Innholdsfortegnelse for 15-May-2019 i Shooting Times & Country

Last week I went on something of a busman’s holiday to the Highlands. On Friday, I drove through unseasonable snow to go and visit Ewen Archer, the headkeeper at the Seafield estate. Seafield is home to more than 20 per cent of the country’s capercaillie population and to say that Ewen takes his custodianship of the species seriously would be a mammoth understatement. Each year, he walks every inch of the estate’s fencing and covers it in markers. This makes it visible to the birds and ensures they can avoid fatal collisions. “The capercaillie will never be shot again,” he said. “We are conserving this bird for the nation.” As we drove, Ewen told me that last year, footage of hare shooting on the estate had been sent to the…

BID The British Deer Society’s (BDS) annual internet auction starts on 17 May and is being run on eBay. Lots include two days’ stalking for sika stags in Inverness-shire, including accommodation; a week’s flyfishing on the upper river Findhorn; a muntjac buck/doe stalk on the north Norfolk coast; a day on the pheasants and woodcock in Perthshire; and three days’ stalking in Ross-shire. Money raised will support the BDS’s work to ensure a healthy and sustainable deer population in balance with the environment. To see the lots available visit po.st/BDSauction. SIGN Do you check yourself for ticks after a day in the field? Every shooter and stalker must, as there are around 3,000 new cases of lyme disease every year in the UK. Sufferers can be off work for weeks…

MODERN AMMO I found Diggory Hadoke’s article on live pigeon trap shooting interesting (Fast and fiendish, 1 May), especially as I thought that it had been effectively outlawed worldwide decades ago. Perhaps Diggory could answer the following questions. Do over-and-under guns reign supreme as they do in clay pigeon shooting? If pre-mounting the gun is still not permitted, perhaps faster-handling side-by-side guns are used by some. What shot size is used by the top Guns? I suspect that few will be using No.5, with smaller shot being more popular. The last time I read about live pigeon trap shooting, in the late 1970s, the two-times world champion, American Homer Clark Jnr, used the UK equivalent shot size of No.7½ in the first barrel and No.7 in the second. At that…

Many years ago a member of the shooting syndicate I belonged to bought what was claimed to be a part-trained yellow Labrador. The vendor told him that it was a year old, but we had a suspicion that it was somewhat older, while the great puzzle among members of the shoot was which part of it had been trained. It certainly wasn’t the front end, as retrieving wasn’t one of its strengths. Toking apart, buying a so-called part-trained dog can be a perilous business, with many pitfalls for the unwary. However, there are advantages, too, especially compared with buying a puppy and training it yourself. Not all gundogs, even from the best of working backgrounds, turn out to be talented performers, so it is possible to save yourself a lot…

Readers will be aware that I am a strong believer in using dead pigeons as decoys — nothing draws in other birds like the real thing. There is, however, a place for good, well-made decoys as not everyone has the freezer space to store dead birds. There are ways of doctoring a plastic decoy to make it more realistic and therefore more effective in the field. The art of using decoys to attract birds is close to 200 years old. Decoy birds were carved from ash or beech and were cumbersome and heavy — but they worked. Lord Walsingham, accomplished game Shot of his time, touched on the subject in the Field and Covert volume of the Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes, published in 1889. He wrote: “The pigeon…

STORAGE I have a chest freezer especially for dead bird decoys and I will take them out as and when I need them. If you can, try to maintain a stock of at least 20 birds, replacing them with freshly shot birds as you use them. A great tip for storing dead bird decoys is to place each bird in an individual freezer bag. This stops the feathers becoming damaged, dulling and sticking together. DRYING OUT A DEAD BIRD DECOY If you want to use dead birds as decoys but don’t have the facilities to keep a store of frozen ones, you could try this old-school method that I was taught many years ago, which involves drying out a dead bird. It has its pros and cons, but it does…

AFTER THE BRIEF lull in activity in March, springtime brings a buzz of activity. Looking ahead to the coming season, planning, setting cull targets, carrying out wildlife surveys, setting up camera traps, meeting with other conservation groups, setting up rifles and general housekeeping are all on the to-do list. It also renews in me sheer admiration for the terrier and its unwavering drive to disappear down dark holes into the earth. With the rise of social media, fox control and predator management have become contentious issues, but they remain a consistent element of land and wildlife management and a key point on the land manager’s calendar. Besides shotgun and rifle, our best friend when carrying out this work really is the dog. There is something about sticking your head into…

Do I need binoculars? AIRGUNNING Q A friend of mine always carries a pair of binoculars when we are out shooting with our airguns. I’m tempted to buy a pair of my own, but I’m not sure whether I want the burden of having such a bulky accessory swinging around my neck. Is it worth the trouble? A I rarely use my binoculars when I’m out with my airgun, and I’m not someone who always has them around his neck, but I do keep a pair in my bag and they are invaluable on the odd occasion that they do come into play. The assistance they provide for long-range reconnaissance can be incredibly helpful when studying flightlines, planning stalking routes or observing feeding stations. There is little point in splashing…

The kittiwake is the most marine of the UK’s gulls and is rarely seen inland. Birds only come ashore to breed, nesting on cliffs and in some coastal towns, where a window ledge serves the same purpose as a cliff. Their presence is not always welcome. Anyone who knows anything about these gulls will realise that they wake up early and cry “kitti-wake” from dawn — which comes early in May. This may be a wonderful sound on a sea cliff but is less welcome if the noise is coming from the other side of your bedroom window. Unsurprisingly, some businesses choose to dissuade kittiwakes from nesting on their buildings. Last year, ineffective netting of one hotel in Newcastle led to birds getting trapped inside, with lethal consequences. Let’s hope…

The British Deer Society internet auction, which begins on 17 May, has some cracking lots. Here is an abbreviated description of one: “A day’s ratting with the Nadder Valley Rat Pack on a waste transfer station in Wiltshire. Normally 500-plus rats each visit. Maximum of three people — the winner and two guests on the day.” I am tempted to make a bid. The irony is that if rats were, like woodpigeons or crows, on the sort of general licence produced by Natural England (NE), this splendid day’s sport might be in breach of the law. Yes, there would be a risk of po-faced lentil-munchers mounting a legal challenge on the grounds that non-lethal methods of discouraging the rats hadn’t been tried first. And has anybody tried to discourage the…

Hen harrier vanishes in south Lanarkshire A tagged hen harrier has gone missing in south Lanarkshire. The young female, Skylar, was fitted with a satellite transmitter and was being monitored by RSPB Scotland as part of the Hen Harrier LIFE project. She disappeared on 7 February. A spokesman for Scottish Land & Estates said it was “disappointing that it has taken three months for the alarm to be raised”. Local landowners were also surprised by the lack of communication but ready to assist police investigations. GWCT Scotland said it “condemns all wildlife crime”. Colin Shedden of BASC Scotland told Shooting Times: “If this is proven persecution, we would expect the appropriate sanctions.” Help raise funds for grey partridges Regular Shooting Times contributor Richard Negus has completed a gruelling 65-mile hike…

In 1940, Great Britain trembled on the brink of destruction. The Royal Navy was tasked with undertaking the innocuous sounding Operation Lucid, which involved sailing decommissioned, rusting ships into French harbours to attack German vessels and barges massed in readiness for invasion. In the highly unlikely event that our naval daredevils succeeded in infiltrating the Nazi ports, they were expected to ignite the high-octane fuel that was secreted in their hulks and ram the enemy. The RAF’s role was to locate and destroy Nazi invasion vessels from the air, largely flying one of the most useless aircraft to ever take to the wing — the Boulton Paul Defiant. As is so often the case with British military deployments, the RAF’s enterprise, like the Navy’s, was given a bucolic title, in…

One of the problems with plastic decoys is that they shine in the sun and the colouring is not correct. A field that is full of plastic mirrors will deter birds from quite some way away. If you’re going to doctor a plastic decoy, the half-shell types work the best. HOW TO DO IT: 1 On your outings, when you have dead birds, remove the wings at the main joint. Make sure the wings are not broken and the feathers are in good condition. Place them in a cool, dry place to dry out. 2 Remove the tail feathers as one and tape the quill ends together. 3 Taking your shell and some strong glue, follow the shape of the decoy to stick the tail and wings on to the…

Summertime lends itself to rabbit meat and this spring’s young will be perfect for roasting or pan cooking; juicy, light in flavour and full of tenderness. The only problem with rabbit at this time of year is that you have to stay up quite late to go lamping — an issue I have solved by having a late, boozy lunch and then going for a nap until about 9pm. I then awaken, sober and mildly angry, which I find to be a deadly combination when out lamping on the trusty quad. The trouble then is that I tend to stay out for quite a long time and dawn is probably just bruising the sky as I trundle home, tired and satisfied. This leads to grumpiness the following day and this…

As a frequent visitor to rural Spain, I keep an eye open for gundogs. I see setters most often, as these are dogs well suited to the Spanish style of shooting. However, I’ve rarely seen spaniels of any sort, other than pet cockers, which is perhaps surprising, as many historians believe that spaniels originally came from Spain. The English Springer Spaniel Club’s website suggests that the term “spaniel” comes from the Roman name for Spain (Hispania). It believes that the word evolved into its current spelling through a progression fromspagnell tospainell, then spanyell to spaniel. Another theory is that spaniel is simply an anglicised spelling of the French term for spaniels: chiens du Espagnol, or dogs from Spain. On a visit to Spain last month I was in the bar…

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…

Social media has been buzzing with the arrival of the first eggs of spring. Many keepers have been posting an array of nests and eggs found, including lapwing, grouse and snipe to name a few. I find it rewarding to see such enthusiasm. You will never forget the first nest you find. I was working on the estate with the help of my children and grandchildren. A beech branch that fell in the winter storms had blocked one of our woodland rides; some work with the saw and a bit of graft was needed to clear the track. “The eggs were warm and the children were careful not to remove them” I kept everyone at a safe distance while I cut up the branch. The plan was everyone would play…

1 Chevalier Garm nubuck breeks RRP £159.99  www.chevalier.se If you are looking to add a touch of European style to your shooting wardrobe, these durable men’s leather breeks are just the thing. Perfect for a day on the hill, they are naturally hard-wearing as well as noiseless, helping to keep your approach as silent as possible. Available in sizes S to XXXXL. 2 Gundog dummy launcher with canvas dummy RRP £94.99  www.innerwolf.co.uk If you are training a gundog for next season, this dummy launcher with canvas dummy will be a great addition to your routine. It teaches your dog to work to shot as well as helping it get used to the sound of gunfire. The dummy launcher can fire over distance, allowing a good variance in retrieves…

So Chris Packham and his acolytes found a loophole in the legality of general licence system. The system was a working piece of legislation, fit for purpose and under constant review. We all, including Mr Packham, know that vermin need to be and will continue to be controlled. The current turmoil is not much more than an annoying and temporary frustration. Mr Packham should not be allowed the satisfaction of thinking that he has caused any more than that. As a naturalist, he must know that the efforts of pest controllers and keepers benefit fragile and rare wildlife. Pulling this stunt at nesting time must have done an enormous amount of damage to that delicate part of the ecosystem. How much money has this stunt cost the country, not just…

He could not have deflated me more completely if he had intended to. After much effort I had finally caught a proper, wild brown trout. The fish, which was almost 2lb, came out of the most unpromising-looking, brackish-smelling little loch on one of the smallest of the Shetlands. Up to that point I had only caught stocked fish and trout weighing in the ounces. I could not have been prouder of my fish. But Andy, the crofter on whose land I was camping, comprehensively ruined it. “That’s great,” he exclaimed. “Absolutely great, they have come on so well since we put them in.” The fish, it turned out, had been tipped into the loch from a bucket. The bucket had been carried less than a mile from a neighbouring loch,…

It is a late April morning and the sun that is warming my face rose nearly four hours ago. Most adult foxes will be lying up, so it is a good time to approach a fox earth with cubs in residence. The GPS location data from a milky vixen that I tagged on the nearby river meadows on Good Friday shows her last active position to be at 3.10am on the edge of the small wood that I am about to walk into. The lack of transmitted data since that last fix indicates that she is likely to be below ground, possibly with her cubs. I must tread carefully because if I spook her, she is likely to move them. Four days earlier, I had stalked through this same wood,…

Latin name: Euphorbia amygdaloides Common name: Wood spurge How to spot it and where to find it: You may not have noticed wood spurge during winter walks; a spindly bush with dusty leaves, it looks all but dead despite the fact that it is an evergreen. With the spring, it bursts into life — albeit in a humble way. It has a subdued beauty, with clusters of chartreuse-green flowers and long, narrow leaves that are often tinged with red. It flourishes in managed woodlands. Interesting facts: The flowers of the wood spurge have no petals or sepals but are held in cup-shaped bracts; this structure is unique to the spurges and is called a cyathium — where the flowers are reduced to the bare essentials. But don’t be tempted to…