Innholdsfortegnelse for September 9, 2015 i Shooting Times & Country

BASC’s WHITE PAPER on shoot licensing makes a very strong case for extending the life of shotgun and firearms certificates from five to 10 years (see p.4). It is fantastic to see the shooting community on the front foot asking for constructive and positive change in the law. The arguments are simple. It will free up police time, which will improve public safety and save taxpayers’ money. For shooters, it will cut red tape and expenditure over the period of the certificate. It is interesting to compare how other countries manage firearms ownership and this week Nigel Henzell-Thomas’ piece (see p.20) reveals some of the baffling bureaucratic hoops French hunters have to jump through before they are allowed a shooting permit. The terrifying exam sounds worse than reciting your times…

The RSPCA has been accused of seeing supporters as “commodities” after the Daily Mail revealed last week that the charity pays investigators to find out how much donors might leave it in their wills. The newspaper claims that the RSPCA does not tell supporters that their personal data is being used to assign them a “wealth rating” and that money they donated to help prevent cruelty to animals is being used to fund these investigations. The use of investigators was brought to light when the paper looked into how the RSPCA traded the personal data of one supporter — 87-year-old dementia sufferer Samuel Rae of Cornwall — as many as 200 times. Mr Rae first came to the attention of the RSPCA in 2005, with his details passed to Prospecting…

The Gunmakers’ Company Charitable Trust is raising funds by running an online auction of exclusive shooting-related lots. The auction began on 1 September, and at the time of launch lots included a visit to the AYA factory in Spain and a shoot in Atlanta in the US. The online auction will run until16 September, when a live auction will take place at the Holland & Holland shooting ground near London. To place a bid in the auction, visit: http://po.st/jxrfs9.…

GOOD TIMES Bramley Clay Club won the 2015 Hampshire Clubman Classic League last week, with Simon Hammal of Wallers Ash Gun Club named as High Gun. Singer Mica Paris ( pictured ) helped to raise £200,000 for charity at glazier CR Smith boss George Eadie’s 14th annual clay shoot at Auchterhouse Country Sports last week. BAD TIMES The oldest golden eagle in Britain was found dead in the Highlands — aged 18 — at the end of August. The RSPB said the bird of prey was likely killed after a fight with a mating rival. Staff at Gosforth Nature Reserve in Newcastle found the remains of a roe deer on the site at the end of last month after several other attempted poaching incidents this year.…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Winning the grouse race — by helicopter After reading your excellent article about grouse on the Glorious Twelfth (The great grouse race, 12 August), I thought our record might be of interest. I used to run, with my cousins, our family company T. S. J. Woodhouse Ltd, a wholesale butchers in Smithfield. In the early 1970s, I started driving up to Wensleydale on 11 August to be ready for Lord Bolton, who shot on the 12th, and bring the bag back to London for consumption that evening. Our customers thereby had the chance of fresh grouse on the Twelfth. This went on for a few years until the London Hilton, which we supplied, asked me how it could win the grouse race. I got permission from Lord…

I am 68 years old and moved to France in 2005. I brought my guns with me under a European Firearms Pass. When that licence expired, my only option, if I wanted to shoot or hunt on a regular basis, was to pass the practical and theoretical exams for a French Permis de Chasse . I applied for the examination in March of this year. What follows is a diary of my experience. 17 April On my first mandatory training session, accompanied by my fluent French-speaking wife, I was to be instructed on the safe use of a rifle.270, a semi-automatic 12-bore, and an over-and-under 12-bore. In three groups of 10, we were a motley collection of young and old; some confident, many nervous. There was much banter between the…

If nothing else, this year’s commemorations of the Battles of Waterloo (1815) and Agincourt (1415) demonstrate the importance of choosing the right ground on which to fight. Without that topographical advantage, we would now all be wearing berets, riding push-bikes festooned with strings of onions and watching arthouse films where nothing much happens — in black and white. I was pondering this in a field of oilseed rape where my allotted hide seemed perfect... but wasn’t. A small clump of trees, about 15 yards wide, gave plenty of concealment and was a marker post for the pigeon traffic from three directions. With lots of pigeon about, it seemed the easy option but proper consideration would have exposed flaws in the plan. The pigeon traffic was akin to a roundabout, with…

I count myself lucky to enjoy some great sporting diversions in Scotland, and especially in the south-west, the home patch of Mrs Swan and her family. We visit here several times each year and, with the family mostly being of farming stock, there are lots of opportunities to fish and shoot. One favourite place is on the banks of the Annan, where my wife Mo’s cousin, Aitken, farms. A dozen years ago we were up there in early November for my sister-in-law’s birthday, and there was just enough free time for me to sneak off for morning flight. There is a long, shallow straight on this stretch of the river, where a few mallard tend to spend the day, sometimes accompanied by some wigeon. So, I got there early, anchored…

PREPARING FOR THE COMING SEASON As soon as the harvest is over it’s time for the ferreting equipment to come out once again. This is where the “five P’s” come into play: prior preparation prevents poor performance. Make sure your nets are in good order. I have had all of my bespoke hand-crafted long- and stop-nets repaired after the abuse they got last season and now I am in the process of resetting them on to the poles in readiness for going back into their baskets. My purse-nets have been hung, cleaned and are wrapped up inside my large and musky-smelling gamebag. This year I remembered to place some mousetraps around the shed to avoid any nibbling teeth causing havoc to my nets. This happened recently to a friend of…

Whether you’re stalking stags on some remote hill, camping in far-flung woodland on the edge of nowhere or simply walking-up a hedgerow in a secluded part of the farm, shooters spend a lot of time outdoors — often isolated from civilisation. So do you have the necessary kit to keep yourself warm, dry and fed for the duration? And what about in an emergency — have you ever considered how you’d get help if there was no mobile signal? This selection of kit will help to keep you out of trouble. Portable power chargers There is no reason for your mobile to run out of charge, even if you’re living in the woods for days on end. The PowerPot V Thermoelectric Generator Outdoor Camping Cooking Pot (above right) allows you…

Training Keeping his distance My young Labrador puppy was very bold, happy and enthusiastic until I began basic obedience training when he was four months old. I taught him on the lead to walk at heel and sit and stay, but now when he is off lead he is reluctant to come right up to me, tending to stay at a distance and I have to approach him. How do I make him come close? L. Manchett, by email PAUL RAWLINGS SAYS: Not all puppies will accept or understand discipline at such an early age and yours is now unsure whether to trust you or not. You must change to very positive methods; it is important that he knows when he is doing right by being given lots of praise…

Shropshire-based gunmakers Boxall & Edmiston celebrated the completion of their100th shotgun with an organised simulated gameshooting day and evening dinner on Thursday, 20 August. Guests received a tour of the works, followed by shooting at Leighton Hall near Shrewsbury. The gun (pictured) is a sideplated 20-bore with 32in barrels, full scroll engraving, Teague chokes, exhibition walnut and a leather pad.…

A shooting estate in Dumfriesshire has voluntarily withdrawn from both Wildlife Estates Scotland (WES) and Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) following the sentencing of its gamekeeper for wildlife crimes. William Dick, 25, a keeper on the Newlands estate, near Dumfries, was convicted of killing and possessing a buzzard in April 2014, in a hearing at Dumfries Sheriff Court on 4 August. He was fined £2,000 last week for his actions and a solicitor for the defendant said his client would not be able to work as a gamekeeper for a considerable time. Following Mr Dick’s conviction, a spokesperson for WES revealed that Newlands estate had voluntarily withdrawn its membership due to a failure to meet animal welfare standards: “Conditions of membership of WES include the requirements to maintain best practice…

Scottish Wildcat Action last week launched a new website for the public to report sightings of the endangered cat as part of an ongoing effort to prevent its extinction. Scottish wildcat numbers have dwindled due to changes in habitat, persecution and inter-breeding with domestic cats. The group, supported by the Scottish Government and Heritage Lottery Fund, aims to restore viable populations. SNP MSP Aileen McLeod said: “The Scottish wildcat is one of Scotland’s most endangered mammals and urgent action is needed to ensure they have a future. “The Scottish Government is therefore committed to wildcat conservation and I am delighted to support the launch of this new website.” To report a sighting and for further details, visit www.scottishwildcataction.org.…

The Cawdor estate in Nairnshire has refuted speculation on social media that a red kite — one of two recently confirmed dead — was killed on its land. The RSPB confirmed just over a week ago that two red kites were illegally killed in the north of Scotland in 2014 — one found shot dead on a railway line in Beauly near Inverness and the other poisoned outside of Cawdor village. The charity had been awaiting the conclusion of Police Scotland’s inquiries before making its statement. Following what Scottish Land & Estates described as “inaccurate and ill-informed speculation on social media,” a spokesman for the estate was moved to respond: “The Cawdor estate was not aware of an alleged poisoning of a red kite, found in woodland in the area…

NEWS IN FRANCE Alsace-based football club AS Munster has had to move all of its home games to another venue until further notice after a pack of wild boar destroyed nearly two-thirds of the pitch last month. The repairs to the grounds are expected to take several weeks. Gas drilling to begin on North York Moors NORTH YORKSHIRE: A gas drilling operation is set to begin in the North York Moors National Park, despite fears it would open the way for nearby fracking and ruin the protected landscape. Campaigners say it “could result in the wholesale industrialisation of one of the most beautiful parks in the country”. Third Energy and Moorland Energy, however, say that the plans will allow Knapton Generating Station to remain open, preserving dozens of jobs and…

Trail cameras are an excellent means of determining just what wildlife is using one’s land. I keep a couple, moving them around on a weekly basis. I can check on how my pheasants are faring, how many deer are visiting and what vermin are about. I wish these cameras had been available in my formative years here. Another piece of useful equipment is my 4ft by 4ft cage trap for foxes. This is checked on a regular basis, usually to release badgers but it does account for the occasional fox. When I lived in the Midlands, a lady smallholder had a cage that she had made out of vegetable crates and one winter caught 100 foxes. My catches are minimal, though, and I can only conclude that this is because…

First, the concentration on the secure and safe manipulation of the gun with the onus of responsibility and skills being placed on the individual. Second, the requirement to learn formally about the countryside, its animals and their habitats as well as protected species. Finally, young and old are welcomed, whether rich or poor. Shooting in France is not exclusive to the landed gentry. It brings together all the people of the countryside. Is this French procedure to qualify for a licence (with a departmental yearly validation costing more than €120, including mandatory insurance) better than anything that exists in the UK? That is not for me to judge. Each country has its own laws. I quote a friend who shoots extensively: “Many shooters in the UK do not have extensive…

Nestling in a fold that divides two grazing meadows on the top of a south Berkshire hill, there lies a dewpond some 10 yards in diameter. Though not a dewpond in the man-made sense — it’s a natural depression bound with mud — it serves the same purpose and holds water all year, which, of course, is its attraction, especially in a season of drought. Unless he looked closely at a 1in map, a man would remain ignorant of this pool, tucked away behind its round screen of blackthorn, bramble and willowherb. This is another of its advantages because it is only the dedicated duck detective who bothers to sniff out such places, or to give them a second glance once found. Little holes of this sort, being passed over…

The agri-environment story has a complicated plot. It takes us from the original Countryside Stewardship through Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Environmental Stewardship and now back full circle to Countryside Stewardship. Through all these changes, one organisation has remained at the farmer’s side providing advice and support, ensuring wildlife measures are embedded into the farm business for the benefit of nature, farming and shooting. The FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group) was first established as a charity in the 1960s by a group of forward-thinking farmers who saw that the environment was an important part of a successful farming business. For more than four decades, the FWAG has provided trusted, independent environmental advice to the farming community, building a reputation for its ethical ethos and high standards of service. It has helped…

Airgunning Ambushing bunnies I’ve acquired permission to shoot my pre-charged air rifle on a farm that holds a lot of rabbits. The problem is that most of the ground is very open, so I’m struggling to stalk close enough to take shots. I imagine that lamping would be one answer, but I’m not as young as I used to be and am reluctant to head out after dark. Can you help? T. Hogan, by email MAT MANNING SAYS: Creeping within airgun range of rabbits is seldom easy, and can sometimes seem impossible — especially when cover is limited. If I were you, I’d dismiss stalking and set up an ambush instead. You say the farm holds a lot of rabbits, and I would think that they’re concentrated in some areas…

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. Inherited eye condition Last week you explained the particular features of Hereditary Cataract (HC) in Labradors, but can you say a bit more about how this condition is inherited? D. Wishart, by email TONY BUCKWELL SAYS: The precise mode of inheritance is not yet known. In many breeds, HC is inherited as a recessive gene — that is, affected dogs have a copy of the gene from both parents. In Labradors it might be more complex. Sometimes dogs that never develop HC can still pass on the condition to a subsequent generation. This might be explained if it were…

I promised my godson and his brothers a fun-filled boat trip during their annual summer visit. I even mentioned the words “conger eel” and “large”. You would think that after 100 years of aborted and busted fishing trips and fish-less days at sea, I would have learned to curb my enthusiasm and keep my promises realistic. But no, I suffer from the overreaching delusion of a silly old fisherman. Needless to say, the only thing “large” that was evident, as we steamed precariously out of the harbour, was the size of the waves that faced us. As the boat lurched and crashed from the crest of one angry lip-curling, white-topped wave to the next, my heart sank and the stomach of my godson heaved and pitched as his face took…

There was this lion in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, with a name and a radio collar. Hold on, what’s that you say? Heard it before? No, no — I’m not talking about Cecil. This is about a completely different, but equally magnificent, male lion, also fitted with a radio collar as part of a research programme, residing in Cecil’s home park. This particular lion, called Nxaha, has probably been shot by now, but I cannot find a definitive answer because the news reports have been fairly limited. For some reason the UK tabloids don’t seem all keen on finding out. From the reports I have found, it seems that this latest incident happened on 24 August. A professional eco-tourism guide called Quinn Swales, who was employed by a photo-safari outfit…

Jackdaws can recognise individual human faces, according to new research by the University of Cambridge. The paper, published in Animal Behaviour last month, says the birds can distinguish different facial features or hair patterns and even tell in what direction people are looking. During the study, a single researcher wore different masks when accessing a nest box to handle chicks. The birds only reacted defensively when the researcher approached the box wearing the same mask.…

“[Chris was] sad that we won’t come out and say Ôban grouse shooting’. But to us, that’s a death knell. You’ve got to work with the landowners.” The Hawk and Owl Trust responds to TV host Chris Packham’s claims that wildlife charities “can’t risk upsetting old friends” in the shooting community. “Hunting is often considered as a significant threat [to European birds]. While... in general habitat loss and changes in land use are by far the most important factors driving population declines.” Cy Griffin, director of conservation at the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the European Union (FACE) discusses the problems facing European birds.…

Natural England has confirmed in the past two weeks that a four-year licence to cull badgers to prevent the spread of bovine tuberculosis was issued to a company in Dorset, amid efforts by an anonymous and wealthy sponsor to put a stop to the cull in Gloucestershire. This is the first time that culling operations have been approved for Dorset. The licence states that the cull should aim for a minimum of 615 badgers, with a maximum of 835. Licences allow for six weeks of continuous culling between 1 June and 31 January, with exact start dates to be decided by the licensed companies. A third year — of a planned four — was also approved in west Somerset and west Gloucestershire, but campaign group Stop the Cull claims that…

Memories of a drilling I very much enjoyed Lawrence Gould’s stalking piece (A special rifle for a special roebuck, 19 August), as it brought back memories of a drilling I owned for many years. Mine was obtained without any drama, back in the late 1970s. An old farmer friend (dressed in only his underpants and vest) leaned out of his bedroom window one early morning when I was passing and asked me if I would like to buy it. He directed me to go to look in the grey barn up the lane where I would find it along the side of a workbench in an old fishing rod bag. I bought it for £40. It was rumoured to be a .303 (British) double-barrelled 16-bore but was 8x57 JR, the…

There have been hundreds of sightings of “big cats” reported throughout the UK in recent years. We have had our share here, principally a caracal that my daughter watched hunting for rabbits in the gorse for about 20 minutes. Others have seen it and I photographed some tracks in the snow (pictured) that were confirmed as being those of this lynx species by the late A.J. de Nahlik, a renowned expert on large felines. It was last seen by a friend who assists me with keeper’s duties last autumn when it trotted out, quite unconcernedly, from behind a fallen tree. We can only wait for future sightings and hopefully a conclusive photograph of this animal on one of the trail cameras.…

1 The use of callers is authorised for the hunting of waterfowl: A) Yes B) No 2 In a community hunting association, how much land must be put aside/reserved for hunting purposes? A) 30% B)10% 3 When wild boar destroy crops during an authorised hunt, compensation is provided through special funding from: A) Farmers B) Hunters 4 A hunt official (authorised by the police) has asked for my hunting licence. To conform to the law: A) I carry it with me and must immediately show it B) I have 48 hours to take it to my local town hall C) I have 48 hours to take it to my local police station 5 When it snows: A) Hunting is always forbidden B) Hunting certain species can be authorised 6 To…

I know what you are thinking: what on earth is a military-looking rifle doing in Shooting Times? I can see the hackles raised on the old guard’s back as I write, but wait, the Jackal air rifle was a pivotal design that led to the rise and acceptance of synthetic stock use in Britain today. Sussex Armoury, the Hailsham-based maker of the Jackal range, was not shy in designing air rifles that caught the eye in the 1970s. Its close association with Sig-Hammerli in Switzerland led to one of the most controversial air rifles of its day, and still divides people’s opinions now. At its heart is a fairly ordinary side-lever cocking mechanism and a tap-loading pellet system in blued steel. But the pseudo-military look, with its all-black plastic stock…

The hot topic at the moment in the farm conservation world is the launch of the new Countryside Stewardship scheme. With elements of Countryside Stewardship now being competitive, local FWAG advisors are well placed to help farmers put together an application that meets the local targeting requirements. This has been the priority for FWAG advisors and members since the scheme opened on 1 July. The application window closes on 30 September. Farmers and land managers interested in applying for the new scheme should contact their local FWAG advisor. Details are available on the FWAG Association website at www.fwag.org.uk.…

According to the Tree Council, the common lime (Tilia x europaea) can live for longer than any other tree in Britain, except for the yew. These deciduous trees play a crucial role in the wild, providing dead wood for wood-boring beetles and nesting holes for birds. Nectar from the flowers, which bloom in July, provides food for honey bees. A naturally occurring hybrid between Tilia cordata (small-leaved lime) and Tilia platyphyllos (large-leaved lime), it is found in Europe and across North America, where it is known as the linden tree. It is widely cultivated and often grown in urban areas, particularly in street or avenue plantings, and in parks and on estates as an ornamental tree. It can reach 25m in height, making it the tallest broad-leaved tree in Britain.…

Showing anything, from dogs to cars, must be based on something deep in the human psyche. Last year, I acquired a classic car (or at least what I regard as a modern classic), and I exhibited it at a show on our village green this summer. The day before the show was spent waxing the bodywork, blacking the tyres, cleaning the fabric roof and vacuuming the carpet — ensuring that it looked its best on the day. I have no doubt that the owners of the other 100 or so cars who took part did the same, given that there was a gleaming mass of metal on the green. As I did my polishing, it occurred to me that owners of show dogs behave in much the same way before…

PAUL RAWLINGS KCAI (WG*) Full-time gundog trainer and A-panel spaniel judge Cold game Is cold game used at tests always kept in the freezer? J. Tonkins, by email PAUL RAWLINGS SAYS: Dummies are normally used at gundog working tests for retrieve articles, but if the test is scheduled as using “cold game” then that is what will be used. Depending on the time of year and what game is in season, you may be asked to retrieve game, pigeon or rabbits that are still fresh having been shot the previous day or — worst-case scenario — game that has been stored in the freezer and allowed to thaw overnight. The latter is not ideal because game develops a different “stale” smell after being frozen, but as most cold game tests…

To Mylor Harbour near Falmouth in Cornwall, where a proud seafaring community works hard and plays hard. The blazing August sunshine sparkled on emerald water that was slowly ebbing from the marina. Boatmen power-washed the grime from the elevated hulls of tired yachts. Children twitched crabbing lines that tickled the old stone walls of the quay, and ladies and gentlemen dressed in jazzy swimwear and bling, bronzed themselves on the foredecks of £1million motorboats. Shoals of sand eels darted around the moorings, and herring gulls yelled from mastheads. Meanwhile, I strode along the marina’s arterial network of salt and sun-bleached hardwood pontoons, clutching a light spinning rod, a scoop net and a bag stuffed with fishing gear. I was full of boyish excitement, on a mission to hook a grey…