Innholdsfortegnelse for 18-Mar-2020 i Shooting Times & Country

A report by the RSPB has concluded that more forestry doesn’t necessarily equal a healthier climate. While this will come as little surprise to many readers, those who threw their support behind various political parties at the last election based on vague promises to plant “billions” of trees might find cause for thought. The report makes it clear the likes of non-native commercial conifer plantations have little positive impact on the climate crisis because “more than half the harvested timber is used for less than 15 years and a quarter is burned”. When we were in the throes of peak political tree posturing, it appeared that no consideration had been given to what sort of forestry was actually going to be planted where. But who would bother planting and maintaining…

21 MARCH BASC NI ANNUAL GUNDOG DAY Larchfield estate, Lisburn events.basc.org.uk/ events/ 21 MARCH INTRODUCTION TO WOODPIGEON SHOOTING Middleton Lodge, Richmond, North Yorkshire events.basc.org.uk/ events/ 21-22 MARCH WEST OF ENGLAND GAME FAIR Royal Bath & West Showground, Somerset www.westofengland gamefair.co.uk/ 28 MARCH SHOTGUN & CHELSEA BUN CLUB LADIES CLAY SHOOTING EVENT Mid-Wales Shooting Centre, Ffinnant, Powys shotgunand chelseabunclub. co.uk/events/ 31 MARCH GWCT ROADSHOW — TAUNTON The Corner House Hotel, Park Street, Taunton, Somerset gwct.org.uk/events/ gwct-roadshows/ 1 APRIL GWCT GAME CONFERENCE The Shropshire Conference Centre, Shrewsbury gwct.org.uk/ events/calendar…

Curlycoat Twister wows Crufts crowds A curlycoated retriever called Twister has taken top honours in the BASC gamekeepers’ class at Crufts. The rules of the class require that the dog is a working gundog owned by someone who is “employed as bona fide head, single-handed, beat or under/apprentice keeper, riverkeeper, stalker or those retired from such a position”. His owners, keeper Brian Twigger and dog groomer Dawn Hall, have won the class with their curlycoated retrievers twice before, in 2007 and 2013. Coronavirus in UK: NGO cancels AGM The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation has announced that its AGM will be postponed in response to the spread of coronavirus in the UK. A statement on the organisation’s website said: “The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation’s AGM, due to be held at Hartpury College, Gloucester,…

I’m disgusted, who should I complain to?” demanded the well-spoken lady at the bar, drawing my attention unwillingly from the refreshing beery beverage next to my peanuts and open Shooting Times. “It’s really not acceptable,” she repeated. “It’s been going on all day, who is responsible?” I returned to my reading, studiously reviewing an advertisement for something or other while keeping an attentive ear on proceedings. The capacity of the Great British dining public to complain about their lunch is often hilarious, but most definitely not my problem. “Hello!” she continued. “It’s really not acceptable.” My blood ran stone cold; she wasn’t addressing the ever-helpful staff behind the bar; the object of her increasing and obvious dissatisfaction was me. I turned to view the person who, unbidden, was rapidly entering…

Muntjac heads presented for evaluation in 2019 were up a huge 62% on 2018, proof of the spread of this hardy and fecund species. After such a busy year in 2018, we at the CIC UK Trophy Evaluation Board (TEB) were expecting something of a drop in overall numbers in 2019. However, that proved not to be the case, with just under 100 more heads measured in 2019 and an additional 20 medals awarded. Roe numbers were down a little, but were compensated for by other species. The highest score measured came from Northumberland. This should perhaps not be a surprise as we have seen over the past few years an increasing number of quality Northumbrian animals being presented for evaluation. They have slowly been creeping up the scale of…

What cover crops do you grow on the shoot? Are you one of those who sticks to the same reliable things year after year, or do you have a spirit of adventure? If you have had a few failures over the years, it is easy to hold to a tried and trusted recipe. I understand this, but with the increasing area that we as a community grow, a little bit of experimentation is surely good. The latest National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) survey of gamekeeping and its contribution to conservation says that the average shoot grows 11 hectares of cover, or about 27 to 28 acres. All that ground has enormous potential to deliver more than just good shooting, and the more adventurous we are, the more we are likely to…

With the ever pressing demand to engage upon technical questions arising out of guns, boats, punts and other gear attendant on wildfowling, the lighter vein of storytelling is inadvertently passed over to another week and another. Then nothing is told of the joyful excursions experienced and revealed by so many of my delightful correspondents. We reach an age that no longer permits the long, long pull, the strong, strong pull that enables us to tell the story. When there is nothing to reveal — save to sour records of blanks and persistent excursions similarly unsuccessful — the lesson may be well learned, but there is no story. So if you have not a story to tell, or at best but a melancholy pronouncement that your futile efforts have taught you…

I once toured the basmati fields of Haryana Province, north of Delhi. Basmati is, to me, the world’s finest rice, with a long needle-like shape and heavenly fragrance. In India, it is regarded the same way we might view a Devon red ruby cow – a rare breed among hybrids. There are hundreds of different versions of biryani and dozens — if not more — of methods. I learned this creamy, aromatic one in a Delhi home kitchen and it has become my staple. It can be adapted to all sorts of game meat – just prepare as for the venison and make sure it is slow-cooked until tender. VENISON BIRYANI THE METHOD Serves 4 Ingredients FOR THE SLOW-COOKED VENISON ½ TSP TURMERIC 2 CLOVES GARLIC, CHOPPED 1 TBSP GRATED…

BILL HARRIMAN BASC’s head of firearms and global authority on guns MAT MANNING Airgunner and journalist from the West Country DIGGORY HADOKE Vintage gun expert, firearms dealer, author and journalist 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 TONY BUCKWELL Veterinary surgeon with a special interest in gundogs 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 CIC international trophy judge…

Latin name: Silene uniflora Common name: Sea campion Other names: Sea pink, seaside catchfly, dead men’s bells, witches’ thimbles, devil’s hatties How to spot it and where to find it: Look closely at those dense clumps of blue-green foliage, low to the ground, when on seaside walks. Sea campion is a semi-evergreen perennial, whose attractive grey-green leaves die back in the winter months and reappear in the spring, producing pretty white flowers in late March through to late summer. It is a hardy little treasure in coastal areas, appearing on cliffs, rocky outcrops and even sand dunes. Happy in sandy conditions, it is also tolerant of very rich soils and thrives in both full sunlight and some shade. Interesting facts: Sea campion is similar in form to bladder campion and…

WOLF After centuries of retreat, the wolf has made an astonishing comeback in Europe. In recent years, wandering individuals have reached Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark, and increasing numbers are breeding in Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Italy. Wolves are protected throughout much of their western European range, usually with compensation paid to farmers who have suffered livestock losses. Some countries, such as France and Norway, have occasional culls. In Belarus, bounties are still paid for wolves to be shot. Wolves are remarkably adept at living alongside man, yet are rarely seen. Though individuals may be nomadic, packs retain a territory that may be anything from 100 to 1,000sq km, depending on the food available. In Scandinavia, reindeer are the preferred prey, but in much of Europe it is roe…

1 Orton packable jacket RRP: £199.99 gb.harkila.com This jacket is one of the lightest and most versatile jackets in the market. Not only is it completely windproof and waterproof but it also has a little trick up its sleeve. It can be packed down into its own pocket, which makes it very handy when there is a sudden downpour and you are caught unawares in the field. 2 Key-Point Active trousers RRP: £99.99 gb.seeland.com These smart but practical trousers offer excellent protection from the elements and allow full freedom of movement. With built-in reinforcements on the knees and back, these are trousers that are made to last. This combination of durability and flexibility makes them an excellent choice for the fieldsports enthusiast. 3 Deluxe general-purpose cleaning kit…

CHECK Keep an eye open for the return of ground-nesting birds. Curlew, oystercatchers and lapwings are beginning to return to their upland nesting grounds. Approaching nests can attract predators to them so monitoring from a distance is best. Using traps to catch carrion crows and snaring or shooting foxes are proven to have a positive impact on nest success. BIRDS Keep feeding wild birds. With spring finally starting to arrive it can be tempting to think that there is no need to keep feeding birds. However, until the weather has warmed significantly, insects have begun to appear and fruits and seeds are available, many birds will continue to struggle for food.…

The first days of March have brought respite from the winter storms. Rain and wind seems to have lashed the estate for an eternity and the very thought of spring seems weeks away, but this can suddenly change. The days are stretching out and two sunny ones can alter the whole scenario. Lapwings can now be heard in buoyant mood, performing aerobatics. You get the feeling that nest-building is hours away. But as the chill of the afternoon air descends, the dancing behaviour of the lapwings changes into a more sombre feeling when the birds sense the arrival of a squally wintry shower. This brief spell of activity makes me anxious about my preparations in advance of the spring predator control campaign. Predator work is a continual duty on a…

IN A RECENT COLUMN I told the story of a spaniel of mine that collapsed during a bitterly cold and wet shooting day. I carried her back to the car, where she was revived in the heat of the passenger footwell. My conclusion was that she had collapsed from hypothermia, but that was a very amateur diagnosis. A far more likely cause was hunting dog hypoglycaemia (HDH), a condition I admit to not having heard of until reader Geoff Blake emailed me about it. Geoff is a keen rough shooter with several spaniels, and has considerable first-hand experience over the years of working them. He also lives in Northern Ireland, where they get a fair share of challenging weather conditions. He told me that he had a frightening episode with…

Ostensibly a deer cartridge, the distinctive .256 is better known as the 6.5x54. Launched into the British market by Mannlicher agents in the late 19th century, the rifles often appear with a British maker’s name. Magazine rifles were beginning to rival double express rifles and the .256 was advertised as suited for “smaller varieties of dangerous game”. Best quality ammunition cost 18 shillings, loaded with expanding bullets. With an effective range of up to 500 yards, it was used for all manner of overseas adventures, as well as seeing military application. Like the .275 Rigby, WDM Bell used it on elephants. The pencil-shaped bullets have great sectional density and a high ballistic coefficient. Today, the 160-gr bullet, travelling at a little under 2,200fps, falls just short of the legal requirement…

I was skiing in Glenshee, Aberdeenshire recently and saw grouse zooming low across the pistes on several occasions. One single bird sat on the snow just a few yards away from a busy ski tow, seeming to enjoy watching the spectacle. Eventually, two young snowboarders sat down almost next to the bird, apparently intent on having a picnic in the snow. The grouse stalked away slowly, as if reluctant to relinquish its sunny spot. Later that same day, I drove from Glenshee northwards towards Braemar. Just a mile or so along the A93, I spotted two pickups parked in a layby. One had trailer with an Argocat on it. I pulled in and scanned the snowy hillside. Eventually, I spotted hinds, though I couldn’t see the stalkers. On my way…

A cocker spaniel belonging to well-known deer stalker Paul Childerley has been stolen from his kennel at Beckerings Park in Bedfordshire. The six-year-old dog, named Duke, was snatched along with a spaniel and a Patterdale terrier belonging to one of the estate’s gamekeepers. The spaniel has since been recovered from an address near Rugby. The theft, which took place at around 5.30pm on 10 March, is not the first time Mr Childerley’s kennels have been targeted. Last year another of his dogs was stolen and subsequently recovered. After the previous theft Mr Childerley had increased the security of the kennels, installing roofs and doubling the number of locks. However, a vehicle, believed to be a Kia Sorento with Irish number plates, was used to rip the bars from the kennels.…

I congratulate Richard Hardy for describing his feelings when called on to despatch a mortally injured, but heavily pregnant, fallow (Country Diary, 19 February). Many of us who manage wild deer feel the same way in such circumstances. It may be an occasional and necessary evil to avoid leaving dependant fawns but that does not mean it does not reach into our souls. Like Richard, I have questioned whether I should hang up my deer rifle, so I was grateful to read his article. Let us hope that those who would either try to stop us — or, probably worse, try to dictate our activities from the position of utter ignorance — will appreciate what it means to do what we try to do with as much care and appreciation…

I have worked in the gun trade for more than four decades and have seen any number of weird firearms. However, that long experience could not prepare me for a bizarre-looking Japanese pistol that I was asked to restore the other month. This was an 8mm Hino-Komuro pistol made in about 1908. At that time, the revolver still reigned supreme as the handgun of choice. It had been perfected by the mid-1880s and bore no resemblance to the flimsy models that Colt first offered in the 1840s. Successful revolvers were soldier-proof, robust, reliable and powerful, with the military models firing very large bullets. “In 1992, 17 Hino-Komuro pistols were found in a Japanese warehouse. The government destroyed most of them” For all its supremacy, the revolver was under threat from…

I was flattered recently to see myself described on the letters page as Shooting Times’s gundog expert. I do admit to having acquired some expertise while writing this column for the past 20 years, but I think that to be a proper gundog expert, you must have run a kennel, perhaps bred a field trial champion or possibly handled at the highest level. I’ve done none of those things, while I have friends who insist that I have never trained a dog, either. That’s not true but I’m not a good trainer, which is why I don’t write training articles. Writing a column like this does mean that I have enjoyed a wide variety of gundog experiences that I wouldn’t have done otherwise. I have been out on a shoot…