shooting that day cupped his left ear. With a weathered hand he cocked his head towards me as I complimented him on a fine shot. Failing to understand me, I repeated my praise at a shout and he finally smiled and nodded his head in acknowledgment. I had noticed earlier he was shooting without any hearing protection and it was likely that a lifetime of shooting this way had significantly diminished his hearing. An estimated 15,000 people will develop Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) in Britain this year, largely through occupational exposure. The National Institute of Health reports that 15 per cent of all Americans between the ages of 20 and 69…

Today, the 20 bore gun is in great demand from all types of sportsmen. Not just gentlemen of advancing years but also ladies and younger men attracted by its lightness, slimness and speed of handling. Second-hand 20 bores command excellent prices and fly off the racks, so great is the demand. And if you find a vintage 20 bore by a well-established maker that has a conventional stock length, you will be the envy of all. However, the 20 bore has become popular only relatively recently. Up until the mid 20th century not a great many were built and, of these, most were second or third quality intended for ladies and boys. Any really good quality 20 bores were primarily built for ladies and consequently most have short stocks. For…

I have a 1937 Alex Martin catalogue and so important did the firm consider its ribless gun that a whole page was devoted to it. The advert is as follows: The Martin Ribless Shot gun The ribs in a double-shot Gun Barrels are entirely unnecessary. Indeed, a gun is better without them, because the hollow space between them is invariably a “rust chamber”, where the rust cannot be removed, and it remains to eat into and weaken the barrels during the entire life of the gun or until the rib “lifts” and the aid of a gunsmith is sought to remove the rib and clean the rust. The effect of dispensing with the ribs is to save ¼ lb. of useless metal, and reduce the weight of the gun by…

“The really scary thing about these birds is their sense of humour and devilment.” My fascination with all living creatures is in-built, and along with a somewhat contradictory passion to hunt, has always been a major part of my life. As a child I reared anything that I or the keepers would find for me: crows, mice, rabbits – you name it, I would keep it as a ‘pet’. I remember my grandfather telling me I would never tame a woodpigeon and indeed he was correct, though many years later when my son Paul reared one and I told him the same he proved me completely wrong. My children were encouraged to befriend wild creatures, just as I had done, and their childhoods were similarly enriched for so doing. They…

Both instructor Bruce Marks and I found the B15 to be an absolute joy to shoot on a lovely clear day at Grange Farm Shooting School. The point of balance is right on the hinge pin and the gun mounts absolutely beautifully and totally consistently as a result. The gun is delightfully easy to keep on line and swings in a lovely linear fashion, even when faced with some very tricky and very quick simultaneous pairs. The ability of this gun to take on longer, traditional game targets with the same ease and aplomb as instinctive, snap shooting is quite remarkable. Trigger pulls are very positive and thanks to the weight of the gun there is almost no felt recoil and absolutely no muzzle flip. There is plenty in the…

The other obvious choice in the same vein is Stapleford Park Country House Hotel between Oakham and Melton Mowbray, which is surrounded by 500 acres of Capability Brown landscaped grounds. With a well-respected golf course, luxury spa and 2 AA Rosette Restaurant it’s a special place, but there is a big emphasis on golf these days. The 18 hole championship golf course is home of the PGA’s newest tournament, The Honda Senior Masters. And the spa, housed in the stables, offers a range of fitness programmes and pampering treatments – perfect for weekend breaks. The hotel offers a wide variety of country pursuits and leisure activities including shooting, riding and falconry and the luxurious bedrooms, all individually designed, guarantee a good night’s sleep in style.staplefordpark.com…

On Brexit and rural markets we must stress at the time of writing it is early days and there are many unknowns. Uncertainty is the key factor and it is very likely farmland market activity in the second half of this year will be more subdued as potential sellers wait and see. Uncertainty will principally be around those factors with a direct impact on farm incomes. These will include the UK’s international trade relationships and the level of farm support, if any, that will replace the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Currently subsidy represents about 67 per cent of the average UK farm income. However, farming subsidies under the CAP are already falling and have a reduced role as a driver of land values. This is especially so for diversified businesses…

One of the oldest surviving shotguns made by James Purdey & Sons, No.208, will be auctioned off by James D. Julia Inc. in October, with the proceeds from the sale donated to the Gunmakers' Company Charitable Trust. The 15 bore side-by-side, which weighs 7lb and features 30” Damascus barrels manufactured by Charles Lancaster, is currently owned by Purdey stockmaker David Trevallion, who saw an opportunity to help secure the future of gunmaking through what will surely be a highly sought-after lot. David, who has served the gun trade since 1953, was presented with the shotgun by Bill O’Brien, the former apprentice’s master at the iconic gunmakers, who himself had restored the gun in the 1960s. For more information on the auction, visit jamesdjulia.com Auction diary dates AUG 29 Gavin Gardiner,…

When observations have the status of insights they can be truly inspirational. I want to share two. Sir Peter Beckford’s Thoughts On Hunting was published in 1781 and his: “It is always a great impertinence in a huntsman to pretend to make his cast before the hounds have made theirs,” was quoted approvingly by Vincent Routledge in 1929 in his peerless essay The Ideal Retriever and How to Handle Him, saying that it applied equally to retrievers. Beckford was, of course, talking about scent. Scroll forward a quarter century and we find that most celebrated of sportsmen, Colonel Thornton, writing in his extravagantly titled Sporting Tour Through The Northern Parts of England and Great Part of the Highlands of Scotland, published in 1804: “I conceive that the great pleasure and…

A RECENT working test at Holway in Dorset provided an opportunity to try out a variety of ground and push handlers and dogs’ abilities to the limit, writes Wendy Bardsley. The United Retriever Club Hants & South West Area held its a.v. open test at Holway by kind permission of Robert Atkinson. The judges were Gwen Knox, Steve and Paula Cullis and the sponsor was Skinner’s. The stage was set for an interesting day as the assortment of ground provided an excellent challenge for the dogs and handlers. Thirty dogs ran and six tests had been set in different parts of the farm to give a variety of terrain and cover. The six tests comprised a mark picked after a blind; a water retrieve which was a blind on an…