Innholdsfortegnelse for 23-Mar-2016 i Shooting Times & Country

I RECENTLY ATTENDED my first point-to-point held by the East Devon Hunt. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it as a great family day out. It’s a bit like a mini Grand National in your own backyard. The temporary course was over fields in the flat plain of a stunning valley, with a great ridge as a backdrop, hiding the sea beyond. The lay of the land was ideal as you could see the runners and riders almost all the way round, bar the odd hedge or group of trees. It really gave the impression of racing through the countryside reminiscent of a foxhunting field. The point-to-point circuit is for amateurs, though it can sometimes act as a training ground for National Hunt racing, and the horses and jockeys…

Six people have been charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage on two Lancashire estates. Between November 2014 and July 2015, a number of incidents of criminal damage and theft of animal traps and snares were reported to police by keepers on the Bleasdale and Abbeystead estates in Bowland. On 2 March, following a police investigation and after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, six people were charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage. They are: Jose Bailey, 21, of Broadfield Drive, Leyland; Aidan Laing, 19, of Broadfield Drive, Leyland; Diana Tuson, 48, of Westlands, Leyland; Stephen Laing, 46, of Broadfield Drive, Leyland; a 17-year-old girl from Leyland and Daniel Ratner, 50, of Pedder Road, Morecambe. All six defendants have been bailed to appear before Lancaster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday,…

Keeper survives night on freezing mountain Gamekeeper Josh Wilkinson of the Gaick estate survived a night on a Highland mountain after being trapped outside in a blizzard and sub-zero temperatures. Earlier this month, Mr Wilkinson became disorientated in thick fog and snow on Carn an Fhidhleir, a remote 3,261ft peak near Glen Feshie in the Cairngorms. He was found the following day after a 40-strong search involving the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team, members of Lossiemouth-based RAF Mountain Rescue Team, Tayside Mountain Rescue Team and workers from the Glen Feshie estate. Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team leader Willie Anderson commented: “This was a serious and difficult search and rescue in one of the most remote areas that we cover.” Virus killing off UK rabbits A new strain of virus is wiping out…

What does a rural crime officer do? We deal with hare coursing, poaching of deer and other species, burglaries and theft at farms and other rural locations. As a force wildlife officer, I also deal with a diverse range of incidents regarding wildlife-related crime; from bat roost disturbance to Japanese knotweed. What are the most shocking rural crimes that you have had to deal with? In my opinion, hare coursing has a significant impact in our area. I have sat with farmers who were in tears having seen the damage done to their crops by the unthinking, uncaring offenders driving over them. I find the cruelty of the suspects to be staggering. I have also been involved in cases where deer are coursed to the point of exhaustion and then…

A recent report in a national newspaper re-pedalled the “burying of pheasants” myth. I looked at the pictures that the paper claimed supported its accusations and all I could see were dead birds that had been collected and put to one side, probably by the pickers-up or keepers, for collection later in the day by whoever was in charge of the gamecart. Why do those who are opposed to gameshooting continue to spread rumours of, and try to find evidence about, the burying of birds? If it were happening — and I’m not talking about the disposal of the very small percentage of birds that are discarded and deemed unfit for human consumption because of tree damage and collisions with fences and so on — why hasn’t someone (when every…

Management duties merged with wider industry issues on 4 March, when the Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) held its AGM at the Caley Thistle Football stadium in Inverness for the third year. A large crowd of stalkers, gamekeepers and gillies attended. Fergus Ewing, minister for business, energy and tourism, was our first speaker. Fergus has taken a keen interest in the SGA since it was formed 16 years ago. He was fully supportive of our stance when Lord Watson’s foxhunting bill went through Parliament and he warned us to be well prepared for the review by Lord Bonomy of the 2002 Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act. Fergus was impressed by some of the income statistics produced by one survey alone. Last year, in five scattered Glens in Angus, one grouse…

I’VE NO DOUBT that all of us, when we take on a new puppy, hope that it is going to enjoy a long and healthy life, with nothing more than routine visits to the vet. Sadly, that’s not always the case, but by buying strong, healthy puppies from health-tested parents the chances of this happening are much greater. It’s also a good idea to do as much research about the health of your chosen breed before you buy, as at least you will have a good idea of what to expect in the years ahead. The Kennel Club recently released a summary report, together with breed-specific reports, from its 2014 Pedigree Breed Health Survey. It makes fascinating reading. According to the Club, the survey was the largest of its kind,…

Keele University in Staffordshire has one of the UK’s largest collections of flowering cherries, with more than 240 varieties planted on the campus. The collection, which was awarded National Collection status by the plant conservation charity Plant Heritage in 2012, was started in the late 1940s, when the grounds of the university were laid out with ornamental trees. But it was not until 2005 that the university embarked on building up a collection of flowering cherries as a focus for its arboretum. Many of the existing trees, some of which still remain in nursery beds because they are immature, were not planted until 2009. Visitors are welcome to view the trees and there are several self-guided walks you can go on to see them. To download a visitor’s guide visit…

“The proposed revision is irrelevant for the fight against terrorism, which was presented as its main objective” Several European ministers have voiced their opposition to proposals to amend the EU Firearms Directive. Plans to tighten European gun laws were rushed into motion by the European Commission following the terrorist attacks in Paris last year. Some of the proposals, such as the better tracing of firearms, have been welcomed, while others concerning medical tests and age restrictions have been criticised for impacting on legitimate firearms owners while doing nothing to help combat crime or terrorism (News, 17 February). Earlier this month, a conference was held in Brussels, organised by the Intergroup on Biodiversity and Hunting, bringing together representatives of the European Commission, MEPs, member organisations of FACE (the European Federation of…

CELEBRATE It’s Easter this weekend, and whether you intend to paint and roll some eggs, fill yourself up on chocolate or attend a church service, the Shooting Timesnewsdesk hopes you enjoy your long weekend — we know we will. WATCH Lady Lairdsfollows the trials, tribulations and successes of several women over the course of a year as they run their Scottish Highland estates and country houses. In the first episode, Joanna leaves behind a successful London career to take over the Attadale estate from her parents, while at Loch Fyne, Tuggy faces a test to see if her new brewery is up to standard. At the Auchlyne estate, Emma tries to find extra money-making opportunities. Originally shown on BBC1 Scotland in February, episode one is now available on BBC iPlayer…

The RSPCA has been ordered to carry out an independent review of the way it is run, while three trustees have quit citing concerns about its management. At the time of printing it was unclear when the Charity Commission had requested the review, so it is not known if it is related to the first two resignations, but the third trustee did so just as the investigation got under way. The RSPCA, which has been operating without a chief executive for two years, has confirmed that Christopher Laurence and Sally Phillips, both long-serving trustees, quit some time since September. According to Third Sectormagazine, Ms Phillips, who left after 13 years on the RSPCA board, wrote in her resignation letter that she had become “concerned at the behaviour of the officers…

Last month’s OFCOM digital review could signal positive change for mobile phone reception and broadband speed in rural areas, according to the Countryside Alliance. Seventy gamekeepers from across Aberdeenshire came together to remove tons of debris from the river Dee earlier this month, to help prepare the flood-damaged village of Ballater for this year’s upcoming tourist season. DEFRA will face legal action from environmental law firm ClientEarth if it does not make improvements to what the prosecutors describe as a “woeful” approach to tackling air pollution in the UK. The Atlantic puffin, a breed that is considered iconic to Jersey, is close to extinction, according to Cambridge University academic Kaja Heising. Her recent study says that the population on Jersey has decreased from 200-300 pairs a century ago to “as…

ON THE GAMECART This is nine-month-old Elsie Silk (right) with her mother, Laura, and headkeeper father, Matt, on the Matterley estate in Winchester. Elsie was on the gamecart most weeks during the season and thoroughly enjoyed herself. The gamecart has been fully equipped with her car seat, changing mat and bottle warmer; she has been known to nap during the middle of a drive. What Elsie loves most is lunchtime in the beaters’ room when you can hear her squeals of delight and see her big beaming smile. O. Phillips, by email COPPER AMMO Amid the furore about the 86 deer culled and left to rot by the John Muir Trust, the fact that the RSPB is also culling deer — using “environmentally friendly” copper ammunition instead of lead —…

“Any notion that badgers are slow and ponderous is quickly dispelled when you see one in full flight” Climbing a high seat set into the prickly background of a large holly tree, while encumbered with a rifle, demands the agility of an acrobat. It would, doubtless, contravene mother-hen health and safety regulations. It had been some time, I quickly and painfully realised, since the prickly leaves had been trimmed and I had forgotten to bring a pair of secateurs. But at last, after a minor struggle, I settled into my seat, loaded the .30-06 and settled back to await events. The late afternoon was cold and grey with a chill wind. The woodland, some 200 yards in front, was bleak and dark, made ever more sombre by chattering flocks of…

“As we walked along a ride, a pigeon clattered out of a pine and my instinctive shot folded it” When World War II ended, shooting throughout the UK was struggling to return to normal. In my childhood I accompanied my father on his roughshoot with my first “gun”, a broken air rifle. It played an important role in teaching me safe gun handling long before I progressed to the real thing. Though the war was over, meat rationing was still in force so it was important to supplement this with rabbit, pigeon or game in season at every opportunity. That old air rifle had been scrapped and I was given a working model to practise my shooting in the garden. Then I moved on to a .410 under the supervision…

Optics on the market today are complex both in construction and use. One sight, however, is proud of its simplicity on both fronts: Aimpoint. These small, robust optics are an increasingly common sight on our gunshop shelves. The company is still family owned, and the original Aimpoint sight was invented in 1975 for hunting and sport shooting. Though it took some 20 years before the products really took off, confidence in the sights was strong enough to continue developing them. In 1993, during the Kuwait War, Aimpoint was steered in the direction of military applications, and today they are used worldwide by military and police forces, which now make up the biggest segment of the business. The hunting market is still a thriving part of the company, however. If you’ve…

“You can take a dog to a mole run but you can’t make it catch a mole” Though I reckon I’m a pretty effective trapper of rats — my best score in a year is well over a hundred — I’m not an experienced mole trapper. This doesn’t really matter as, though the field in front of my house has a thriving mole population, the little gentlemen in black velvet rarely reach my garden, as it is effectively protected by a wrap-round gravel drive. Its foundations are clearly not conducive to tunnel digging. Occasionally, however, moles do succeed in reaching the garden. The first record was nearly 10 years ago, when my spaniel Rowan, then a 16-week-old puppy, caught and killed one. Remarkably, this was before the mole had any…

BILL HARRIMAN BASC’s head of firearms and global authority on guns MAT MANNING Airgunner and journalist from the West Country BRUCE POTTS Shooting Timesrifle reviewer and stalker DAVID TOMLINSON Highly regarded writer and ornithologist LIAM BELL Shropshire gamekeeper and keen wildfowler GRAHAM DOWNING Shooting consultant and sporting author PAUL RAWLINGS Gundog expert and A-panel spaniel judge CHRIS DE CANI Riverkeeper, with specialist knowledge of chalkstreams TONY BUCKWELL Veterinary surgeon with a special interest in gundogs TONY JACKSON A game Shot, keen stalker and former editor of Shooting Times TOM PAYNE Professional shooting instructor and avid pigeon shooter SIMON WHITEHEAD Author, professional ferreter and rabbit controller IAIN WATSON Keen stalker and senior CIC international trophy judge Contact the team Email: stanswers@timeinc.com By post: Shooting Times, Blue Fin Building,…

Warm, sunny days in March invariably rouse the first of the hibernating butterflies from their winter sleep, and the sight of a bright yellow brimstone, patrolling a hedgerow in search of a freshly emerged female, is always a cheering sight in early spring, and a sharp reminder of the changing year. Apart from the brimstone, only a handful of our butterflies overwinter as adults. These are the comma, peacock and small tortoiseshell, but in recent years there have been increasing reports of red admirals successfully hibernating here, too. Another butterfly that hibernates as an adult insect is the impressive Camberwell beauty. It’s a common butterfly in many parts of northern Europe and North America, but a rare visitor here. A few wanderers are recorded in variable numbers in Britain every…

“Revolvers were little known in Britain prior to 1851, but such was the interest in Colt’s products that a huge demand was created” The Great Exhibition of 1851 was a watershed in British history. For the first time, Victorian society was exposed to the products of the world’s industrialised nations. Almost half of the 13,000 exhibitors were non-British. France sent 1,760 exhibits and the US 560. Among the American exhibits were false teeth, artificial legs, McCormick’s mechanical reaper, Goodyear India rubber goods and particularly Samuel Colt’s revolving pistols. Revolvers were little known in Britain prior to 1851 but such was the sudden interest in Colt’s products that a huge demand for the new pistol was created. Within two years, Colt had set up his own factory in Pimlico to cope…

4 APRIL RIVER COTTAGE GARDEN OPEN DAY River Cottage HQ, Axminster, Devon Tel 01297 630300 8-10 APRIL BASC INTRODUCTION TO GAMEKEEPING WEEKEND Newton Rigg College, Penrith, Cumbria Tel 01768 893613 2 3 APRIL MARSDEN CUCKOO FESTIVAL Marsden, Yorkshire http://po.st/cuckoo 2 8 APRIL NGO GOLDEN PHEASANT CLAYSHOOT Rhug Estate, Corwen, Denbighshire Tel 01833 660869 3 0 APRIL THE 2016 FEMMES FATALES CLAYSHOOTING CUP Royal Berkshire Shooting School, Pangbourne, Berkshire Tel 01491 672900 6 -7 MAY GWCT/BASC SHOOTING FOR THE FUTURE COURSE Allerton Project Visitor Centre, Loddington, Leicestershire Tel 01425 651013…

We should always remember those military personnel who have served, or are still serving, and who strive bravely to recover every day from injuries either seen or unseen. It has been my privilege and honour to meet some of those soldiers injured in the line of duty who are now participating in the Shooting for Heroes programme. This was set up by the Help for Heroes charity to give these men and women a chance to learn more about potential careers in game-shooting, as well as using shooting sport as a form of recovery. Through a dedicated course, the chaps (all attendees are known as chaps, regardless of rank or sex) learn about gamekeeping, deer management, gunsmithing and other job opportunities within the fieldsports sector. They also take part, both…

“We live in our heads as much as in our physical surroundings. But having a good working environment must be of benefit” I gather that the editorial office of Shooting Timesis about to move from London to a location in Farnborough, Hampshire. I can just imagine the idyllic scene: a converted farmhouse, perhaps, with a decent pub nearby for lunch; assorted gundogs lolling around, journalists in leather armchairs gazing out on rolling countryside… No? Is it not like that? What a pity. You might think it must feel ever so slightly weird to write about shooting and country matters from an urban setting. Yet the staff at Shooting Times managed admirably from a London towerblock for many years, so no doubt they will adapt to their new workplace. I always…