Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2018 i Sporting Gun

Just before Christmas I had the honour of watching the first ever girl win a car in a clay-shooting competition. Ami Hedgecock took home a Toyota Aygo in The Schools Challenge at The Oxford Gun Company. The boys’ competition was won by Will Weaver, who walked away with the keys to a Volkswagen Up! You can read the full story on page 5. What struck me about these two young Shots was how much they enjoyed shooting. Even at competition level, they relished the adrenaline rush they got when they were on the stand. Will even has his eyes set on the Olympics! With young people like this entering shooting I think we can agree that the future of our sport is in safe hands. I hope you enjoy this…

“Sourcing her tweed in Yorkshire, the linings of the clothing are hand-painted” Emma Brown is a country girl through and through, brought up beating, shooting, ferreting and picking-up. Both she and her husband, Matt, also run a shoot locally. When she’s not busy tending to the pigs and sheep on the farm, she’s out loading or picking-up, working her two cockers that she has trained herself. Oh yes, she’s also a busy mother with teenagers and a toddler, and has recently launched a very successful ladies range of shooting clothing. “It all started out rather obscurely,” says Emma. “I was rearing calves, one of which was very ill, so I made it a tweed coat to keep it warm. This got me thinking. I had bought myself a tweed coat…

“Lapwings need relatively open ground to nest and rear a brood successfully” Once a familiar sight on farmland, marsh and moor, the lapwing, or green plover, has sadly become something of a rarity in many parts of the UK, particularly in lowland agricultural areas where it has suffered a steady decline of up to 80 per cent since 1960. More commonly known as “peewit” due to its distinctive call, the species has shown a continuing drop in numbers since the World War II, mainly through loss of suitable habitat. The widespread draining of marshes, to enable more land to be ploughed up and used for agriculture, and to provide drier grasslands for intensive grazing by cattle, has resulted in the widespread loss of much of the lapwings’ favoured wetland environment.…

I guess I could be classed as a traditionalist where nets are concerned. I certainly favour the traditional form of setting longnets over modern-day solutions. I use longnets on a daily basis, mainly with the aid of ferrets, but sometimes at night as well as via dropnets and I was lucky to be taught by expert netter, Mick Mansbridge. So what is the traditional form of longnet compared to a modern version? To start, a traditional net, to me, is handmade and normally constructed from a natural fibre such as hemp, flax or linen. A modern-day net is generally regarded as a nylon, factory-made version. The setting and collection of a traditional net is carried out via two pins on the end of the longnet along with a series of…

In my view, game shooting is only defensible if every bird that is shot ends up on the table. Without a decent picking-up team the chance of that happening is slight. So, what makes a good picking-up team and how do you get to be part of one? Self-evidently you need a decent dog, and preferably two or three. The breed doesn’t matter so long as the dog is biddable and has a good nose and soft mouth. Spaniels, which excel in heavy cover, and Labradors, which are especially good in water, head the popularity stakes. Goldens, chessies, HPRs, flatcoats and various Heinz mixtures can all earn their keep if you get one from a working strain. Getting started Ideally, dogs should all be trained to field trial standard and…

Graham Brown has many years experience within the clay circuit, either as a competitor or as a course designer. Having been brought up on a farm he started beating on a game shoot at seven years old and a multitude of rabbits on the farm nourished a phase of ferreting. This was followed by the acquisition of a BSA Meteor, with Graham managing to bag 11 rabbits on his first outing. He began shotgun shooting aged 15 and by 18 was clay shooting. He had a rapid rise in his status when only a year later he was competing at county level, having practised at a now defunct clayground in a quarry only 500 yards from his shooting school in Dorset. Graham said: “I got as far as I could…

Expert advice Graham Watkins SG’s gundog guru The causes I assume you have researched and bought a puppy that has a good working parentage. If so, with luck, your little dog will have a certain amount of natural talent already embedded in her genes and it will now be down to you and your training to bring out the best in her. Spaniels are “pre-programmed” to hunt, it is their most basic instinct and, to be honest, there are two trains of thought when training a young spaniel. Some trainers, especially if they plan to compete in field trials with their dogs, like to concentrate on getting a puppy whizzing about “play hunting”; others like to get a dog retrieving first and then concentrate on its hunting at a later…

Roe deer can be tricky little beggars, you can never be certain where or when they will appear. It is that behaviour that makes them such a challenging quarry to hunt. The number of times I have been out observing their movement over a few days, only to be outwitted on the morning I decide to catch up with them is countless. Observation forays are the back bone to the deer manager’s daily life, without spending the time gathering the invaluable information that is gained on these outings, stalking would be pure guesswork, resulting in fewer successful trips. It is not a simple matter of spotting roe deer on these outings, sightings of deer are, of course, invaluable, however the additional intelligence gathered from those sightings is really the jewel…

Slipping into leggings This season has been a little moist up north with numerous wet days out on the shoot beating. I have never been one for wearing waterproof leggings because, to put it bluntly, they can be a pain to get on in a hurry. I happened to be loading on a shoot day the other week when I witnessed a little trick that makes it a lot easier to get your waterproof pants on in the field. The gentleman in question used a carrier bag over his welly to help slip through the leg of the waterproofs and made them slide on with ease. This is something that I have tried since and wished I had known a long time ago. The other handy thing with placing a…

• Max price: £850 • Type: Three-shot semi-auto • Preferred make: Must be a long-established manufacturer Mike George’s buying advice Did you know up to 75 per cent of all the Land Rovers ever made are still on the road? What’s that to do with guns? Well, in an article he wrote in 2013, gunsmith Jason Harris compared the Browning Auto 5 to the Land Rover in terms of long-lived reliability. The story of the Auto 5 is fascinating. John Moses Browning designed the gun around the turn of the last century. He first offered the manufacturing rights to Winchester, but they didn’t like the terms Browning offered, so John Moses changed tack and went to Remington. It was almost as if the manufacture of what was at one time…

Cold feet I’m a new clay pigeon shooter and have recently got my licence. I’ve bought my first gun – a Beretta Silver Pigeon – with help from premier guns, near Ashbourne. I have gradually been buying the other bits and pieces. I’ve bought the best I can afford with the things such as vest, ear plugs, glasses and so on... but I made a basic mistake. I had an existing pair of wellies for general use and thought that these would be suitable for shooting, but as the weather started to get colder and wetter, I couldn’t feel my feet, so it pays to research and buy the best each time. I’ve now ordered some neoprene-lined wellies Chris Via email Ed - Thanks for your email, Chris. It always…

Holland Cooper is a luxury brand clothing company founded by Jade Holland Cooper in 2008. Jade is from a farming background, brought up hunting and shooting in Suffolk, eating game from the farm. Her mother was a fashion designer who had a studio on the farm so Jade had the best of both worlds, farming and fashion. When it came to university, she had to choose between a place at the London College of Fashion or the RAC at Cirencester. Plumping for Cirencester, she started studying for an agriculture and equine degree. While there she realised that there was a gap in the market for fashionable country clothing, so she came up with a business plan, launched Holland Cooper and said goodbye to university. Launch Launching the business at Badminton…

“The flight was turning out to be productive” The shooting season is always a hectic time for me, the days seeming to fly by. To slow things down a bit, I take the occasional break from busy game days to enjoy the laid-back pace of wildfowling. I’ve always found wildfowling to be a great release from the stresses of life, the foreshore or estuary being beautiful places to go and watch the world go by. Goose and I managed to get a day off from work and beating, so I decided to grab a handful of decoys, my gun, a pocketful of shells and head to one of my favourite ducking spots for a tide flight. Goose always perks up when I head into the mancave and start to sort…

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.…

Foxing during the winter can be easier than during the warmer months because most of the livestock has been taken indoors – leaving the fields nice and clear. Not only that, but much of the ground vegetation has also died, giving better visibility. On the downside, a lot of the work has to be done on foot as the ground is often too wet to drive on. Although foxes are primarily interested in mating at this time, there usually isn’t much to eat unless they have territory that includes a game estate or there’s someone lambing nearby. Unsurprisingly, the remains of any dead pheasants that have been missed by the picking-up teams don’t last long when food is scarce, so it’s always worth checking any likely areas. Sheep – and…

“It’s really well worth a look at as a good all round gun, especially on a budget” As my search continues for a sensibly priced over-and-under for me to use at the end of the season, as well as into the spring “clay season”, I have been asked to take a look at the ATA Sporter. I looked at their semi-automatic earlier this season and was very impressed. Imported by Sportsman Gun Centre, these Turkish guns are hitting the market hard. With a lot of options and a great price point, it makes them hard not to miss. The Black Action Sporter starts at an impressive £599, with the “Elegant” sideplate version topping out at £799. I was sent three versions to look at, but to be fair to Dan…

Q&A session at the end of the day. Its aim is to teach people about the etiquette of game shooting and give them an insight into the background to the sport, turning participants into safe and competent shots. The day starts with a brief introduction to what goes on in the months preceding the shoot – the “from egg to peg” talk, as Chris calls it. This is a subject close to his heart. Going game shooting for the first time can be nerve-wracking. After all, you are not familiar with the etiquette and you might worry that your marksmanship is not up to the standard of the other Guns. But do not fret, as help is at hand at Lady’s Wood Shooting School. A game-shooting masterclass here lasts a…

Most of my friends have more than one dog, they may have a spaniel or two for beating, a retriever for shooting at a peg or picking-up and a few of them even have a “terrorist” (terrier) to keep the rodent population in check. But, just imagine that you could only have one dog and that canine companion would have to accompany you on all your countryside activities. The question is, does such a dog exist and, if so, what breed would it be? Could you even train a dog to undertake the various tasks required for it to earn the “perfect countryside companion” title? Versatile I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of capturing images of the majority of the Kennel Club registered breeds. I have photographed breeds from Belgium…

I will admit to being a fan of the Photon. It got me into NV shooting and over the years I’ve owned, or used, every subsequent release. It’s perhaps a testament to the product that I still own and use three Photons with a variety of mods and upgrades. The new RT (real time) follows in the family tradition, but now has a plethora of upgrades that put it right back in the game. So, here’s the headlines in brief; 768x576 CMOS sensor, 6/12x magnification, six reticles in four colours, integrated video/ audio and stills recording (8GB total), software evolution (firmware upgrades in other words), live streaming and wifi connectivity to iOS and Android, quick change power packs plus an improved IR. Handling Yukon has done a great job in…

INGREDIENTS Serves two to four Cooking method 1 Heat the oven to 160C. Truss the bird. Add some oil to a deep oven proof pan or casserole dish and heat until smoking then seal off the legs by browning for about five minutes on each side. Take off the heat and rest for three to five minutes. 2 Cut the carrots length ways, cut the leeks into large chunks and add to the pan along with the potatoes and mushrooms. Then, add the sausages whole to the pan. Cover the pheasant and vegetables with warm stock. Add the crushed garlic, thyme and handful of parsley to the dish. 3 Place the pan in the oven and cook for 75…

Those among you who know the name Pieper will associate it with either small calibre semiautomatic pistols, or possibly from the variety of inexpensive, single-shot Flobert (rimfire) rifles that Belgian gunsmiths churned out by the boatload. It is very easy to dismiss these arms, along with the plethora of Belgian-made hammer shotguns as cheap rubbish. However, Belgium, like most gun making countries, made high quality arms as well, and Pieper was no exception. Henri Pieper was born in the German town of Soest in the Westphalia region in 1840. After basic training in machining and a brief employment at a woollen mill, he apprenticed with a gunsmith named Warstein. Quickly becoming a talented metalworker, Pieper emigrated to Belgium in 1859 and subsequently mastered his craft in Herstal, Verviers and Liege.…

16 Geoff Saint and his Hungarian wirehaired vizsla Molly (aka Hourra Du Domain St Hubert) won the 16th Hunt, Point and Retrieve (HPR) Championship held at the Elveden Estate, in Thetford, in November. £4,000 Angus gamekeepers have raised almost £4,000 to support children and families at a charity clay shoot. Staff from Glenogil Estate decided to host the shoot in aid of Tayside Children’s Hospital. 80 More than 80 butchers, restaurateurs and hoteliers in Scotland were treated to fresh, locally sourced venison, grouse, rabbit and partridge in a special event hosted by the Angus Glens Moorland Group at the Rottal Estate in Glen Cova last month. £120k Salmon & Trout Conservation’s recent auctions and charity dinner raised £120,000, which will be used to tackle river pollution in England and Wales.…

Southwick body warmer by Champion This gilet made from 360gsm polyester fleece is designed to keep you warm. It even has a printed polyester lining, which will stop the fleece clinging to your clothes and is unusual to find on a body warmer at this price. There are two zipped side pockets and an inside zipped pocket. Price: RRP £29.95 Visit: www.bisley-uk.com Harkila Metso Rucksack Chair This very practical rucksack also acts as a chair, which is handy when you need to be seated above cold damp ground. This rucksack is lightweight to carry and has all the features you would expect from Harkila, including an abundance of useful pockets and a gun holster with quick connect attachments. It has its own raincover for added protection in harsh weather. Prie:…

On 2 December 2017, members of La Chasse de la Voularnerie shoot in France, under their chairman Patrick Rivolet, made a third twinning visit to the West Cheshire Shoot, which is the first shoot in the country to formally twin with a French shoot. A few weeks earlier, the West Cheshire Shoot vice chairman, Steve Davies, led four syndicate members on this year’s visit to La Voularnerie. The programme included a day’s boar shooting and a day’s pheasant shooting, together with magnificent, traditional French hospitality. As this promised to be a unique experience, I was delighted to accept the kind invitation from chairman Paul Teasdale to spend the day in the Cheshire countryside. Shoot history Owned by Charles Tomkinson, the West Cheshire Shoot was originally a partridge shoot more than…

As the wild geese fly south to spend the winter in our country, a small team of like-minded fowlers and I fly north to spend three days trying to ambush them on their feeding grounds and roosting lochs. Our chosen destination for the past three years has been the Orkney Isles – all rugged coastline and windswept farmland. The outfitter who looks after us is Steve Rogers, having taken over the reins at the end of last season. As with all wildfowling expeditions, weather conditions are crucial to any success. So it was with barely concealed delight that Robbie, one of our team, announced during the flight that 45mph winds were forecast for the entire trip. Great, except we still had to land at the tiny airport of Kirkwall, so…

Whirlpool of geese Reaching the lakeside at the bottom of the lane, there was an unexpected cackle of greylags. High above the distant woods upriver, a small skein was motoring down the valley with the wind behind it, obviously after traveling some distance. Side-stepping into a bracken clump, I watched them pass right over, showing no sign of stopping until almost out of sight, when for some reason they swept around in a wide arc and headed back towards the lakes. Others followed from a similar height, and soon there were several lots milling around, cackling excitedly as they circled the lakes as if unsure of what to do. One lot was losing height and, circling lower, set their wings and fell towards the open water, whiffling down over the…

I’ve had two foxes that are lamp shy. Chris Reed and I have tried to get them with the night vision, but they bolt as soon as they hear my new vehicle, so I’ve set up a live trap. You apply very similar principles as to where to set a live trap as you do with snares. I know the areas where I see the two foxes and there are clearly defined routes they regularly take. I have placed the trap just off one of these, with a ripe dead pheasant hanging in the back. The trap simply closes when something steps on the trip plate. Not rocket science, but very effective. All I have to do is check the trap on a regular basis, twice a day, and humanely…

If you use sticks, make sure they are set at the right height or your chances of missing your target will skyrocket. Before starting an electronic caller and/or setting an ambush, always check that your scope’s mag is where you want it and that it’s focussed at the right range. Be aware that if there’s been a hard frost the ground will be noisy to walk on, so plan ahead! If you have to drive off-road, be cautious of sliding into danger, getting stuck, or messing up the ground. If there’s any doubt – reverse back out rather than put yourself at risk.…

This competitively priced shotgun had its ups and downs with our reader testers, Beau and Richard. At first they liked it, then they weren’t so sure and finally they loved it. What was it about the ATA Sporter with a laminate stock that got them so excited? The first thing that impressed both was the price – around £650. “It looks very similar to a Beretta 686, which would cost you a lot more than the ATA Sporter,” says Richard. “But I’m not sure about the powder finish on the barrels. I have a friend with an expensive shotgun with that type of finish and it rusts.” Beau is keener on the finish, suggesting that perhaps it’s more hard wearing; and even Richard concedes that a matt finish would be…

VFU’T BEWJDF Neil McIntosh SG’s gundog health expert Excessive thirst (referred to as polydipsia or PD on veterinary case notes) is not in itself a diagnosis, but it may be indicative of disease. There are, of course, some “innocent causes”, such as hot weather, prolonged exercise, change to a dry diet or increased salt in diet. Sometimes, all can play a part, so that your bitch, who might have lost fitness and body condition during her pregnancy, has found it hard to get going and your fellow beaters have been feeding her crisps! A quick review of how much you expect her to achieve physically and the quality of her food is worthwhile. Causes Regardless, persistent polydipsia should be considered a significant clinical sign that certainly deserves investigation. This need…

Age 23 months As I head rapidly towards my sixth decade on this mortal earth, I have found myself creating a short bucket list of things I would like to achieve before I shuffle off to wherever I am heading. Don’t worry, I don’t have any plans to disappear soon but I know that, physically, things will get harder as I get older. Number one on my list is to shoot a walked-up grouse over one of the cockers. Now, I realise that, in the big scheme of things, this may not compete with a wing walk or a bungee jump from the BT Tower but, for me, it has been a long-held dream and one that I had to try and achieve before my legs and lungs decided that…

Do you remember that scene towards the end of the film of Frederick Forsyth’s The Day of the Jackal, when the Jackal loaded the rifle with which he planned to assassinate President de Gaulle? The cartridge looked to all rifle enthusiasts like a .22 Hornet, one of the first of the now very large .22 centrefire family. All that stuff about the Jackal’s use of mercury-tipped bullets for guaranteed lethality is now disbelieved by ammunition specialists on both sides of the Atlantic, but the use of the Hornet cartridge proves that, as even one of the oldest of the .22 centrefire cartridges, it could be capable of changing the course of history if the bullet was placed with accuracy. The Day of the Jackal was just a story, albeit a…