Innholdsfortegnelse for October 7, 2015 i Shooting Times & Country

ACCORDING TO BASC’s study there are 15million fewer gamebirds released than the 50million regularly cited by the RSPB (see p.4). In many ways, the overall number is irrelevant. It is dwarfed by the number of free-range chickens, for example, and the RSPB apparently has no objection to those. The real issue is about densities at release sites; too many birds in one area can cause problems, which is why all shoots should stick to guidance in the Code of Good Shooting Practice. The birds are on the ground in the winter when they do less damage and thousands of tons of food are put out for them. If the RSPB stands by the old figure after this new study, it will look less like reality and even more like propaganda.…

The Labour Party has confirmed its support for shooting, despite current shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, Kerry McCarthy MP, being a vice-president of the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS). According to its website, LACS believes that “the shooting industry is built on lies” and claims that many birds go uneaten, with carcases “simply dumped in mass graves”. However, speaking at the rural reception hosted by BASC and the Angling Trust at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton last week, Angela Smith MP, shadow leader of the House of Lords and, until recently, spokesperson for environment and rural affairs, stated unequivocally: “The Labour Party supports shooting.” Ms Smith also attended a fringe event hosted by the Countryside Alliance (CA). Both BASC chairman Alan Jarrett and CA…

The England FITASC Sporting team dominated the board in its final Home International of the season at Esker Shooting Ground in Ireland last month. Paul Lovick (pictured left) took overall high Gun at the clayshooting competition, with a score of 90 out of100. The senior, ladies, veteran, super-veteran and junior teams also all won first place in their categories, while team manager Guy Bond took the Winning Team Manager prize. Guy said: “The Irish reputation for hospitality was untarnished and as England won all the team events, we can honestly say [it was] probably one of the most memorable [events] ever.”…

Wildfowling clubs are set to benefit from 6,000 acres of foreshore and an inland marsh, which BASC has secured in the past year. The agreements, which are in place to start with the current season, concern several stretches of coastline including the Humber estuary and parts of Essex, Norfolk and Sussex. Also among the noteworthy acquisitions is a consent on 1,200 acres of foreshore and marsh on a major Lancashire estuary. Goldeneye duck have also been reinstated on the consented quarry list for a site in Northumberland. BASC’s Mark Greenhough said: “Securing leases, consents and opportunities for wildfowling is vital. I am pleased that BASC has been able to help affiliated clubs secure access to foreshore across England and Wales.”…

NEWS IN SWEDEN Farmers on Orust, an island on the west coast of Sweden, are calling for hunters to shoot more moose. The hunting season opens on 12 October, and around 90,000 moose will be shot in the coming weeks. But farmers, who claim as many as half of their crops are destroyed or eaten by the animals, say that number isn’t high enough to keep the population down and protect their livelihoods. Gannets face turbine danger LINCOLNSHIRE: Experts have warned that the large number of wind turbines off the Lincolnshire coast puts seabirds at risk. Researchers from universities in Leeds, Exeter and Glasgow have discovered that gannets fly at an average height of 27m, while offshore turbine blades are currently only required to be 22m above sea level. The…

Twenty years ago, I reported for Shooting Times on a then 350-acre Wappenshall partridge shoot in Shropshire, hard by the Wrekin, that 1,335ft hill which rises above and dominates the Shropshire Plain. Created by Jonathan Crow, whose father had farmed the land, the shoot was modest in size and devoted to both redleg and grey partridges. Once part of the Duke of Sutherland’s Lilleshall estate, which had been broken up and sold a century ago, the land had always lent itself to the good husbandry and promotion of partridges. Today, that premise is upheld by Jonathan, though the enterprise is on a very different scale. One thing has not changed over two decades: Jonathan’s enthusiasm and love for partridges. Notably, he has endeavoured with remarkable success to show partridge shooting…

Pigeon shooting Breeding success We have seen mixed numbers of pigeon in my area this year. What is your opinion about the success, or otherwise, of pigeon breeding this season? D. Buckwell, by email TOM PAYNE SAYS: They have had a good breeding year in my area. From a pigeon shooter’s point of view, it’s great that they have had two good main breeding seasons on the bounce. Numbers could be reduced slightly if we get a severe winter but we will have to wait and see. With regard to your seeing fluctuating numbers this year, I’m guessing that the strangest time for you would have been around May to early June. In my area, this was the oddest period, which I can only put down to night-time temperatures being…

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. Treating a pad wound Can you tell me what to do when a dog cuts his pad out in the field? P. Smythe, by email TONY BUCKWELL SAYS: Wash the wound in clean water and ensure there is nothing in it; bits of glass or a thorn feel “gritty” and need to be removed either by you or a vet. Apply a “pressure” bandage. Start by trapping the material behind the leg, well above the “knuckle/wrist” (or hock). Run the bandage down the leg, under the foot, and back up in front of the leg. Make one turn to…

Are children being brainwashed by teachers, social media and peer pressure to regard shooting sports with disdain? Among the shooting community, this is a widespread fear — but is it true? I’m not convinced that there is a simple answer. Certainly, children are influenced by role models and their peers. This is, in part, why BASC’s Young Shots Ambassador scheme, invented by North West regional officer Duncan Thomas, works so well. I sometimes think we get ourselves too worked up into doom and gloom when it comes to the younger generation. I have seen some amazing enthusiasm and feats of sheer grit performed by youngsters. It gives me faith in the future. It is true that young people don’t seem to get out into the countryside as much as they…

“I buy most of my clothes at agricultural shows, and good stout things they are. After agricultural shows, Marks & Spencer is the place to go shopping, and then Paris.” “Deborah Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, who passed away last month at the age of 94.” “Yes. I am a vegan. Some people are worried by that. A UKIP MEP said on my appointment that I would have ‘little in common with consumers of food’. I can let him in on a secret. I do eat food. Much of it produced by Britain’s farmers.” “Kerry McCarthy MP, shadow environment secretary of state speaking at the Labour Party Annual Conference in Brighton last week.”…

Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) advisor and Shooting Times contributor Dr Mike Swan has received the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) Educational Trust Bellamy Award. Mike was presented with the accolade by Shooting Times’ own Editor, Joe Dimbleby, at the GWCT headquarters in Hampshire, last month. The award recognises those who display exceptional creativity and initiative in promoting the gamekeeper’s role in sustainable countryside management. Brian Hayes, the NGO Educational Trust administrator, said: “No one in the countryside makes the case better than Mike for the vital role game and gamekeeping play in sustainable countryside management,” while Joe Dimbleby commented: “Mike has a unique ability to translate the science to the practical shooting man. He has done so much to pass on his incredible knowledge through the GWCT and in…

Regrets, I’ve had a few You recently showed an old photo of a young man holding a regrettably shot heron (Letters, 23 September). I too have many regrets about some of the birds and animals that I despatched with my air rifle. The worst, on reflection, was shooting water voles, not knowing that they were creatures that caused no harm at all. I have a vivid memory of shooting stone dead a song thrush in full song in a tall fir tree. It was a common thing in the 1950s for boys to wander round outside the village with airguns and catapults and nobody thought anything of it. There was no supervision nor advice from wiser and older heads and it was a case of ignorance more than anything else.…

The flight patterns of redleg and grey partridges are very different. Jonathan Crow (left) explains: “At the beginning of the season the red-legged partridges tend to come over the Gunline in one large flush and the greys are mixed up with them, but as the season progresses, a distinct pattern emerges. The redlegs don’t fly in coveys but more in the style of pheasants, whereas the greys will flush, screeching and exploding over the Guns. For Guns used to shooting pheasants, this can be quite intimidating and I always give a pep talk before the day starts. “Many Guns don’t master the art of shooting greys, but I tell them to shoot in front, shoot early and pick your target.”…

1 Reconnaissance, as always, is important. Remember as the nights draw in that pigeon feeding patterns change. 2 Rain plays a key part when shooting over bean stubble. It is only when the spilt beans soften up that pigeon will show interest in feeding on them. Don’t be disheartened if you see little interest when the stubble is first cut. 3 Brashed up hides in the middle of the action can work well. Birds pay little or no attention to an extra bit of hedgerow in the middle of a field on bean stubbles. 4 Bean stubble is dark in colour, so make sure you show off your decoys. There will be a lot of young birds on the wing, so magnets and flappers are effective. 5 Even if the…

Try to compile as much information as possible for your records; it will make life so much easier in the years to come. Other questions for you and your habitat management team to consider are: What was the weed burden? Was it broad-leaved or grass weeds? Was the weed burden manageable in the crops you used? Which pest species caused the most issues? Flea beetle in the spring, for example, is creating issues with kale establishment and consistent, regular management is needed, particularly in the South if kale is to succeed. Which herbicides were applied and when? Missing pre-emergent applications for kale and especially brassica mixtures is a common problem, but post-emergent solutions for broadleaved weeds in these crops is lacking. Did you plough or go for minimum tillage? Soil…

If you’ve never heard of the World Championship for Pointing Dogs and St Hubert you are not alone. Though this event is taking place for the 37th time, between 23 and 26 October, until now it’s been ignored in this country. But this year, for the first time, an official British team is taking part, with the support of the Kennel Club (KC). This is largely due to the hard work and enthusiasm of Meryl Asbury, who is the sole British representative on the 26-strong organising committee for the event. The committee includes representatives from most European countries, from Iceland to Italy, but with a couple of nations you might not expect: Russia and Brazil. It has taken Meryl and the KC three years to ensure that Britain is represented.…

PAUL RAWLINGS KCAI (WG*) Full-time gundog trainer and A-panel spaniel judge Water test requirements What are the new requirements for the special water test that has to be completed to make up a Field Trial Champion spaniel? T. Wiggins, by email PAUL RAWLINGS SAYS: The special water test must be conducted before two panel judges, one of whom must be on the A-panel, at one of the following events: the Championship, a field trial stake or at a subsequent special day. Previously two A-panel judges were required but this change to an A and a B has brought the regulation into line with the minimum requirement for panel judges officiating at Spaniel Open Stakes. This change currently only affects cocker and English springer spaniels because the other breeds do not…

of rabbits believed to be living in Ness, the northernmost part of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Islanders have requested an urgent cull to protect the machair — rare Hebridean grasslands that are used for grazing and making fodder. “Some of our UK trees have witnessed thousands of years of history — they deserve official recognition”. The Woodland Trust (@WoodlandTrust) discusses plans for a “V.I.Trees” register to classify and celebrate the UK’s oldest and most nationally-important trees.…

The Scottish Government last week abandoned plans to introduce a licence and charging system for salmon. The scheme would have banned the killing of wild salmon except under licence. Ministers are now considering conservation plans for areas where numbers have fallen. Duncan Ferguson of the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association said: “[It] would have been very difficult to enforce and police and, in some cases, may have led to more fish rather than fewer being killed.”…

GOOD TIMES Clayshooter Becky McKenzie ( pictured ) last month won the Ladies Class in the 2015 FITASC Sporting Grand Prix Championship. The National Farmers’ Union has welcomed news that, as part of the EU farming support package, DEFRA will allocate £18.7million to dairy farmers in England and Wales. BAD TIMES Around 600 salmon and trout were reported dead last week following an unexplained pollution leak on Three Mile Water river near the town of Newtownabbey in Co Antrim. Gisburn Auction Marts Limited, one of the biggest livestock markets in Lancashire, has been fined after Trading Standards halted the sale of 23 lame sheep earlier this month.…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Shooting Times makes for good reading As a child, I found learning to read and write extremely difficult. But when I was about 20, my interest in shooting meant I wanted to read more about it. I started to read Shooting Times and my reading improved because I was interested in the subject. I had private tuition with a tutor. At first, I was embarrassed, but after several weeks, the tutor taught me the basics and built up my confidence. Around this time, my career changed direction. I had to cope with more paperwork than purely physical labour. One day I was offered a job as a site supervisor and was faced with learning computer skills, as well as having a lot of paperwork. It was hard…

We call one of our drives Well Ground Hedge, after the name of the field alongside. Having said that, calling it a drive is rather too grand for our armed ramble-type shoot. We discovered its potential by accident, but it has become one of our most enjoyable manoeuvres. The hedge runs roughly east to west and is more than a quarter of a mile long. The western end stops about 100 yards short of our boundary with an RSPB reserve; the eastern end is about the same distance from our main woods to the north. In the early days, we simply split into two parties of two or three Guns and walked it up, converging in the middle and hoping to box up the birds within. It will come as…

Since the season started, I’ve had to take my opportunities when I can. One of my favourite farms where I shoot pigeon had beans ready to be harvested. The only problem was that I was heading to Scotland for a week and I was worried that I was going to miss it. The farmer had started combining three days before I was to leave but I kept thinking there’s always next year. When I returned, I headed straight to the farm to see the state of play. One field had been cultivated, not a good start. I rounded the corner to see a small patch that hadn’t been combined and a stubble in front of me. The pigeon weren’t showing a huge amount of interest. It helped that there had…

Rectory Farm, in Buckinghamshire, is a fantastic example of how farming, sporting and conservation interests can be successfully integrated. The farm was joint winner of last year’s Purdey Gold Award and has been a Kings demonstration farm for five years. You can see the site, meet enthusiastic owner George Eaton and hear expert speakers at an open day on 22 October. To book your free place, contact Rebecca Page, tel 01379 658109 or email rebecca.page@frontierag.co.uk before 16 October.…

Sometimes the last thing you want to do is potter around in the kitchen, cutting up fiddly ingredients and slaving over a hot stove, especially if you’ve had a long day out in the field and would rather spend your time with your feet up — or your head down. This recipe takes just five minutes to prepare and about 25 minutes to cook, so you can have something to tuck into in half an hour. Because it’s so simple to follow, you don’t need to be an experienced cook to make it. PARTRIDGE ON GRILLED BREAD WITH MUSHROOMS AND BRANDY SERVES ONE Ingredients • 6 SMALL CHESTNUT MUSHROOMS, FINELY SLICED• SUNFLOWER OIL• 1 BAY LEAF• BLACK PEPPER• 1 CLOVE OF GARLIC, VERY FINELY SLICED• 35G BUTTER• 1 PARTRIDGE, LEGS AND BREASTS REMOVED• SALT• 1 SMALL PIECE OF WHITE…

Breeding Breeding checks I am going to breed from my three-year-old springer bitch and have chosen a dog from my local shoot as the sire — together they have many Field Trial Champions in their pedigrees. Can you advise on what I need to be aware of? B. Ellard, by email PAUL RAWLINGS SAYS: The breeder is responsible for making sure that everything possible is done to ensure that good, healthy puppies are produced while also providing the bitch with the best care throughout pregnancy, whelping and rearing. The dog you have chosen may be perfectly compatible, but is it thoroughly sound physically to use as a potential sire? Has your bitch and the sire had any health tests, such as those recommended for English springer spaniels by the Kennel…

JACKIE DRAKEFORD KCAI (CD) (WLSA*) Respected author on dog behaviour and training Stranger-friendly breeds My friends run a B&B and want a dog that will be welcoming to guests and staff but guard against intruders. What breeds would you recommend? K. Baker, Sussex JACKIE DRAKEFORD SAYS: To a dog, all are intruders, and it is doubtful that any breed could reliably differentiate between “friend and foe” from a constant stream of strangers. Individual dogs can sometimes pick out dodgy people, but that might include people who don’t like dogs, or who smell of something with which the dog has negative associations. Recent changes in legislation mean that a dog seeing someone off outside the home, even in his own garden, is at risk of breaking the law. Penalties are draconian.…

“The summers were longer and the beer was stronger, back then when I was a lad.” This is the refrain I often hear from anglers of a certain age who are mithering in a midden of piscatorial nostalgia. Like so many things, from motorbikes to LPs and Bounty bars, the passage of time and change of habits in angling do bring about a denigration of style and ethos. A friend of my eldest son enthused to me at great length about the new reel he’d just bought for “spodding”. “My new spod reel set me back just a bit over 90 notes,” he said with pride. “But it’s totally worth it… the bearings are like silk.” You know those moments in life where you feel you ought to understand what…

The CLA Game Fair death notice was not entirely unexpected ( News , 30 September). I have attended nearly every Game Fair, bar the first at Stetchworth in 1958, and in almost all that time I have revelled in the atmosphere. I have seen the fair develop over the years from its modest but ambitious launch on that first occasion, an event that attracted some 8,500 visitors (the anticipated attendance had been 500), each of whom forked out half a crown (12p) and two bob (10p) for a programme. From tiny acorns. The following year, the Game Fair was held at Hackwood Park, near Basingstoke. The attendance was 12,000 and the basic elements — gundog tests, Gunmakers’ Row, Fishermans’ Row and an emphasis on what was basically the raison d’être…