Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2016 i Sporting Gun

The Beretta 680 series has been around since 1984 and it’s still enjoyed by many of us today. So, this newly updated 687 EELL model, with scroll engraving, has undoubtedly got a serious history of previous EELL’s to compete against. This newly engraved 30in, 3in chambered, 12-bore EELL is elegantly engraved, in a way that the majority of us would find pleasing to the eye. This EELL is a game model, with a narrow rib and a fixed chokes, which I always feel handles with more speed than the multichoke version. This updated version has a rounded fore-end instead of a schnabel, which gives a slim/sleek profile. With this profile it provides a more comfortable hold for leading hand, if you hold a slightly longer grip, or at least I…

Most articles written about pigeon shooting mention, at some stage in the proceedings, the weather conditions on the day in question. Indeed, I have written many times, how Paul and I wait for the “right” weather, when planning a sortie. So what, in order of preference, are we looking for? 1 WIND Wind will determine how pigeons approach your setup and how much the flightline is disrupted by any subsequent shooting. We go to great lengths to avoid firing straight downwind, as the birds’ flightline will invariably be into the wind, and the noise of our shots will carry a long way. This is particularly important in the winter, when rape feeding pigeons are usually resting up close to the feeding field, and the sound of shooting quickly sends them…

So far in my series of articles I’ve looked at the basic techniques of shooting foxes, as well as the use of kit such as callers, night vision and thermal imagers. Having the right equipment is not always enough though – some foxes are ultra wary, whereas others might only visit your ground when you aren’t there. I’ve always said that you can’t call a fox that isn’t there, so now we’re going to look at another way to improve your chances of success – and that’s the use of bait. The essence of the idea is to leave some kind of food out that will attract any local foxes to ensure that we are both there at the same time. Having brought them in, however, you don’t want them…

The woodcock has always held a fascination for me, which goes back to my early days as a keeper in the 80s in Shropshire. I was ferreting with the headkeeper, Mr Clarke, and while clearing brambles to place nets a woodcock lifted about four yards in front of us. We both stared at each other in amazement, as the bird was clearly carrying one of its youngsters on its feet. It pitched down 10 yards further on and then lifted again, leaving the chick behind. When we looked closely in the area where we had been clearing the brambles we found a nest with several more chicks in it. Many people dispute the ability of woodcock to carry their young but we know what we saw. It was in a…

Grouse moors home to endangered birds SCOTTISH GROUSE moors are home to 81 species of bird — many of them red-listed for conservation concern — according to a survey by the Scottish Moorland Group. The study involved wildlife audits of three sites — Invermark and Glenogil estates in Angus and Glenturret estate in Perthshire. It found that many bird species that have suffered serious declines in other parts of Scotland are doing well on managed moors. Hen harriers, golden plover, black grouse, ring ouzel, golden and white-tailed eagles and peregrines were named as leading species on the three estates, while the Scottish cuckoo was also identified as making a significant comeback on one site. Tim Baynes, director of the Scottish Moorland Group, said: “To have such an array of species…

Lord it was wet at the start of the season! On two consecutive Saturdays in early November the biggest risk to both Guns and pheasants was drowning. On the first of those weekends I made the huge mistake of wearing an old coat that I had just reproofed using silicone spray. I say “reproofed”, but after less than an hour the coat was sodden, heavy as lead, and about as waterproof as a kitchen sieve. It only became bearable once the water inside the coat had reached body temperature. Another failed experiment. I later reflected on the folly of taking this coat. The weather forecast had predicted a biblical deluge and for once the Met Office boffins were spot on. I had selected the coat – a tough old canvas…

As the season draws to an end, it’s not a bad idea to focus on those lumps and bumps that have appeared. It is easy to put them to the back of your mind, as surgery when dogs are still working is not ideal, but now is the time for action. There are as many different types of skin and subcutaneous growths as there are breeds of dog. Some require radical surgery as soon as possible. Others need merely to be monitored and only excised if they grow too large. Many, of course, are only cosmetic in nature and can be left, unless they become too unsightly or get damaged. I like to think of tumours as bits of fruit. Some want to be grapes, others will end up as…

Hands up everyone, who assumed I was going to talk about telescopic sights? Well you are right, of course, but can we begin by looking at the alternatives, past and present? Early smoothbore muskets didn’t really have any sights because they weren’t accurate enough to need them. You may remember a general of the time suggesting that if a soldier shot at a man size target at 200 yards then he had as much chance of hitting the moon; and you were also pretty safe from a musket at 100 yards. They were, of course, designed to be fired in volleys at regiment sized targets and at ranges of fewer than 60 yards, so fine accuracy was not really a requirement. In the hunting field, accuracy at anything over point…

The big lad loves snow, he bounds out of the kennel and runs around like a demented chicken, must have got that from his past poultry disasters. The trouble is, when it first arrives he doesn't realise how tricky ice is to deal with when you are in a hurry. I have said before that when we are returning from stalking he starts to get excited on the track to the house. The reason for that is that he knows the bread is out for the chickens and his only concern is to get that bread into his kennel before I can stop him. We arrive at Greenlee, I open the tailgate to the truck and his game starts. He leaps from the truck and races around the terrace to…

Kate Gatacre: Thermals Merino has, for some time, been widely acknowledged to be one of the best thermal materials there is. Not only does it keep you warm, it wicks sweat away, and best of all, it doesn’t smell. I can vouch for that, as I wore merino thermals for ten days on the trot when riding and camping in Kyrgyzstan. We were at more than 5,000 metres altitude for the entire time, so it was cold, but we were also walking and riding, so sweating. I got home expecting to be appalled by the smell of my clothes from the trip, but remarkably, my thermals were the one thing that didn’t smell… Merino is also anti-bacterial, and of course natural, but without being scratchy. The thermals from Icebreaker are…

A lot of folk presume my work is all about catching large hauls of rabbits. But rabbit control is about removing a population that is causing damage or keeping a small number of rabbits from increasing. Damage can vary depending on the environment and land use. It is relatively easy to catch a good bag of rabbits with a little thought or effort if they are present in large numbers. The harder task is getting the last few, as these are normally wary to most forms of control measures. Generally 75 per cent of the rabbit population is the easiest part to remove, after this things become harder – this was certainly the case at one recent job. It was a garden centre “up country” where various plants and trees…

HATSAN ESCORT XTREME MAX It takes a manufacturer with extreme self-confidence to advertise a 12-bore semi-auto shotgun as able to cycle loads all the way from 24 to 66 grams. That, to those who prefer the old money, is 7/8 to 2 3/8oz. To handle the top weights, in steel shot, the gun has to be a super-magnum with a 3½in chamber. What’s more, a new gun costs around £550 depending on what offers are available, and an aspiring coastal wildfowler on a tight budget couldn’t do better than that. The gun has steel shot proof and he or she could use the same gun for clays or woodpigeons through the spring and summer. It’s hard to imagine a gun in this price range that is so adaptable. When gunsmith,…

“Will had a great deal of confidence in Rob and his team’s ability to deliver” Rob Hagger and Will Nichols were introduced by a mutual friend, who knew that Rob, a gamfarmer by trade, was looking for land to set up a shoot on, and Will, a farmer and landowner, was looking for somebody to take his small family-run shoot to another level. Athough a passionate Shot, Will has struggled to do the shoot justice in recent years due to work commitments and having a young family to raise. Putting down between 300 and 1,000 birds each year and only shooting a couple of days was not making the most of the Cambridgshire land, which had previously been a great shoot with help from his friend Craig Johnson. With the…

Each time we reach the end of yet another old year – and the beginning of a brand new one – it’s time to look back and reflect on the achievements and failures of the past 12 months. I’m at the stage now where each year somehow seems to pass much quicker than the last, and I find the only way of recalling events is by keeping a daily diary. It’s certainly been a funny old year for pigeons, but by looking back through old diaries this has often been the case, and I suspect always will be, given their somewhat unpredictable nature. Many moons ago I started recording a few shooting notes in a little pocketbook; the “Shooters Diary” produced by Eley. The entries at first were restricted to…

A tool that can often get brushed over when looking at gamekeeping as a career is man’s best friend – the gundog. From spaniel to setter, vizsla to retriever, the gundog can be considered the most useful of all the gamekeepers’ tools. As well as being a keeper’s companion, the gundog can fulfil a whole multitude of tasks, including dogging in pheasant poults, picking up dead birds on a shoot day, counting grouse in the spring, tracking wounded deer and many, many more. Dogs are such an important part of the gamekeeper’s life, and this is why we have been completing our most recent assignment for our “working dogs” unit at The Northern School of Game and Wildlife – a training programme for a working dog. Once a certain breed…

There is a lot of discussion these days, both in the Gun bus and on the beaters’ wagon, about bag sizes and the increasing numbers of birds being released on some shoots. There is a general feeling that shooting has changed quite a bit over the last few years. The reason for these changes is due to an increasing demand for shooting. It is more popular than ever – so driven shoots are growing to meet this demand. It is not just shooting folk that have noticed these changes; many people I meet that have no connection with shooting have often commented how much more game they see up and down the country lanes and in their gardens. Some conservationists are starting to ask questions about what impacts these birds…

The woodcock fee On a recent shoot in Buckinghamshire I shot a woodcock, nothing remarkable in that, but the reaction from the other Guns reflected the current confused picture of whether you should shoot “such a lovely bird”. “It has just flown here from Russia” and “the UK population is dropping” were among the comments. I agree, but, in my opinion, just not shooting them will not help one jot. It is far too simplistic to say there are fewer birds so stop shooting them, it hasn’t helped the grey partridge on the Isle of Man. A 20-year ban has seen them virtually disappear and it assumes that shooting is the cause. Assumptions are lazy and are no substitute to research. This is why I have decided to implement a…

“You never want to over-face the dog, the idea is to gradually build up its confidence” Last month we looked at training your dog to go through obstacles such as bramble patches and hedge lines. But, of course, as we all know in the shooting field or if you plan to compete in scurries, you may well need to teach your dog to jump. Most people will automatically think that teaching a dog to jump involves fences and perhaps gates, but you should also teach you dog to tackle ditches as they can also create a “barrier” for the dog. You should also give due consideration as to whether you even need or indeed want to teach your dog to jump a fence. If you are going to work your…

“Remember, 70:30,” Erik Ås, our instructor said, as we lined up in front of the cinema screen. I’d won one of 20 coveted spots on the Aimpoint/Wild Boar Fever weekend in Sweden, in an online competition. Two of us would be selected to appear in the next Wild Boar Fever film, but we were already under the scrutiny of cameras – three of the Hunters Video cameramen were constantly filming over the weekend. We’d arrived at the Aimpoint factory on Friday, and after presentations from Aimpoint, Hunters Video and co sponsors Sauer, Hornady and Härkila, we were fitted with Sauer 404s, each with its own Micro H2 sight. Our training began in earnest on the Saturday, under Erik’s frighteningly calm tutelage – demonstrating just how much more powerful a softly…

“Even with great care the sound of boots on frozen ground carries for a huge distance” I have just returned from two morning stalking outings that were, should we say, a little frustrating! At last, we have had the first cold weather here with some snow. The ground and leaf cover is starting to go, but there are still some leaves in places. Up here in Northumberland by late November the autumn leaves, which were spectacular this year, would have all fallen by now, especially with the strong winds we have had lately. We still have the stalks of rose bay willow herb and nettle standing, but hopefully they will be gone at the next fall of snow when it arrives! Even with some cover still causing problems our sight…

KJK ROPE SLIP LEADS A top quality slip lead made in Devon. The product is handmade and spliced in high quality marine-grade rope, which is light, strong and washable. It is lightweight making it easy to roll up and slip into your pocket. It’s available in 12 colours and two widths, either 6mm or 8mm. Price: £9.99 Web: www.workingdogcompany.co.uk LEATHER SLIP LEAD WITH STOP A very nice handmade leash made from good quality leather. Appropriate for training and competing. The stainless steel ring makes for a smooth glide. It is easy and comfortable to handle. For every order received Gundog Gear will donate to children’s charity Cheeky Monkeys Plus 2. Price: £7.20 Web: www.gundoggear.co.uk SWIVEL SLIP LEAD Made with the swivel inserted half way down the lead, it…

PROFILE NAME MARC COTTERILL AREA NOTTINGHAMSHIRE MEDIA WOOD – HAZEL, LIME AND RHODODENDRON PROFESSION STICK MAKER Marc Cotterill used to be a mechanic, working on lorries, but three years ago he turned his hand to stick making. “My grandfather had always made sticks and carved the heads, but only as a hobby,” Marc told me. “He taught me to carve the wood and how to make up the sticks. That was three years ago and I have recently given up working as a mechanic to concentrate on the sticks full time.” Mike sources his own shanks locally from hazel and holly, but buys in the lime or rhododendron, which has been kiln dried to make the heads. He started out slowly by making a Facebook page and now can hardly…

TRY THESE CAJUN SPICED PHEASANT NUGGETS A great way to enjoy pheasant for all ages is to turn them into little golden nuggets. This recipe is just a base and open to lots of different variety of herbs and spices to suit each person. Ingredients Pheasant breasts Breadcrumbs (or crisps) Plain flour Salt and pepper Garlic powder Cajun spice Eggs Milk How to cook Take the pheasant breasts and dice them into small nugget-shaped chunks. Take a bowl and add some flour (this is where the recipe is open to interpretation). Add Cajun spice, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the flour. I then find it easier to have three bowls at the ready. I use one for the flour and spice mix, mix egg and milk into another bowl…

“Here in front of me was two original needle-fire models, completely untouched” Valuation days with Holt’s Auctioneers are always exciting – one never knows exactly what will appear. The promise of an “old shotgun” often leads to the appearance of a derelict 19th century hammergun, but every now and then a real gem appears. The same can be said for rifles, most that come out of the ubiquitous gun-sleeve tend to be of the hunting type, often resplendent with a telescopic sight, a bipod and other essentials of the 21st century sports person, so it is always pleasing when something different or historic manifests. Just such a manifestation occurred at a local valuation day some months ago when not one but two interesting French service rifles appeared. Now the history…

Shooting is more popular than ever, and that has to be good news for the sport’s future. As the saying goes, there’s safety in numbers. Unfortunately such growth comes with a few downsides, too. Downsides that shooting genius George Digweed alluded to in a recent interview with journalist, James Marchington. “I was taught the proper way, not as some people come into shooting nowadays. I’m a firm believer that people learn from the grassroots, not just jumping in, but few people get that sort of country upbringing today. Everything is instantly accessible,” said George. I would love to say I was even as half as proficient with a gun as this 25 times World Sporting champion. Some hope! However, the one thing I do have in common with George is…

“The ‘Holy Grail’ of woodcock shooting is managing to get a right-and-left” Ask anyone involved in shooting,what their ultimate quarry is and you will get a flush of answers. For some it will be a high driven pheasant, for others it will be a flighting mallard on a tidal mudflat or a driven grouse hurtling towards a stone butt high on a heather moor. For me the answer is quite simple – it would be a fast, silent, jinking woodcock flushed off the nose of a questing cocker spaniel, and if you are into your old style, back to basics shooting then you won’t get much more traditional than this combination. People’s views on shooting woodcock vary considerably, some Guns and landowners feel that these little waders should be left…

There is something incredibly satisfying about making something that later gives you success in the field. Over the years I have made numerous decoys, but one of my favourite creations are my homemade wigeon tufts. These are a simple invention that are most suited for half-light or moon flights. In low light conditions the most visible part on a wigeon is the white patch on the rear of the bird and the white flash on the wings, which other birds seem to be able to spot from a great distance. My wigeon tufts are designed to create an illusion of ducks without putting a lifelike decoy out and to let the approaching bird paint the rest of the picture, with the help of calling. I settled on the idea of…

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. GUNDOGS: LEZ GRAHAM Gundog trainer and author of the Pet Gundogbooks. PIGEONS: PETER THEOBALD Author of Woodpigeon: The Ultimate Quarry. STALKING: GEORGE WALLACE Former National Gamekeepers’ Organisation’s firearms consultant. FERRETS: ED COOK Professional rabbit catcher working over 30,000 acres.…

We are hugely excited to announce that Shooting Times, Sporting Gun, Shooting Gazette, The Field, Country Life and Horse & Hound will be hosting the brand-new Field & Country Fair. Taking place at Cornbury Park, in Oxfordshire, the fair will be held from 10 to 12 June. We’ll have all the things on show that we are so passionate about: shooting, gamekeeping and dogs, as well as the best in equipment, products and, of course, guns. With the brilliant combined experience and knowledge that we have as magazines, as well as outstanding support from the shooting world, the Field & Country Fair should be the best fieldsports event this summer. » What: The Field and Country Fair » Where: Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire » When: Friday 10 to Sunday 12 June…

Dogs will at some point be totally in their nose and pretty much oblivious to everything else. To a degree that’s what we want while our dogs are working, but only to a degree. While hunting we want our dogs focussed on the job in hand and also with an ear turned to us. We start having problems with our dogs “going off the whistle” when this ear is not on us. Prevention is always better than cure and luckily, in this instance, both of them are the same. Whistle at home If you don’t already, start wearing your whistle around the home. Whenever you go to let your dog out, whistle pip for a sit and only let him out when he’s sitting. When he’s out and about in…

The Aimpoint system was developed in 1975, and the company had such faith in the sights that despite not making a profit for 21 years, it persisted. Their faith was rewarded: today they are used not only on sporting guns, but also military and police weapons all over the world, with more than 1million in use. With no magnification, the sights are specifically designed for moving game, though they are equally good for static targets within a reasonable range. There are a few reasons they are so effective: » No magnification, so you can judge the range and speed of the animal accurately, and have a very wide field of view, as well as a depth of field » A battery life of up to 50,000 hours, so leave it…

Venison meatballs: Middle Eastern style Ingredients Meatballs 2 tomatoes 1 onion 2 cloves garlic (peeled) A handful of parsley 2lb minced venison ¼tsp ground cinnamon ¼tsp ground cloves ¼tsp black pepper ¼tsp ground cardamom Tomato Sauce Olive oil 1 onion (thinly sliced) 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped) 1 tin chopped tomatoes 1 pint vegetable stock 1tbsp tomato puree 1tsp ground cumin 1tsp paprika How to cook First make the meatballs. Halve the tomatoes and squeeze out the pulp. Roughly chop the flesh and put in to a food processor with the onion, garlic, parsley and a pinch of salt and process until it’s finely chopped. Strain the mixture in a sieve and save both the vegetables and the juice. Put the vegetables into a bowl and add the venison and…

LED GUN LIGHT RANGE Tracer has launched three brand new ranges of LED gun lights. The F400, F600 and F900 have focusing lenses, which limits light filtration and offers 100% power and range. You can adjust the lights from spot to flood. With three levels of illumination and strobe control from an integrated side switch, these lamps will give you hours of lamping time. Beam options are available from 150m to 800m. The F900 has an interchangeable infrared option as well, and the Tracer mounting system can be fully adjusted to account for windage and elevation are part of both the F600 and the F900 ranges. Price: F400 RRP £89.99; F600 RRP £129.99; F900 RRP £149.99 Web: www.deben.com COMPACT TRINOVID HD BINOCULARS FROM LEICA For the active stalker who…

Ingredients  Serves: One standard terrine mould (a bread tin would work just as well) 500g minced game 300g minced pork 100g chopped livers, game or chicken Various pieces of game, rabbit saddle , pheasant breast, partridge, mallard or even venison 500g thinly sliced streaky bacon 1 large white onion, finely chopped 5 sage leaves 1 large sprig of thyme 50g hazelnuts, skinned and chopped 2tbsp brandy 1tbsp port 15 turns of a pepper mill 25g sea salt 2 quinces – you could substitute with apples or pear Cold water 1tbsp caster sugar Butter COOKING METHOD 1 Quince puree Peel and chop the quince, removing the core and pips. Place in a small pan and fill it with just enough water to cover the fruit. Add a knob of…

GUNS FOR SALE Browning Heritage mk II, 12-bore, 30in barrel, scroll engraved, 14½in stock, m/c, fantastic gun, pristine condition, only fired 36 cartridges, £4250. Tel 01664 852964 (Leicestershire). Miroku 3800, 12-bore, sst, grade 5, 30in, 15mm wide rib, m/c with four long Teague choke tubes. Oil finished figured stock, gc, £550. Also Benelli 12-bore, three shot semi auto, m/c barrel with six choke tubes, oil finish stock, gc. £200. Tel 01403 258593 (West Sussex). The Briton air pistol, circa 1930s, tin, push barrel type, vgc, rare opportunity. £85. Tel 07767 456093 (Suffolk/Essex). Miroku grade 1 mk70, wide rib 30in Sporter, m/c, single trigger ejector, c/w two Teague chokes ½ and 3/8 plus three chokes moderated, improved moderated and cylinder, gc, only fired 1,500 cartridges, £750. Tel 07432 737771 (Suffolk). Boss…

From 1803 to 1815 Britain was spending huge sums of money on fighting the Napoleonic Wars. It was a time for austerity, but not everyone got the message. Leader of the “big spenders” brigade was none other than the Prince Regent, Prince of Wales, son of King George III, who took over the kingly duties when his father was declared insane in 1811. The Prince Regent seemed delighted to spend huge sums of money that he didn’t have, to the point that the government had to make him a grant of £161,000, equivalent of £18million today. The wayward prince’s money had been spent on high living on a grand scale – mistresses, excesses of strong drink, entertaining aristocratic wasters who were cast in the same mould as he, and… guns.…