Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2021 i Sporting Gun

The GWCT has joined forces with various fishing organisations in raising concerns about the detrimental effect reintroduced beavers are having on migratory fish. The trust, along with the Atlantic Salmon Trust, Salmon & Trout Conservation, River Otter Fisheries Association, South West Rivers Association and the Angling Trust, has called upon the UK and Welsh governments to manage the reintroductions properly. In a statement, the GWCT said that freshwater migratory fish are among the most threatened species on the planet, having suffered a global decline of 76% in the near 50 years between 1970 and 2016. In the UK this means salmon and trout, with populations on most rivers being regarded as at risk by the respective governments. Beavers’ dams can restrict the movement of adult salmon, sea-trout and brown trout…

One of the biggest wildlife success stories of the past 30 years has to be the reintroduction of otters to the UK. When river quality started to improve after organochlorine farm chemicals were banned in the 1980s, the Otter Trust got to work releasing animals at selected sites across the country. Today, there are few river systems in Britain that haven’t been recolonised by them. The flipside to this is that some river and countryside managers now say the programme has proved too successful because in places otter numbers are out of control, causing problems for fish and other wildlife. Protected status makes the otter one of nature’s untouchables — a killer mustelid with a cast-iron public ‘aah’ rating. If mink, stoats and weasels were even half as popular as…

It has been an odd couple of years. We have had disruptions to our pest control duties due to the general licence debacle, then the pandemic. Throughout January and February, Charlie and I were under ‘house arrest’ like everyone else. However, we are fortunate to live a few miles from some of our local marshes, which enabled us and the dogs to get out as part of our daily exercise and bag some birds. The early end to the game season and lack of inland shooting has left our freezers a little bare. It was nice to spend time on the foreshore but we have been longing to venture inland to the rolling topography of the estates, where the woodland and grassland provide refreshing changes of scenery. At the end…

Ingredients ● 1 lb stewing venison cut into bite-size pieces ● 1 onion skinned and chopped ● 1 carrot peeled and diced ● oil ● 1 pint red wine ● 1 heaped tbsp flour ● 3 tbsp blackcurrants ● 1 packet of ready-made puff pastry (life’s too short to make puff pastry from scratch) Method Heat the oil in a casserole dish and brown the venison in batches. Remove from the pan and put to one side. Add a little more oil and cook the onions and carrots until the onions are soft. Sprinkle in the flour and let it cook for a minute then add the wine gradually, stirring all the time. Cover with a lid and put in a moderate oven for one to two hours until the…

DISTRIBUTION: Native to North America but established widely elsewhere (including Argentina, Chile, central Asia, Iceland and Europe) as a result of introductions. UKDISTRIBUTION: Widespread across the UK with the exception of the extreme north of Scotland and some islands. IUCN RED LIST STATUS: Least Concern, population stable. FOOD: A voracious carnivore, it feeds primarily on birds, small mammals, crustaceans, fish and frogs. HABITAT: Will live in a wide range of habitats but usually close to water. Often found on river banks or rocky coastal areas. BREEDING: Mating generally takes place in April after a violent courtship during which the male bites the female on the nape of her neck and pins her with his forefeet. There is no pair bond and the male plays no part in rearing the young.…

Remind yourself of the basics that apply to all hand and eye coordinated movement sports such as tennis, cricket and golf. Remember your optimum foot position, to address the area of sky (or ground) where you wish to shoot the target. For most shooters, using the right-hander as the example, if the target is at 12 o’clock, the left foot points to 1 o’clock and the right foot to 3 o’clock. The feet should be about shoulder width apart. This foot position gives the maximum amount of upper body freedom in the area where you want to shoot the target. If your feet are wider apart, your hips start to lock up and restrict rotation above the hips. Try it. Refresh your memory about your preferred shooting technique. After a…

The anatomy of the toe is relatively simple. The metacarpal (front foot) or metatarsal (back foot) is the long bone below the wrist/carpus/tarsus that articulates with Phalange 1 (the equivalent of the human knuckle joint). P1 articulates with P2 and this with P3, from which the nail bed (or ungual process) arises. In order to allow only flexion and extension at these joints, there are collateral (medial and lateral) ligaments that insert on the lower part of one bone and the upper part of the next, thus preventing side-to-side movement. Additional stability is provided by a fibrous capsule, which surrounds the joint. Cartilage at the ends of the bone provides cushioning, and synovial fluid reduces friction. All contribute to normal movement of the foot but, when things go wrong, each…

I find it hard to straight a stand and become distracted when I’m doing well, missing the last few targets. Any advice? Tony says: You are breaking a lot of targets, just not all of them. This shows that your shooting is all right, but your discipline and concentration are letting you down. The key is being able to repeat the routine for each pair. Shoot the same method, start the gun in the same place, break the target in the same place –no shortcuts or deviations. In training, start by trying to shoot a single target 10 times in a row and once you are confident on different targets, then move on to pairs. Concentrate on every detail of the shot process and the higher scores should start to…

I have been told there is a ‘ghost’ in my barrels. What does this mean and why does it happen? Ian says: A ‘ghost’ refers to small bits of solder becoming loose within the rib cavity. If you tip the barrels up and down, these small fragments of solder moving make a rustling sound. It is quite a common problem that occurs through natural wear and tear and is a sign that your gun should be looked at by a gunsmith or gunmaker. If left, it can get worse and eventually the ribs themselves can become loose.…

I am new to dog breeding with a first litter expected soon. What is the best way to monitor puppies’ growth and development? Neil says: After an initial anatomical assessment, such as checking for cleft palates and other abnormalities, I would always weigh and identify individual pups. This could be by the use of multicoloured soft collars, nail varnish lightly daubed on different recorded areas or, depending on the breed, simply by coat markings. Do not be alarmed by a slight loss of weight on the first day but, thereafter, daily weights should be recorded on a graph for each puppy, so that a ‘growth curve’ can be seen to develop. This makes it simple to compare pups and recognise any that are falling behind. Clearly there will be some…

Should I store my gun with the barrels facing up or down in my cabinet? Which way is correct and why? Ian says: Some people recommend storing your gun with the barrels facing down to allow excess oil from cleaning to run away from the woodwork, as opposed to soaking into the stock through the action. However, you should never put so much oil on your gun for this to be an issue. Oil should be used sparingly, just enough to give the gun a thin protective coating. Essentially, if your gun is cleaned correctly, it does not matter whether you store it with the barrels up or down.…

Alan Paine Men’s Fernley Jacket This modern jacket is designed to shrug off rain and keep the wearer dry. It has a concealed hood, elasticated storm cuff and an action back. It is machine washable. Sizes S to 3XL. Price: £249.95; alanpaine.co.uk Arxus PrimoNord LW Boot This is a lightweight, insulated, 100% natural rubber boot that combines hi-tech performance with traditional design, including a temperature regulating function. Sizes: UK 4½ to 10½ Price: £260; alanpaine.co.uk Beretta 687 EELL Gamescene The exceptionally strong, low-profile receiver is adorned with exquisite game-scene engraving. The stock and fore-end are superior quality walnut with hand-cut chequering. Price: £6,525; gmk.co.uk 20-Bore Purdey Trigger Plate Game Gun Purdey has responded to a growing demand for smaller bores by making its Trigger Plate Gun in a new calibre.…

I have some very exciting news. From the next issue we will be incorporating Clay Shooting magazine into our pages. Sporting Gun will now be bursting with additional articles, including in-depth cartridge tests, gun reviews, competition news and top tips on shooting technique. This will all be in addition to your usual Sporting Gun favourites, making this magazine the most comprehensive shooting publication on the market. We will have new writers such as top shooter and coach, Becky McKenzie, and the renowned Richard Atkins will be doing our cartridges test and technical articles. Plus we will have Simon and Jasper Fellows keeping us up to date with competition and clayground news. For those anxious to get back on form after the lockdown lay-off we have a series of lessons from…

Nottinghamshire Police is the first force in the country to have a dedicated officer dealing with dog theft. Chief Inspector Amy Styles-Jones is the officer in charge for the force, which has seen a notable increase in such thefts in its area over the past year. Craig Guildford, the chief constable, said the force wanted to give dog owners confidence that the matter was being taken seriously and to show thieves that they would be pursued. Indeed, only recently the force was involved in a combined operation with Lincolnshire Police that involved a high-speed vehicle chase after a springer spaniel was stolen from a Leicestershire farm and the thieves crossed the county boundary. The dog was recovered in an abandoned car within two hours of being stolen. The Nottinghamshire appointment…

A sure sign that rewilding had become mainstream was its appearance as a storyline on The Archers. The rewilding of Ambridge a couple of years ago did not turn out quite as Pip, Rex and Phoebe, the so-called ‘Rewilding Three’, had hoped. But what exactly is rewilding and what can we expect from it, especially in the context of fieldsports? Scratch the rewilding surface and it is hard not to conclude that it is a rather vague term, one that means different things to different people. Is it the return of apex predators such as wolves and lynx to some of the more far-flung parts of the country; or is it letting swathes of land return to their ‘natural state’ and become a haven for wildlife overgrown with scrub or…

Conservation projects have also taken a major hit over the past year, with organised events postponed or cancelled. This spring we have, however, managed to get a few jobs done for my local wildfowling club. We have managed to do vital conservation work such as refilling the duck nest tubes, managing bird boxes, litter picks and other tasks that could be done as individuals or within household bubbles. Work like this is essential to boost wildlife and maintain the environments we hold dear. I have also created a Facebook group called Wildlife and Conservation, which is dedicated to sharing project ideas and successes. The group is designed to be a platform where everyone can share the different conservation work they do and which isn’t restricted to the shooting community. The…

It has to be said that Lotte is just as frustrated as I am with this lockdown and her further training on the real thing is on hold. Andrea has had a few incidents on her morning walk. We live on an estate where deer roam and Lotte picks up their scent all the time. There is the occasional dash off, her yipping away if the deer is closer than 400 yards. It’s a good job she has short legs, so we can catch her before she gets to Carlisle. Along with the boredom she is becoming a little demanding and there is hardly a moment in the house when bits and pieces aren’t brought over for us to fight her for. She also wants to go out more, which…

Distraction bait I mentioned ‘distraction bait’, so I should explain what this means. In essence, when a fox is on patrol it’s looking for rivals by using the best of its hearing and scenting capabilities. If the wind is sketchy — frequently changing speed and direction — you can end up being compromised through no fault of your own. When I’m after a particularly challenging fox I therefore like to put some smelly bait down just upwind of where I think it will be moving. A combination of electronic calls and tempting smells can distract and thus confuse a fox long enough for you to be able to shoot it before it has worked out what is going on. Viewpoints Vantage points really help, so my advice is to find…

Age 61 months At last, lockdown is to be eased and we can resume some kind of normality. I am hopeful that I may be able to take part in a few working tests in the spring or early summer, as I am really keen to give young Percy a spin, though I may regret that decision. Last month I mentioned Ted’s trip to boot camp and we have been progressing quite well. In addition, he has a few ladies lined up to visit him, so he is in for a busy few months. A few weeks ago I had the chance to go for an afternoon’s pigeon shooting on our local estate. The birds had started to hit the rape hard and it was a good chance to take…

FRAN ARDLEY GUNDOGS Owner of Tarncrag Gundog Training, with more than 10 years’ experience. 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 PIGEON 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 plant expert and is the Midlands and Eastern adviser at Bright Seeds. IAN SWEETMAN GUNSMITHING Ian Sweetman is the owner of I S Sweetman Gun & Rifle Makers…

My young springer spaniel has started to chomp on her retrieves and though she hasn’t damaged any game yet, I am concerned that it may get worse. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Fran says: It may be that you’ve introduced game too soon and mentally she’s finding it all a bit too exciting and the chomp is the ‘release valve’. If your dog is fine on dummies, go right back to the beginning and do some retrieves with her on lead and as soon as she picks it up bring her back, stroke her and quietly take it from her. The key with this rehab work is to keep the adrenaline levels low. When she’s ready try wrapping some cold game in a pair of tights…

Do those rubber pads that I see on top of people’s guns work? Tony says: The rubber pads on the top of the stock are comb raisers. If you have a gun that is too low in the comb, then they do work very well. The comb height should allow you to connect with the gun for a consistent mount. If the comb is too low you could end up looking at the back of the action. This could cause you to lift your head to see and create inconsistency, or allow your opposite eye to take over. If after using a comb raiser you find it works well for you, then you may consider getting the stock altered. When using comb raisers make sure they only put bulk on…

I’m renewing my shotgun certificate and received a call from the firearms enquiry officer (FEO). After more than an hour being grilled on whether I have a dog, what alarm systems are in place, where my keys are, where I keep cartridges and so on, I was left feeling like a criminal. To top it off the FEO then said he didn’t like shooting. I should probably report this but fear my life could be made awkward with every renewal or purchase. Why isn’t there a standardised training course across the UK for FEOs and the facility to make anonymous complaints without any comeback from the police? David says: What you have described is totally unacceptable. Sadly there is no anonymous body to which you can complain, though BASC and…

I bought a spaniel puppy from a dubious environment. He has had diarrhoea on and off for weeks. Just when I seem to have it under control, off he runs again. He has been well wormed and I wonder if I am feeding him incorrectly? Neil says: It is possible that you are contributing to the issue by chopping and changing his diet in a desperate, but understandable, attempt to resolve the diarrhoea. I would stick to a single-source food. I would also check with your vet that the worming product (and dose) you are using is effective. You don’t elaborate on the ‘dubious environment’ but I presume it was not the cleanest. Poor hygiene and overcrowding are ideal situations for pathogens to proliferate and we see many pups at…

Dedito Waterproof Dog Coat I have a simple philosophy with regard keeping our dogs warm and dry: we expect a lot from our gundogs, so treat them as the canine athletes they undoubtedly are. Some gundog breeds such as labradors have a thick double (waterproof) coat whereas others, such as the cocker, do not do so well in cold and wet weather due to their thinner coats. This past winter was very wet and cold and I realised that I didn’t have a waterproof coat that I could put on the dogs while we were waiting for drives to start. Many of us will know the brand name Dedito through its excellent and hard-wearing boots but recently it has also included a waterproof nylon dog coat in its product line.…

Browning’s Ultra XS Pro Adjustable is not cheap, but it is well worth the money. It is the top end of the 525 range and in the £3,600 market it performs well against serious rivals such as Beretta. Being adjustable means you can truly tailor the gun to fit you and your type of shooting. Better still, the gun’s second-hand value will be retained because of this. Apart from a few minor niggles mentioned in this article I really loved this gun. My motto is buy well and buy once. This Browning would be all the gun you ever need and would be a joy to shoot forever. SCORES ON THE DOORS Build quality 24/25 Handling 24/25 Styling 24/25 Value for money 23/25 Total: 95/100…

FOR SALE GUN TYPE: SHOTGUN Make and Model Axis Calibre 20-bore Barrel 28in Choke Multi Price £425 CONTACT DETAILS Name Dave Tel 07982 321663 County Gloucs GUN TYPE: SHOTGUN Make and Model Browning Lightweight Game B25/B7 Calibre 12-bore Barrel 28in Choke 3/8 and 7/8 Price £3,750 CONTACT DETAILS Dave, as above GUN TYPE: SHOTGUN Make and Model AYA No 2 sidelock ejector side-by-side Calibre 12-bore Barrel 28in Choke Fixed Price £1,200 CONTACT DETAILS Name Ian Cox Tel 07881 444485 County Suffolk GUN TYPE: SHOTGUN Make and Model Kestrel ejector side-by-side Calibre 20-bore Barrel 27in Choke Fixed Price £275 CONTACT DETAILS Ian Cox, as above GUN TYPE: SHOTGUN Make and Model Winchester 101 lightweight over-and-under Calibre 12-bore Barrel 28in Choke fixed Price £200 CONTACT DETAILS Name Rhoda Daniels Tel 07531 504708…

Award for dog group Jo Perrott, founder of The Ladies Working Dog Group, won the Triumph Over Adversity award at the recently held Rural Business Awards. Jo, from Aberdare in South Wales, started the organisation in 2016 for women who work dogs, to give them confidence to hold their own in what has been traditionally a male-dominated pastime. The Facebook group has now grown to more than 3,000 members, alongside a following of 11,000 on Instagram. Trust delivers 2m meals The Country Food Trust has delivered two million meals to people in need. Tim Woodward, CEO of the charity, hailed the achievement and an “extraordinary year” for the charity, which has seen demand increase over the past 12 months since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. In January last year…

Although a European species of mink (Mustela lutreola) exists, it has never occurred in this country and should not be confused with those found here. The animal found in Britain and Ireland is the North American mink, an invasive import that has been all too successful. Both animals are similar but, while the American mink has a white chin, its European counterpart has white on the upper lips as well. Where the ranges of the two overlap in Europe, the American mink is dominant and considered to be responsible for the decline of native animals. “The mink is likely to kill birds as large as cormorants or gulls” It is a popular misconception that Britain’s mink population came from a number of highly publicised releases by animal activists who raided…

There are some commands your gundog can be taught from an early age and will stay with him for the rest of his career. Sit, stay, heel, come are a few of the more common ones. But the ‘leave it’ command is the one that if you can condition your dog to understand it right from the beginning will make your training fair easier. ‘Leave it’ means just that and not only does it require the dog to ignore dummies or game, it should also mean the dog should leave another dog, its food or even another person. It is a catch-all command. Throughout a gundog’s life there will be conflicts in its training: we teach them to hunt and perhaps flush game, but we do not want them to…

What is a warrener and would you describe yourself as one? Ed says: I would describe myself as many things, as will most who have met me, but warrener is not one. A warrener is a person employed to look after rabbits for harvesting for their meat and fur. Pre-myxomatosis this was a trade and there is evidence of various artificial warrens across the country still standing today. Over time, rabbits changed from being a commodity to a rapacious pest. Myxomatosis stopped what was left of a once booming trade. However, rabbits being the ultimate survivor started to gain immunity and the population began to grow back to nearly pre-myxomatosis levels. People were then employed to control them, which I do today. As for my title – rabbit catcher, rabbit…

We were out pigeon shooting when we were confronted by three trespassers. They refused to leave when asked and were a right nuisance. We videoed them and called the police, who said trespass was a civil matter and there was nothing to be done. Surely that can’t be right? David says: No it isn’t. What you have described is aggravated trespass which, along with trespass with a firearm, is a criminal not civil matter. Aggravated trespass occurs when someone trespasses with the intention of disrupting a lawful activity or intimidating someone to prevent them carrying out a lawful activity. Go back to the police, present them with your video evidence and ask them to take proper action.…

I’m looking for tips on how to have more eye contact with my year-old springer. She listens but often doesn’t understand as she is facing away from me and can’t see my hand signals. How can I resolve this? Fran says: The key to good eye contact is to be what I call an ‘interesting trainer’. You want to get the dog to the stage where it thinks that you are always going to give it something good to do – and to get that reward it has to look at you for direction. One way to encourage good eye contact is to start with the dog sitting in front and throw a dummy out to one side; the dog will obviously watch the dummy but do not send her…

I love deerstalking but on a cold wet day that love can be put to the test. One of the best things you can do to make a fresh morning in a high seat or a stalk in the rain more bearable is to invest in a decent hunting suit. The Pro Hunter Endure suit from Härkila is one, and version 2.0 of the model contains a heap of improvements. I put the suit through its paces over a five-month period between November 2019 to the end of March 2020, which spanned one of the wettest English winters in history. Surprise Both jacket and trousers are made from a robust willow-green canvas outer material, not what you’d expect from something that claims to be waterproof. That said, as soon as…

Country of origin US In production 1997 to 2019 Action Semi-automatic Stock options Synthetic or laminated Barrel length 16½in to 20in Magazine Detachable; 10 round (.22 LR) or eight round (.22 WMR and .17 HMR) Left-hand version No Weight (bare) 5lb 8oz (standard), 5lb 14½oz (heavy barrel) Available in calibres .22LR, .22 WMR and .17 HMR (NB .17 HMR obsolete, see text) Cost new £329 (HB synthetic version 2017) but no longer available new Cost used From around £200 depending on age and stock finish…