Innholdsfortegnelse for 01-Sep-2021 i Shooting Times & Country

Scientists at BASC and the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust are asking for the help of wildfowlers to better understand what is happening in the populations of ducks and geese. Fowlers are asked to submit a wing from each duck they shoot, which will be examined by scientists to work out the ratio of younger to older birds and males to females. BASC’s head of wildfowling, James Green, encouraged Shooting Times’ readers to take part: “Our wing survey provides us with a hugely valuable source of data. Once this year’s season starts, we would encourage wildfowlers to take part in the survey.” Wildfowler Dr Tom Cameron, senior lecturer in animal ecology at the University of Essex, endorsed the study: “I would strongly encourage responsible wildfowlers to take part in the wing…

While we all deplore the taking of life and the misery that has followed for the grieving families of those murdered in Plymouth, why was the perpetrator — having had it removed after an alleged assault — given his firearm back to wreak havoc in such an appalling fashion, killing young and old alike? These tragedies are mercifully rare and by no means the fault of law-abiding shooters, so why are we now potentially facing additional hoops to jump through, in terms of even more restrictions and possible medical/ psychological checks for all certificate grants and renewals? Who is to pay for this? I think we all know the answer to that particular question. But the question nobody seems to be asking is why are the police not being held…

Richard and I had agreed to meet in the Exeter Arms at Barrowden at 7.30pm, and I was late. The rain, which had been crashing down all afternoon, had eased up and the evening was given a brief douse of sunshine before evening drew in. As I headed down the A43, the lorry in front of me kicking up a spray from the puddles, I noticed a huge flock of pigeons startle and get up off an oilseed rape stubble. I slowed and pulled into a side road to investigate. “I noticed a huge flock of pigeons startle and get up” Sitting in the car on the verge, I watched on as a steady stream of pigeons, perhaps one a minute, flapped over the road above two withered and tired…

Every hedge that my business partner, Richard Gould, and I lay, coppice or cut, is done with wild game in mind, even if the farm on which we work doesn’t shoot. It’s a pragmatic ideology — if it suits grey partridges, it suits all lowland wildlife. Richard was a headkeeper and his mantra is that a pheasant only becomes a good one if it has spotted the Guns. Partridges, particularly greys, are the total opposite. “The secret in presenting grey partridges well,” says Richard, “is to remember that a wild covey is a family unit. When they are driven with the wind, rather than harried, they fly together in the direction of safety. If they think that is over a hedge to their front, they fly confidently, not knowing what…

I had the rifle sighted with the GPO 2.5-15x50mm scope supplied and chose to test factory rounds. The Federal 95-gr is always accurate and the 783 shot three rounds under an inch at 100 yards with a velocity of 3164 fps and 2,122ft/lb. The Hornady SST is a good all-rounder too, measuring 2,827fps for 2,290ft/lb and consistent 1in groups – it’s fast for a 129-gr bullet as well. If you want to go heavier, Remington’s own 140 AccuTip load gave 1.25in groups and 2,580fps for 2070ft/lb. Lead-free was unavailable. I was after roebuck so I loaded up with the Federal 95-gr and fitted a sling to the moulded attachment points. It’s a light gun – even with an Evolve moderator – so it was no effort to lug around. The…

If you are unsure about rodenticide resistance in your area, the Rodenticide Resistance Action Committee has an interactive map on its website that is well worth a look. You can zoom in on your location and find out what is known nearby (rrac.info). If you are far enough from a known site, the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) is still offering free tests by the APHA, which is how I found out about my situation (thinkwildlife.org/anticoagulant-resistance-project).…

THE METHOD Makes 18 croquetas , serving 4 as a main course with the peas and beans 1 Heat the milk and chicken stock to boiling point with the leek, nutmeg and bay leaf, then strain through a sieve and pour back into the pan. Set aside over a very low heat, so that it stays hot. 2 Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until the flour turns a light golden brown. Be careful not to let the flour burn. 3 When the roux is sandy in texture, add one third of the milk while the pan is still over the low heat. Leave without stirring until the liquid is boiling rapidly, then beat with a…

RIFLES Q Should I buy a muzzle can-type sound moderator for my Remington .223 fox rifle or an over-the-barrel type? Which would be best? A It really depends on several factors regarding your rifle. How long is the barrel? Is it a sporter or varmint weight? If the barrel is 20in, for example, then, personally, I prefer a muzzle-can type that fits directly to the muzzle, as it will not increase the overall length of the rifle by too much and very effectively reduces the noise. If the barrel is any longer and heavier, then the addition of this type of sound moderator can make the gun feel muzzle-heavy and a bit unwieldy. Then I would certainly consider an over-the-barrel-type suppressor, as now at least half of the moderator’s length…

Towards the end of the summer, when there is still a chance of low water, I’m often drawn to using the Collie Dog fly. This is an old Scottish fly pattern designed in the late 19th century. It was probably one of the first, if not the first, hair-wing salmon fly. I favour this all-black version but will try silver-bodied and sunray versions, too. With small tube flies, I will happily use a size 16 double or treble hook. Thinning out the dressing on the fly can be effective. The Collie Dog fished fast, stripped square across the fish in fast water, is a highly productive way to fish. AS…

Scotland’s fieldsports and gamekeeping organisations are facing their most serious political challenge in recent times as the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Scottish Greens enter a formal pact. The SNP is the largest party in the parliament but is short of an outright majority. They will need the support of the seven Green MSPs to push through much of their legislative agenda. Crucially, Green votes will be needed in order to pass the legislation needed for a second independence referendum. The move has sparked concern because of the close connection between the Scottish Green Party and anti-shooting campaign groups such as Revive and OneKind. In the recent past, Green MSPs have written guest entries on one of the UK’s leading anti-shooting blogs and used emergency COVID-19 legislation to introduce…

PREP Get your beaters and pickers-up together, provide tea or coffee and a roll and let them know what is going on. Effective beating and picking-up teams need to be built and maintained. Well-briefed beaters who feel valued and who know what to expect will do a better job and are less likely to be poached by another shoot. FISHING Late summer and early autumn is the time to fish big terrestrials for trout. Hoppers and daddies are deadly flies late in the season, especially if the real thing is blowing in off the land.…

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is consulting on a proposal that would hamstring efforts to protect the country’s diminishing songbird numbers by removing magpies from the general licence. On page 15 of an 87-page consultation document, NRW says: “We consider that magpie may not be suitable for inclusion on general licences in light of evidence of decline in their Welsh population.” To back the claim that magpies were in serious decline, it cited evidence that between 1995 and 2018 the Welsh magpie population dropped by 43%. What it fails to mention is that data on magpie numbers is relatively poor and the decline may be a much more modest 19%. It does not mention that some songbirds, whose nests magpies predate, are in even steeper decline, with greenfinch numbers having dropped…

I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t have a soft spot for the wild rabbit. Hard-nosed farmers who curse its existence, want not for extinction but merely sensible and sustainable numbers. Conservationists marvel at how their unique close-crop grazing has sculpted our landscape, and men, women and children treasure their blissful memories formed while hunting the humble bunny with gun, rifle, dog or ferret. Everybody has a tale to tell about the rabbit. Once thought of as being as common as a bee or a sparrow, it wasn’t until the rabbit’s struggle was highlighted in the media that the wider world began to realise what cherished creatures they are, though they’ve had their scuts up against the wall, or hedge, in a battle for survival. Barometer A solid barometer…

Decorated British soldier, skilled intelligence officer, brilliant ornithologist — Richard Meinertzhagen was all those, but he was also a fraud and quite possibly a murderer, too. What is beyond dispute is that he was a fascinating and complex character — and the more you learn about him, the more intriguing he becomes. Though he was born into a wealthy and well-connected merchant-banking family, he was uninterested in a career in banking and instead joined the Army, starting his career in India where he had his first opportunity to go big-game hunting before going to Burma. However, his ambition was to go to Africa, finally joining the King’s African Rifles in Kenya in 1902. He shot his first Thomson’s gazelle within a month. He was a great advocate of small-bore rifles,…

Among the driven shooting community there is, quite rightly, something of a stigma about putting an immature bird in the bag. There are few honest men — and honest women, of course — who can claim never to have clobbered a pheasant poult that flushed amid a covey of partridges on an early-season shoot day. I must admit to having mistakenly committed this sin — and more than once. It’s not really excusable but, on a sunny day and on a well-stocked shoot, it’s inevitable that a few ‘squeaker’ pheasants will have wandered out of the coverts and into the flushing point of a partridge drive. As embarrassing as it might be to mistake a short-tailed pheasant poult for a partridge, it’s not the greatest crime in the world —…

OUR VERDICT “This model is bang on trend and gives the performance of a more expensive option” We don’t all need — or want — an expensive stalking rifle. Whether your decision is financial or practical, you can still achieve a blend of value, reliability and accuracy with a Remington Model 783. This budget bolt-action design is aimed at the hunter who needs a workhorse rifle; one that’s always up to the task with no frills or fancy extras. It’s ideal for a beginner or a seasoned stalker looking for a reliable back-up. The Model 700 is the top-of-the-line model, but the stripped-back 783 action does not lack for anything. Built for repeated use, this Sporter-barrelled rifle tips the scales at just 7.25lb and, with a 22in barrel, is easily…

One of the best shooting tips I’ve ever received was from a pot seller at the West of England Hound Show. I’d finished watching the otterhound classes — I think the Dartmoor triumphed — and wandered into the trade aisles in search of a pasty and pint for lunch. A small crowd had gathered round one stand and I was pulled into the throng as willingly as a young pigeon into decoys. And there was the pot seller, busy flogging sets of six saucepans. With an expert’s eye, he noticed when a potential buyer was hesitant and then gave his memorable cry, “Madam, I’m not one of those here-today, gone-tomorrow blokes. I’m here today and gone today.” Here today, gone today. That, round here, should be written in the dust…

“GERMAN shorthaired pointers are rubbish.” It was a statement made with an air of authority, but there was a twinkle in the eye of the man making the claim during a Norfolk pheasant shoot, revealing that this was a windup, phrased in a way that he knew would provoke a debate. It succeeded and, for the next 10 minutes, the arguments about the merits of the various HPR breeds flowed as freely as the sloe gin. I listened with interest, but didn’t say a word — I followed the maxim that it’s better to stay quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all possible doubt. I heard claims that German wirehairs were too headstrong, Weimaraners had been ruined by the show ring, German longhairs…

When hand feeding was the norm, and hopper feeding was a relatively new idea that the older generation of keepers kept telling us wouldn’t work and wouldn’t catch on, it was commonplace to add aniseed to the wheat in our feed bags as a safeguard against wandering. A few drops mixed in with the wheat was all it took to not only keep our own birds at home, but to entice our neighbours’ birds over the boundary as well. Or so we were told. True, birds seemed to wander less back then, but that probably had as much to do with stocking densities and the strain of birds as what we added to the food. Having said that, liquid feed additives do appear to be getting more popular and there…

One of the limitations of the human eye is the inability to keep in focus at one time the back side, the foresight and the target, and the telescopic sight is an instrument to overcome this disadvantage. After the age of 40, the eye loses some flexibility of focusing power and the fitting of a riflescope will often rejuvenate the rifle shooting of those no longer youthful. It cannot be too strongly stressed, however, that the telescopic sight is only a sight and the fitting of one will not convert a poor rifle into a good one. The beginner is usually wildly enthusiastic after his first glance through a scope, and the size and clearness of the target makes him wonder how he can ever again miss. But his first…

WILLIAM EVANS William Evans lays claim to having been with Purdey on this label, which caused a stir at the time. Purdey objected and it was generally thought that this was due to his having worked in the shop, rather than as a gunmaker. His guns were built in the trade (primarily supplied from Birmingham factories) and sold from his shop in London’s St James’s district; 63 Pall Mall was the address from around 1890 and Evans remained there until a bomb landed on it in 1944. The firm has traded from 67 St James’s Street ever since. The label is black leather with gold embossing and lacks the 1910 boast of appointment to the Duke of Connaught, but retains the Purdey claim. That suggests a period from the earlier…

Latin name: Narthecium ossifragum Common name: Bog asphodel Other names: Lancashire asphodel, bastard asphodel, maidenhair, moor gold, yellow grass How to spot it and where to find it: Look out for golden clusters of star-like flowers standing out against the greens and browns of peat bogs, damp heaths and moorland. The glowing yellow of bog asphodel adds bright colour to the landscape, flowering from June through to August. Then the plant turns deep orange as seeds appear. Spread by rhizomes, it is a creeping perennial with upright stems and leaves arranged in a flattened fan around the base of the stem. Interesting facts: The Latin name, ossifragum, translates as ‘bonebreaker’. This stems from the belief that the plant made the bones of grazing livestock brittle. However, it is now known…

Now it’s September, it’s time to talk about thermals. I mean, of course, the use of thermal-imaging technology for shooting. Thermal-imaging (TI) spotting scopes and rifle sights have become almost de rigueur for foxing. In the context of pest control, TI has been described as a game changer. And it probably is. There remains considerable controversy, however, about the application of TI in deer management. There is a division between the use of TI devices for spotting deer and their use as rifle sights. The distinction is sharpened by various legal constraints, most notably in Scotland. But even here, there are proposals to relax certain regulations, so the direction of travel seems clear. Whatever you think of TI, you cannot uninvent it. And the technology is becoming ever more precise…

Anti-shooting campaigners have been left frustrated after attempts to link the deaths of five eagles in the Western Isles to shooting failed. Inspector Jane MacKenzie of Police Scotland explained what had been found: “Around 1.25pm on Saturday, 14 August 2021, officers received a report that two golden eagles had been found dead two miles south of Bragar on the Isle of Lewis. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances. “Enquiries are also ongoing after two golden eagles and a white-tailed sea eagle were found dead near Bowglass on the Isle of Harris on Saturday, 7 August 2021. “They were significantly decomposed but forensic work is being undertaken to try to establish how they died,” she added. The customary allegations about gamekeepers and lairds were rapidly being traded on social…

Hopes are high for another very strong goose shooting season, with good numbers of migrants expected and numbers of resident geese increasing. Migratory wildfowl are yet to arrive in the UK in numbers and, due to COVID-19-related disruption, data on their breeding numbers is relatively poor. However, there are reasons to believe that when the Iceland and Greenland breeding geese arrive, they will come in good numbers. The signs are hopeful, too, for a good bag of pinkfeet and greylags this year. Goose numbers in Iceland have grown to the extent that they have become a serious problem for the country’s farmers. The problems have worsened this year to the extent that there has been an effort to persuade the Icelandic government to allow out-of-season control of the birds. The…

The sight of chirruping English partridges breaking over a hedgerow in a howling gale is a rare sight. I count myself extremely lucky to have witnessed it more than once. The grey — or English — partridge is one of the most testing and beautiful game quarries to engage. The grey partridge is native, making it inarguably British. So you feel strangely proud as the birds emerge in their coveys towards you with bewildering speed and agility. They used to outnumber the red-legged (or French) partridge due to the combination of land enclosure, increased cultivation and intensive predator control in the 18th and, especially, the 19th century. These farming conditions boosted its numbers considerably and it became the most popular sporting quarry of the past century. I was cleaning a…

If I had a box of bismuth cartridges for every time someone has told me that vintage guns are nice, but for the amount of shooting they do “you need something modern because vintage guns won’t cope with the work”, I’d face the lead-free future with enough shells to see me out. Time and again, I hear the same thing. Vintage guns are fine for Boxing Day or the odd special event, but not good enough for day in, day out ‘proper shooting’. Experience tells me this is not the case. I decided that the best place to demonstrate some vintage guns in action might be a simulated day, being a strong believer that regular trigger time keeps the reflexes and muscle memory in fine tune. Being given the opportunity…

I have suspected it for a while, but confirmation popped into the inbox the other day. Four rat-tail tips that I had sent to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for genetic screening came back positive for second-generation anticoagulant resistance. From here on in, the two most used rat poisons, bromadiolone and difenacoum, will be as good as useless on my shoot. If we were daft enough to use them, we would simply be risking sending the chemicals up the food chain to the likes of our barn owls, kestrels and red kites, while having no significant impact on rats. So where do we go from here? Clearly, rat control is essential on any shoot, so giving up is not an option. This applies especially on a small wild…

A tricky subject that I’ve never discussed on this page is the unpleasant one of dog waste, or whatever you choose to call it. Clearing up is one of those duties that the majority of dog owners now take seriously, though whether it’s because they want to, due to a sense of social responsibility, or because of the threat of fines, is another matter. Most of us now take our dogs for a walk with a pocketful of poo bags. Forget the bag and you can be sure that your dog will perform in the most obvious and embarrassing place possible. I am a great believer in promoting canine public relations, by which I mean ensuring that the non-dog-owning section of the public has nothing to complain about when it…

PLANTS Q We are planning to put in a new patch of wild bird seed mix for next year. The ground will be free of crops after this harvest. Is it worth trying to sow something this autumn, or should we leave the land in stubble until next spring? A There are quite a few autumn-sown wild bird mixes available from specialist game cover suppliers and I would suggest planting one of these. This will mean that you will have some cover from early spring, when the countryside can be very bare, as all the main cover crop sites have been cultivated. As well as its potential as nesting and brood-rearing cover, your plot is bound to offer a good foraging area for songbirds feeding broods in nearby hedges and…

MUSKRAT (ONDATRA ZIBETHICUS) Names can often be misleading: the muskrat isn’t a rat, but is the largest species of vole to be found in Europe. It is both common and widely distributed on the Continent, found from southern France to Arctic Finland, though it is absent from Iberia and Italy, as well as the British Isles. The European population is descended from animals that escaped from fur farms and others that were deliberately introduced. The muskrat is widespread in its native North America and found conditions suited it perfectly in Europe, too. The fact that it is absent from Britain is surprising, for by 1930 there were at least 70 musquash (the fur trade’s name for the muskrat) farms here, leading to both escapes and deliberate releases. However, the Destructive…

VETERINARY CARE Q I am concerned that my dog is passing urine more frequently and was intending to try to provide a sample when I take her to the vet. Could you advise me on how best to collect a urine sample from a dog, please? A Collecting a urine sample is usually easiest when the dog is first taken out in the morning and its bladder is full. If it’s a bitch, try slipping a clean, dry aluminium foil food container under her as soon as she squats to void urine. If it’s a male dog, it may be more difficult with a dish, so try taping a glass jar to the end of a stick and then collect the sample using the stick to introduce the jar into…