Innholdsfortegnelse for 13-July-2016 i Shooting Times & Country

LINDSAY WADDELL’s fascinating piece on merlins (p.31) goes to the heart of several inconvenient truths about conservation. The first is that gamekeepers love and look after raptors; the second is that grouse moor management is essential for the survival of birds of prey; and the third is that without the every-day eyes on the ground provided by land managers we have no chance of saving our dwindling wildlife. Conservation organisations can produce as many reports and do as many surveys as they like, but it is the people working on the land who understand the reality of inter-species interaction and who, given the right tools, can carry out meaningful conservation measures. It is high time that conservation organisations took a less high-handed, more responsible approach and stopped calling for the…

Shooting sports are growing in popularity, with more new firearm and shotgun certificates granted in England and Wales in the past year than the one before. Newly released Home Office figures have revealed that in the financial year ending March 2016, 9,534 new firearm certificate applications were granted, representing a rise of 5.3 per cent compared with the previous year. There were 21,884 new shotgun certificate applications granted in 2015/16; a 2.1 per cent increase on the year before. The figures show that in total, 587,681 people hold certificates in England and Wales. But while there were more new applications, there has actually been an overall reduction in the number of existing shotgun certificates held. Mike Eveleigh, senior firearms officer at BASC, commented: “While the number of firearm certificates overall…

17 JULY BASC LADIES DAY – INTRODUCTION TO SHOOTING Firle Place, Lewes, East Sussex Tel 07775 940522 19 JULY FREE NGO RIFLE RANGE TEST DAY Euston estate, Euston, Suffolk Tel 01833 660869 1-3 AUGUST LAPORTE CHALLENGE TROPHY 100 CLAY SHOOT Royal Berkshire Shooting School, Pangbourne, Berkshire Tel 01491 672900 5 AUGUST HOLT’S AUCTIONEERS ANNUAL CLAY DAY Sandringham estate, Norfolk Tel 01485 542822 5 -7 AUGUST THE 42ND ANNUAL GLOUCESTERSHIRE VINTAGE & COUNTRY EXTRAVAGANZA South Cerney Airfield, Cirencester, Gloucestershire Tel 01453 890891 26 AUGUST THE CLAYSHOOTING DTL CLASSIC CHAMPIONSHIP Bywell Shooting Ground, Felton, Northumberland Tel 01670 787827…

The Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association (SGA) has defended the use of raven “scarers” on moors after receiving reports that conservation charities are concerned about their impact on other nesting birds. Gas guns, which are timed to produce periodic bangs, along with inflatable scaring devices, have been used by farmers for a long time to prevent pigeon and crows from damaging crops. In the past decade, keepers have also used them on moors at hatching time to move on flocks of legally protected ravens, whose numbers the SGA says have grown by 40 per cent in just 18 years. A study of dotterel nests in East Drumochter, commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), found that ravens were the main cause of nest failure, with 96 per cent of ptarmigan nests in one…

It was a dark and stormy night when Shooting Timescolumnist Nick Fisher decided to pen a crime novel. Silhouetted against a full moon, a wolf howled. Sea trout slid silently upriver. Foxes went on the prowl. Suddenly, shockingly, Fisher imagined a mystery plot around lobster pots. Before sinking a hook in the sea or casting a fly again, he tapped out 60,000 words and, later, more. Next, without shame, he plugs his book as sure as ace shotgunner George Digweed fills a high-crossing pigeon with lead (On the hook, 6 July). And why not? Nick is such an enthusiastic ambassador for fishing and an excellent educator about the sport that he fully deserves our attention. I’ve just ordered Pot Luckbut, by doing so, I haven’t taken it, because I have…

“Many government officials have been through the NGO tent at Scone over the years, some feeling a little lightheaded from a wee dram” Our pheasant poults have been arriving and, as usual, it has never stopped raining. The dogs’ dishes on the benches had a good 2in of rain one night and the wee poults looked quite “drookit” standing under their shelters the following morning. They reminded me of penguins standing stooped and very damp. Fingers crossed the weather will brighten up. We have disease in our poults that has been caused by a combination of stress and weather. Many of the poults are standing about under shelters with their heads under their wings and the ground around the drinkers and feeders is covered in caramel-coloured diarrhoea. We took the…

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many small provincial gunmakers and retailers had a lively trade in guns, cartridges and accessories, especially if they were located in an area adjacent to shooting estates, grouse moors or coastal wildfowling. One example is Chesterfield in Derbyshire, where from 1832 to 1864 there were eight gunmakers. A few of these relied upon an auxiliary income for their livelihood. One was a bell-hanger, another an engraver and there was a “tooth-drawer”, presumably dentistry in its most basic form! As the 19th century drew to a close, Frank H. Hall set up as a gunsmith at 9 Beetwell Street. There is a strong possibility that he either acquired the business, or simply just the premises, of John Somerset who had been trading there…

“Late in the season, the grouse are black brutes that dismiss your efforts with a nonchalant twitch of their pinions” Tramping across heather is mesmeric. One step, another; one step, another. Horizons and granite grab the gaze and it’s hard to focus on the small, be it a flutter of brown as a meadow pipit rises or the red of carnivorous sundews awaiting the next midge to err from the safety of the nearby crusted peat. And then comes the explosion, the heart-stopping sight, the blackness of birds materialising from nowhere — the grouse. I first bumped into them on Dartmoor. Like many West Country boys, we’d somehow been volunteered into Ten Tors, a 35-mile yomp across the heart of the moor, into a no-man’s-land of white grass, mire and…

I don’t like electric collars, but I’m convinced that they do have an essential place in the dog trainer’s equipment as a device of the last resort. I’ve met dogs that would have been put to sleep but for the fact that an electric collar was used to stop them sheep worrying or livestock chasing. On one of my most recent hawking outings, I went out with a rehomed German shorthaired pointer that had only narrowly escaped a death sentence, but because of the sympathetic use of an electric collar it had become a first-class, and happy, working dog. However, the Kennel Club doesn’t like e-collars, and last month it joined forces with Matthew Offord, Conservative MP for Hendon, at an event in Parliament calling for a ban on the…

St Swithin’s day if thou dost rain For forty days it will remain St Swithin’s day if thou be fair For forty days ’twill rain nae mair. On St Swithin’s Day, on 15 July, people watch the weather because tradition says that whatever the weather is like, it will continue for the next 40 days. St Swithin (or more properly, Swithun) was a Saxon Bishop of Winchester from 852 to 862. He was most famous for charitable gifts and building churches. Legend has it that as he lay on his deathbed, he asked to be buried out of doors, where he would be trodden on and rained on. For nine years, his wishes were followed, but then the monks of Winchester attempted to remove his remains to a shrine inside…

“The real irony is that it was the hunting community that first urged WildCRU to set up a study of lions in that national park” Was Cecil the lion given a radio collar and a name in order to entrap an unwitting trophy-hunter? Frankly, I reckon the truth is more likely to be related to a cock-up than to a conspiracy. And yet, the collaring of Cecil does raise some questions. Remember how poor Cecil was lured from the safety of a national park in Zimbabwe so that he could be zapped by an American bow-hunter? The hunter was identified as Dr Walter Palmer, a dentist from the Mid-West. Dr Palmer’s reputation and livelihood were duly treated by ravening hordes of cyber-bullies in much the same way as a bunch…

“Civil servants are going to have little time to spend on issues such as lead or licensing of grouse moors” Shooting organisations have revealed how they believe Britain’s vote to leave the European Union will likely impact on shooters. The general consensus is that only time will tell, but there is speculation that Brexit spells good news for trapping, “contentious legislation” and firearms imports. BASC Scotland director Dr Colin Shedden said that until the shape of the UK’s new relationship with the EU becomes clear, it is too early to speculate on whether Brexit means the UK has left behind the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, which UK conservation groups feel are best left unchanged, and the proposed changes to the EU Firearms Directives, many of which have been described…

Pendleton wins CA race Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton proved once again that she is just as adept on horseback as on a bike last month, by taking first place in the Countryside Alliance’s charity race at Newmarket. Victoria, who was riding Royal Etiquette trained by Lawney Hill, helped to raise money for charities Casting for Recovery, Fishing 4 Schools and Falconry For Schools. On coming first, she commented: “It was amazing to win here today and to be asked to take part in the race ” Teen gun restorer founds new business Adam Bragg, a 19-year-old recent graduate of Chippendale International School of Furniture in Scotland, has just completed the restoration of a dilapidated Baikal shotgun, and is now setting up his own business in Suffolk. Adam Bragg Craftsmanship will…

“None of us can foretell what gaps in regulation will appear after Brexit” Immediately after the EU referendum result in June, BASC chairman Peter Glenser (News, 29 June) stated that “BASC would carry out the hard work that is needed to ensure that the legal framework in which we operate is fit for purpose and benefits shooting and the countryside” . The legal framework includes the political framework. We have already seen massive political change following the referendum, with a Conservative leadership race, a challenge to Labour’s leadership and the prospects of a General Election and/or a new independence referendum in Scotland. How these will affect shooting remains to be seen, but it is important that we, the shooting community, both anticipate and influence that change. Exposing politicians to the…

“Do you dream of a regal rack, or would you be happier to take a less glamorous cull beast for the good of the herd?” Stalking red stags in Scotland is a bucket-list experience for most stalkers. One of the country’s most majestic animals, the red deer is Scotland’s largest native land mammal and one of its most sought-after sporting trophies. The majority are found in the Scottish Highlands and islands, and there is a wide variety of stalking ground and accommodation options to choose from. When it comes to choosing where to go, a lot will hang on your personal preference, budget, and level of experience. Do you want to test yourself on steep, rugged hillsides or would you prefer flatter, more sheltered terrain? Do you dream of a…

“Convenience and fashion tick the boxes for ferret owners, over prey drive and sound conformation” At times I may struggle to recall people’s names, but anything to do with rabbits, dogs and ferrets is engrained in my memory. Some call it rabbit-nav… I can remember every detail about the first time I ferreted on my own as if it were yesterday: how I tentatively placed my prized nicotine albino ferret into a rabbit warren, the anxiety that tied my stomach in knots, then the feeling of anticipation of the action that took over. I was redundant as the lean, muscled mustelid worked missile-like underground in her quest to bolt the rabbit. I needn’t have worried. She worked like the devil itself, as they all did back then. A lot of…

APEX AUTO LIFT The 2.5m self-retracting lifter on the Auto Lift can be attached to any fixed anchor, such as Napier’s Tree Hugger or the Autoclick. This means that one person can lift a 200kg animal single-handedly and safely perform a suspended gralloch. Each ratchet movement lifts 3cm, making it fast, and no tie-off is required. The kit auto-retracts after use into a compact size for easy storage and carrying, and weighs only 1.34kg. • www.napieruk.com • Price: £49.99 DEERSTALKER HAZEL THUMBSTICK This extra-long hazel thumbstick is fitted with a joint in the middle so that it can be unscrewed and transported in two parts, convenient for travelling. Its overall height is 150cm (59in) and it is fitted with a combi-spike ferrule; a black rubber ferrule is fitted over a…

Retrieving must be nurtured GUNDOGS Q Our cocker puppy is four months old and picks up and carries all sorts of objects around the house, even a small canvas puppy dummy. However, if we take her outside into the garden or into the field she will not pick up anything, but gets her nose down and sets off hunting. How do we teach her to retrieve when she’s outside the house? A All puppies pick up and carry objects from an early age, but that is different from having natural retrieving instincts. Retrieving must be nurtured and every time she picks up and carries something to you in the house, it must be rewarded. She needs to feel very special when she has something in her mouth, whether it is…

The wren is currently the most numerous and widespread bird in Britain, promoted to this exalted position after a long run of warm winters. A prolonged period of snow and frost would soon reduce the population but, for the moment, wrens are everywhere. These small brown bundles of feathers are not the most obvious of birds, scuttling among hedgerow bottoms like feathery mice, in search of small insects and other scraps of food, but when the males burst into song it is a completely different story. How can something so small make such a lot of noise? A pair of wrens will probably have two or three broods between late March and early August, using a different nest for each breeding attempt. Males can still be heard singing at this…

“A universal service obligation that can guarantee sufficient bandwidth will transform rural areas and must be enshrined in law. Only half of rural homes and businesses can receive a broadband connection with speeds of 10Mbps. That should be a benchmark minimum speed.” CLA president Ross Murray stresses the importance of fast and reliable broadband in rural areas. 55.3% Rural areas voted to leave the EU in greater numbers than the national average. A total of 55.3 per cent of voters from local authorities classified as “rural” by the Office of National Statistics supported the vote to leave.…

EAT If you collect any redcurrants while out foraging this month then make sure you put them to good use. July is when this small berry comes into season and we suggest using it as a delicious sauce on a pan-seared venison loin, alongside fondant potatoes and braised red cabbage. Visit Shooting UK at http://po.st/redcurrant for the recipe. LEARN Sporting suppliers Orvis are currently offering free flyfishing lessons at stores nationwide. The next two-hour session is being held on Tuesday, 19 July, and will teach participants about the basics of the sport. All ages are welcome, but those under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. To book, visit your local Orvis store or visit www.orvis.co.uk/sporting. BUY Anyone with a spare few quid to spend might be…

BRITISH BATS ARE MUCH MALIGNED I enjoyed reading David Tomlinson’s piece (The secret world of bats, 29 June). I’ve always found bats interesting and it’s a shame they are either largely ignored by people or are victims of misinformation — we all know that bats aren’t really evil blood-suckers! I’m lucky where I live because I can see bats taking insects right outside my bedroom window. I leave the light on, curtains open and the bats take the moths that are attracted by the light. These wonderful little creatures are a joy to watch and I implore others to take more of an interest in their local British bats. O. Hollifield, Caerphilly PRETTY FLITTERMICE Reading the piece on bats (29 June) took me back to my childhood. My parents and…

“Buried in work, I heard a roe barking through my office window — it was as refreshing as a day off” The next few weeks will bring in the start of the roe rut. Big bucks that have kept out of sight for most of the year suddenly appear and offer chance encounters at dawn and dusk, and wary beasts can allow their guard to slip in the grip of their hormones. It is a high-paced, frenetic period in the calendar, but it is surprisingly easy to overlook. Brought up in Dumfries and Galloway, I was taken to see the red deer bellowing in the Glenkens during the cool days of autumn. To me, those peat-soaked monsters seemed to define the concept of a “rut”: they were brazen and hostile,…

Game On sends out a welcome email and registration form to clients who have booked a day, asking them for contact details, shotgun certificate information and any cartridge order that they may wish to make in advance. Once this form is received, they receive an information pack with comprehensive details about the day, directions, guns, cartridges, dogs and so on. On the day, Guns have to present their original shotgun certificate at registration to be allowed to shoot. In accordance with section 11 of the Firearms Agreement, a non-certificate holder is allowed to shoot only if they have booked a Game On instructor and are using a Game On gun.…

I would describe the merlin as the upland equivalent of the hobby — small, fast and loved by most of those who see it. In England, this stunning little falcon is found mainly on the grouse moors, where it can occur in really good numbers. Someone who rings the bird in one area said that the population on one grouse moor was of regional, if not national, significance. That statement alone highlights just how important the management of these areas is to this falcon. The merlin was historically used in falconry. Today, some human families carry the name, which is derived from the old French name for the bird, esmerillon . Given its size, it is unlikely that the owners of such a falcon would get fat, because it would…

Summer is here and, with the show season well under way, I have had a little time to start repairing and sorting out my nets between rabbiting and shows. The long- and stop-nets that have taken a battering over the last year are in deep need of repair. These will all get sorted when I meet up with Torchie and co, as I have trouble tying my bootlaces, never mind knitting together a net. I plan to make a few new nets up with some readily available sheet netting — and with some thought. These 10- and 15-yard nets will adorn a new basket and enable me to have a greater degree of adaptability when ferreting. My purse-nets have all been strung up to rest for a few months but,…

“Bells are typically used on pointing dogs, so when it stops ringing there’s a good chance that the dog is on point” I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED the sound of bells. There’s no sound more English than that of church bells, floating out across the countryside. I’m married to a bell ringer, so can tell you that there are more bell towers for change-ringing in England than any other country in the world: more than 5,000 in England, compared with a mere 300. Elsewhere in the world, bells are typically chimed. So what has this got to do with gundogs? In this country, not much, but there has always been a strong connection between bells and hunting dogs in Europe. Many continental sportsmen work their dogs with a bell fitted to…

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, Pinehurst 2, Farnborough…

One of the long-standing traditions of the hunting world is the annual puppy show. Invariably held on a summer Sunday afternoon, it gives subscribers and followers a chance to see the new entry: the young hounds that will be joining the pack for their first days’ hunting this autumn. The name puppy show is a little misleading, because though the hounds being shown are technically puppies, they might more accurately be described as well-grown teenagers. Puppy shows may be jolly social affairs, but they have a serious side, too. Usually, a visiting master and a professional huntsman — both wearing a dark suit and a bowler hat — will judge the young entry, They will be looking for good conformation, a hound that not only pleases the eye but also…