Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i Sporting Gun

The year has spun round and it is time to head out to saltmarsh and foreshore once more to pit our wits against the native wildfowl. And the advantage of an early-season outing is that the conditions shouldn’t be too harsh. Tom Sykes is certainly one of our contributors who – along with his faithful canine companion, Goose – can’t wait to be out wildfowling again. Tom recalls a memorable flight after teal and says that, given the choice, he would forego the grouse moor for the foreshore, swapping butt for ditch, and grouse for fast-driven teal anyday. Goose, meanwhile, seems quite happy, to share his name with his retrieve. Enjoy your wildfowling season. Find out more on Page 18…

The recent shootings in Plymouth have again highlighted issues around the granting of a shotgun certificate. Such incidents are mercifully rare and what legislative consequences come from this latest one remain to be seen. In the meantime, the vast majority of law-abiding citizens who shoot or who want to shoot will have to contend with the process to obtain a certificate as things stand. With around 40 pieces of legislation governing the ownership and use of guns, obtaining a shotgun certificate (SGC) is not as simple as it may seem. The rules for Northern Ireland are even more complicated and not for this article. If you do not already belong to one of the major shooting organisations, I suggest you join before applying for an SGC. BASC and the National…

In 2016 Emily and Dan Martin moved to Nottinghamshire with a plan to take an already established shooting ground and make it even better. Since then they’ve worked tirelessly toward their goal of making Orston Shooting Ground one of the most welcoming, and technologically innovative, clay grounds in the country. “Over the past five years we’ve fully updated everything on offer at Orston,” says Emily. “We have been paying particular attention to all of the equipment on-site and over the years have replaced every trap and linked our entire 25-stand Sporting course to a Promatic Claymate system. This makes it easier than ever for experienced shooters to simply turn up and shoot the course at their own pace.” Discipline Similar attention has been paid to the rest of the grounds…

• Carry a mobile phone and ensure you know where you are in case you have to tell the emergency services • Torches are inexpensive, so buy several and carry at least two • Use your sticks to probe the depth and solidity of any ground you’re uncertain of • Where possible, study your night ground beforehand in daylight • Stubble: check for strips that were left unsown or where wheels have travelled – these will be much quieter to follow than over crunchy stalks • Sheet ice: there are four basic choices: find an alternative way around; swallow hard and walk through it; go home or find somewhere else to shoot…

Vet’s advice Neil McIntosh SG’s gundog health expert Since your vet has prescribed steroids, I must assume that they think your dog is suffering from some type of allergic skin disease. It would seem, however, that unless the dose has been inadequate, the lack of response to this treatment puts the diagnosis in doubt. But let’s take a look at itchy dogs in general. It must be said that itching, or pruritus, is simply a clinical sign that something is not right. Setting aside those few dogs that scratch due to boredom or anxiety, there are three main causes – though I may be in danger of oversimplifying the problem. Allergic skin disease Also referred to as atopy, allergies in dogs are common, often inherited (so always beware the…

WILDFOWLING The imitation game I have a pond that I would like to decoy ducks on but the water is too deep to wade. Do you have any decoy tips or techniques I could use? Tom says: I will often use decoys on a pond to help guide the birds into the area I want them or to encourage ducks to commit. I have had the same issue in the past where I can’t enter the water due to its depth or there’s too much silt, for example. I will typically overcome this by adding the decoys to a motherline and throwing them in from the banking. This means that they can be retrieved safely from the banking when the flight is over without the need to enter the water.…

Element Optics Titan When it comes to high-quality optics, no other company has smashed into the market quite like Element. The brand has quickly gained popularity by offering scopes that are directly comparable to top-end options from other leading manufactures, yet are considerably cheaper. Element’s range caters for all budgets, offering a selection of high-quality scopes for the average air rifle enthusiast through to centrefire long-range competitors as well as foxers, stalkers and pest controllers. With three models available, and more in design, the Helix, Titan and Nexus offer the same high build quality and basic functions, with or MRAD (mill radians) versions. The Nexus offers a slightly higher grade glass. The Titan is the mid-range scope and the one that for me represents amazing value for money, retailing at…

CHARLES SMITH-JONES SAYS: “All of the 686 Silver Pigeons are strong, stylish and reliable shotguns” Ever since Bartolomeo Beretta sold some arquebus barrels to the Doge of Venice in 1526, the year in which Armi Beretta was officially founded, the company has gone from strength to strength and become what is probably the oldest and largest gunmaker in the world. Although military and law enforcement contracts make up a large part of its modern business, its output of sporting firearms remains huge and continues to meet a constantly evolving market. This month’s Blast from the past is a perfect example of Beretta’s dedication to meeting the expectations of today’s shooter. Over the years it has produced a great many models under the Silver Pigeon moniker. This is one of the…

Merkel has been manufacturing high-quality firearms almost continuously since 1905, despite production suffering as a result of both world wars and a state takeover of its facilities in Suhl, in what was formerly East Germany, following the second. The reunification of Germany in 1990 saw extensive modernisation and, today, Merkel manufactures high-end, bolt-action, single and double rifles, as well as drillings and shotguns, all for the hunting market. CHARLES SMITH-JONES SAYS: “With no need to accommodate a bolt action, the overall rifle is relatively short and compact” You still don’t see many Merkel rifles in the UK shooting field, which is somewhat surprising given the high regard in which they are held on the Continent. Even rarer are single-barrelled stalking rifles, the average British shooter preferring something with a bolt…

You might say reliability, superb engineering and performance and you would be right. But for me there is something more than that. For me a gun has to have soul. Plenty of modern guns perform well, but they can sometimes leave me cold. There is not a great deal of pleasure in shooting them, but there are others that are almost addictive to shoot. Get the stock dimensions, trigger pull and balance right, combine that with the right cartridge for the job and you have something that is a real joy to use. It is rather like driving a Ferrari or Porsche, where the handling, mechanical slickness of the gear changes is just right that gives the pleasure. I am not saying that you have to purchase the most expensive…

The Game Fair celebrated its return with a vibrant weekend of events. People from far and wide descended on the grounds of Ragley Hall in Warwickshire over the weekend of 23 to 25 July to celebrate the many great things about British country life. The event had been much anticipated following its cancellation last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. In all, just under 120,000 people passed through the gates over the course of the three days and the opening day was the busiest in the fair’s 62-year history. Visitors were greeted by myriad attractions and demonstrations of rural life. James Gower, the Game Fair’s managing director, hailed the party atmosphere, saying: “I think everyone wanted a release after the past 18 months and the Game Fair has provided that.”…

After a year’s delay and a lot of uncertainty, Tokyo 2020 did finally take place, beginning with the opening ceremony on 23 July. “We’d been waiting five years for that moment,” said Steven Seligmann, British Shooting’s performance director. “It was a very special moment for everyone.” “I was so happy that the Games were actually taking place,” said Team GB Trap shooter Matt Coward-Holley. “I felt very lucky to be able to compete at all.” They were joined by the rest of Team GB’s shooting squad, Seonaid McIntosh, Kirsty Hegarty and Aaron Heading, as well as a support network of coaches and British Shooting staff. However, there was one empty seat on the plane to Tokyo. Absentee Amber Hill, the world-beating Ladies Skeet shooter was noticeably absent. She had tested…

I often find myself pondering over my tide table, satellite maps, drone footage and the weather forecast to plan expeditions on to the foreshore throughout the season. I am always looking for those little pockets where I can set an ambush in the hope of catching a duck or two off guard. Early season can be a little hit and miss, but as we roll into October the opportunities can often become more fruitful. So, with a dull, breezy overcast day forecast and a late morning tide predicted, I thought to head out in search of resident mallard or any early migratory wigeon. Leisurely start Late morning tides are leisurely compared with the early morning ones associated with most wildfowling. My alarm was set for a respectable 7am, as opposed…

The little tinker definitely proved her worth. On the last outing she decided to rustle around in the grass, creating a bed and simply lying down with her head up. Whenever the deer came out of the woodland, she would lift her nose and then that disdainful glare, which said: “For heaven’s sake, man, they are right in front of you. Get on with it.” That was until the report of the shot, at which point she was immediately on her feet, nose and body pointing in the direction of the scent. Up until then she had not been able to see anything due to the cover, which was probably a bonus. We moved out to find them, Lotte sporting her harness and lead. As soon as we entered the…

Doveridge Clay Sports DISCIPLINES English Sporting, English Skeet, Olympic Skeet, Olympic Trap, DTL, ABT, Compak and simulated game. ADDITIONAL FACILITIES Premier Guns gunroom, country shop, café and an air rifle range. MOBILITY Hard-standing car park, disabled bathroom facilities. The Skeet layouts and some of the Sporting stands are accessible by wheelchair. WHEN IS IT OPEN? Wednesday, 9:30am-4:30pm Friday, 10am-4:30pm Saturday, 9:30am-4:30pm Sunday, 9:30am-2pm PRACTICE ROUNDS A Promatic ClayMate system allows license holders to shoot Sporting rounds at their own pace. Clays are set at £0.32, or £0.27 for members. TUITION Lessons are available from £50 per hour, excluding clays and cartridges. Have-a-go sessions start from £45, inclusive of 25 clays and cartridges and full hire of safety equipment and a gun. MEMBERSHIP Membership is £65 per year. Members benefit from…

With every passing year there seems to be another rifle cartridge that is invented and declared to be the latest ‘must have’ calibre. I am all for variety, as it makes life interesting. It would be a boring world if we all had, for example, to drive the same make and model of car. One can go to the .243 or the .308 as a ‘safe pair of hands’, or choose one of the more exotic calibres if you wish. But if I had to choose a rifle cartridge that I considered a favourite I would be tempted to choose the humble, and tried and tested, .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge. While not suitable for larger beasts, it brings back fond memories of rabbiting on a summer’s evening with my…

Any hope that things would improve on the decoying front when the harvest started were dealt a swift blow when I ventured out on to what looked like a sure-fire rape stubble field covered in pigeons. It couldn’t have looked more promising: it was the first field to be harvested then rain stopped harvest for a few days. I’d been watching the 240-acre field and the number of pigeons feeding on it steadily increased. It has been a poor year in this area of East Anglia for pigeons and the flocks seem to be moving around in very large lumps, but are rarely seen here; there haven’t been the resident bird numbers there usually are and I’ve no idea why. So the prospect of a good day was as welcome…

The topic of using steel shot in shotgun cartridges has been talked about for more than 20 years. In fact, ever since the use of lead shot was banned for use over wetlands, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and areas where wildfowl are found and hunted. Precise restrictions vary between countries but the essence is that, to reduce the chances of wildfowl ingesting lead shot, the material was banned for such use. Wildfowlers were left largely to get on with things. With the US having a similar lead ban for wildfowl, much early development came from there. Early steel shot loads drew considerable criticism, with increased levels of wounding/crippling of birds being recorded. This gave steel shot a bad start in shooters’ perceptions and those problems first encountered still…

I had been wanting to test a DT11 for some time now, particularly the DT11L – the Lux version. A trip to my favourite gun dealer ( J. F. Neville of Alfreton) revealed a second-hand DT11L to be available, which they were happy for me to borrow for a few days. The first thing I can say is the DT11L, replete with fancy engraving, is a real eye-catcher. The DT11 is Beretta’s flagship boxlock-actioned shotgun and comes with an Olympic pedigree. It is hand-finished and has a strong cross-bolt locking system alongside a detachable trigger unit, hence the DT or ‘detachable trigger’. The barrels are Steelium Pro and have had the internal profile created within to help to reduce recoil and also to improve shot pattern. It certainly reduces muzzle…

We live in comparatively safe times, despite the impression one can garner from the media. It is unlikely that your car will be pulled over by armed highwaymen while driving on the M25, or that you will be held up and robbed walking home from work. Incidents like these are rare in this day and age, but it wasn’t always so. In Georgian and Victorian times travelling over any reasonable distance could be a perilous affair, and no self-respecting gentleman (or indeed lady, for that matter) would dream of undertaking a lengthy journey unarmed. Add foreign travel to the equation and the situation was a whole lot worse. For if someone committed a heinous crime against your person, while news did travel, it didn’t travel very fast and it could…

There is just under five weeks left for you to have your say in the Aim to Sustain coalition to help protect the future of shooting. The initiative brings nine rural organisations together under the umbrella of Aim to Sustain. The idea of the partnership is to use the expertise of the organisations to promote sustainable game shooting and communicate best practice to policymakers and better inform the wider public. A 10-week ‘have your say’ consultation was launched along with the initiative at the Game Fair in July. This consultation is now halfway through and closes at 10am on Monday, 11 October. The combined memberships of the organisations, which include BASC, the Countryside Alliance, the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, the British Game Alliance and the Moorland Association, have been urged to…

Matthew Coward-Holley was the toast of Team GB’s shooters after he walked away with the Trap bronze. It was the team’s only shooting medal at this year’s delayed Tokyo Olympic Games. “It’s my first Olympics, so to come away with a medal, it’s phenomenal,” said Coward-Holley, who finished behind David Kostelecký and Jirí Lipták, both from the Czech Republic. Bronzed! Matt Coward-Holley Team GB’s Aaron Heading also shot in the same event, but a score of 119/125 in qualification left him short of the mark, with 123/125 needed for a spot in the final. Kirsty Hegarty competed in the women’s Trap and Seonaid McIntosh in the 10m air rifle and 50m three-position rifle events, but both fell short of making the finals. For a detailed analysis of how the Team…

The number of hen harrier chicks fledged on England’s northern uplands is the highest recorded in over 50 years. Defra confirmed that Natural England and its partners had registered 84 chicks from nests across County Durham, Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland and North Yorkshire. Hen harriers were once plentiful in these areas but their numbers have declined over the past two centuries, least not because of illegal persecution, and they are now one of England’s rarest breeding birds of prey. Amanda Anderson of the Moorland Association said: “The management carried out on grouse moors by gamekeepers provides an ideal habitat for birds of prey, with fewer predators to steal their eggs, and good numbers of prey species such as small mammals and other birds.” Defra said it was the fifth successive year…

Such was the collective intake of breath among the crowd before the last shot of the Super Final, you could’ve heard a pin drop. As the shot rang out across the beautiful West Wycombe Estate, there was near-universal relief and joy as Mark Winser finally claimed the CPSA World English Sporting title he’d been trying to win for years. Mark Winser’s world of gain was, of course, a world of pain for the other five competitors in the 25-target Super Final. He took the prize with 210 out of 225, closely followed by Mark Webster with 209 ex-225, Martin Myers with 208 ex-225, James Bradley-Day with 207 ex-225, Steve Brightwell also with 207 ex-225 and Nathan Skinner on 204 ex-225. “I’m delighted,” beamed Winser. “I’ve come close to winning in…

Time spent on reconnaissance is seldom wasted is a mantra repeated in every book on pigeon shooting that I have ever read. But what does it mean? Does it mean that I should drive randomly around the countryside looking for a field where pigeons are dropping in to feed? In which case, where should I begin? For a start, I need to have some idea what pigeons are feeding on at any given time of the year, so that I can eliminate probably around 95% of the fields in the area. Relationships Next is the issue of consent. It is no use finding a field that is heaving with birds if you do not have permission to shoot on it. Yes, you could knock on the farmer’s door in the…

“You have to act quickly, hold your breath and dive down” For some years I have had a huge interest in the sea and spent much of my spare time pursuing this. In downtime from my day job dealing with rabbits you will often find me somewhere on the Dorset coast, either by day or night. It is an area that I’m fond of and one I always look forward to visiting time and again. I love fishing with my rod or speargun, enjoy snorkelling around the bays, investigating what lies under the rocks, collecting seaweed from the shore, scuba diving for scallops, or investigating my way around wrecks. Risks However, the activity I prize above all others and the one I find the most exciting is freediving for lobsters…

Having covered technique and method in previous lessons, we will now take a look at the wide range of other Sporting disciplines that are on offer. First up, FITASC Sporting – my favourite. This is often called the F1 of Sporting clays, and it will certainly test all aspects of your shooting ability. Newcomers to the discipline soon discover that any flaws in their technique or ability to read targets will be magnified in FITASC Sporting, as the discipline tests exactly this and, to the highest degree, also your ability to shoot from a gun-down position. One of the most obvious differences between FITASC Sporting and other Sporting disciplines is the requirement for the shooter to start with the gun out of the shoulder. The FITASC Sporting rules dictate that…

As a former gamekeeper and now shooting coach, I have seen different approaches to how people prepare for the game season. These range from those who take their gun out for the first time on the morning of the first shoot of the season – having put it away at the end of the last day of the previous season – to those who practise every week and those in-between. Should we practise before our first shoot? If so, what should we hope to achieve and what should we practise? The justification for why we should prepare is simple: game shooting in all its forms, whether walked-up or driven, is not a cheap day out. So to make the most of your day and your hard-earned cash, you should want…

Everyone who hunts on foot, especially those of us who do so in the dark, will know only too well the problem of trying to tread quietly to avoid spooking our quarry. While we all love to walk on flat turf, most of us won’t have that luxury. Inevitably, there is crunchy stubble, sheets of glass-like ice or noisy gravel to cross instead. But despite it being the most obvious factor, noise isn’t the most important issue. What really matters is safety. While I don’t take a jobsworth attitude to health and safety, tripping over when you have a loaded rifle in your hands is not to be taken lightly. At best you may experience a brief delay in your hunting, but at the other end of the spectrum lie…

Some aspects of gundog training need constant tweaking, especially as we head towards the shooting season, and one in particular will almost definitely need attention. There is a saying that “the gundog at the beginning of the shooting season isn’t the one you have at the end of the season.” That is certainly true in terms of a spaniel’s hunting pattern. If you do your groundwork properly your spaniel should be hunting nice and tight to you, working with the wind and steady to any flushes. Granted, after four or five months of beating or being shot over things start to slip and we tend to become lax over the control of our dogs and as a result they quickly learn to take full advantage. I have said this before…

Letter of the month Balanced perspective on predators I listened to an excellent interview on the BBC Radio 4 Farming Today programme with a gentleman called Philip Merricks. He was talking about predators and their control on his 3,000-acre farm (and nature reserve) in Kent. Mr Merricks spoke eloquently about a problem that affects amber-and red-listed game, songbirds and waders. It is a nationwide issue and Mr Merricks certainly knew his stuff. Given the general licences fiasco of 2019 and the less than clear rules around corvid control, he should be given more airtime so that people ignorant of the facts could be enlightened. The whole of that particular episode of Farming Today highlighted the benefits of lethal predator control to many of our declining farmland species, a refreshing perspective…

The renowned English gunmaker, Purdey, is known for it’s high quality, high performance and… high prices. You will be looking around the £150,000 mark for a London best gun made to your precise requirements. However, the famous gunmaker does have a gun called the Sporter which, at £39,500 plus VAT is relatively affordable. Alastair Bowles at Purdey describes it as an ‘entry-level Purdey’ enabling more shooters to hold a gun made by the famed company. Some might call this a ‘poor man’s Purdey’, just as Porsche’s excellent Boxster was called the ‘poor man’s Porsche’ – usually by people who could not afford it. This is unfair to the Sporter because at its heart lies the fabled Purdey action, handmade in London like every other Purdey. You might ask how the…