Innholdsfortegnelse for 06-Apr-2016 i Shooting Times & Country

I HOPE READERS had a pleasant Easter break in spite of the gales. There were encouraging signs of spring on the shoot. Bumblebees were buzzing round the celandine in sunny gaps between the showers, and at home, nest-building jackdaws fell down the chimney, coughing and spluttering on to the bedroom floor, to be released finally out of the window. We must replace the chicken wire over the chimney pots! I hope you enjoyed the leveret on our Easter cover. In his column this week, Jamie Osborne explains that the hares on the shoot indicate beneficial habitat for a range of other endangered species (p.15). On his estate they manage to combine conservation with profitable farming, which is more than can be said for the dairy industry. With farmers already suffering,…

VISIT A documentary highlighting BASC’s work with children at West Rise Junior School in Eastbourne, Sussex, will be shown at the Tate Modern gallery in London on 9 April. BASC has worked with youngsters at the school for the past four years to emphasise the positive role that shooting has in countryside management and conservation. BID The last new gun that the prolific gunmaker John Wilkes built (right) is going up for auction at the Gavin Gardiner sale of modern and vintage sporting guns and rifles on Wednesday, 13 April at Sotheby’s on New Bond Street, London. The 12-bore single trigger sidelock ejector gun was completed in 1992. It features a fine game scene engraving, 28in chopper lump barrels with 2 ¾in chambers, with half and full-choke borings. It is…

The town of Ipswich in Suffolk has been named as a hotspot for hedgehogs, following a survey by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Hundreds of people have reported seeing the endangered animals in the town, and the trust hopes to recruit a dedicated “hedgehog officer” for Ipswich later this year. The Spey Fishery Board hopes the reclassification of the Spey Dam by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency as a “barrier to fish passage” will boost salmon numbers in the upper Spey for the first time in 70 years. The agency would be obligated to find a solution to what would now officially be an obstacle to salmon migration. The pollen beetle is on its way to Scotland, Wales and south-west England, say experts. The pest, which targets oilseed rape crops, usually…

ENGLISH GOSHAWKS There is little doubt that the goshawk is and was indigenous to the British Isles (Sporting Answers, 9 March). With the onset of shooting, the effect of the gamekeeper was disastrous to the goshawk population as it was to practically every hooked beak and any other predator, no matter how far down the chain of efficiency at taking game they fell. We can be grateful that we now live in a more enlightened age when the majority of landowners and keepers have a great appreciation of our wildlife. By the time the famous falconer Colonel Thornton took A Sporting Tour of Northern England and the Highlands of Scotland— probably in 1786, according to my copy by Herbert Maxwell — the goshawk had apparently become sufficiently uncommon to be…

“If brown hares are doing well, it means that English partridges will prosper” Spring’s finally arrived. It is good to be able to crack on in the longer days and the better weather. There’s plenty going on, too, what with vermin control being in full swing. It’s my top priority at the moment. It is a perfect time of year to see what is about on the shoot before the big flush of crops and vegetation. Consequently, it is the moment to hit vermin hard. We hold an annual vermin day, where we drive the spinneys and the woodland for crows, squirrels, foxes and so on. It is an ideal way to thin things out. My beaters — who have dusted off their side-by-sides — love it. It’s fun and…

“Landowners were told they have nothing to fear from this bill, but there is plenty to be fearful about” Job losses for rural workers are “inevitable” after the Scottish Land Reform Bill was passed last month, according to countryside organisations. The bill concluded its final “stage 3” debate in Holyrood on 16 March, and included a number of initiatives that the groups believe will be bad for rural businesses and communities. Among them are new powers allowing MSPs to force the sale of private land (News, 3 February) and the reintroduction of sporting rates on shooting estates (News, 13 January). Opponents have argued that bringing the rates back will make estates unprofitable and force gamekeepers and other country workers out of business. In turn, this will lead to a negative…

23-24 APRIL EAST ANGLIAN GAME & COUNTRY FAIR Norfolk Showground, Norwich, Norfolk Tel 01263 735828 24 APRIL INTRODUCTION TO WOODPIGEON SHOOTING BASC Head Office, Marford Mill, Rossett, Wrexham Tel 01244 573029 28 APRIL NGO GOLDEN PHEASANT CLAYSHOOT Rhug Estate, Corwen, Denbighshire Tel 01833 660869 30 APRIL THE 2016 FEMMES FATALES CLAYSHOOTING CUP Royal Berkshire Shooting School, Pangbourne, Berkshire Tel 01491 672900 2 MAY THE NORTH SOMERSET SHOW North Somerset Showground, Bathing Pond Fields, Wraxall, Somerset Tel 08456 342464 6 -7 MAY GWCT/BASC SHOOTING FOR THE FUTURE COURSE Allerton Project Visitor Centre, Loddington, Leicestershire Tel 01425 651013…

HRH the Duke of Cambridge has reiterated his support for sporting shoots and deerstalking, citing the conservation benefits they bring. At a meeting revealing his recent work to prevent ivory and rhino horn being trafficked out of Africa, Prince William was asked by ITV news anchor Mark Austin how his efforts to tackle poaching sat in relation to his love of deer and boar hunting. The Prince responded: “There is a place for commercial hunting in Africa, as there is around the world. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But the arguments for regulated, properly controlled commercial hunting is that the money that goes from shooting a very old infirm animal goes back into the protection of the other species.” He continued: “So when one is infertile, he’s at the…

The Government has kicked dairy farmers while they are down, said the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), after its official food guide recommended almost halving dietary dairy intake. The Eatwell Guide, the latest edition of which was recently published by Public Health England, details what foods people should eat, and how much, to maintain a healthy diet. It is where the “five-a-day” concept for fruit and vegetables was originally introduced. The latest guide recommends a reduction on its previously suggested dairy intake from 15 per cent to just eight per cent. It also suggests that people should consume alternatives to dairy products, such as soya drinks. The guide has been criticised as another blow to dairy farmers. NFU director-general Terry Jones said: “I find it staggering that at a time when…

I have come across something regarding microchipping that everyone seems to have missed. I have a dog that was born in Ireland and her microchip is registered with the database operated by the Irish Kennel Club (IKC). It would appear that you can be registered on a European database — it doesn’t have to be in Britain. I have checked my dog’s number against a couple of databases in this country and the result is “this number is not registered to any UK database”. PetLog, one of the official databases, told me that because my dog lives in England and is registered with the IKC and the Kennel Club, she only needs to be on the IKC database, and it will cost £20 to change the details. However, PetLog gently…

“Make sure you carry a phone that is charged and can get a good signal, or can at least send a message in case of emergency” PLAY SAFE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY The fact that ferreting is practised in the wilds of the countryside, often in solitude, means that accidents can happen — not only to ourselves but to our team of animals. We can never predict when and where these are going to occur, but it does help to be prepared for when one does. I took part in an emergency “first-aid at work” course in response to a series of close calls when out ferreting. The wake-up call was when I was away ferreting and stepped into a rabbit hole, twisting my ankle. A day later, I fell…

Age of breeding in sika deer STALKING Q At what age would you expect sika hinds to calf for the first time? Where we live in the west of Scotland I think that most of the hinds are three years old before they have a calf, but a friend from the south-west of England maintains that he has yearlings which have a calf at foot. A Sika are expected to begin to rut at the end of September, with the peak arriving during the first half of October, finishing at the end of that month. The bulk of the calves are born between May and June but early births in April have been recorded. At the other end of the spectrum, there are records of very late calves in December.…

Hearing the first cuckoo of spring has long been a cause of celebration. In Heathfield, Sussex, an annual Cuckoo Fair is held. It’s been running since 1315, when the Bishop of Chichester obtained permission to hold a weekly market and an annual fair. Legend has it that Dame Heffle would release a cuckoo from a basket at the show to mark the arrival of spring. Today the event features market stalls, a funfair and a scarecrow competition, and raises funds for charity. This year’s fair will be held on Saturday, 16 April. To find out more, visit www.hefflecuckoofair.org.uk. At the other end of the country, in Marsden, Yorkshire, the residents mark the change of season by holding a Cuckoo Festival. The legend there is that the locals attempted to entrap…

While early spring is a time when both red and fallow drop their antlers, most roebucks have now finished regrowing theirs, and will soon be shedding the protective velvet. The loss of the velvet coincides with the buck coming into breeding condition, for antler development is closely related to the sexual cycle. Roe deer have an unusual breeding system, for though mating takes place in July and August, a system of delayed implantation ensures that fertilised eggs do not become implanted into the uterus until late December. The gestation period is then 144 days, ensuring that the kids are born in late May or early June. No other species of deer uses such a system, though it’s a mystery why roe mate in the summer, rather than in the autumn…

£20k raised for BASC Young Shots A sporting auction, raffle and shooting donations have helped to raise £20,000 for BASC’s Young Shots project. For the third year, a dinner at Whitewell Inn, near Clitheroe, Lancashire, boosted funds for the scheme which introduces youngsters between the ages of eight and 21-years-old to shooting. Duncan Thomas, BASC’s acting northern regional director, said: “For a brief moment, I was speechless. It’s humbling to have been a part of such a successful evening which clearly shows the immense generosity of the shooting community. “Introducing the next generation to our sport is a top priority and the support we received is commendable. The future for our Young Shots projects is secure.” Around 180 guests attended the dinner, with many providing donations, including full driven and…

What does a gamekeeping course at Sparsholt College offer that others don’t? We have experienced specialists teaching their own subjects, and access to some of the country’s top sporting estates for practical lessons, study tours and work placements. Our facilities include a rearing unit, gamelarder, deer herd, clayshooting site and an indoor .22 range, and we’re about to construct a full-bore rifle range. What skills can students expect to learn on one of your courses? We like to start with the theory and then put it into practice. For example, over two years a gamekeeping student can complete 18 different units of learning, including game rearing, firearms, running shoot days, working dogs, deer management and pest and predator control, all taught as separate subjects. What are the employment prospects like…

“I willed at least one of the does to drift further into the wood where I would have a clear and safe shot” I really enjoyed foot-stalking roe does on the farm this winter. I took off four, which is exactly what we wanted. On the western side of the farm, during the middle of the day, I know I’ll find roe deer dozing beneath certain thorny hedgerows; crouched among thick grass tussocks in pollen and nectar strips, or hiding among the drifts of holly bushes which skirt Roundwood — a small, cold and draughty hilltop wood that’s full of beech trees. Roundwood is an intriguing place. Even on a hot summer’s day it feels chilly in there, as cool as a church, because the beech trees cast dense shade…

1 BARREL Anything but standard, Steve has re-bored and sleeved the original Weihrauch to take his custom-built.25 calibre barrel. 2 ACTION Gas ram propulsion system. No springs here so a very fast firing cycle. 3 SIGHTS Scope sights only, this classic Simmons Whitetail low power scope is ideal for close-range rats or vermin. 4 STOCK Standard Weihrauch beech stock is perfect for this type of “no nonsense” custom classic — just shoot, and forget about scratching the woodwork WHAT TO LOOK FOR Barrels: Precision-made custom bore with numerous thin rifling lands to stabilise but reduce friction for excellent accuracy with a number of pellet weights. Action: Power levels can be altered with this gas-ram system; this is set low at 10ft/lb for…

CLASSIC CARGOES Keep cool and comfortable in these Columbia Silver Ridge cargo shorts. Lightweight, with a comfortable, classic fit and gusset detail for freedom of movement, they also feature a side-elastic waistband, zip-closed security pocket and a hook-and-loop closure. •www.uttings.co.uk •Price: WAS £45 NOW £36.99 CRUSTO FLEECE New from Deerhunter, this Crusto fleece can be worn as part of a smart/casual outfit or for practical use out in the field. Designed with three front pockets with hidden zips, two inside pockets and an adjustable drawstring bottom, the fleece is in Deerhunter’s innovativon GH Camouflage design. •www.deerhunter.eu •Price: £52.99 STYLISH TWEED This Laksen Dalhousie cartridge bag is made of 100 per cent pure new wool Scottish tweed. Lightweight and stylish, it is Teflon-coated with a waterproof lining and leather reinforcements. •www.country-catalogue.co.uk…

SOME YEARS AGO, I competed in a working test, open to both spaniels and retrievers. I was handling my spaniel, and a friend was competing with his Labrador, so we indulged in a spot of friendly rivalry that made the day more fun. Neither of us was in any danger of winning overall. In the end, the Labrador beat my spaniel narrowly on points, despite failing to complete as many retrieves. This was due to the complexity of the rules, but made a nonsense of the result — on a proper shooting day, the dog that brings back the most retrieves must surely be the more useful companion. I’m far from being the only one who finds such rules rather silly, so I was delighted to see that it is…

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,…

“Rhino poaching involves inside information; officials are easily bribed” What does the “sustainable utilisation of wildlife” mean to you? A venison burger, perhaps? It’s the sort of phrase that is beloved by wildlife management professionals and academics. When it comes to wildlife management, I have noticed how overseas conservationists seem to have a much more practical and realistic approach than those in a small cluster of heavily urbanised countries, such as the UK and the Netherlands. In Africa, in particular, there is a notable lack of pious sentiment. The observable truth about wildlife in Africa is “If it pays, it stays”. In the US, it is hunting licences that pay for most of the game conservation, and we all know that he who pays the piper calls the tune. There…