Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2019 i Shooting Gazette

I attended a children’s festival recently with family and amongst the stands was Greenpeace. Try as I might to avoid conversation, one determined young lady struck one up. It started about their display and then she asked if I was in agreement with their policies. Now, I can see why she might have thought I was a big fan of Greenpeace as I was sporting a weird and wonderful hairstyle. However, this was a question I was cautious to answer given there was a lot of youngsters in close proximity. I said politely I didn’t want to get into a conversation but she pressed the matter again so I said although I agree with some, there are others policies I do not agree with. She was intrigued as to what…

In the run up to our new PM being chosen I received an email from the Countryside Alliance (CA). The email provided an opportunity to contribute to an online survey, the collective results of which would provide a summary of all current rural issues. The CA planned on presenting the findings of this survey to the candidates, “to inform debate about who should be Britain’s next Prime Minister”. I fully support the CA and believe wholeheartedly that the rural community, our sports, passions, countryside, culture and way of life are in need of protecting, now more than ever, as we endure this roller-coaster of melodramatic liberal reaction-ism that shapes modern-day British politics. However, I did find myself questioning the timing of this survey. Did the CA feel confident that the…

Game shooters are quick to point out the conservation benefits of shooting but are we explaining this well enough and could more be done? Despite being someone who grew up on a diet of mud, wellies and pheasant, it took me some time to comprehend that responsible shooting and conservation go hand in hand. For people who aren’t into shooting or eating game, whether country, town or city based, the link between shooting and conservation can be hard to get. At first glance – and, sadly, that is often the only glance given – it’s counterintuitive. At second glance, when the conservation benefits of shooting are explained, many people argue that those benefits are simply a by-product of shooting. One friend of mine has curlew on his upland shoot. That’s…

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: martin.puddifer@ti-media.com. REBECCA AND BALMORAL HARMONY WIN FRED TAYLOR TROPHY Gillie Rebecca Cantwell and Highland pony Balmoral Harmony from the Queen’s Balmoral Estate in Royal Deeside won the seventh annual Fred Taylor Memorial Trophy for Working Hill Ponies at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair. Rebecca is pictured with Anne Taylor and Liz Brodie representing sponsors John Rigby & Co. SUCCESS FOR PETERS & MAY FOUNDATION The four-man team from the Peters & May Foundation came out on…

Our wild pheasants have had a good summer. The hatch came after the worst of the rain, and we found chicks in good numbers when the roses bloomed in June. That was haymaking time; the weeks which lead up to the Royal Highland Show. I was bent double over the tractor, sweating in the glare of sunshine and dried grass. Oystercatchers trilled along the seashore and shelducks gabbled in the mud with gangs of youngsters at heel. I often fear for shelducks, which lay their eggs in rabbit holes. We have lost almost all of our rabbits over the past 10 years, and most of the best nest holes have been taken over by badgers. It’s not hard to imagine how it would play for a female shelduck brooding her…

Reluctantly, I couldn’t write of my reactions to the general licence (GL) fiasco before now. Every week brought another disastrous chapter, and for a monthly magazine one writes eight weeks ahead so there was no way of keeping up. The irresponsibly timed action by Natural England (NE) to revoke the original GL in response to a legal challenge by Wild Justice, promoted by Messrs Packham and Avery, could not have been worse. The GL has successfully permitted farmers, keepers, pigeon shooters and all land managers to control certain bird species threatening stock, crops or wildlife, particularly corvids who eat eggs and chicks in the spring. “‘Non lethal’ methods just move the pigeons to another field or farm.” Chris Packham is undoubtedly a lover of birds. Mark Avery is an ex-RSPB…

The advantages of the percussion system over flintlock were such that thousands of flintlocks were converted in the 1820s. By far the simplest and cheapest conversion was the drum and nipple, with any gunmaker being able to do this work the length and breadth of the land. The gold or platinum touch hole was removed and the hole threaded. A cylindrical drum with a nipple was screwed into this hole. On the lockplate, the pan was cut off and the cock, frizzen and frizzen spring thrown away. The holes where the frizzen spring had been were rivet filled. A new percussion hammer was fitted and for not much effort a very reliable gun was created. Some of these drum-and-nipple conversions are of very poor quality and every single one is…

Engineering: 9/10 We have a number of Browning guns at the shooting school in both 12- and 20-bore. Many have had hundreds of thousands of rounds through them – if we can’t break them then they should last the average Gun a lifetime. Looks and finishing: 10/10 If aesthetics and function are your priorities the gun has both; a fabulous-looking gun that performs. Handling: 9/10 If you're buying 20-bore to shoot a lighter gun then you may also want to look at the 725 or the 525 Prestige which come in at around 6lb 10oz. If you’re shooting a 20-bore for the sheer pleasure and weight is not an option, then this gun is a great option. Customer service: 10/10 The action comes with a 10-year warranty and the wood…

MEN’S CHORE CLASSIC TALL BOOTS By The Original Muck Boot Company £105 Key features: 100% waterproof - fully lined with 5mm neoprene - breathable air mesh lining - easy to clean rubber overlay - durable, quick cleaning outsole - triple toe reinforcement - quadruple rubber heel reinforcement - steel shank for structural support - reflective pull-tab for easy on and off. Overall impressions: The latest addition to the Chore Collection will be one for those who want durability and function over style from their shooting boots. As the key features above suggest, these boots are real workhorses designed to be pushed to the absolute limit, so if you’re a gamekeeper or part of a DIY syndicate where elbow grease comes as standard then you should definitely consider these for one…

Q Are dummy launchers worth exploring and investing in? A They certainly have a place in training. Especially if you want to project a dummy some distance of course and the bang is louder than a starter pistol and more akin to a shotgun sound. Introduce a starter pistol before you try one of these, just to be safe in introducing shot sounds. They come in either a hand-held launcher and static remote controlled version. There are air powered launchers, but I have seen dogs who react nervously to the different sound they make. Blanks come in a number of colour coded ‘strengths’ of green, yellow and red to give varying distances. I use both launchers depending on the situation. The hand held one is more convenient, light and portable…

1 (and winner of The Lincolnshire Area Shield) Lucie Adkins with Malsan Green Light for Jogolo (owned by Godfrey Lowe who was awarded The Glebespray Tankard for highest placed Lincs member) 2 (and winner of The Ansoncha Shield for the runner up and the Riaghyll Black Shadow Shield for the youngest dog in the awards) Stephanie McBride with lab.d. Laurinco Just Ace 3 Charlie Albone with lab.d Berrylaw Aberfeldy 4 John Cardnowith lab.b. Buskettslawn Astrid CoM Brian Barker with lab.d. Barweston Osprey CoM by Janette Sayer with lab.b. Laurinco Red Glow of Hollowgate CoM Sarah Coomber-Smith with lab.d. Abbotsleigh Fusilier CoM Andrew Slingsbywith lab.d.Arkglass Taylor CoM Doreen Spencer with lab.b.Teeshot Nickel…

No business can expect to survive by standing firm on tradition without allowing at least some modern ways of thinking into its plans for the future. The Gun Trade Association (GTA), under the guidance of executive director Simon West, is committed to combining tradition and innovation to help its members to flourish. John Walker’s fascinating words on the GTA, its past, its present and its future give us all plenty to think about. Tradition and innovation 56 It is now two years since we lost our much-admired colleague Graham Cox. A doyen of the gundog world, Graham was a well-known name in numerous circles and offered many a wise word in this magazine. Wendy Bardsley headed to Bath recently to meet Graham’s wife, Marilyn. I hope that you are touched…

Hunting safari operators will not be allowed at the Great British Shooting Show in 2020. The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) announced the ban after a petition collected 30,000 signatures. The authors of the petition claimed that allowing “these firms to promote their sickening activities at the Birmingham NEC will bring shame on the Birmingham NEC and Britain”. A spokesman for the venue said: “The NEC continues to be a venue that permits a wide range of content. However, we are also a business that is built around its customers and therefore listens to them. We fully understand concerns regarding the activities of some British Shooting Show exhibitors, and have acted. Taking these concerns and the safety of staff and visitors into consideration, we will be removing exhibitors that practise safari…

THE WRITER of the Letter of the Month will receive a pair of Wexford boots from Dubarry of Ireland (RRP £325). The knee-length, side-zip boots – designed for both men and women – are handcrafted from waterproof Dry Fast-Dry Soft breathable leathers. The high quality of the boot is reinforced throughout with an insulated GORE-TEX lining that wicks moisture away from the foot, ensuring the wearer remains dry and comfortable all day. Dubarry’s new, hard-wearing, durable outsole gives maximum grip whatever the ground conditions.…

In July, the country saw the biggest electrical storm many could remember. In the 48 hours following it, the country was again visited by sturm und drang, this time in the shape of our new PM, Boris Johnson. He wasted little time after his anointing to put into action the biggest cull of incumbent cabinet ministers since Attila the Hun sacked the leaders of the Ostrogoths in 452AD. It is fair to say Boris is not universally loved or, indeed, hated, but is viewed with deep suspicion by many as looking more or less like the spot marked with a cross where the accident happened. Or might happen come 31 October, when another 100 days of hand to hand combat in Westminster will have proved or disproved the rousing action…

My dream day would take place in September, when else, on Sir Joseph Nickerson’s Rothwell Estate in Lincolnshire where he so carefully nurtured wild grey partridge. First on my team would be my departed but never forgotten friend Granville Haley. A countryman who never let work get in the way of shooting or beating and whose gun is in my cabinet today. Next, Steve Bennett, very much around and a passionate shooting friend who would bring one of his small-bore guns, which he wields with amazing skill and enthusiasm. Keith Erlandson, the spaniel training legend, was on the initial list but has been supplanted by Geoff Taylor, who gave me my first spaniel and thereby sparked a lifelong passion for the breed. My friend John Halstead of Drakeshead Labrador fame…

Dear Uncle Giles, Our shoot has been gifted a Gunbus by a neighbour who’s packing up at his place but he has insisted we give it a name – what should we call it? I’m not sure about Gunny McGunbus to be frank with you. Any suggestions? PME, by email  Uncle Giles writes Your neighbour’s gesture is generous and therefore deserves to be treated with respect. I think you’re absolutely right to avoid Gunny McGunbus. Presumably your neighbour has a name? This should give you some scope for thought. Bill’s Bus? Will’s Wagon? Charlie’s Charabanc? Vinnie’s Van? Tom’s Transport? I could go on and on but I’m sure you get the picture. You do not mention in your letter what nature of vehicle it is. Perhaps it could be known…

‘‘Between the crisis and the catastrophe, there is always time for a glass of champagne.” These, according to Antoine Roland-Billecart of the Billecart-Salmon Champagne house, are the words of a long-dead French poet. However, they could just as easily be attributed to many a dispirited Gun as they approach the elevenses table after a bad morning on the peg. As we all know, drinks, in moderation of course, are an essential part of any driven shooting day. Not because we need them to have a good time, not because they’re a highlight of the day, but because they’re the things we bond over, tease each other over, cram in a pheasant-goujon-laden hand while we try to fend off a hungry labrador. Drinks are an ornament, the stained-glass windows in the…

I’m writing these words the day after England’s historic win at the Cricket World Cup. What a fantastic advert that match and that tournament were for the sport. Though I’m not an avid cricket fan myself, I couldn’t help but be gripped by the tense finale and I imagined certain colleagues, notably photographer Chris Warren and my former editor Will Hetherington, screaming at the TV as the runs were scored during the ‘super over’. “It isn’t all about that 50-yard screamer bursting from the woods… it’s about teamwork and standards.” As someone who is involved in grassroots sport, it gave me a great sense of satisfaction to hear the comments one of the pundits made during the post-match summary about the true winner from this unforgettable summer spectacle: cricket itself.…

Our society today is a throwaway society; most manufactured items have a limited shelf life and are discarded after a certain period. Repair is a thing of the past and it is normally far easier to replace than rejuvenate. This was certainly not the case in the 19th century as far as guns were concerned. Just look at the many thousands of antique and vintage guns that come up for sale with new barrels, replacement stocks and so on. If a gun wore out it wouldn’t be discarded, new parts would be fitted to it. A good gun was regarded as lasting not only for life, but was intended to be passed on to the next generation, so great effort was made to ensure it remained in good working order…

The pair of 32-bore percussion pistols illustrated was originally a pair of officers’ flintlock pistols by Mortimer of London c.1810. Officers’ pistols always had stirrup ramrods and were more substantial to cope with the rigours of military life. Once again, in the 1820s or 1830s, they were converted to percussion. Although the quality of the conversion is high, they are immediately recognisable as flintlock pistols, unlike the Manton pair. New breeches have been fitted but no bolsters are present in front of them – the lockplates have not been cut down and they just look like flintlock lockplates. Compare this with the quality of the conversion on the pair of Manton pistols, where bolsters have been fitted and the lockplates cut down. If the drum-and-nipple is the most common conversion…

For the shooting test I thought I would put as many different cartridges through the gun in terms of shot size and weight, including some 35gram Magnum cartridges. I put the ¼ and ½ chokes in, which tends to be the default choice for many Guns. Starting on the 40ft tower with 21gram cartridges the gun was a pleasure to shoot – the extra weight gave a smooth movement and the patterns were perfect. Walking into the back field at the shooting school made use of a FITASC practice layout that had been in use for the recent world championships, not quite what the gun was intended for, but it would give it a good test. It performed very well on some long teal and battues, mixed in with a…

The week after my bijou contre temps with She Who Must Be Obeyed (SWMBO) over what was a sensible distance to send a cocker on a retrieve, half a dozen nine-month-old labs and three spaniels turned up at my place for some basic training. They were on unfamiliar territory and therefore on their best behaviour. But there was one black cocker - blessed with a punk hairstyle - tethered to its owner by a long lead which looked as if it might prove entertaining. “Cecil wanted to play with all his new acquaintances.” The primary aims of the class were to improve steadiness and then introduce them to gentle retrieves. Steadiness was impressive. Unfortunately Cecil, relaxed on his own turf, wanted to play with all his new acquaintances. Although the…

Be proud not apologetic I have just read Simon Peniston-Bird’s interview with Tim Maddams and others, which seeks to justify our sport of shooting on the grounds of eating what we shoot. I started shooting in my teens and I am now well into my eighties. I have never felt the need to excuse my totally legal sport on any grounds whatsoever. The meat we produce is excellent and should, of course, be eaten whenever possible, but it is not the reason for shooting. It is, so far as I am concerned, for the sheer pleasure of being out in the countryside hunting with our dogs (even if they can be a tad unruly) and with like-minded pals. For those who can afford them the same principles should apply to…

I enjoyed David Whitby’s article in June’s Shooting Gazette with regard to old magazines and books. I came across these Gamekeeper magazines (pictured) in an antique shop in Devon recently and could not resist purchasing them: all 12 issues for 1937 and 1938. They are a fascinating read and at times, when reading, I find myself laughing aloud at some of the letters that readers have sent in, everything from “Am I allowed to shoot a cat that is taking my pheasants?” to “Have you any idea why my ferrets have died just after being fed on cat!“ (To which, incidentally, someone has replied advising that “cat’s entrails and sexual organs should be removed before feeding them to ferrets as it’s believed that these are poisonous and can cause death).…

Keep your poults healthy: Trying to get partridges to settle on moorland edges where few would live naturally creates a headache in itself. If birds don’t come in 100% healthy and get upset straight away you can guarantee there will be problems from the start. You need to get birds onto the same food they were eating at the game farm because they’ll be used to eating it and above all like eating it. If you don’t you can bet the poult’s stress levels will increase. Stress is one of the major factors in any disease. Be on good terms with your game dealer and vet: Hours make huge differences when birds start to become poorly. Gone are the days you can look at a bird, decide what’s wrong with…

Q I would very much like to make ammunition storage available on my shoot’s new Gunbus. It will occasionally travel on public roads and be unoccupied and unguarded from time to time during the course of a shoot day. What legal issues should I be aware of? A The law does not require you to keep shotgun cartridges secure, even in the situation you describe. However, it is both good practice and common sense to do so. I am aware of a case where an inquisitive police officer saw some live cartridges in a parked car and took the view this was so negligent the holder could not possess a shotgun certificate without being a danger to the public safety or to the peace. This was in an urban and…

Twenty-nineteen appears to be the year of the manifesto. By definition, it is "a public declaration of intent or aims issued by a political party or movement" and boy, there are lots of those littering the place. They are seemingly populated by people of highly opinionated intellectual standing and worthy intent, who just can’t help themselves but make the lives of we lesser mortals better informed and more complete; and sadly, probably less wealthy. It has been nigh on impossible of late for The Back Gun to avoid the ever-increasing volume of them, sprayed about the place, akin to the output of a belt-fed Gatling gun and about as accurate. From Labour comes Land For The Many, a manifesto of rabid ramblings which suggests a draconian policy of wealth redistribution…

It may be just me, but the stubble sirens have been calling for some time. Each week the call has grown from a faint whisper until to quieten it, I busy myself with preparation for the season. Until, standing on a peg, I can let the sights, sounds and scents waft around me like an Indian Ocean current over coral sand. It’s almost as if my feet reach down into the earth. The daily grind blurs, and a feeling that ‘this is right; this makes sense’ wells up like a memory from a long-forgotten postcard, that overwhelming sense of calm and focus. Proud little birds The shouts, the anticipation and then that burst of action. For me this is the joy of shooting partridges over the hedges, the scratch of…

I heard a lot of chat this summer about professionals and amateurs – it seems there is a faction that want a “premier” league but I’ve heard it said there aren’t enough professionals to fill a line in a 24-dog stake. Or are there? It’s nearly five years ago I wrote in this column (and latterly on social media) my interpretation of my three categories of field triallers, here’s my update: Professionals: anyone who gets paid for working with dogs, training or giving lessons, dog dealers (I have added dealers to this since first writing as I am now far more aware of how many there are and how many dogs are bought and sold on). Amateurs: anyone who has been trialling for a long time but doesn’t rely on…