Innholdsfortegnelse for 23-Aug-2017 i Shooting Times & Country

The sort of hotels I usually stay in are characterised by stale cornflakes and slightly broken beds. On the eve of the Glorious Twelfth, however, I found myself somewhere rather loftier. During the 1950s, Gleneagles was the Mecca of Scotland’s grouse shooting scene — after splendid romps with side-by-sides under their arms, blokes in breeks would have crowded round the bar and Gordon setters would have snoozed by the fire. As the years went by things changed; the hotel turned to golf, and moustachioed men in moth-eaten garb were slowly replaced by hordes of Americans in synthetic sportswear. That was until this year, when the hotel decided to rediscover its past by inviting a bunch of fieldsports editors up for a couple of nights and a day on a local…

25-28 AUGUST BASC DEER STALKING CERTIFICATE 1 COURSE Baronscourt estate, Newtonstewart, County Tyrone www.basc.org.uk/events 27-28 AUGUST POWDERHAM COUNTRY SHOW Powderham Castle, Exeter, Devon Tel 01889 563232 28 AUGUST THE AYLSHAM SHOW Blickling Park, Norfolk Tel 07717 860756 www.theaylsham show.co.uk 28 AUGUST GAVIN GARDINER AUCTION OF MODERN & VINTAGE SPORTING GUNS Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire Tel 01798 875300 3 SEPTEMBER RIBEYE CLAY SHOOT 2017 Hazel Manor, Miserden, Stroud, Gloucestershire Tel 01380 831068 7 SEPTEMBER GWCT EAST ANGLIAN PARTRIDGE GROUP FARM WALK Manor Farm, Ixworth Thorpe, Suffolk Tel 01425 651013…

Scottish capercaillie numbers in decline Scottish capercaillie numbers are still in decline, according to the results of the latest national survey of their population. RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage estimate that there are 1,114 individuals, down from 1,285 in the previous count six years ago. S&TC tackles Welsh river pollution Salmon & Trout Conservation (S&TC) Cymru has launched a new three-year scientific monitoring programme to help tackle pollution in Welsh rivers. The study in Wales follows on from the existing S&TC Riverfly Census of 12 rivers in England over the past two years, which found that the majority of the country’s rivers and chalkstreams were in “perilous” condition. Swan tests positive for avian influenza A mute swan on a wild bird reserve in the Norfolk Broads has tested positive…

One of the great drivers in the history of firearms technology has been the ability to create a gun that is loaded from the rear, in other words a breechloader. This had many advantages, not least in the fact that it did away with the need for a rammer to tamp the charge home, as well as speeding up loading. Breechloaders allowed rifling to be properly exploited as the bullet could be introduced gradually into the rifling grooves without deformation, giving better accuracy. Hitherto bullets had to be forced into the grooves, wrapped in cloth or leather patches, and were often banged down by an iron rod. Towards the end of the 18th century, some breechloading rifles were developed. The British issued about 100 Ferguson rifles with screw-thread breechplugs during…

“When shoals of mackerel are chasing whitebait, you can scoop them out of the shallows” During August we have had a low-latitude, powerful jetstream steering in continual low-pressure systems from the Atlantic. A consequence has been extended periods of wet and very blustery weather, with attendant bouts of rumbling thunder and crackling lightning. It has been the sort of weather that families planning to spend the school holidays camping fear most. I have always loved camping and generally encourage others towards experiencing the joys of outdoor living. My London-born wife, Karen, learned all about that, after we spent most of our three-week honeymoon living under a fly sheet in the wilds of Alaska. The grizzly bears that she so feared didn’t get us and, though we got devoured by mosquitoes…

“This wasn’t supposed to happen, according to the global warming doomsayers” If there were a politically incorrect Olympic Games, recreational polar bear hunting would surely rank at the top of the league table. It would take a gold medal in sheer offensiveness — unless pipped to the post by something like synchronised seal-clubbing. Which is not to say that I object to the licensed hunting of sustainable bear populations. You may not want a pick-your-own polar bear rug, but do we have a logical basis to object to those who do? Yet, surely, polar bears are dying out due to global warming. How on earth can hunting these rare apex predators be anything but ecological vandalism? Well, you have to shine a light on some facts. Some of these facts…

ORDER The Countryside Alliance’s Game to Eat initiative is celebrating the wild game season with a new recipe booklet, including dishes such as traditional roast pheasant and duck croquettes. Jack Knott, Game to Eat project manager, said: “Low in cholesterol and saturated fatty acids and high in vitamins, the health aspects of wild game are unbeatable. Wild game is no longer a one-dish wonder; it should be celebrated for its exciting and unique flavours and the multitude of recipe options.” You can order your free copy of the booklet by emailing info@gametoeat.co.uk. SPONSOR It is estimated that there are just 300 pairs of curlew south of Birmingham and these could disappear in eight years. Across the country the situation is equally bleak, with breeding pairs having declined by 46 per…

Guy Franklin, a dairy farmer from Sussex, retained his crown as the Champion of Champions at this year’s Game Fair. Facing more than 20 rivals in the CPSA competition, Mr Franklin, who is now the reigning champion for two years running, shot 41 out of 50 targets in the English Sporting qualifier to earn his place in the 25 target Sportrap semi-final. Making no mistakes at this stage, he went on to a closely fought final, shooting 23 out of 25 clays for a narrow victory over second-placed Paul Lovick, who shot 22. Mr Franklin was awarded £200 and an ATA Arms Elegant 30in Sporter 12-bore shotgun, worth £799.99, engraved with “The Game Fair 2017, Limited Edition 1 of 5”, which was donated by ATA Arms, and which he received…

1 Musto Prince’s Countryside Fund  BR2 jacket £225 www.musto.com Waterproof and with a detachable hood, this jacket is designed to keep you dry in prolonged downpours. It features two hand-warmer pockets as well as two spacious cargo pockets, and adjustable cuffs with stud fastenings to keep out rain and spray. 2 Benelli M2 SP From £1,525 www.gmk.co.uk This semi-auto, a dedicated version of the existing M2, is suitable for all practical shotgun disciplines and was designed with performance in mind. It features an enlarged and rounded port to allow rapid loading, while the bolt and release button are larger to ensure faster operation. 3 Steiner Nighthunter 8x56 £903.03 www.photospecialist.co.uk These binoculars give you “the ability to identify game and take ethical shots when others cannot”, according to optics brand Steiner.…

I CAN’T THINK of a worse way to lose a fit and healthy dog than through poisoning, as I was reminded by Lyn Monk at the Game Fair last month (The fair finds a home, 9 August). Her lagotto Romagnolo bitch ate slug pellets during a walk on farmland in Kent. There was apparently a small pile of the bright blue pellets at the side of the field — an accidental spillage. Lyn saw her dog eat the pellets, realised at once what had happened and rushed the animal straight to the vet. Despite the fact that the vet knew the type of pellet and followed the correct procedure for such treatment, the dog died 48 hours later. Such deaths are by no means uncommon. Official figures suggest that about…

I was walking across a wheat stubble a few years ago, with my friend and expert botanist Andrew Lack, when he spotted a sharp-leaved fluellen sprawling along the ground. “Kickxia elatine,” he said. “If you find it, you nearly always find the round-leaved one nearby.” Sure enough, a few yards on we found Kickxia spuria too. We were surprised to find these two weeds of the field edge so far out into the field, but eventually it dawned on me that they were growing where a hedge had been grubbed out four or five decades earlier. It is amazing how long some things can survive in the seed bank. We have lost so many hedges from our countryside, which is a pity given what they can offer to game and…

“In creating good habitat for pheasants we have also created havens for foxes” Controlling our fox population is a year-round occupation. With a vast boundary to patrol and much of the neighbouring land being unkeepered, there is a seemingly endless number of foxes coming on to the shoot. Once one fox is accounted for, you can be sure another will be along to take its place pretty soon. We put many, many painstaking hours into foxing every year — lamping, sitting out, snaring, fox driving or using terriers — and every single fox we get is, believe me, hard earned. The first fortnight after releasing is one of the most crucial times for us. The poults are at their most vulnerable, still jugging on the ground rather than roosting safely…

BILL HARRIMAN BASC’s head of firearms and global authority on guns MAT MANNING Airgunner and journalist from the West Country BRUCE POTTS Shooting Times rifle reviewer and stalker DAVID TOMLINSON Highly regarded writer and ornithologist LIAM BELL NGO chairman, 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,…

IN DENIAL? A. J. H. Pilkington’s comments (Letters, 2 August) are typical of the denial shown by elements of the shooting community in the face of increasing evidence of widespread illegal persecution of protected birds. To suggest that some incidents are exaggerated or actually “engineered” by our opponents is naive and ridiculous. We provide enough cases, on a regular basis, to make this unnecessary. In 2014, on East Arkengarthdale estate, investigators filmed a keeper attending to a hidden cache of poisons. North Yorkshire Police rescinded his shotgun and firearm certificates, only to see them reinstated on appeal. This man should have been shunned by the shooting world — his actions could have had deadly consequences. Just one bad apple? I think not. The widespread removal — and prevention of return…

One of the routine questions you are asked if planning to rehome a dog is about the size of your garden. My garden is reasonably spacious but we use a field for exercising the dogs, so the only time they spend loose in the garden is when I am working in it. It is always rather touching how dogs like to be close to you, even if you are only pruning the roses or tending the lettuces. I have always had spaniels that like to sleep on the lawn when I’m mowing it, invariably displaying a frustrating reluctance to move out of the mower’s way. If you are a keen gardener you probably don’t want a dog in the garden. My spaniel Rowan does catch the occasional mole but last…

“The boots have good grip on wet grass and are robust enough for a day on a quad bike” I must admit that I had never heard of Percussion when I was asked to review a pair of its wellies. The French company is a relative newcomer to the UK market, and simply hadn’t appeared on my radar. Six weeks after receiving a pair of Sologne boots to try, I am a convert. I have reviewed all kinds of rural footwear over the past 10 years, but most have been a total let-down; some wellies so bad that I have been unable to review them. Perhaps I am just a picky consumer, but I wear wellies every day of the year and they have to perform — good boots are…

At 10pm on 2 May 1926 in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, the bell of a tethered goat tinkled. In the tree above the goat Jim Corbett switched on the torch strapped to his rifle and shot a leopard that had killed 125 men, women and children. That single bullet ended an eight-year ordeal for the people of Garhwal. Many years later Corbett wrote the tale of the big cat and his hunt for it in The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag. It is a wild tale of Hindu pilgrims, a giant gin trap, friendship, bravery and incredible danger. At its centre is the silent and deadly figure of a man-eating cat. But, oddly, right in the middle of the story and the hunt, Corbett sets down his rifle and…

Latin name: Sorbus aucuparia Common name: Rowan Other names: Mountain ash, lady of the mountain, quickbeam, witch wiggin tree, keirn, cuirn How to spot it and where to find it: This attractive tree grows well at high altitudes, such as the Highlands of Scotland; it is known as mountain ash as its leaves are also similar to those of the ash tree, but the two are not related. The rowan has smooth, silver-brown bark and purple, hairy leaf buds. It has feather-like leaves comprising five to eight pairs of leaflets with one “terminal” leaf at the end. It flowers from May to June, with clusters of creamy white blossoms with a strong, sweet scent. Dense clusters of bright red berries appear from late summer into the autumn. Interesting facts: The…

No dogs are more typical of the British Isles than terriers, and we can boast a rich variety, from the Airedale, the giant of the terrier world, to the ubiquitous Jack Russell. The fox terrier is one of our oldest terriers, with its breed standard first drawn up in 1876. As its name suggests, this was a dog originally bred to go to ground after foxes, and in Victorian times it was usual for the fox terriers to run with the foxhounds. There are two types of fox terrier: the smooth and the wire, with the latter the more popular of the two. Like all terriers, it is a bold and feisty dog, amusingly described in its breed standard as on the tiptoe of expectation. Its coat should be predominately…