Innholdsfortegnelse for 06-Jun-2018 i Shooting Times & Country

Some weeks ago, on one of those sunny afternoons when everything seems so perfect that it is hard to imagine anything bad will ever happen again, I shot a squirrel. It was a magisterial moment; he tumbled from a high oak tree while an electric church organ tinkled in the distance. After writing “medium-sized squirrel” on a freezer bag, I popped him in, dropped him in a drawer and went to make a whisky sour. A few days ago I pulled him out and turned him into some nuggets to serve as canapés for a little group of charming elderly people. “I don’t like squirrel,” moaned a retired academic. “I don’t think you’ve ever tried it,” I replied, like a mother battling a wearisome toddler. Said academic tentatively dipped one…

A Scottish grouse moor has been praised by international conservationists for its land management efforts. German scientists examining biodiversity in Scotland have been impressed by the way the Glenogil estate has been managed, resulting in 98 different bird species being recorded there. Game Conservancy Deutschland (GCD) has been visiting the Angus Glens estate since 2015 and noted that in the past three years there has been an increase of 35 bird species. Among the birds discovered were red-listed species including curlew, lapwing, blackgrouse and merlin. An abundance of non-bird species were also found, such as mountain hares and lizards. The researchers are crediting heather burning and predator control as the main drivers for the abundant wildlife found at Glenogil. Dr Daniel Hoffman of GCD said: “We wanted to show other…

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“As soon as Briar turns her head to me I offer massive praise and a reward’” NOW BRIAR IS a little older, I can introduce her to new environments, which is an important part of socialising. To do this she needs to learn to walk on a lead. I am lucky that up until now I haven’t needed a lead to be able to walk her. But I appreciate this isn’t always the case for other dogs and a lead may have already been introduced. Briar will already follow me with a little encouragement and, thanks to the older dogs remaining at heel, will rarely stray more than a few yards. I start by putting on a slip lead and leaving it to drag on the floor. I begin somewhere…

I made my first visit to Burgate Manor, the headquarters of what was then the Game Conservancy — now, of course, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust — on a summer day more than 30 years ago. A lasting memory is that of a fine golden retriever, sitting in a pose that resembled a Trafalgar Square lion, on the lawn in front of the manor. The dog was free to come and go, but had been trained to stay where she was. Cloth Ears, as she was known, belonged to a young member of the Game Conservancy staff, Dr Mike Swan. Mike is still based at Burgate Manor and is a frequent contributor to this magazine. I was delighted to receive an email from him following my recent article on…

The new Shooting JOIN Times Facebook group replaces the ShootingUK Forum, which has now closed. It is a lively place to chat, discuss and converse with like-minded people, ask questions, share tips and advice. To join, visit po.st/STforum. REVISIT Some of our readers will fondly remember the old i-SPY books which encouraged children to look around them and learn about the world by spotting and ticking off landmarks, animals, castles, trees and so on. They could then send the completed book for a badge and certificate. After 70 years the books are still popular and publisher Collins is giving away a limited edition of 500 collectors’ i-SPY badges to customers who complete their i-SPY guides. Drag the children away from their iPads and test their country credentials with the trees,…

Prize for Shooting Times contributor A film by Shooting Times contributor Simon Whitehead has been awarded Highly Commended by MyOutdoorTV, with a prize of £3,000. The film Ahead of the Game is the precursor to his forthcoming book of the same name, which will be launched at the Game Fair in July. The book is a definitive guide to the harvest, preparation and cooking of wild rabbit. Simon says he plans to spend his winnings on improving the quality of his productions for outdoor and hunting content. Ahead of the Game can be viewed on YouTube at po.st/AheadGame. BASC raises £30,000 for conservation Guests attending the BASC North auction and celebration dinner dug deep into their pockets to support a range of projects run for the benefit of young people…

SPORTING RIGHTS How I wish Patrick Galbraith had stood his ground with the holidaymaker who accosted him while he was out shooting pigeons (Editor’s letter, 30 May). He ought to have told them that he was acting perfectly within his legal rights and to protect their ears as he was likely to start shooting at pigeon at any moment. That said, I can understand the predicament he found himself in. It must have been very difficult to decide on an appropriate course of action and his decision to stop shooting undoubtedly defused a potentially argumentative situation. It’s a tricky one to deal with and I wonder how other readers would have handled themselves with this matter in a safe and professional manner? A. Bunkle, by email The Editor responds: It…

So far in this series I have talked a lot about the importance of the basics. These remain the foundation of a consistent and reliable dog and while I have moved on to more advanced handling, I will continue to go over the basics during training sessions with Keepa and Briar. Keepa is now looking smart and ready to be pushed a little further. He understands the stop whistle and will complete basic handling at distance. However, his stop needs some attention. I have noticed that he seems to associate the stop whistle with a negative rather than positive. This means that, though he stops, he creeps a little in an attempt to wind the dummy before I have given him the next command. So he is not focusing 100…

Patrick’s consistency is beginning to fall into place. That is not to say he is hitting everything, but his gun-mount has come on leaps and bounds, he doesn’t think about his eyes any more and he is enjoying his new gun. Patrick is developing a good structure in the way he shoots and the way he approaches his shots, and when it goes wrong he doesn’t revert to type as he did so much at the start. At this stage, those of you who have been following this series are probably wondering why I’m yet to talk about the importance of footwork when trying to shoot game consistently. The simple reason is that until you have a consistent platform to shoot from — by this I mean a good stance…

LAURENCE CATLOW, A PASSIONATE SHOOTER AND ANGLER FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, HAS WRITTEN FIVE BOOKS ABOUT SPORT WITH ROD AND GUN. HIS NOTEBOOK RUNS IN THE FIRST ISSUE OF EVERY MONTH It was the middle of May and, at High Park, I was taking a short rest after a fairly unstrenuous round of the traps. At this time of year, especially if the day is bright, I never need much of an excuse to sit down on a sunny bank and absorb the sights and sounds of spring. The grass all round me was bright with yellow primroses, with blue violets and white anemones. There were young leaves at least half a dozen shades of shining green stirring very gently above me. The air smelt of wild garlic and…

Is this the start of the much- promised long hot summer? The May just gone has been the first we have had for a while with any number of consistently warm, dry days. Which was quite a relief after the cold, wet and snow of February, March and April. Sadly, the better weather has been a bit too late to have any positive effects on egg production and the hens in the laying pen. The egg quality has still been there but the hens haven’t laid as many eggs as they have in previous years. This is no doubt due to a loss of condition early on in the year, when we had two separate weeks of heavy snow, and two months of cold, wet weather. If the good weather…

“A late spring reduces the nesting cover and makes the eggs horribly easy to find” This spring has been the poorest anyone can remember in Galloway. Even the first days of May were raked with an icy breeze that brought frost and sleet to the high ground. Many of the first lambs were born into a freezing world without shelter or sunshine. Our hardy Galloway cattle were unfazed by the wind, but it cost me a small fortune to keep them fed while we waited for the grass to start growing. A series of unfortunate events with the bull last July meant that we are a month behind with calving but, given the awful weather, it is a relief that the calves are unborn. Hopefully, the summer will have picked…

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…

The tree pipit might be a fairly boring brown bird but it has a lovely song, delivered in a parachute display flight, which might well start at the top of a small tree. Unlike the more common meadow pipit, which is very much a bird of moor and heath in the UK, the tree pipit is associated with open, scrubby woodland, as found on the sloping fringes of the uplands or in early rotation forestry. The species is found in Scotland and Wales, but there are high-density patches in England as well — for instance, in Thetford Forest, East Anglia. Tree pipit parents are busy at the moment, because it is the middle of the short breeding season, so the males have less time for singing than a month ago.…

“Politicians come and go, but senior quangocrats outlive the ebb and flow of political tides” Why do we allow the conservation establishment to be dominated by leftish “group-think”? Look at any nongovernmental statutory organisation — call them quangos — with a conservation role and it will be staffed mainly by earnest folk who tend not to spend their leisure time shooting or fishing. They believe the countryside needs to be “saved” from the depredations of fieldsports and farming. This can only be done, they think, by overriding private property rights as part of the wider subjugation of the individual to society at large. Am I guilty of stereotyping? Probably. But I believe that the majority of publicly funded officials with a rural remit has little real appreciation of shooting sports.…

Improved support for people living and working in National Parks, and recognition for their importance in the rural economy, is on the horizon due to a new initiative launched by environment secretary Michael Gove. Mr Gove announced a review on 27 May with a commitment to conserving and enhancing the nation’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) as part of the 25-year environment plan. The announcement has drawn swift comment from rural groups. CLA president Tim Breitmeyer said: “Designated landscapes are crucial to the well-being of the nation, providing opportunities not only for visitors but most especially for those who live and work there. We look forward to contributing to the review. “The crucial challenge is to strike the right balance between ensuring designation that delivers natural…

My grandson Franklin, who is nearly seven, has had a weekend of firsts. My daughter and her husband took him to his very first summer camp, organised by his Scout group, where he slept overnight in a tent with his Beaver Scout colony for the first time. He learned survival skills and how to light fires, baked dampers and toasted marshmallows over the campfire, but the thing he enjoyed most of all was trying shooting for the first time. The instructors on the range were really supportive and encouraging, while maintaining the absolute importance of gun safety at all times — vital for anyone who shoots but with it being the first time the Beaver group had been able to take part in the shooting activity, they were very closely…

“If you think it is clever to be shooting a high ratio of cartridges to pheasants killed you should have a proper think about what you are doing.” Tim Bonner, chief executive, Countryside Alliance “A high pheasant, for me, is around 60 yards. Any more than that then you run the risk of the Guns not hitting anything.” Steve Ridge, Hampshire headkeeper “Guns shooting at birds that are outside their capabilities should be metaphorically tarred and feathered, especially if they try to claim any glory from ‘clipping it’, which is the worst crime in game shooting.” Liam Stokes, head of shooting, Countryside Alliance “Your lowest point on any game day should be when you wound a bird. You know what your own limit is, but we all have off days…

“Keepa is not focusing 100 per cent on me; he would rather I didn’t stop him” FIRST OF ALL I send Keepa out for a short marked retrieve. As he goes, I immediately start to follow him without him knowing. As he gets about two-thirds of the way out I blow the stop whistle. The first time he does this, he does his typical “nonchalant” stop, looking around a bit, but then is shocked to see me so close to him. This immediately gets his attention a little more than at distance. As he gives me a real focused look, I immediately throw a ball to him to catch with a lot of vocal praise. He happily bounces back to me with the ball, knowing he has done well. I…

HERE’S WHY IT IS ESSENTIAL 1 Your stance gives you the platform from which to mount your gun. If your initial stance is incorrect mounting the gun consistently will be impossible. For example, if you bend your front leg then you will continually mismount the gun, normally far too low. 2 Your footwork allows you to make a good connection with the bird you are trying to shoot. This allows you to find the line of the bird correctly. Think of it like a batsman in cricket. If his footwork is correct for the pitch of the ball then the shot is easy; if his feet are wrong he will just swipe at the ball. 3 Many people who shoot believe it is your arms that move the gun; but…

“A sling saves you having to put down a camo gun in tangled marsh vegetation” For the newcomer to wildfowling the cost of a new gun is an important consideration. Always buy the best you can afford. It might be worth considering buying a good make of second-hand gun rather than a new gun from a lesser manufacturer. New steel shot proofed side-by-sides with the 3.5in chamber are available but do you need a gun capable of firing a 3.5in steel cartridge? If you are likely to encounter a lot of geese or high-flying ducks it merits consideration. If geese are few and far between and duck are likely to be shot over decoys or at the shorter ranges of flighting, a 3in chambered gun might well suffice. Steel ammunition…

Cover for our rabbit pen GUNDOG TRAINING Q A group of us train our dogs together. Last year the farmer who runs the farm where I shoot gave us half an acre of ground to use as a rabbit pen. The cover in it was mostly grassy scrub with the odd thorn bush and a wet rushy bit at one end, which provides water all year as a small stream runs through it. We fenced it with rabbit-proof netting 6ft high and buried in the ground and have an electric fence round to keep out foxes, but now the cover is diminishing as the rabbits eat it. What can we use to make sure there is plenty of cover for the rabbits to hide in? A The number of rabbits…

Latin name: Pentaglottis sempervirens Common name: Green alkanet How to spot it and where to find it: Widespread in the southern part of the UK, green alkanet is a tall plant of woodland edges, roadside verges and shady hedgerows. It can grow to 1m high, with large broad leaves that are oval in shape and pointed at the tip. Both leaves and stems are covered in hairs, as are the flower buds that are pink when they form. They open out to a brilliant sky blue, with raised white honey guides in the centre — the glowing colour explains why the plant is sometimes confused with forget-me-not. Interesting facts: Part of the borage family — as is the forget-me-not — the name alkanet comes from the Arabic for henna because…

Instantly identified by its unusual fluffy plumage, including a head crest and five feather-covered toes, the silkie is one of the most distinctive breeds of chicken. It is an ancient breed, with records in China dating back 2,000 years; it reached the UK in the mid 1880s. Silkies do best when confined because their plumage is unable to cope with wet or muddy conditions. They come in a variety of solid colours. Silkies are unrivalled as broodies; when sitting they are typically reluctant to move from their eggs, even for food, and have to be lifted off their nest. They have long been popular as foster mothers with breeders of ornamental waterfowl and pheasants, while silkie-bantam crosses were traditionally used by gamekeepers for hatching and rearing partridges. They are poor…