Innholdsfortegnelse for 06-Feb-2019 i Shooting Times & Country

If there is something more annoying out there than your socks coming off inside your wellingtons, I’ve not encountered it yet. Ten days ago, I was lying on my back beside a pond, trying to sort out a particularly bad case of the aforementioned affliction, when six wigeon whiffled over the willow trees. Twenty yards to my right, two shots rang out, followed by a thump among the frosty reeds on the far side. Patrick Laurie’s pump-action had found its mark. With my sock situation sorted, I stood in the shadows and had the finest night’s flighting I’ve ever experienced. We don’t often see wigeon that far from the Solway. The following afternoon, I sat on the floor on the train back to London with a bag full of wigeon,…

Chris Packham has been accused of a conflict of interest after allegedly promoting a sales campaign for a tick control drug on BBC programmes without declaring his involvement in the project. Shout Communications, representing pharmaceutical company Merck, chose Mr Packham to front the 18-month campaign, the Big Tick Project, which was devised to raise awareness and drive sales of the drug. It is claimed that Mr Packham did not declare that interest when he appeared on BBC shows in 2015 to talk about the campaign. The Countryside Alliance’s Tim Bonner said: “Buying Mr Packham is the way companies buy BBC coverage. This is not public service broadcasting, it is the BBC for sale.” The BBC, however, speaking to the Daily Mirror, described the accusation as “spurious” given that “there is…

Deer collision fences Sonic fences are being trialled on a stretch of the A513 in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, to prevent deer colliding with motorists. The virtual fences emit a bright light and warning sound when the signal is cut, prompting the animal to turn back to safety. “Since we installed these devices, the number of animal road deaths is down significantly, particularly in the autumn when the male deer cross the road to rut in the open fields on the Shugborough estate,” said Rob Taylor, a local ranger. It is estimated that there are 74,000 deer-related motor vehicle accidents a year in the UK, resulting in 400-700 human injuries and 20 deaths. Labs and Staffies The Labrador has lost its top spot as the nation’s favourite dog to the Staffordshire…

A WEIGHTY ISSUE I would like to add a little more information to the answer Bruce Potts gave regarding the suitability of the .22 WMR for vermin and pest control around a farm (Sporting Answers, 23 January). There now exists a .22 subsonic cartridge using a 45-gr bullet at 1,060fps, so it can be moderated effectively. This is useful around livestock. The 50-gr bullet for the .22 WMR, while slower than the 40-gr and 33-gr ammunition, is much more effective on larger vermin, such as foxes. It also drifts less in the wind and the trajectory is fox accurate to 100 yards or more. The true measure of bullet effectiveness — impact energy times bullet weight — is higher, so the heavier bullet is much more effective than the lighter-bulleted…

It is a truism which we repeat season after season, that while the days are inching towards more daylight, the shooting season is all too swiftly drawing to a close. As we foregather for the final day’s driven sport, it seems scarcely credible that some 14 or so weeks have passed since the opening shoot, so swiftly do the days and weeks slip away. For my part I have to confess that my old 12-bore has seen little use for I have spent the entire season picking-up with my Labrador. Even as I write, I still have one day’s work left, the enjoyable beaters’ day, an occasion when a team of regular Guns on the shoot reverse roles to provide sport for eight of the regular beaters, all of whom…

“Do not underestimate the depth of flavour and warmth that the game will deliver” There is great pleasure to be taken from filling the fridge and the freezer with food you have provided. Whether that be shot game, foraged fruit or fungi, vegetables from the garden or herbs from the wayside, it is extremely satisfying. Like many Shooting Times readers I jealously guard my portion of any bag, though I am generous should anyone want any, and it is not at all unusual to find me with a freezer full of home-prepared game. I like to store my shot game in the freezer for obvious reasons but I also like to get it used up sharpish, as before long the mackerel, trout and rabbits will need the space. It is…

“It is surprising how the banter and colourful language that accompanies a morning’s drey poking can revive a poorly teenager. George couldn’t help but grin” Ask me the most effective way to control grey squirrels by shooting and I’d say it has to be ambushing them at a feeding station with an air rifle. But if you were to ask me to tell you the most gratifying way to bring this invasive rodent to book, the answer would have to be drey poking. I shoot hundreds of grey squirrels every year, mostly by using peanut feeders to lure them within range of an airgun. This method can be deadly effective and it is not unusual to account for as many as a dozen bushy-tails in just a couple of hours.…

There is always a mixture of emotions at the end of the season, but for me the best thing is that I will soon be able to go into my cart lodge without seeing a row of birds waiting to be dressed — or should that be undressed? This past season, I’ve prepared more birds — mainly red-legged partridges and just a few pheasants — than ever before, simply because, at the end of each shooting day, the keeper tells everyone to take as many birds as they want. The market for game has collapsed and if you can get 30p for a partridge or a pheasant you are doing well. For the first season ever, I haven’t done any plucking, as I now either remove the breasts or skin…

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 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 JEREMY HUNT Runs Fenway Labradors and a professional gundog trainer TIM MADDAMS Former head chef at River Cottage and runs a shoot in Devon SIMON WHITEHEAD Author, professional ferreter and rabbit controller IAIN WATSON Keen stalker and senior…

Most chickens lay white or brown eggs, but there are a few breeds that lay eggs with blue shells, of which the best known is the Araucana. This South American bird takes its name from the Araucana region of Chile where it was developed. The first Araucanas reached Britain in the early 20th century, and according to legend the modern Araucanas we know in this country are descended from birds carried on a ship that was wrecked in the Hebrides. Laying blue eggs is not the only unusual characteristic of the Araucana, because the birds have distinctive ear tufts and a beard that gives them a moustachioed appearance, while they may also be rumpless. Araucanas come as full- and bantam-size birds, and lay 150 blue/ green-shelled eggs a year. Though…

Having visited many shoots this year, either as a loader, beater or Gun, it is great to see so many of you do so much for charity. Whether it is a few pounds at the start to guess the bag or through fines during the day, nearly every shoot I have been on manages to use the game days as a way to give back. It is a shame that none of this good work is mentioned in the wider media as I am sure the general public are completely unaware of the work we all do. A small, friendly shoot in Warwickshire I visit occasionally, and which shoots four days, donates all money raised through guessing the bag and shots to the air ambulance each year, raising around £300.…

Why do you need to own a gun? This is the question we in the UK face from officialdom. Without this demonstrable need — usually defined as “a good reason” — we are not allowed to own guns. Yet the good reason test is applied very differently in different parts of the UK. For example, here on the mainland, self-defence is not generally seen as a “good reason”. Not for us ordinary folk, anyway. Yet if you are a high-profile politician, then you can take comfort in the fact that you may have bodyguards, and they may be armed. All paid for by us, the largely unarmed taxpayers, of course. Or take Northern Ireland, where a number of people — including some former terrorists — have been granted certificates to…

1 Ultralight binoculars RRP £480  www.ruag.co.uk These compact and ultralight night-vision binoculars are the latest offering from Ruag. Featuring an automated turnoff system and an integrated infrared emitter for ranges up to 135m, these dustproof and watertight binoculars also come with a tripod adapter and Picatinny rail. An optional daylight optics adapter is available separately. 2 Arxus Primo Nord Air boots RRP £235  www.hammondsporting.co.uk These boots provide a high level of comfort with a focus on minimising condensation within the boot through the specially developed “air-feed” system. With a drier interior, the insulation is very effective against the cold. 3 Shooterking Venatu trousers RRP £159.95  www.thomasjacks.co.uk The Venatu trousers from Shooterking are both breathable and waterproof. They feature pre-shaped knees, excellent storage capacity and silicone around the waist and ankle…

My husband has enjoyed reading Shooting Times for many years, and always looked forward to the day when the magazine dropped through the letter box each week. He’d sit and enjoy reading it from cover to cover, usually starting with the cartoon Dog on the back page. Sadly and suddenly, he died on Boxing Day aged 55. He was passionate about all things in the countryside, especially fishing, shooting and working his Labrador, Cooper. When we said goodbye to Ben we sent him with his dog whistle and a copy of Shooting Times (2 January issue). The reason for my writing is to ask if you would be able to send me a copy of that issue or tell me where I can get one, as I have not read…

Ingredients 1 WHOLE ROE HAUNCH OR TWO SHOULDERS, ON THE BONE 2 LARGE ONIONS, FINELY DICED 1 TSP CORIANDER SEEDS 1 WHOLE CINNAMON STICK 1 TSP FENNEL SEEDS 1 TSP CUMIN SEEDS 2 BULBS (NOT CLOVES) OF GARLIC, PEELED AND CHOPPED 2 TBSP TREACLE 1 TBSP GOOD SHERRY VINEGAR 1 TBSP SMOKED PAPRIKA AS MUCH DARK CHILLI POWDER/CHIPOTLE PASTE/ CHILLI FLAKES AS YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE — YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO TONE IT DOWN ONCE IT IS HOT SALT AND PEPPER 2 TINS GOOD-QUALITY TOMATOES SPRIG OF CHOPPED THYME AND ROSEMARY 5 FRESH BAY LEAVES 1 CARTON GOOD-QUALITY TOMATO PASSATTA 400G COOKED RED KIDNEY BEANS 1 TBSP PURE COCOA POWDER 150G ROUGHLY CHOPPED PORK FAT — OR BETTER STILL SOME RUMP FAT FROM…

With the season over, it is easy to simply switch off and look for a way to catch up on sleep. While I think this is a great idea for the dog, who will definitely need a couple of weeks recuperating, now is a great time for reflection as a gundog handler and trainer. All of my dogs will be having a well-earned rest during February, but I will also use the opportunity to consider what wasn’t quite up to scratch and which dogs may need some extra attention. If your dogs are like mine, they have little time during the season to recover from minor injuries and ailments, and I am constantly pulling thorns out of their coats. So once the season has finished, it never hurts to spend…

Latin name: Narcissus pseudonarcissus Common name: Native daffodil Other names: Wild daffodil, Lent lily How to spot it and where to find it: Those of you who paid attention at school will recall that Wordsworth saw ,“A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees”. Nowadays, those wandering in Devon, the Welsh Black Mountains, the Lake District and the Gloucestershire-Herefordshire border may see them decoratively pushing up in ancient woodland or damp meadows. The best months to spot them are March and April. The wild daffodil has pale green leaves and that familiar daffodil flower, but this is surrounded by paler yellow petals, which differentiate it from the garden centre variety. It is also smaller than its domestic cousin and grows in clumps. Pretty as it is, it…

ATTEND A rare chance to view an archive of hunting photographs should prove nostalgic for followers of West Country packs. The late Eric Green was a familiar figure with staghound, foxhound, harrier, beagle and minkhound packs in Somerset and Devon and kept an assiduous record through photographs and diaries of what is now a fast-diminishing world. These records of 60 years of rural West Somerset life and the changing landscape can be viewed in an exhibition at the EWN Community Hall in Monksilver, Somerset TA4 4JE on Sunday, 10 February. Doors open at 9.30am. For more information, visit po.st/happyhuntingmemories. FEED The season might be over but the weather has just turned cold and our ducks will be getting hungry. Don’t stop feeding your flighting pond. A little bit every night…

1 You could mince the game meat, but I prefer to chuck it all in whole and let it fall apart over the long and slow cooking time. Rabbit, hare or venison haunches I often add whole and remove the bones later. 2 In a large casserole pan with a good lid fry the onions in a little oil, add the meat and cook for a few minutes. 3 Roughly grind the spices and add them along with the garlic, treacle, vinegar, paprika and chilli. Stir cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 4 Add the tomatoes, herbs and passatta and cook for 10 minutes. Add the beans, cocoa, pork fat or pork and bacon skin. Mover with stock and simmer for a minimum of four hours. Ralfway…

KEEPA HAS COME on in leaps and bounds this season, gaining in confidence and, importantly, becoming much more reliable on the stop whistle. This has been a slow process for him as he had begun to associate the stop with a negative. So, for example, he felt he had done something wrong if I stopped him and so wouldn’t “gladly” stop. When they stop and turn, I want them to understand it is because, for the most part, I am going to help them find the retrieve. He now stops with head and ears up, eagerly waiting for my help. In order to achieve this, I only asked for stops where I felt I could achieve them, not when he was close to a retrieve or out of sight. More…

How to squirrel-proof feeders AIRGUNNING Q I have been achieving great results using feeding stations to attract grey squirrels within range of my air rifle. The only problem is that the greedy little blighters have a habit of chewing my wooden feeders to pieces if I let them run empty. Is there an easy way to make feeders that will resist being gnawed by squirrels? A I’ve had exactly the same problem on several occasions and it is incredibly frustrating. The best solution would be to make hoppers from metal but this requires a little more skill than rustling up your own wooden ones, plus the resulting feeders are much heavier and difficult to lug around. In my experience, the worst of the gnawing damage seems to be around the…

The long-tailed duck is an Arctic breeding species with a truly circumpolar distribution. It is assumed that the birds we see are mostly from Scandinavia, Finland and Russia but there may be some Icelandic birds too. According to the British Trust for Ornithology, only 45 long-tailed ducks have ever been ringed, with just one notable movement — a bird caught on Fair Isle in 1967 was shot 20 years later in Finland. There are thought to be about 10,000 long-tailed ducks wintering in the UK’s inshore waters. The biggest concentrations are all in Scotland, particularly round Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides but also in some of the east coast firths. It is rare to get a good view of a long-tailed duck. The male in winter plumage is slender,…