Innholdsfortegnelse for 06-May-2020 i Shooting Times & Country

I keep reading that during lockdown, lots of us are having bizarre dreams. The thinking, from Sigmund Freud types, is that when we dream we are processing troubling memories. In a sense we are dealing, psychologically, with unfinished business. Needless to say this new way of living has, for many people, been very troubling. I am not ordinarily a dreamer but over the past fortnight, I have awoken, on three occasions, from a vivid vignette in which I’m in the Hebrides and a covey of grouse flushes over a lochen, only for me to miss with both barrels. I’m not sure psychoanalysts would think it worth studying but in the sportsman’s mind, it’s certainly a case of unfinished business. Optimistically, I’m working on the basis that it will be possible…

SHOOTING PR Thank you for the article by Guy Adams (Why shooting should stay in the shadows, 22 April), which was one of the most intelligent articles regarding publicity I have ever read. It was pragmatic, logical and professional, and not driven by emotion. K Byrne, by email ADDING VALUE I could not agree more with Guy Adams. I come across all sorts of different personalities as I split my time between the concrete jungle of Canary Wharf, suburban north-west London and the beautiful Eden Valley in Cumbria — this last being my preference. The majority of people I come across have zero experience of hunting or shooting but they are generally interested in discussing the topics in passing. But for the masses shooting and hunting are not priorities. To…

A few weeks before the Government officially announced the coronavirus restrictions, it was already clear that we would all need to dramatically change our behaviour. The default setting of selfishness that is largely the sum of human nature required a revise. We would have to embrace a communal spirit if, as a nation, we were to counter COVID-19. Unsurprisingly, greed and self-interest reared their heads. Cheltenham Racecourse opened its gates so that people could gamble on racehorses, drink stout and cough viral spores on their neighbours. Shoppers went to the supermarkets and bought supplies in gluttonous quantities, ensuring others went without. It even occurred in the shooting world. My lip curled at the sight of Guns posting images on social media of bulging freezers, boasting of their profusion of game…

Lough Neagh was fished for its eels from the time of the first human occupation several thousand years ago. But until the middle of the 19th century consumption was local and trade minimal. The growth of the rail network changed all that, as so much else. The fish merchants at Billingsgate in London began shipping live eels over to Liverpool from Coleraine, the port near the mouth of the Bann, and then by train to London. The trade was much helped by the eel’s remarkable tenacity in clinging to life — kept cool and damp, they comfortably survived transportation, and on arrival could be kept in good condition in tanks for weeks. Quite suddenly Lough Neagh’s eels became a valuable commodity. I told the long and complicated story of the…

THE HILUX ticks all the boxes for me: good on the open road, fantastic off-road and enough room to carry pretty much anything you want to. The only thing it could do with is the addition of a rear canopy to cover the back, other than that top marks from me, but what is the bottom line? The Hilux does seem to hold its price in the second-hand market and they’ve appeared to be one of the more pricey 4x4s over the years. However, this workhorse version isn’t overly expensive. With the optional metallic paint, parking pack and tow bar, it comes in at £20,423.33 + VAT, which is pretty reasonable. So, the question is, can I hide one in the wheat bill?…

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 Contact the team Email: stanswers@ti-media.com By post:…

Latin name: Myosotis sylvatica Common name: Forget-me-not Other names: Robin’s eye, snake-grass, love-me How to spot it and where to find it: Most people will have seen a bright blaze of blue in ancient and wet woodlands, hedgerows, roadside verges and gardens. Without those clusters of five-sided blooms, however, the forget-me-not is unprepossessing, with narrow leaves and hairy stems. It likes moist but well-drained soil in sun or in shade. Interesting facts: In the language of flowers, the forget-me-not stands for friendship, loving remembrance and fidelity, and it was worn by lovers to ensure they would not forget each other while they were apart. Henry IV adopted the forget-me-not — and its French name, souvenez-vous de moi — as his emblem and motto in 1398. In Canada, the flower is…

STALKING Q As part of a conservation project about nesting birds on our shoot, we were asked by our landlord to fence off an area of woodland, which he financed. Having taken advice, we did this with 2m sheep netting and deer posts, but a year later we often see both roe and muntjac in the wood. We are at a loss to explain how they are getting in. Do you think we have set the fence high enough and should we try to raise it? A Keeping an area deer free is a difficult and ongoing task. There might be times when roe will use the topography to clear a high barrier fence, particularly if they can take advantage of a high side, but I doubt muntjac have the…

CONTROL Step up garden pest control. With birds now busily nesting, this is the time to deploy maximum effort to keep them safe. To legally control pest birds they must be causing serious damage; however, pest mammals such as rats and grey squirrels can be hit as hard as possible to give birds the best chance. LOOK Look and listen out for cuckoos. If your daily exercise takes you near areas of woodland, you may well be able to hear cuckoos calling or even spot their distinctive hawk-shaped silhouettes. The first large bands of swifts should also arrive soon; their silhouette is often described as anchor shaped and their cry is a ‘scream’.…

Satellite tags fitted to woodcock by the GWCT have unexpectedly sprung back to life. The tags fitted to two birds suddenly began transmitting locations again earlier this month. One of the birds whose movements Shooting Times has been able to follow is Fonthill Abbie II. Last autumn we reported that this bird seemed to be on her way to the UK for the winter as she moved steadily eastwards from Russia (News, 30 October 2019). True to her name, her tag placed her just outside Fonthill Gifford in Wiltshire in early March. Now there may have been a glimpse of her return journey. By 17 March she had arrived in eastern Poland near the town of Bezledy. She spent 12 days in woodland there before heading east. By early April…

videos and discussed through an online learning portal. My students loved the first week’s lessons and are asking about the topic for next week already. Megan Rowland has gone down a storm with my female pupils in particular, who have noted their admiration for her work in such a male-dominated world. I think she may have inspired more than a few girls. The following week featured Richard Negus talking to my students about how farming can work hand-in-hand with conservation, followed by Matt Cross talking about the dangers of monoculture. You have clearly brought together a team with a passion I am a teacher who has, in the past month, had to completely rethink how I would teach my students in lockdown due to COVID-19. We are running a full…

We live in extraordinary times. COVID-19 has changed the world as we know it. Even those of us who are lucky enough to live and work in the countryside will have had to make changes to our daily routines, and rightly so. True, we are shielded from many of the day-to-day problems affecting those without spreading room. Many of us can continue to work and, to a degree, carry on as normal, but the shooting community hasn’t escaped unscathed. There has been lots of discussion, both locally and nationally, on how shoots are going to cope, function and ultimately survive the 2020-2021 season (Sporting spirit will live on, 22 April). No one has a clear answer as to how things are going to pan out and a lot of the…

Even without a nationwide lockdown thrown into the mix, this is a relatively quiet time of year in the Irish stalking calendar. Seasons for all Irish deer species — except for muntjac, which is rarer than a dry November in Kerry — end on the last day of February and remain closed until September. There’s often a small amount of Section 42 work (under the Wildlife Act 1976 ) to do into March where deer are still causing damage. Open ground deer counts, where possible, are usually attempted in this month when hinds and calves remain distinct and most stags still have their antlers. But by the middle of April, attention is free to turn to another species entirely; the goat. Feral goats are not a protected species in Ireland…

The sun is finally shining. It has been the hottest April that I can remember for a long time. My birthday is usually a great occasion round Easter time, with lots of friends and family surrounding me. This year, I spent it sitting in front of a webcam and waving. How life has changed. It’s all very surreal. Conditions have been perfect for heading out shooting, yet all I can do is watch pigeons float by the window instead. I thought of this recipe when shooting was plentiful and we were all hoping for a successful season. Now, I’m writing it with the excitement of heading back out when we are all released from our pens. I have noticed a lot of well-known chefs are taking to social media and…

VETERINARY CARE Q I recently overheard someone talking about worms that live in dogs’ eyes. I had never heard of this and wondered if the person was either misinformed or simply confusing the risk of roundworm larvae from dogs infecting human eyes. Could you comment? A While you are correct that visceral roundworm larvae can migrate to the eye, this person could well have been referring to an infectious parasite that has become increasingly common on the Continent and could represent a health risk to dogs in the UK. The canine eye worm, also known as Thelazia callipaeda, is carried by fruit flies, which are now quite common in the UK. The risk of a dog contracting eye worm infection in the UK remains low, unless your dog travels abroad…

The .270 Winchester was designed in 1923 as a hunting cartridge for long-range — then 500 yards — medium gameshooting in mountainous areas. It is a necked-down version of the .30-03 Government and originally carried a 130-gr bullet at 3,140fps. In the post-war period, the .270 became extremely popular in the US, where gun writer Jack O’Connor championed it. It later gained popularity in the UK with stalkers. After some manufacturers began selling lightweight rifles chambered for the .270, it developed a reputation for being excessive in recoil and uncomfortable to shoot. That reputation dogs it still, making it hard to sell used .270 rifles. Yet there are bargains to be had for those who appreciate the capabilities of this round, which, with modern optics and well-built rifles, is capable…

I recall the owner of a holiday cottage complaining that her guests didn’t want to see people carrying guns in a place known for its wildlife. The cottage is located on a site made famous for wildfowling by the Victorian sportsman-naturalist Abel Chapman. In 1964, the area was designated a national nature reserve with the active support of wildfowlers. It remains an iconic wildfowling destination with a permit system. It emerged that there had been some noisy behaviour by a few early-season fowlers using an access point near the cottage in question. That was easy enough to put right. But the notion that holiday makers who visit the countryside should not be exposed to countryside traditions is not so easy to address. Who was there first, wildfowlers or holiday cottage…

BASC is urging the police to be consistent in the COVID-19 advice given to the shooting community amid reports that some forces have blocked essential fox control during the lambing season. Duncan Thomas, regional director of BASC North, said: “Some forces are getting this right and some forces are getting it wrong. But with lambing season in full flow, a refusal to allow essential fox and crow control is of significant concern for farmers’ livelihoods and the lambs’ welfare. “It is a nonsense to suggest that this work can only be done by paid ‘professionals’,” he added. “The countryside does not operate like that and BASC is challenging this with the police.” Fox shooter and Shooting Times reader Eric Zwiggelaar said: “At this time of year fox control is vital…

New head at BGA Liam Stokes has taken over as the chief executive officer of the British Game Alliance (BGA). Mr Stokes (below), who was previously head of campaigns at the Countryside Alliance, has been working outside the shooting world developing rural policy at Defra. He takes over from Tom Adams, who previously worked at GunsonPegs. The BGA aims to promote best practice at all levels of the game supply chain through an accreditation scheme for shoots, game farmers and processors. Defra reminded of benefits of shooting BASC has reminded the Government about the value of shooting as it looks to relax the COVID-19 lockdown. In a letter to environment secretary George Eustice, BASC chief executive Ian Bell wrote: “We all look forward to the day restrictions on outdoor recreations…

I enjoyed reading about N Vardy’s discovery of a letter to James Wentworth Day (Letters, 22 April). Some years ago I was invited by a work colleague to look through his deceased grandmother’s library and take away any wildlife or fieldsports books before he dumped them. One of the books was Wentworth Day’s Marshland Adventure, of which I already had a copy and, being a Broads sportsman myself, had read. A few months ago I decided to read it again and picked up the rescued edition. I was amazed, on opening it, to find it was signed by the author (above) and dedicated to Sir Robert Bignold. Sir Robert was a keen Shot and chairman of Norwich Union at the time the book was dedicated. I have no idea if…

Saturday morning broke bright, sunny and windy. It felt like the first Saturday in a long time that the weather was pleasant enough to spend all day outside. It was strange then that, only a few days before, the country had been told to stay indoors. When that announcement came through, I thought not of whether I needed to bulk buy pasta, but about the fishing trips I had planned over the next few months. Trout fishing in Derbyshire, sea trout in Denmark and the possibility of sharks off Penzance. All of them were put abruptly on hold. It wasn’t long before my innovative fishing friends found a way to pursue their passion for the sport and I was promptly added to a WhatsApp group named “fl y-tying through corona”.…

Ever fancied spaniel steak, loin of labrador or perhaps a cocker cutlet? Of course you haven’t. However, according to the Humane Society International (HSI), a staggering 30million dogs are killed across Asia annually for their meat. Of these, about 10million are killed in China. In contrast, nearly 100million pet dogs and cats are kept in China. Most Chinese people don’t eat dogs, only a minority have ever sampled it and many would like to see the marketing of dog meat banned. Thus one good result from the coronavirus pandemic might well be a Chinese ban on not only eating dog meat, but also on the so-called wet markets where dogs — along with a wide variety of other animals, ranging from civets to bats — are sold live. There is…

what benefits they could bring. To me, breeding is all about improving on what you already have. I found that polecats simply do not bring anything other than size and power that a good working ferret couldn’t. Humans have spent many years eradicating the bad traits out of the polecat so it could evolve into the modern ferret, so why go backwards? They might be beautiful to look at, but beauty is as beauty does. They have next to no social skills and can be a nightmare to handle. They are too fast and powerful, working a warren at speed, are very skittish and have a tendency to skulk at the holes, and are far too possessive. These are all traits that were taken out in the domestication process without…

1 Hatsan AirMax bullpup PCP air rifle RRP: £457 edgarbrothers.com This rifle can fit 10 shots in at one time and is fitted with a fully shrouded barrel and an integrated sound moderator, making the rifle 50% quieter than the market average. It is ideal for getting on top of your rabbit and squirrel populations this summer. 2 Men’s zip-neck jumper RRP: £129 tomlane.co Made of lambswool, this quarter-zip jumper is ideal for layering under a coat in damp spring conditions, whether you are out shooting, fishing or simply taking the dog for a walk. It is available in various colours and in sizes S-XXL. 3 Herlet Tech long-sleeved shirt RRP £89.99 gb.harkila.com This men’s shirt is treated with Insect Shield to ward off ticks, fleas and…