Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2018 i Sporting Gun

How many of you still own your first shotgun? Speaking to various shooters over the years, I find that many still own their first guns. This month two of our readers tested the Lincoln Vogue HSX, which some would describe as an entry-level gun. One of them summed up the nostalgia many of us have for our first guns saying: “You probably wouldn’t want to part with this gun, even if you upgraded.” It shows what an important place these “entry-level” guns have in our sport. On a different matter, you will see on page 4 that Robin Scott will no longer be Editor-at-Large. However, we couldn’t let him go that easily and he will still be contributing to the magazine, so watch out for his features in the New…

There is something truly enchanting about shooting on an estate with more than 300 years of history. Especially when that estate is perfectly positioned among the rugged crags and fells of the Lake District National Park, and blessed with commanding views out over the Duddon estuary towards the Irish Sea. Ashlack Hall is an ancient English manor house, once owned by William Kirkby, a 17th century tax collector, who collected the taxes but omitted to send the money to the Treasury and instead bought the estate and refurbished the house. In the ensuing centuries the estate was broken up, but over the years it has been slowly re-assembled by the Keegan family, with the first purchase made after the war by the late Wing Commander Keegan. The Guns were all…

We’ve all been there. We’ve all watched 1,000 pigeons feeding peacefully on a field of oilseed rape for more than a week, only to see them disappear over the horizon, never to return, on the day that we decide to shoot. So, why is it so difficult to make a decent bag on one of the most widely grown crops in the farmer’s rotation? As always with wild creatures, there is usually a good reason for their behaviour and the hard part for us decoyers is to identify any chinks in the pigeons’ armour and then exploit them to our advantage. Feeding Pigeons only begin to take an interest in winter rape when more nutritous alternatives have been exhausted, it being a fallacy that they love the stuff above all…

The Royal Berkshire Shooting School (RBSS) is well known for its shooting competitions with big prizes. Now a new competition has just opened at the RBSS called the Royal Flush, which is open to all. As the name implies, it is a simulated game competition of 100 targets. The targets are presented from five stands, each named after a sponsor. Perhaps the most innovative stand was the Aon Walk Up. It replicates walked up shooting with the competitors making their way through a woodland path with targets presenting themselves every few steps. You have to be able to take a snap shot to do well at this one. In five minutes I went from one end of the shooting spectrum to the other because the next stand was simulated grouse…

Vet’s advice Neil McIntosh SG’s gundog health expert Reading between the lines let me list your dog’s clinical signs: • Lethargy • Weight gain • Bilaterally symmetrical alopecia • Skin changes • Itchy skin When viewed like that, it would seem most likely that your dog has an underactive thyroid, referred to as hypothyroidism. In very large breeds, the condition occurs between two and three years old, but in Labradors and retrievers, it is between six and 10 years before it starts to develop and cause problems. What is the thyroid gland? The thyroid is situated in the neck and is part of the endocrine system. It uses Iodine to produce two main hormones; Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4). A part of the brain called the hypothalamus produces Thyroid Releasing Hormone (TRH), which influences the…

Recently I’ve been closely following a heated debate on Facebook regarding the difference between a roughshooting dog and a trialling dog, and which is better. To cut a long story short, an Irish gundog trainer challenged handlers from the field trial fraternity to compete their dogs against his non-registered, roughshooting, old-style springer spaniel in what he referred to as a “test” not a “trial”. He believes the field trial world has been responsible for producing small, showy, mostly white English springer spaniels with no substance and this has led to the demise of what was traditionally a well-built, heavily marked dog that was a “Jack of all trades” – a truly, multipurpose gundog. Needless to say, the debate and the challenge soon degenerated into a slagging match that became quite…

As I drove around the field edges with the vehicle to meet Gary. Alfie, who knew exactly what was going on, and girding his loins, was grumping away in the back. I let him out and attached the tracking lead I use. Alfie had his nose up straight away, this could have been the deer carcase that my colleague had shot earlier, which was lying on the verge, but Alfie’s nose was high and scenting into the wood, always a good sign. The question was, is it deer he is smelling or the blood of the shot doe? We went into tracking mode and walked around the top of the wood to take the big lad on the route we had seen the doe run. On turning to go down…

Gun cleaning gloves Some people may think I’m getting soft in my old age, however, this is a handy tip in my opinion (pardon the pun!). I use a pair of latex gloves when cleaning guns. These disposable gloves are good for the job because it allows the you to feel what you’re doing while preventing grubby fingermarks left all over the gun. It also stops oil and other gunk from getting on your hands, keeping everything cleaner. I discovered this trick while loading on the grouse. You can often find yourself cleaning guns on the hill, rather than a gun room, which can present you with some hygiene issues due to there being no hand washing facilities. Having gloves in my cleaning kit can prevent my hands from stinking…

What I love about my job as an appraiser is the stories that surround the often mundane-looking objects. These objects are sometimes brought in alongside items that “appear” far more valuable, but looks can prove deceptive, as in the case here. This late 18th century English sword arrived with a whole bundle of other far better looking examples. It is obvious to anyone who looks at this sword to see it is in a sorry state. However, look closely at the wood grip and you’ll see the inscription: “This sword was worn by Lord George Gordon during the anti-Catholic riots. Broken at the burning of Newgate Prison”. Lord Gordon George Gordon was born in London on 26 December, 1751, the third and youngest son of the 3rd Duke Gordon. After…

After 27 years as editor of Sporting Gun – plus the last four as Editor-at-Large – I reckon this comment piece for the best shooting magazine of them all is about my 372nd. And last. Sad? Of course. How couldn’t it be when the title, its readers, contributors and advertisers have been my all-consuming passion for such a long time? However, new opportunities knock before the dreaded state pension kicks in in three years time. That’s not long, I know, but if I get just a fraction of the fun I’ve had here with the magazine, I will join the blue-rinsed Post Office queue a very happy man indeed. Editing Sporting Gun and maintaining its position as market leader all those years might’ve burnt up a lot of midnight oil…

Seeing straight! In the February 2016 issue you may recall a letter was published relating to the difficulty I experienced when shooting with varifocal glasses. Purely by accident I had discovered that I was shooting approximately two foot above my intended target at a distance of 30 yards. When I mentioned this to my optician, I was simply told that this was caused by a “prism effect” associated with that type of lens, but there was no suggestion how this could be avoided. This year I went to a different optician, mentioned this ongoing problem (and showed them the article). To my amazement, the optician said that this could easily be overcome by the use of bi-focal lenses instead. She explained that the upper part of the lens (for distance…

The French are known for being chic and this even extends to their shooting clothing. Take a look at the Sologne Skintane jacket and trousers from Percussion, and the style is evident from the moment you try the clothes on. However, when it comes to shooting you need clothes that will perform in the field, rather than just look good. After all, they are sporting clothes and you expect them to allow freedom of movement, breathability and water resistance. The Sologne jacket and trousers are made from polyester, which has been treated to make them waterproof. This is combined with a Skintane breathable lining. Many waterproof fabrics can leak when put under stress at pressure points, such as the knees and elbows. But, the Sologne jacket and trousers have knee…

“A boom rang out, followed by the plume of smoke, as the first bird folded” Wildfowling is a sport that has enjoyed its fair share of technology advancements in recent years. We now have top-of-the-range decoys and ingenious calls that have made their way to us from across the Atlantic. Not to mention the advantages of new materials to keep us warm and dry on those horrid mornings when we brave the seawall in pursuit of our passion. Yet, even though I am a believer in using this new tech to our advantage, every now and then it is nice to strip everything back to basics and venture out with a more traditional method in mind. I have a few friends that I shoot with who often follow this “old…

Having looked at a fowling piece last month, I was on the lookout for an all-round gun for this month’s review. I’ve been lucky enough to get an invitation to a keeper friend’s shoot in a couple of weeks, but I have a feeling I may get a funny look when I un-sleeve the 10-bore semi auto on the first drive! So, with that in mind, I feel I need something to use for a nice day out. Now in its 45th year as an importer and wholesale shooting equipment supplier, John Rothery Wholesale supports a vast array of kit with a good stable of names to look after such as FAIR, Lincoln, Aigle and newly-appointed Savage Rifles and Sport Plast decoys to name a few. I was delighted to…

Place: Hazel Bank Shooting Ground, Hazel Bank, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 OQQ. Tel 07852 785590. E-mail info@hazelbankshooting.co.uk Easy to find? No great problem. The ground is signposted just a couple of miles outside Knaresborough on the A6055 and seven from Junction 48 of the A1M at Boroughbridge. It’s opposite Knaresborough Golf Club on a couple of nasty little bends, so keep your eyes peeled. 5 Disciplines: Sporting, and one Down-the-Line layout. Because of the compact nature of this ground, one or two Sporting stands have to be made off limits when the trap layout is being used. Floodlit Sport Trap and DTL during winter. 6 Target quality/variety: Clays on the DTL layout are pretty much regulation stuff, and those on the Sporting stands are interesting and varied, but not a…

Expert advice Graham Watkins SG’s gundog guru The causes This is not an uncommon question and, in my humble view, handling is an important aspect of a gundog’s training and should not be discounted as simply being a “trick” or clever. If you plan to shoot over your dog, in any form, you will find it an invaluable skill. Handling skills: All gundogs should have at least some level of handling incorporated into their training programme and the failure to do so can cause issues later when out in the shooting field. One fundamental aspect of working a gundog is that we should have the ability to retrieve game whether it is dead or injured. In the latter case our dogs should be competent enough to make that retrieve quickly…

It would be true to say that our first trip to the new estate I manage was both successful and a bit of an eye opener. It takes years to truly get to know new ground and I don’t just mean the boundaries, there is always much more to consider than that. We have visited the site often without rifles to get a better picture of the estate as a whole. Safe shooting One of the most important aspects is where the high risk areas might be, for example where does the ground allows safe shooting? A rifle shooter needs a backstop, preferably soft rising ground behind the animal before a shot can even be considered. There is no point approaching areas where deer often frequent but no safe backstops…

INGREDIENTS Serves 1 • 1 woodcock • 100g puy or green lentils • 250ml game stock or chicken stock • A small handful of watercress • 3 spring onions • 2 rashers of smoked bacon • 1 clove of garlic • Rapeseed oil • Knob of butter Cooking method 1 Pluck and truss the woodcock, details of how to do this can be found online. Heat your oven and pre-soak your lentils, as detailed on the packet. Cover the lentils with plenty of fresh water; it should reach at least 5cm above the lentils themselves. Add the clove of crushed garlic and stock, bring to boil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. 2 Sear the woodcock in a hot pan with a splash of rapeseed oil and a knob of butter, colouring the skin, keep basting as you…

One of the questions I get asked most frequently is “how old is my gun?”. Most of the questioners have either just acquired a second-hand gun, or are thinking of doing so, and most of the guns have been made in the last 20 years, and usually in Italy, Spain or Japan. That’s fortunate for me, because I am not an expert on old British proof marks or serial numbers, but – and here’s where I do get lucky – two major gun-producing nations in Europe build date codes in the proof information stamped on their guns. Those nations are Italy and Spain. And Miroku of Japan, who make the traditionally-styled break-action Brownings, have adopted Browning’s date coding system in their serial numbers. Italian Let’s look at the Italian system…

200 The “Game Changer” initiative, launched by BASC’s Taste of Game and the Food Teachers Centre to teach 60,000 students to cook game by 2020, has been inundated with requests and has already engaged with over 200 schools. 70 More than 70 people turned out to be a part of the day as 10 Kent young shots tried driven shooting for the first time at Whitehill, near Canterbury. The nine to 16 year olds received instruction in safety, game management and respect for quarry. 300 More than 300 gamekeepers, land managers, farmers and policymakers heard how joining a Farmer Cluster can benefit wildlife on their land at a national conference at the Royal Geographical Society in London. 50,500 Grouse shoots in northern England generate more than 50,500 days of paid…

Jack Pyke pheasant cufflinks If you want to look smart and advertise that you are a countryman through and through, then these cuff links are just the thing. Price: £12.95 Visit: www.jackpyke.co.uk Ladies Extrelle jacket If you are a lady who takes her shooting seriously, then this waterproof, breathable jacket is for you. Making use of modern materials, this sporting garment is cut to allow freedom of movement and is designed to keep you comfortable on the most demanding shoots. Price: £209.95 Visit: www.gmk.co.uk Guardian cartridge bags Every shooter needs a cartridge bag and this is a rather nice one. Holding between 100 and 125 cartridges, it is available in leather (Canterbury), leather and canvas (Heritage Elite) or pure canvas (Heritage). All three designs feature a speed-loading flap, a full-length…

“I have a huge respect for animals... and wanted my work to reflect that” Julia and her life-size deer heads created quite a stir at this year’s Game Fair. If you were there you were bound to have noticed them. Her true-to-life deer heads, including real antlers, are covered in an array of fabrics from British tweed, William Morris prints, suede, leather or floral chintz. You name it, Julia will use it. Country girl Brought up in a village in Buckinghamshire, Julia enjoyed a country life with horses and shooting. Her father and brother are keen game shooters and she enjoyed beating and picking-up, training her own dog – an English springer – to compete in scurries. Julia headed to art college and studied model making, having previously done an…

“Drastic measures obviously had to be taken and I didn’t need askingtwice!” I had the misfortune to break a shoulder recently, so normal activities have been curtailed somewhat for a while. And instead of getting out and about with the gun, I’ve been reduced to pottering around, rather less enthusiastically, doing odd jobs, clearing up and tidying. It needed doing. The game room, workshops and what passes for my “man-cave” were long overdue for a major overhaul and declutter. Looking on the bright side, by clearing up and arranging the after-effects of a busy country life into some sort of order, the enforced “rest” will have been put to good use. Sorting out the study brought back loads of memories. I made the fatal mistake of dipping into my diaries,…

GUNDOGS GRAHAM WATKINS A professional gundog trainer for more than 35 years and runs Gamegoer Gundogs. VETERINARY NEIL MCINTOSH A practising vet in Scotland. TUITION JOHN BIDWELL 6 times World FITASC champ and pro shooting coach. LEGAL DAVID FROST Author of Sporting Shooting and the Law. TECHNICAL MIKE GEORGE Engineering author with a deep love of gunmaking. PIGEONS PETER THEOBALD Author of Woodpigeon: The Ultimate Quarry. STALKING GEORGE WALLACE Former National Gamekeepers’ Organisation’s firearms consultant. RABBITS ED COOK Professional rabbit catcher working over 30,000 acres. PEST CONTROL & WILDFOWLING TOM SYKES Passionate wildfowler and pest controller.…

“One or two of the best game and skeet shots have only one eye” Instructor: Malcolm Plant As another game season draws ever closer to closing a new clay season is on the horizon. I’ve been reflecting on all the shoot talk over sloe gins, or cups of tea. What targets do you find most tricky? Okay, I’ll start first. I am right-handed and left eye dominant and, unless I shut my left eye, I get a completely confused sight picture when trying to align gun and target. This is not much of a disadvantage, if any, when shooting clay disciplines like Skeet or Down-the-Line. In these activities all the target and gun placements are out in front, as crossing or going-away clays. Similarly with crossing or going-away pigeons or…

Over the past 10 years or so, the advancement in health testing our gundogs has come on leaps and bounds. There are a number of tests that cocker spaniels can undergo – one of the more common tests checks the health of the dog’s eyes. Twice a year, one of the foremost canine eye experts in the country, Professor Peter Bedford, runs an eye clinic in one of the local village halls. I decided to book Ted in for an exam. His sire “FTCH Rollafields Redbud at Naxshivan” and the dam “FTCH Meadowsedge Shooting Star” are both fully tested so I didn’t anticipate any issues, but it was worth it for my own piece of mind. I opted for the gonioscopy test, an eye examination, separate from the routine one,…

Ingredients • A small venison haunch •½tsp ground cinnamon •½tsp grated nutmeg • 1 large onion (pealed and sliced) • 1 clove garlic (pealed and crushed) • A few cloves •½ pint red wine • 7oz brown sugar Bone the haunch and rub it all over with the spices. Spread half the onion at the bottom of a deep dish, put in the meat and add the rest of the onion, the garlic and the cloves. Mix the red wine with the sugar and pour it over the meat. Leave in the fridge overnight, turning from time to time. When ready to cook, transfer the meat to an ovenproof casserole dish with the liquor and ¼ pint water, cover and cook in the centre of the oven at 170C for at least two hours or…

Max price: £1,500 Type: O/U Sporter Main purpose: Clays Preferred make: Any Mike George’s buying advice In a way, Michael has almost answered his own question because he clearly gets on well with the Beretta 686/Silver Pigeon range, and plenty of second-hand examples fall well within his budget. However, he is wise to consider other types and makes because there may be another gun that suits him even better than the Beretta Silver Pigeon. One thing I do suggest, because of his lack of experience, is that he goes to a gunshop attached to a shooting ground so that he can try guns before parting with any money. I know that is possible because, in an email too long to print in full here, he says that he is prepared…

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