Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i Sporting Gun

Keen contest for Golden Grouse This year’s Golden Grouse Clay Shoot was hotly contested with just three clays separating the winner and runner-up. The event, organised by the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO), saw a close battle between Will Watson, the head keeper at Dallowgill estate, North Yorkshire, and Scott Fallon of the Bowes estate in County Durham. Will claimed victory and the Golden Grouse trophy with a score of 81, with Scott hot on his heels with 78 out of a 100-bird layout. “They were excellent scores that spoke of the prowess of shooting on show at the Coniston Shooting Ground in Skipton,” said John Clarke, the NGO’s northern development officer. Winners in other classes were: Junior High Gun – Josh Frankland, 63; Senior High Gun – Ian Bateman, 70;…

I have on several occasions criticised police forces that make their own interpretation of the law. You will understand that I was not best pleased when I discovered my own force, Thames Valley Police (TVP), was among them. The law in respect of applying for the grant or renewal of a certificate is laid down in Section 26 of the Firearms Act 1968 and the associated firearms rules. You are required to submit a properly completed form and a photograph together with the money. Forces may include forms asking for additional information but the Home Office guidance says these must be clearly marked to show that completion is optional; your application may not be refused if you decline to complete them. Rejection of an application that meets the requirements of…

• The rut is about to start when you will be reading this. The callers are prepared, practice done and it is a case of waiting until it heats up to see what this year produces. We will be out there catching up on bucks that have been difficult to follow so far, as well as seeing some that we have never seen before. • We are selective in what is taken but there are one or two old boys whose time may have come. We shall see. One thing’s for certain, it’s always an interesting time of year.…

DISTRIBUTION: The red grouse is a subspecies of willow grouse and found only in the UK. The willow grouse itself has a range covering the northern latitudes of Europe, Asia and North America UK DISTRIBUTION: Widespread across Scotland wherever appropriate habitat can be found, with strong populations in parts of northern England, Northern Ireland and Wales IUCN RED LIST STATUS: The willow grouse is classed as ‘vulnerable’ worldwide, though the red grouse is common in the UK thanks to sympathetic land management and predator control HABITAT: Primarily heather moorland, also blanket bog and upland shrub heath. May move to lower ground during hard weather FOOD: Feeds mainly on the shoots, seeds and flowers of heather; will also eat berries and sometimes insects BREEDING: Birds form pairs in the autumn, with…

• I always keep a pair of binoculars in my truck to keep an eye on things around the shoot and for lamping and rabbiting. I was given a pair of Vortex Viper 8x42mm HD binoculars to test for a couple of months and I’ve been very impressed with this piece of kit from day one. I have now tested the Viper in many different situations, and it performs brilliantly – exceptional value for a mid-range pair of binoculars. The low-light performance is great, and it’s light, compact and rugged. I hope the Viper will give me many years of service. The lifetime warranty is most definitely a plus, too. • The mid-range sector for binoculars is a crowded market and there are plenty of options. I’ve spent time roaming…

Whether shooting gun up or gun down, hold the muzzles on the line the bird is travelling on. We often see very neutral hold points, which involve a lot of effort to move the gun onto the line the bird is travelling on. This causes an erratic swing and the shot to be taken much later than is ideal. The pick-up point and the hold point don’t have to be the same. You should know where the target comes into view but it may be better to hold the gun further out on the line. Try to visualise the line the target is travelling on, plan where you are going to shoot and move your hold point to give you time and space to shoot at the sweet spot. Then…

Age 40 months Another month and another couple of working tests for Ted and me. Following on from my moderate success at the training mock working test my confidence was restored, so this month I decided to enter the Chiltern Gundog AV Working test. For those readers unfamiliar with spaniel working tests, most of them are run as “Any Variety – AV”, so any breed of spaniel can enter. A challenge of these tests as a cocker handler is you are running up against the springers and the two breeds have very different requirements to get them hunting. Most spaniels only really show themselves at their best when there is a bit of scent on the ground – the old saying “springers hunt for scent, cockers need scent to hunt”…

GRAHAM WATKINS GUNDOGS A professional gundog trainer for more than 35 years, he runs Gamegoer. NEIL MCINTOSH VETERINARY A keen shooter and a practising vet in Scotland. TONY BRACCI TUITION Bisley Shooting Ground’s deputy shooting manager and master gunfitter. DAVID FROST LEGAL SG’s legal expert and author of Sporting Shooting and the Law. PETER THEOBALD PIGEONS Pigeon-shooting expert; author of Woodpigeon: The Ultimate Quarry. ROBERT MORGAN ANTIQUES Arms and armour valuer at Holts Auctioneers. ED COOK RABBITS Professional rabbit catcher working over 30,000 acres. TOM SYKES PEST CONTROL & WILDFOWLING Sporting photographer, wildfowler and pest controller. MARC BULL COVER CROPS Marc is our new expert and is the Midlands and Eastern adviser at Bright Seeds.…

I have been shooting clays with a trap gun but also have a semi-auto with which I shoot better. I prefer an over-and-under but want to shoot as well as I can. Tony says: Trap gun chokes may be fixed at full and ¾, which require greater precision. A trap gun comb is higher than a sporter, and can make you shoot high. The barrel length of the trap gun could be 32 in, and the semi less, making it handle quicker. A sporter over-and-under has all the pluses of the semi but none of the negative points of the trap gun.…

Jack Pyke Ashcombe Neoprene Wellington Boots If you’re looking for new wellingtons then look no further than the Jack Pyke Ashcombe Neoprene boot. The Ashcombe may be priced in the mid-range bracket but the quality is high. I have owned wellingtons twice as expensive and they have not worn as well as these have. I was struck immediately by how light and comfortable they were as soon as I put them on and they were particularly easy to slide on and off thanks to the small rubber lug at the heel. The fit around the ankle and calf was snug, which offered superb support for walking. The neoprene upper helped to keep my feet warm and dry, even when walking through longer wet grass. The grips on the soles lent…

COAT • Waterproof and breathable membrane • Pit zips • Shoulder gussets for freedom of movement • PVC-lined game bag, detachable on three sides • Adjustable cuffs with press studs • Roll-away hood in collar • Sizes S to 3XL (comes up a bit small 2XL, will fit 46in chest) • Cost £146 TROUSERS • Elasticated waist • Belt loops • Breathable membrane • Sizes 30in waist to 54in waist • Cost £49.95…

But what can be learned from this fiasco and can any good come of it? You could say that many of us are more ‘boned up’ on the law regarding wild birds and their control. That can only be a good thing. It also showed that quiet diplomacy is the way to resolve these issues. Did we come together as a shooting community in the face of effective opposition? I like to think we did. From the responses to the exclusive interviews we conducted with Dr Mark Avery, one third of Wild Justice, published on our Facebook page and the Shooting UK website, I was encouraged by how open-minded many of us were. We may not agree with Wild Justice but its opposition helps us to look more critically at…

Yorkshire Water says it will continue to allow grouse shooting on its land. This is despite the water and utilities company coming under pressure from campaigners to ban the sport. The campaign has included organised mass visits to ‘monitor’ traps and snares on grouse moors, ‘warning signs’ on moorland and the publicising of the chief executive’s email address. An online petition is said to have garnered more than 125,000 signatures. The company, which provides water to more than five million people daily, said that to ban shooting on its land would be counterproductive and “damage our relationships with a range of stakeholders who we need to work with”. Yorkshire Water leases out shooting on a number of areas of moorland it owns, and on others where it owns the land…

• Where: Hatfield House, Hertfordshire • When: Friday, 26 July to Sunday, 28 July (6am to 6pm, to 7:30pm on the Friday. Stands and attractions open from 9am) • Gun storage: This is available during the day only, but not overnight. This service costs £10 per gun per day. Storage is available from 8.30am to 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday • The Subaru Shooting Line: if you are bringing your own cartridges, fibre-wad only • For further information on tickets, parking and camping visit www.thegamefair.org • Sporting Gun, Shooting Gazette and Shooting Times will be on stand N1443…

What is the British Game Alliance (BGA) and what is its reason for being? The BGA was set up early last year as the marketing board for the UK game industry. The game market had got worse and worse and, in some cases, the meat had a negative value. It was a commercial crime and would be the beginning of the end of shooting if allowed to continue. So the idea was to set up a marketing board to promote game; bring a value, and increase demand both at home and overseas. Through the BGA Assurance scheme, the shooting industry is beginning to put regulations in place, so we can publicly defend our shooting practices and promote our valuable game. Is it just about promoting game? No, the BGA wants…

Alfie is, in some ways, very similar to me. I have two main activities in life: deer management and food. Alfie loves both. His excitement when he hears me moving outside at 2.30am setting up ready to go stalking is comical. Once released from the kennel he can hardly wait to have a pee, often doing so on the move as he races around to the vehicle to dive into the back. That’s why we have a cage in the back of the truck and he isn’t in the cab with me; the scent can be a little overpowering. He also gets very miffed when he hasn’t been used for a blood trail, grumping away to himself in the back. Still, he has yet to withdraw his labour. When not…

Eye dominance is an issue that is of great importance for successful and consistent shooting. It can, in tandem with gun fit, be something to which some shooters need to pay more attention than others. Of the many shooters, young and old, that Graham Brown has tutored at the Purbeck Shooting School, Cameron Cooper is a good example of overcoming this issue. Graham has coached Cameron, 16, for six months and describes him as a “naturally good shot”. Graham said: “On first meeting him I realised that he had two issues – he was right-handed but had left-eye dominance, and his gun didn’t fit him.” A question of degree It is estimated that approximately two-thirds of people are right-eye dominant and a third left-eye dominant, and some are almost even.…

First, find a suitable location. Fast flowing rivers or gravel pits with deep sides are to be avoided. Ideally, you need a small pond or lake with gently sloping banks and preferably with a hard bottom, as silty mud can be off-putting for a young dog. Before you start, your dog should be a confident and proficient retriever on land, including delivering to hand. This will help to prevent any dropping issues out of the water. It is best to start the training when the water has had a chance to warm up but beware of blue/green algae as this is very toxic to dogs and any water showing signs of a bloom should be avoided at all costs. When it comes to retrieving, how many times have you seen…

Gun knowledge I am a hunter who buys and reads your magazine every month. I would like to congratulate you for all the information and advice on hunting, guns and dogs, which has enriched my knowledge. Kyriacos Santis, Cyprus Double whammy I recently bought a slab of steel cartridges, only to find that my local clay shoot had banned them due to accidents from ricochets. No problem, I thought, as I will be able to use them to control vermin in the four farms in my charge, especially once I had replaced equipment such as decoys and nets stolen from my shed in west Oxfordshire. Wrong! As soon as I had replaced them I found the pigeon shooting ban had come into force and that I would have to reapply…

My mate got his bitch spayed but says sher wound had no stitches in and wasn’t glued. Is he right? Neil says: Most wounds are closed using conventional sutures or staples, but minor wounds can be repaired with tissue glue (Super Glue generates heat and is not a suitable substitute). In your friend’s case a continuous subcuticular suture may have been employed. This starts as a knot at one end of the wound then picks up tissue on either side. The suture is then knotted and buried under the skin. It can leave an aesthetically pleasing wound, though the suture material can result in reaction.…

Ariat Catalyst Defiant 10in Gore-Tex Walking Boots Waterproof leather boots with a breathable Gore-Tex membrane and temperature-managing X-Static layer for odour protection. Featuring a 400g Thinsulate Ultra insulation that helps to keep your feet warm even in very cold and damp conditions. Price: £319.95 Visit: www.newforestclothing.co.uk Alan Paine Combrook Men’s Shooting Waistcoat in Elm The Combrook range will be available in elm from August. This classic style features a pure water-repellent wool outer with suede shoulder patches and capacious. ammunition pockets are. The waistcoat is available in sizes S-5XL. Price: £174.95 Visit: www.alanpaine.co.uk Streamlight Super Siege Rechargeable Lantern This high-performance lantern has five LEDs with six different output modes and a battery level indicator built into the on/off button. Price: From £161 Visit: www.streamlight.com All-Season Shooting Vest By Schoffel Country…

Military rifles were made in large numbers and still exist in reasonable condition, but there are a few that remain the preserve of national collections or museums. While those carried by famous people or used in important battles fit this category, so also do “sealed-pattern” and trials weapons. Sealed-pattern was the standard with which all contract gunmakers had to comply, and these survive in relatively large numbers. Trials weapons were more distinct and few exist. The rifle shown here falls into the latter group. It was one of five submitted by Charles W. Lancaster for the 1862 Rifle Trials. While similar to the Pattern 1853/56 rifle then in use by the British Army, it differed in one significant respect: it was oval-bored. Experimentation Born on 24 June 1820, Lancaster was…

The revocation of the general licences GL04, GL05 and GL06 by Natural England following Wild Justice’s legal challenge elicited trenchant views from all sides. Over the past couple of months there has been much uncertainty as to the legal status of some shooting activities, which was the whole point of the Wild Justice challenge. This has, for the moment, been resolved with the issue of the new licences, GL34, GL35 and GL36. However, as Michael Gove’s comments in our story on the adjoining page, 6, indicate, the matter is far from finished. Over the course of the next eight months Defra and Natural England will be looking to come up with a longer-term solution. In the meantime, there is the small matter of a further legal challenge by Wild Justice…

Langholm Moor in Dumfries and Galloway has been put up for sale by Buccleuch Estates. The announcement heralds the end of a partnership between the Duke of Buccleuch and conservation organisations, including the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust. The idea was to reconcile the interests of raptors, namely the hen harrier, and that of the sporting community using the moor for grouse shooting. The experiment took a fascinating turn when the duke took his gamekeepers off the moor to see how it fared unmanaged. Following the move the hen harriers flourished to the detriment of grouse, waders and ground-nesting birds. However, within a few years their numbers started to decline as they were deprived of their food source. The moor was later managed again but the grouse failed to re-establish…

By the time you read this I should be up to my chest in River Tweed water somewhere near Coldstream trying to hook into a salmon or, tastier still, a fresh run sea trout. I’m looking forward to wetting a line but had I known this year’s trip was going to clash with a long awaited shooters’ reunion party in deepest Suffolk I would have jiggled the booking so that the fishing started a week or so later. But I couldn’t. These days you have to cough up a sizeable deposit almost a year in advance to secure fishing lets on a prime beat. So I was committed to the fishing long before the party invitation arrived. Of course I will be doing my best to catch something, chill out…

ingredients 4 venison loin steaks 1 packet fine egg noodles oil 1 packet ready prepared Chinese stir fry vegetables 1 bunch coriander (chopped) For the marinade 4 tbsp soy sauce 4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 clove garlic crushed 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder 1 tsp brown sugar juice of 1 lime Make the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing well together. Place the steaks in the marinade and cover. (You can leave the steaks in the marinade in the fridge and cook when you are ready.) When ready to eat, heat the oil in a large frying pan, season the steaks with salt and pepper and fry for two to three minutes on each side. Remove and place on a plate and keep warm.…

It never ceases to amaze me what people get up to. I’ve had some recent visitors to a couple of the release pens at Holywell and in their infinite wisdom they’ve cut up all the blue plastic water pipes for the drinkers. I feared that it would cost me a great deal of money to replace them but it sometimes takes this kind of mindless nonsense to get you thinking. Another way I have had to replace the pipe, obviously, and have improved the set-up along the way, but we’ve managed to turn an act of vandalism to our favour. Many of the posts that support the electric fence around the pens needed replacing – they had rotted or been knocked over in the course of the season. I had…

There are several things that need to be taken into consideration when shooting around farm buildings with any type of firearm: • Do not shoot into the roofs of barns as this can cause damage to the structure, which will not put a smile on the farmer’s face • Likewise, look at the angle that a bird is approaching from: if a successful hit could see it fall on the roof then don’t shoot. It is not ideal to be landing a bird on the roof. It cannot be retrieved and may make a hole in the roof • As with any new ground, always have a look around first and get your bearings, and decide where is safe to shoot and if there are any directions that should be avoided.…

Vet’s advice Neil McIntosh SG’s gundog health expert The only surefire way to prevent a future false pregnancy is to neuter your bitch (or actually get her pregnant) and I venture that is not the answer you want to hear. What’s the theory? The theory is that false pregnancy (or pseudopregnancy or pseudocyesis) may be a relatively normal physiological process in dogs. The evidence comes from wolves, where the alpha female will become pregnant by the alpha male but may be mated by others, so that they do not harm the offspring. The lesser females will be inhibited from mating with the dominant male by the dominant female but they will nevertheless undergo a false pregnancy two to three months after being in season (surprise, just around the time the…

Is it a condition on your firearms certificate that you must inform the police force which granted the certificate of any change of permanent address without undue delay? David says: The easiest way to do this is by email, requesting a read receipt, ideally within a week of the move. It is the responsibility of the police, not you, to inform the new force. Your certificate remains valid throughout and you may continue to use your guns, but the new force will usually wish to inspect your security. They will issue a new certificate with the same expiry date as the old for no charge.…

What choke do you prefer to use when shooting crows? Tom says: This depends on the gun and situation. I never really open my choke more than half, which is a great all-round choke, perfect for most situations. When using my pumps and autos, I will use the Kicks High Flyer after-market chokes in half. My Kicks chokes live in my guns as they are perfect for steel shells and lead. I will tighten to full if I believe most of the shots will be taken at range, and I need that extra edge. I have a range of fixed choked guns too which also are choked at half or full.…

I want to breed from my Labrador. Should the sire be health tested? Graham says: Yes. You should only breed from your bitch if she is sound in temperament, good with people and other dogs and quiet. Then carry out health tests (hips, elbows and eyes) to get a clean bill of health. The same applies when choosing a sire. Before embarking, ask yourself why you want to breed from your bitch? If you want the same again, consult your breeder as there are no guarantees. You may not only lose the puppies, but your bitch too, and have to hand rear a litter of 11.…

With all the fuss over the general licences I haven’t been pigeon shooting. Have you applied for one of the new licences and if not why not? Peter says: Such was the confusion over the issuing of individual licences and the constant changing of criteria that I did not apply for one. For a start, I was not comfortable with Natural England holding my personal details as I do not trust them not to share them. Secondly, you do not need an individual licence, you must simply have read and understood the terms of the general licence.…

I am getting a cocker spaniel pup and the breeder has suggested I get two at the same time to make training easier. Is this correct? Graham says: Many trainers keep a couple of pups from a litter so they can ‘run them on’ to see what their potential may be, but for the novice I would strongly advise against it. If you get litter siblings they will bond to each other rather than to you, which can make training problematic. I would buy one, get some expert advice and concentrate on producing the best dog you can.…

The first thing you notice about the Normandie coat is the number of pockets. I’m usually critical of too many pockets because I never know which pocket holds what and so things get lost. However, Percussion has arranged the pockets on this jacket so that there is a logic to them. There is a knife pocket and phone pocket inside the jacket, as well as four zipped pockets. On the outside there are handwarmer pockets, cartridge pockets and a game pocket at the back. “I wore the jacket for a posh driven shoot and it didn’t look out of place among coats costing £600” Putting pockets on a jacket costs money and for a jacket that costs £146 it is a treat to have so many. My only gripe is…

A combination of a smaller calibre (16-bore), superb balance and great shooting dynamics made the MX16 a delight to use. It really lived up to the Perazzi reputation and is a credit to the company. I also liked the fact that you can get the fully bespoke experience at a reasonable enough price. True, it costs as much as a small car but with the MX16 you are getting Ferrari handling for the price of a Ford Fiesta. SCORES ON THE DOORS BVJME RVBMJUZ 24/25 HBOEMJOH 25/25 SUZMJOH 24/25 VBMVF GPS NPOFZ 24/25 Total: 97/100…