Innholdsfortegnelse for May 27, 2015 i Shooting Times & Country

COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE head Sir Barney White-Spunner has rightly resigned from the Lead Ammunition Group (LAG) in response to a report drafted by its chairman John Swift, which presumably calls for blanket restrictions on lead shot (see p.4). Sir Barney objects to John Swift riding roughshod over the rest of the group and presenting misleading evidence to make his case. It seems the argument for further restrictions has been made partly on the basis of the risk to human health. However, neither the RSPB or Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust representatives on the LAG, who were responsible for reporting on health issues, are qualified to act as an authority. The second argument is that lead shot does widespread damage to wildlife, but Sir Barney claims that the report provides no evidence to…

New research data flies in the face of recent claims that Ireland’s deer population is “out of control”, says the Wild Deer Association of Ireland (WDAI). The data comes following recent comments from Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association president, John Comer, who fears that deer are spreading tuberculosis among livestock, and said that Ireland’s wild deer population was at 150,000, overrunning the counties of Clare, Wicklow and Kerry. WDAI secretary Damien Hannigan said: “Such comments are very worrying and at odds with reports from our members, who say deer numbers have been adversely affected in many areas from hunting pressures and poaching. For the first time, hunters have also begun self-imposing an early close to the hunting season due to lack of deer numbers.” The recent figures released by the…

“We should cut the domestic cat free... The right of every single fish to live out its life as nature intended is an animal rights issue.” A quote from the 1982 book Fettered Kingdoms by John Bryant, who is currently campaigning to be elected to the RSPCA’s ruling council. “When my husband leaves the music room door open they [the foxes] come in and sit on the sofa. One came in while he was practising. Like a little dog, she just sat there and listened to him playing.” Actor Joanna Lumley reveals she lets several “completely charming” foxes into the house and on to the sofa.…

The Scottish Government has admitted that it doesn’t know if land reform plans will damage food production — because it has conducted no analysis of the impact. The astonishing revelation came in a Freedom of Information response to The Telegraph newspaper, which reports that ministers were unable to provide estimates of the consequences of their reforms to the country’s £790million per year food sector, because they didn’t hold any. The admission follows a report by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors which concluded that the reforms appear to have overlooked the threat they pose to Scottish food production. This news will do nothing to assuage the array of countryside groups who fear that Holyrood is pursuing a land reform policy without considering the full consequences. A spokesman for Scottish Land…

Bringing back wolves Regarding Chris Packham’s idea of reintroducing wolves to the UK, as flagged up on your Facebook page, I’m an English gamekeeper in France. The first licences were granted in September 2014 for the shooting of wolves in the Drome region, about four or five years after their release. Their rapid distribution made them a nuisance to livestock. Due to man and his widespread distribution and the massive home ranges needed by wolves and bears — they can’t help but encroach on our environment. They have the potential to do a great deal of harm to any passers-by or to livestock. Oh yes, and it’s another waste of taxpayers’ money. M. Morris, via Facebook I think wolves should be reintroduced because there are no natural predators for deer…

It matters not whether it’s low or high ground, every keeper worth their salt knows that if there is a dry spell during the nesting season, rooks and jackdaws will be quite severe on the eggs of ground-nesting birds. They take the eggs at every chance anyway, despite the attempts of some — all those good nature programmes on the BBC — to make us believe otherwise. But when the ground is dry, and the invertebrates go deeper to stay with the moisture, corvids hunt for eggs with a vengeance. I’ve despatched a number that, if they had been paying more attention, would have seen me, but they were looking too closely at the hedge or wall bottom for nests. The real telling sign, when you have them in the…

Ferreting Reluctant to leave warren One of my ferrets tends to be reluctant to leave a rabbit warren, even when the more experienced ones have already left. How can I rectify this? P. Watson, by email SIMON WHITEHEAD SAYS: Nothing will test your patience like a ferret that is reluctant to leave the warren. It’s important never to attempt to lunge and grab at your ferret when it is in a position where it can easily scoot back underground. Bad habits are easy to form and the devil itself to correct. When I work young ferrets for the first season, I experience this all the time. Be patient and when your ferret is ready to leave the warren, crouch down and make your silhouette as small as possible. If you…

Up until a few years ago, we ran a small fish-rearing unit and hatchery on site to supply a few locally sourced brown trout for supplementary stocking, plus a small surplus to balance the books. The unit consisted of a few in-line ponds, through which 250,000 gallons of river water passed each day. To use the river water, we paid an annual charge for an abstraction licence, and a second annual charge to return those 250,000 gallons to the river. Over the years, the cost of both rose quite markedly. The suspicion was that smaller producers were being priced out. An in-line fish farm is subject to heavy regulation and monitoring by the Environment Agency (EA) and Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science with regard to the amount of…

Scott Barnett claimed victory at the 2015 Benelli SpAuto Championships, following a neck-and-neck shoot-off with former winner Martin Myers. Both shooters scored an impressive 116 out of 120, three targets ahead of the third-placed competitor Andy Moon, at Barbury Shooting Ground earlier this month. The Benelli SpAuto is firmly established as a date to mark on the clayshooting calendar, attracting more than 310 entries.…

GOOD TIMES The Canal and Rivers Trust has put temporary “duck lanes” on busy towpaths in London, Birmingham and Manchester to help protect birds in big cities. Conservationists have reassured that hedgehogs are not in imminent risk of extinction in the UK, despite recent claims that they could be “gone in 10 years”. BAD TIMES Campaigners who spent the past six years increasing the number of red squirrels at Hazlehead Park, Aberdeen, are “disappointed” that a luxury venue will be built nearby. A new report says the UK is among the worst countries in the EU for protecting its wildlife habitats. The findings show around 70 per cent are in unfavourable or bad condition.…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Kennel Club must act on tail docking One applauds the efforts made by the Kennel Club to assure the health and welfare of dogs, and the tests and trials it runs to promote gundog skills and owner development (Minding man’s best friend, 13 May). What was not made clear is that dogs with docked tails are not welcome at KC-sponsored events. When will the KC wake up and address the elephant in the room around docking? Not docking a working dog can lead to a lifetime of pain and suffering for those animals who range and hunt in cover: for example, German shorthaired pointers P. Cashfield, West Sussex WIN! The writer of letter of the week wins this excellent bucket seat worth £29.99. With a 360 silent…

The only real way of finding out what’s wrong with your birds — if you are picking up dead ones or they look off-colour — is to take them to a vet. You must do this as soon as you spot something is wrong. When you suspect there is a problem, leaving them untreated even for an extra day or two in the hope that it will sort itself out will only make matters worse. The longer you leave it before doing anything about it, the harder it is going to be to bring whatever it is under control. With experience you can start to spot the tell-tale signs of an impending disease challenge before it has fully broken out. With a bit of luck, if the birds are treated…

Rogue plastic bags caught on trees and fences are the scourge of the countryside, but did you know they are called “witches’ knickers”? According to Dominick Tyler in his book Uncommon Ground: A Word Lover’s Guide to the British Landscape, the colloquial term first originated in Ireland, where a plastic-bag tax was introduced in 2002. The term is also listed in Grant Barrett’s The Official Dictionary of Unofficial English. In Alaska these snagged bags are known as “tundra ghosts”, while in South Africa they are called, rather tongue-in-cheek, “the national flower”. “PLASTIC BAGS CAUGHT ON TREES — THE SCOURGE OF THE COUNTRYSIDE — ARE KNOWN AS ‘WITCHES’ KNICKERS’”…

A springer spaniel-owning friend declared in April that he fancied going to this year’s Game Fair, something that he has never shown much interest in before, even though he is a CLA member. He had already sent off for his tickets before discovering that there wasn’t a bed to be had within a 25-mile radius of Harewood (or if there was he didn’t manage to find it). He hasn’t given up hope but he lives in Kent so a day trip is out of the question. Over the years when I’ve visited the fair, I’ve stayed in everything from country pubs to fancy hotels, rented houses and campsites. In many ways camping was the most fun — the last time I did so was at Belvoir in 2009. The campsite…

Sir Barney White-Spunner has resigned from the Lead Ammunition Group (LAG), citing a “lost confidence” in the group chairman John Swift. The LAG was set up under in April 2010 at the behest of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) and the RSPB, to advise DEFRA on any risks to wildlife, human health and livestock from the use of lead ammunition, and how to mitigate them, with their findings expected to be published in a paper later this year. Sir Barney, executive chairman of the Countryside Alliance, and its representative on the group, has written a resignation letter addressed to Mr Swift, former chief executive of BASC. In the letter, Sir Barney called into question the validity of the upcoming report after seeing a draft, which he described as “so…

Shooting Times readers of an older generation may recall the many wildfowling and pigeon shooting articles of A.E.B. “Austin” Johnson from 1956 to 1965, who recently died at his home in Colchester, aged 85. An avid wildfowler on the Essex coast, and a keen pigeon shooter, Austin wrote not only practical articles based on experience, but also a well-received book, Shooting Woodpigeon. The last entry in his shooting diary was in January 2008, when he was 78: “Shot 11 pigeon on rape!”…

NEWS IN THE US Dave Miller of Grain Valley, Missouri, has set a new Guinness World Record for the most Sporting clays broken in one hour, by shooting 3,653 targets in 60 minutes. Armed with 30 modified 16-shot CZ 712 shotguns and 4,000 shells, Miller averaged just 0.82 seconds between targets. “This is awesome, but I am worn out,” he told the Kansas City Star after his win. Roe deer take a dip NORTHUMBERLAND: A fisherman was stunned to spot three roe deer taking an early-morning swim just off the coast of Amble recently. According to Chronicle Live , Kevin Henderson was on his boat, the Natalie Kristen , at about 7am when he saw the deer as he was leaving Amble Harbour. “I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I’ve…

Sharpshooter’s recent piece (Viewpoint, 8 April) highlights the dilemma that often faces firearms licensing officers when determining whether someone is fit to hold a firearms licence. The top priority for licensing officers is to protect public safety by preventing foreseeable or avoidable harm, and consideration of a person’s mental health is essential. Currently, applicants are required to declare any medical conditions when applying for the grant or renewal of a certificate and, if they are successful in obtaining one, the licensing officer will notify the holder’s GP. Sharpshooter makes the valid point that as many as one in four people will experience some form of depression at some point in their lives. The challenge is how to respond proportionately and maintain public safety. You will be reassured to know that…

On that first trip to Ireland we had great difficulty understanding what Robbie was saying. I had married an Irish girl, so I was appointed official interpreter. Even I found it hard to work out the instructions he gave us when placing us for a drive or beat. He would say: “Bill, go down the track till you come to the right and go left”, or “Robin, go to the tree”, as he pointed vaguely to a tree miles away, “then spread yourself out along the hedge”. Robbie knew exactly what he meant, so he assumed we did as well!…

Though shooting sticks are widely regarded as the deerstalker’s accessory of choice, the added support they provide can also be a real asset to the airgun shooter. I’ve used a bipod for years, taking advantage of the super-steady shooting it enables when using precharged airguns from the prone position. It’s a great method for ambushing rabbits when they venture out to feed on closely cropped grass, but it does have its limitations. The problem with shooting prone is that there will always be times when you need to get the muzzle high enough for shots to clear obstructions such as nettle patches and tussocks of grass. Additionally, it’s not particularly comfortable lying on your belly for hours on end while you wait for your quarry to present itself. Of course,…

I was contacted by a reader and asked if I knew any history about a gun by Frederick T. Baker of London. On looking through my files, I discovered he was one of the few gunmakers about whom I had never written, so here is the story of his company. It begins in the last years of King William IV’s reign, just as England was starting to prosper again after the Napoleonic Wars. In 1833, Thomas Kerslake Baker set himself up in business at 73 Farringdon Street and 1 Stonecutter Street, London, with a “Cutlery, Gun, Pistol, Plated and Japan Warehouse”. He sold a variety of metalwork, including items finished in the popular black lacquer called “japanning”. His premises probably drew trade from the affluent professional middle classes because they…

Lifesystems tick remover card An upsurge in the number of disease-carrying ticks in Britain requires us to be extra vigilant this summer when out and about in the countryside — ticks must be removed immediately and correctly to avoid Lyme disease. The Lifesystems Tick Remover Card is credit card-sized and features a magnifying lens and two different-sized removal tools. It slips easily into a wallet or pocket. £3.99 www.ellis-brigham.com Lotus Grill charcoal barbecue Get ready for summer with the Lotus Grill charcoal barbecue. It is lightweight, safe, healthy and easy to clean — but the best thing about it is that it will be ready to cook your food in just three or four minutes after lighting. Price: £140 www.lotusgrilluk.com Ruff and Tumble dog throw These double-thickness soft cotton towelling…

ASK THE VET TONY BUCKWELL is a retired veterinary surgeon, who now acts as an advisor on animal welfare, breeding and husbandry. If you are concerned about your dog’s health, always seek veterinary advice. Death by bloat A friend’s Labrador has just died of “bloat”. What is this and how can I prevent it happening to my dog? G. Gregory, by email TONY BUCKWELL SAYS: Gastric distention, also known as “bloat”, and volvulus are two related conditions that together represent one of the few real life-threatening canine emergencies. “Bloat” occurs when the stomach becomes distended with fermented food and/or gas, then rolls over, twisting the entrance and exit to the intestines. The dog is unable to empty its stomach and goes into severe shock. Typically the dog will be restless…

Donkey’s years ago, my late grandfather used to bring us bunches of cowslips, picked from his downland farm near Shorwell on the Isle of Wight. It was a sure sign that summer was on its way. Mum has always been keen on flower-arranging, and she used to display the sweet-smelling blooms in little vases. The windowsills, mantelpieces and dresser would all get bedecked and beam with yellow. That hasn’t happened for a long time now, mainly because meadows and verges swathed in nodding cowslips have become increasingly rare. I remember nagging Grandpa, asking him to show me where the cowslips grew. We rattled across the downs in his battered Land Rover, up and over “hungry hills”, until we reached his favourite cowslip-picking spot — a long grassy bank, close to…

Last week I wrote about the unseating of an anti-fieldsports MP (Sharpshooter, 20 May). This week, it’s the turn of Thomas Woodward, former Ryedale District Councillor. There were local elections running alongside the General Election in many areas. Tommy Woodward (as he is known) lost his district council seat. I think we may be able to guess why. District Councillor Woodward (as he was then), from North Yorkshire, made the headlines for all the wrong reasons towards the end of last year when he posted on Facebook about a news report on the inquest into the suicide of an ex-soldier and gamedealer in Lancashire. The post was: “Best use of a gun I can think of.” He added a second post, saying: “If you choose to own a gun and…