Innholdsfortegnelse for 21-Sep-2016 i Shooting Times & Country

THE SAD IRONY of the latest State of Nature report, which looks at wildlife loss since the 1970s, is that as biodiversity has declined, the wealth and size of the organisations which authored the report have ballooned. The failure of the big conservation groups to save nature, despite their huge funds and power, makes the self-righteous quality of the report rather hard to take. It also makes the alienation of those who live and work in the country seem more foolish than ever. The fact that our wildlife is in such dire straits calls for a new direction rather than the same old battle lines being drawn. Farmers and gamekeepers hold the keys to successful widescale conservation, so winning their hearts and minds is critical. The blame game underlying this…

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) is inviting shoots across the UK to take part in its annual Shoot Sweepstake scheme. Those that take part will receive a variety of items to help run a successful sweepstake, including a collection tube, shoot cards, peg markers and cartridge collection bags, which can be used to help raise funds for the GWCT’s conservation work. As an extra incentive, participants will receive a bottle of sloe gin for every £100 raised and an individual certificate for each shoot, showing the amount raised during the season. Max Kendry, GWCT regional organiser, said: “Since we launched the scheme we have seen its popularity soar. We are very grateful to all of the shoots that take part and, in addition to adding a little fun…

24 SEPTEMBER THE FESTIVAL OF SHOOTING The Oxford Gun Company, Oakley, Buckinghamshire Tel 01844 238308 25 SEPTEMBER GWCT 200-BIRD TEAM FLUSH CLAY SHOOT Middle Ellick Farm, Somerset Tel 01373 836339 25 SEPTEMBER GLAD RAGS & CARTRIDGE BAGS CLAY SHOOT Findrack Sporting estate, Aberdeenshire Tel 07841 393155 1 OCTOBER SHOTGUN & CHELSEA BUN CLUB FIFTH ANNIVERSARY BALL & AWARDS Chesford Grange Hotel, Kenilworth, Warwickshire Tel 07742 793977 11 OCTOBER SCOTTISH LAND & ESTATES BRACKEN CONTROL DEMONSTRATION Atholl estates, Pitlochry, Perthshire Tel 01316 535400…

“It was a costly lesson — a pen full of poults is never immune to a fox hit, however good the vermin control” The period when the birds move from the release pen out to the estate can make even the most experienced gamekeeper quake. For weeks the relative security of the release pen has nurtured the valuable poults, keeping them safe, well fed and watered. But when the moment finally arrives for the birds to fly the nest, there’s no turning back. The pen gate is flung open and your beloved pheasants are set free. From now on, wire and electric fencing will not protect them from the horrors of the world. For all that, not everything was plain sailing inside my pen this summer. In the past I’ve…

The yaffle of the green woodpecker is a distinctive sound, especially in the spring, when males and females are setting up territories. Birds are relatively quiet during the breeding season, but when summer turns into autumn the volume increases and some of the laughing calls seem squeakier to me. I associate these with young birds, looking for their own territories. There is quite a lot of variation within the sounds that different birds make, which researchers have suggested allows individuals to recognise each other. Colourful characters A green woodpecker is a relatively big bird — about the same size as a collared dove. Unlike the two black-and-white woodpeckers, they actually spend little time pecking wood; typically, you’ll only hear them chipping away in the spring, as they create a nest…

ELEY VIP BISMUTH Bismuth is a great type of cartridge for the more traditional game gun, making them an ideal choice for driven days as they don’t follow some of the restrictions of steel shells. Eley VIP Bismuth come in 2½in shells, making them more versatile for traditional guns. They come in 34g loads with shot size 4 and 5, and use a photodegradable wad. These cartridges come in boxes of 25 like most steel, but cost more due to pricier components. VERDICT A versatile cartridge that can go through any gun, but the higher price makes them a better choice for driven shooting. HULL STEEL GAME Hull Steel Game are 2¾in shells loaded with 32g. They come in shot sizes 4 and 5 with a velocity of 1,350fps. Hull…

1 BARREL Steel, 32in long, both almost full choke 2 DECORATION Attractive scroll engraving to action body, furniture and breech ends of barrels 3 ACTION Break-open boxlock non-ejector with top-lever opening 4 STOCK Straight-hand stock, slim English fore-end and flattop chequering George Newnham is listed as setting up in the gun trade in 1866 and by 1905 the name, as on this gun, had changed to Newnham Limited, though still at 29 Commercial Road, Landport, Portsmouth. The company survived until around the start of World War II, with another change of name to Newnham & Co circa 1924. There is little doubt that this shotgun was made in the Birmingham trade for Newnham — a not unusual arrangement for many provincial businesses…

Arecent newspaper report suggested that a third of dogs develop some sort of cognitive decline from the age of eight, and two-thirds do so from the age of 15. Having known a good number of old dogs, this didn’t make surprising reading. Indications of dementia include the dog getting stuck behind furniture and needing help to get out, standing on the hinge side of the door rather than the side it opens, walking in circles, struggling to find its way around, forgetting what it has just done, even forgetting to eat, or failing to recall that it has just eaten. According to Professor Holger Volk of the Royal Veterinary College, contributory factors mirror those of humans, including eating more and exercising less. He also believes that a diet of cheap…

Plant: Broad-leaved dock Latin name: Rumex obtusifolius Common names: Batter dock, broad dock, butter dock, keddle dock, kettle dock How to spot it and where to find it: This large-leaved plant is familiar to children as an antidote for a nettle sting, and known to gardeners as a difficult weed to pull up thanks to its deep taproot, which can penetrate the soil down to 1m. The central leaf vein of a dock leaf is a lighter green than the leaves, or often reddish pink. Growing on any soil except acidic peat, dock’s yellow-flowering stems can be seen from June to October. Interesting facts: Defined by DEFRA as one of the five most damaging, or “injurious”, weeds to agriculture, broad-leaved dock leaves were once boiled and used as pig food…

“It dismays me when people from our community openly denigrate BASC or other fieldsports bodies” Money is a renewable resource. Time is not. Unfortunately, many of us spend the major part of our lives slaving away at work we don’t really like, for people who don’t appreciate our efforts. As the 19th-century American backwoods philosopher Henry David Thoreau is famously quoted as saying: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” I have been lucky enough to do many things — soldiering, stockbroking and setting up and running two successful companies, to name a few. Nowadays, farming and writing take up most of my working hours. But I have been a shooting man since I was at school, and that has remained a constant. Like many of us, I…

This picture of Monty the cocker spaniel on his last grouse drive has won BASC’s inaugural online “#twelfie” competition, marking the start of the grouse season. (News, 24 August). The photograph of the seven-year-old gundog looking out over the Angus Glens is titled “Monty’s Final Drive” and was taken shortly before an unfortunate fall that claimed the dog’s life. Owner Damian Smith, from Cheshire, said: “The win is tinged with sadness. Monty will be missed terribly. That said, he had just spent the first 10 days of the grouse season doing what he did best, working the beating lines in the Angus Glens. So I see this as a fitting tribute. “In the picture, I was trying to portray the fact these moors are managed by true professionals, and they…

Don’t buy dogs online, warns Kennel Club The Kennel Club is urging dog owners to go to responsible breeders, after new research found that 49 per cent of puppies bought online, without being seen first, fall sick within the first six months of life. The organisation said it is common for young dogs from puppy farms to develop severe diseases and conditions and around one in five of such puppies (17 per cent) end up with serious gastrointestinal problems. Furthermore, the study found that many prospective dog owners are not prepared for the financial cost of caring for a sickly puppy, with 32 per cent having to spend more on veterinary fees than they accounted for. Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club secretary, said: “It’s absolutely shocking that people are still buying…

“British farmers have embraced the conservation agenda” Farming in the present day is a living, breathing and dynamic industry; it produces food, delivers for the economy and takes responsibility for the iconic British countryside. British farmers have embraced the conservation agenda. They have planted or restored 30,000km of hedgerows, they reserve the borders of their fields to plant wild flowers for birds and bees, they are ensuring cleaner water and they are using less fertiliser and pesticides than ever. Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture have fallen by 16 per cent since 1990. Two-thirds of farmers have signed up for Britain’s trail-blazing and world-renowned agri-environment schemes. As proof of some success here, more than 130 different bird species – seven for the first time – were recorded by more than 1,000…

There is something very English about shooting partridges over stubbles in September. Once, the majority of driven shooting in England was partridges; not the French red-legged variety but our own beautiful English, or grey, partridge. Modern agriculture in the 1980s sadly had a huge effect on the stronghold of the grey, but there are committed landowners and farmers out there doing their utmost to see this amazing bird flourish once again. Traditional driven partridges were presented over tall, thick hedgerows and belts of trees, with excited Guns waiting on the other side. However, these days you are more likely to see partridges added as an exciting extra to a shoot day. Many small farm shoots and syndicates will put down a few partridges to add to the variety of a…

“The stag had one eye on the delicacies growing in the owner’s polytunnels, and the other on the appearance of the soon-to-be-irate crofter” September offers a whole new range of stalking opportunities. Shortening days not only mean welcome later starts and earlier finishes but also, for most, the red stag stalking season gets into full swing. The Scottish season is shorter than elsewhere in the UK, and its demands mean that the physical effort required from stalkers and guests is considerable, as lungs and limbs are pushed to the limit, and late-season midges are dodged. The challenges offered by early-season stags are different from rut stalking. Animals are likely to still be in groups, and many eyes and ears need different strategies to singletons. Overall, it is the time of…

HAMMER GUNS by Diggory Hadoke (Merlin Unwin Books) Antiquarian gundealer Diggory Hadoke explains to owners how to enjoy the advantages that hammerguns have to offer. Containing more than 200 full-colour photographs, this book celebrates the elegance of the hammergun and gives a comprehensive account of its aspects and a thorough history of its provenance and use in all types of shooting. A true delight for all firearms enthusiasts. Price: £30 (hardback) ISBN: 9781910723258 Get your copy for just £25 plus p&p by quoting code “Shooting Times”. Tel 01584 877456 or visit www.merlinunwin.co.uk . Offer closes 31.12.16. THE ETHICAL CARNIVORE by Louise Gray (Bloomsbury), published 22 September Fed up with friends claiming to care about where their meat comes from, Louise Gray put her principles to the test…

Stalking in the rain STALKING Q Is it a disadvantage to go out stalking in the rain? I think that I am much less successful when I do, but that might be down to me rather than any lack of deer. Any thoughts? A That’s a good question with a variety of possible answers. As far as it goes, rain and bad weather impacts as much on wild animals, including deer, as it does us. When the weather is poor we tend not to be afoot and often neither are they. Some however, such as hill-living red deer, are more immediately exposed to prolonged bad weather than those that have easier access to cover and to shelter. One opinion, which is often voiced, is that deer have a dislike of…

As autumn starts, juvenile shelduck disperse from the estuaries and saltmarshes on which they have been raised, turning up anywhere on the coast and even well inland. A chick is likely to have been hatched in a rabbit burrow, haystack or hole in a tree, before facing a potentially hazardous walk of up to 3km with its parents to the safety of water, when just hours old. Many youngsters from previous years, along with adults that have failed to breed, travel to the other side of the North Sea in late summer, where they become flightless during the main moult period. In September most will still be in the Heligoland Bight of the Wadden Sea, along with thousands of other shelduck from around western Europe. Birdwatchers always fear that there…

“Our congratulations go to all the winners, particularly Hawksrigg Aurora and Rachel Murray (both pictured). This was Rachel’s first field trial and she should be very proud of her bitch’s performance.” Kennel Club secretary Caroline Kisko congratulates Labrador Hawksrigg Aurora and her owner Rachel Murray for winning the All Aged Retriever Field Trial. £20,000 Holt’s Auctioneers has donated more than £20,000 to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust after raising funds at its 12th annual charity clay shoot. The trust helps to fund talented craftspeople, including gunmakers and engravers.…

ATTEND If you’re looking for a fun day out for the whole family then head to The Festival of Shooting at the Oxford Gun Company in Oakley, Buckinghamshire, on Saturday, 24 September. From clayshooting, archery and axe-throwing to zorbing and climbing walls, as well as gundog and bird of prey demonstrations, there should be something for everyone to enjoy. More experienced Shots will also be able to take part in a 50-bird sporting competition, Browning Rabbit Mania and a Pool Shoot, all with great prizes up for grabs. Tel 01844 238308 for more information. EAT Before you carve faces into your pumpkins next month, why not try mixing this seasonal squash with some equally seasonal game by having a go at our delicious pumpkin partridge recipe? This Italian-inspired dish has…

A 200-bird charity shoot at Stawell Clay Shooting Club in Somerset has raised £600 for Prostate Cancer Research UK. The winning team claimed 175, with the runners-up taking 167 and 157. In the spirit of the Olympics, gold, silver and bronze medals with red, white and blue ribbon were presented along with prizes. Feeding pregnant sows seaweed extract could improve piglet health and remove the need for antibiotics, according to researchers at University College Dublin. Their study suggests that the extract changes the structure of the gut, cutting the risk of scouring during weaning. Scotland’s salmon farming industry will lose its £200million US export market if it continues to shoot seals, according to a senior US fisheries official. It has been given five years to comply. Faversham Town Football Club…

KEEP IT CLEAN Like T. Sullivan and many other Shooting Times readers, I deplore those who intimidate and harass others partaking in lawful activities, and do so wearing masks and balaclavas to prevent their identity becoming known (Letters, 7 September). I decided to see what video evidence was available online and found many filmed incidents of hunt saboteurs in disguise harassing hunt followers. But what took me completely by surprise was the number of similar incidents filmed by hunt monitors of equally disgusting harassment of them by hunt followers, again all masked to prevent identification. Those of us who take part in hunting, shooting and fishing must accept we need to convince a sceptical public of the validity and moral rectitude of our actions against a tirade of negative publicity.…

“All that lay between The Shack’s garden and the delicious riches of the seashore was a narrow footpath” I had planned to finish our autumn grey partridge count and tell you how well, or how badly, our birds have fared this summer. But I can report only that after several days of fine partridge-counting weather, when shoot-partner Jim and I were busy with other things, the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse. Sodden grey skies and blustery winds swept this corner of Wiltshire, resulting in us having to postpone for the time being. Grey partridges hate strong winds buffeting their bottoms; when it’s blowing a hooley, they tend to tuck themselves somewhere cosy, which makes accurate counting nigh on impossible. As always, across the farm we’ve got lots…

Colm McNutt originates from County Derry in Northern Ireland and is helped by his partner and underkeeper Beverley and their three-year-old daughter Lilly, who loves to muck in around the shoot and feed the pheasants. Colm works on the farm during the day and runs the shoot in between. He and Beverley have created 12 drives on Dale House, with four or five used on each day, hosting an average of 12 beaters and two to four pickers-up. Vermin control is a vital part of their job and late-night lamping reduces the foxes around the farm during summer months. “As well as the early-season partridge days, we have driven pheasant and walked-up days, too. We like to rear powerful and hungry pheasants on Dale House and we release 1,000 of…

Cartridge choice can create an interesting debate in all areas of shooting. From manufacturer and loads through to the size of cartridge and shot you opt for, there is a lot to consider. Ultimately, however, your choice of duck ammunition will come down to the gun and cartridge combination that best suits your needs. The best way to determine this is by testing cartridges through pattern plates or in the field. My selection of cartridges (right) has something for everyone, whether your duck shooting is driven, over flightponds or foreshore. My personal favourite is the Gamebore Super Steel — they are fast, they pattern well and give clean kills. Times have changed since the first non-toxic shells hit the market and we are now fortunate to have a great choice…

IT’S AN INDICATION of my age that the first partridge I shot was a wild grey, walked-up in barley stubble on the North Downs. Today, the M20 motorway cuts through the site where I shot my bird, and I’ve no idea whether any wild grey partridges can still be found in the area, close to Brands Hatch racing circuit. I didn’t have a dog at the time, and I remember running-in like an untrained spaniel to retrieve my bird successfully. It was nearly a decade later that I was invited on my first proper partridge day on a friend’s shoot in Essex. At the time the release of red-legged partridges for shooting was still something of a novelty, and it was the first season that this shoot had released any.…

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 rifl e 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…

With their white bodies, black-tipped tails and black wings, plus the distinctive black-and-white hackles (necklace), the light Sussex is one of the most recognisable of chickens. Poultry historians claim that this is one of the oldest of breeds, tracing its origins back to the time of the Roman invasion of Britain. By the 19th century it was one of the most popular breeds in Britain and, as a result, also around the world. Originally bred as a table bird, it is also a good layer, with hens typically laying around 250 eggs a year. It comes in a variety of colours, from red to silver, but retaining the distinctive black markings. Its good looks make this a popular exhibition bird — the cocks are particularly eye-catching — while its friendly,…