Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i Sporting Rifle

Christmas has once again rolled around, and with it the time for reflection and contemplation on the year just gone, and our hopes for the one ahead. Even just a few short weeks ago I wouldn’t have gone into Christmas feeling as positive as I do about the future of field sports, but a strong Conservative majority in parliament, the Records of British Game yearbook showing increasing quality in deer herds across the country, and success stories from the world of conservation all indicate we as countrymen and women have much to look forward to. Of course, securing our future won’t be without challenges – while the Conservatives have traditionally been the party that supports field sports and all they contribute to the economy and wildlife of our island nation,…

The UK has a new majority government – and BASC is already hard at work in Westminster ensuring that the value of shooting is recognised by the new parliament. The Conservative Party, typically viewed as the major party most sympathetic to shooting, takes the reins of power – however, these days nothing can be taken for granted, with MPs from any party seemingly capable of supporting anti-shooting legislation. That’s why political advocacy on behalf of the shooting sports is more important than ever. A BASC statement said: “BASC is committed to working with the new government to ensure that shooting’s value to rural communities is recognised and that its contribution to the UK economy is rightfully acknowledged. “Shooting is worth an estimated £2 billion to the UK economy. The contribution…

Scottish gamekeepers have denounced a report produced by the campaign group Revive that advocates licensing or ending driven grouse shooting and replacing grouse moors with natural woodland and scrub. Revive, which is associated with a number of anti-field sports groups, launched its campaign at an event attended by Chris Packham and Mark Avery, and concludes that “management as grouse moors will maintain a large area of Scotland’s land in an impoverished state”. The Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association was quick to respond to the report. It said: “Revive use neutral words like ‘reform’ but their real aim is to ban grouse shooting in Scotland, empty the glens and put gamekeepers and families on the dole. “Their wish-lists were effectively discredited in Scottish government’s own commissioned report into grouse moor economics and alternative…

If there’s one thing that’s always exciting other than gaining new shooting ground it’s gaining new shooting gear! At the end of November I was exceptionally lucky to acquire a new rifle in the form of a Savage BA Stealth in .223. The generous guys at Scott Country International kindly sponsored the 260rips YouTube channel with this stunning rifle to use to test their various night vision and thermal scopes, so I wasted no time in fitting it with an MAE moderator from JMS Arms and getting out to zero it. On top of that, I’ve recently been testing the Sightmark Wraith, which I’ve been pretty impressed with especially at its asking price of £700. So I was keen to mount that on the rifle and try it out. Something…

As the years and technology have rolled along, we have become more accustomed to higher magnification and higher zoom ranges on optics. Though magnification in itself is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to choosing a scope, the ability to span low magnification for wide field of view in some situations, then higher magnification for others, has made scopes more usable across seasons, scenarios and species. It’s important to remember that just pumping up the magnification ratio comes with compromises, and although 10x erector tube optics are available at both ends of the price range, some are distinctly better than others (whose manufacturers, frankly, would have been better off staying in the world of three and four-times zoom) so don’t be fooled by hype alone. Nikko Stirling’s well-named…

Rain is something I am normally all too happy to see stop. We are used to it in the UK. Rarely do we see protracted periods without rain or feel the effects of limited precipitation. In other parts of the world, the opposite is the norm. In Namibia, where I spent considerable time this year, they have seen many years of drought conditions (the same is true for many regions of southern Africa). I saw this first-hand, flying over land parched and baked hard from the relentless sun. The vibrant habitat that should have been teeming with fauna looked tired and devoid of life. Many private landowners had eradicated or sold their wildlife populations over the proceeding years, hoping to reduce the negative impacts on the habitat. On top of…

ENGLAND CHILDERLEY SPORTING Chinese water deer and muntjac specialist. We manage over 30,000 acres of land in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. We can offer 1:1 guided stalking to all capabilities and training for beginners. We have a zeroing range up to 250 metres along with our simulated stalking area. Contact: Paul Childerley 07715 638934 paul@childerleysporting.co.uk www.childerleysporting.co.uk MARK BOULTON Driven boar hunting throughout Europe and night shooting in Sussex. Groups or individuals. Various packages offered from day trips to France to six-day all-inclusive trips to Hungary. Contact: Mark Boulton 07854 985006 markthedeerstalker@hotmail.co.uk SHOOTING SH A long-established syndicate of 15 years with 19 varied blocks. Red, roe, muntjac and fallow deer with 10 walked-up days as added value plus rough shooting in your annual fee of £750 first year, dropping to £600…

We don’t often split the back page, but as I sit writing this, a stone’s throw from the beginning of the festive season, I have just finished a documentary called The Serengeti Rules while killing time on a flight between Texas and Los Angeles. Tracing the stories of six scientists in their quests to better understand ecosystems and the interconnected nature species play within them, the recurring theme lies in the importance and identification of ‘keystone species’. That is to say, a species that other species within an eco-system depend on for their survival. This is not always obvious, as is highlighted several times throughout the film. It was fascinating to see the knock-on effects in the complex web of interweaved species dependencies. Linking these chains is instrumental in successfully…

Shooting has come under a fresh wave of attacks from activists who have been described as “extremists”, who wish to see an end to live quarry shooting in the UK, or to all private gun ownership. The most blatant example of anti-shooting extremism was the disruption of a BASC game dinner at Derby Museum, which came under fire from the Derby Hunt Saboteurs group, which pressured the museum to cancel the event. On the day of the event, sabs staged a protest outside the entrance to the venue. One BASC member described them as an “angry yelling mob” and reported that they followed some guests through the streets on their way to the museum. Guests then left quietly out of the back entrance in order to avoid further intimidation. These…

Scotland’s plans to toughen up on wildlife crime have come under scrutiny at a round-table discussion in Holyrood. The proposals, made as part of the Animals and Wildlife (Protections, Penalties and Powers) (Scotland) Bill, would increase maximum penalties for the most serious offences to five years in jail or an unlimited fine or both. The five-year jail term elevates wildlife crime to the ‘serious crime’ category, which means the police could deploy ‘intrusive’ surveillance in cases where a jail term of three years or more could be expected and there was no other means to gather evidence. Maximum penalties for other offences are to be increased to a 1 year jail term, a fine up to £40,000, or both. The Bill also extends the time available for enforcement bodies to…

Anew year is upon us, and at this time of year it is a common practice to adopt resolutions. Personally, I am not really one for adopting new year’s resolutions. Instead, I like to adopt better practices and habits as they occur to me – why would I wait until 1 January? But whenever you time it, I think there is great use in self-improvement, and this is a good opportunity to look at potential areas to focus on. In this article I would like to take a two-pronged approach. I’d like to firstly suggest some general areas hunters can focus on as resolutions – these I will base on my experience in guiding others in the field. Secondly, I will share some of my own resolutions that I have…

Being a professional stalker involves a lot more than just pulling a trigger. As Chris Dalton well knows, at various times you may need to be landscape manager, hunting guide, performance coach, technical expert, chauffeur, host and more besides… and that was never truer than during a four-day trip to their Kinnaird estate in Perthshire, with red hind the main quarry on the list. Chris wouldn’t just be stalking – he’d be with two Irish guests, Padraig and Killian, both of whom were looking to complete their DSC Level 2 and needed to get the witnessed stalks. At the same time, Chris was trying to film for The Shooting Show, all without compromising the stalks or the witnessing. So that’s enough to be getting on with… “Padraig and Killian are…

SPORT ABROAD Q What’s the most dangerous place to hunt, and species to hunt, in the world? A Pete says: Pretty much any location can be dangerous if you do not adhere to the key principles of hunt preparation, including familiarity with your kit, researching the destination and being physically fit. Likewise, you must listen to your guide and trust in his knowledge – if you treat him as a nuisance to be ignored, you take your safety into your own hands. This applies everywhere from Scotland to South Africa. Don’t think that just because your hunt is not in an ‘exotic’ location, you will be safe. That said, there are some species known worldwide as being particularly dangerous, particularly Africa’s ‘big five’ species. Which is actually the most dangerous…

I am familiar with the Sightmark range, have dealt with a lot of it first hand, and have to say I have always been impressed. Sightmark are certainly not frightened to develop products and over the years have filled gaps in the market and brought fantastic bang for the shooter’s buck. That said, rest assured I am not biased: if the product did not come up to the required standard, I would not write positive things about it. SCOPING UP For my test purposes I mounted the Sightmark Citadel 3-18x50 MR2 on top of the Ruger Precision .22 – perhaps too much glass for the little rimfire, but all the same the Precision is built with longer range use in mind, so I was hopeful of being able to shoot…

VORTEX FURY HD 5000 Two of the most important pieces of hunting gear combined into one powerful, long-ranging unit, Fury HD 5000 rangefinding binoculars make glassing and ranging ultra-fast and efficient. Right-side button controls make one-handed manipulation of both functions quick and easy, cutting down on set up time in the field. And don’t forget – these Fury HD 5000 binoculars, in common with all other Vortex products, are completely covered by a VIP Warranty, and that includes electronic components. Price: £1,355 Vortex 01462 743223 VortexOptics.com HAWKE FRONTIER EDX Hawke’s flagship bino, designed around extra-low dispersion glass, produces stunning colour retention, crisp definition and excellent light transmission. Controlled chromatic aberration eliminates colour fringing, allowing all detail to be clearly visible, while the water-repellent lens coating offers extra clarity in all…

INDIA COULD HOST COMMONWEALTH SHOOTING India could host a major shooting event around the time of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, with medals counting towards the overall Commonwealth Games table. That's one of the options being considered after India threatened to pull out of the Games entirely after shooting was dropped from the Birmingham 2022 programme, according to the website insidethegames.biz. In an exclusive story on the website, Liam Morgan says that the proposal has support of the International Shooting Sport Federation and the National Rifle Association of India. “Talks on the proposal are at a very early stage, however, and no formal decision has been made,” he writes. Shooting is not a compulsory part of the Commonwealth Games, but has been part of every event but one since 1966.…

Shooters can show their environmental credentials by shopping at Fin and Game, who have become a member of the ‘1% for the Planet’ scheme. This means that every purchase you make from Fin and Game, 1% of every sale will go directly back to organisations working to protect the planet. Launched by the founders of outdoor brands Patagonia and Blue Ribbon Flies, ‘1% for the Planet’ has been in operation since 2002 and has donated over $225m to environmental non-profits since then. Tom Leslie, owner of Fin and Game, said: “It is impossible not to see the impacts we as humans are having on the world around us. As a business that depends on the environment, how could we not get behind such a fantastic cause that is trying to…

A mere eleven years on from its first ever outing in Newark in 2009, the British Shooting Show has evolved into something few us could have expected or even imagined. It’s massive, occupying three enormous connected halls; it’s a showcase for the industry, with the NEC venue putting in on the same footing as Crufts, Comic Con and other nationally renowned events; and, despite its name, it’s actually rather international. That’s thanks to the number of global brands who bring huge stands to the show (of the sort that was once reserved for IWA, the trade-only European show). Those companies also fly in their international representatives, making use of Birmingham’s airport links. As a result, it’s become a place where you can see new products before they appear anywhere else,…

Choosing the right rifle is always going to be hard. Whether it be your first or tenth, there are a lot of aspects to weigh up before you make a final decision. The truth is, with new rifles it’s hard to get something truly bad. Even the cheapest budget modern rifle can shoot, and can sometimes outshoot much more expensive rifles. Of course they may still be found wanting in finesse and longevity. In the UK we can rule out semi-auto fullbore rifles, as our laws don’t allow ownership. Single-shots don’t tend to be popular for stalking, though they are an option. I currently have a Ruger No 1 sitting in the cabinet and find myself increasingly drawn to it. But in the main, the choice for a stalking rifle…

Apart from the occasional foray after pigeons, most of my shooting takes place after dark, involving my fox and rabbit control business – though the second of those has tailed off recently owing to the incessant attack on the rabbits in this area from disease. Last year they did stage a comeback, and there are certainly more around this winter than last, but their numbers are a sad reflection of what they were a few years ago. I and my shooting companion Callum have a variety of rifles for differing circumstances, and with them come several different night vision items. Not long ago I added a .204 Ruger calibre rifle to my collection and put my Swarovski Z6i scope on it. I had to think long and hard as to…

I have just finished up a film job in Texas, where I was introduced to Precision Rifle Shooting for the first time. The talk of calibres for the discipline came to the fore several times, with 6.5mm-based cartridges dominant. It got me to thinking about my own 6.5mm sitting at home, unloved over the last two years owing to the number of days spent abroad. With so many modern derivations and cartridge options in 6.5mm, I thought it was time I revisited the place it all started, with the century-old 6.5 Swedish – a cartridge that has served me well for longer than I care to recall. The 6.5mm as a calibre shares similar acclaim to the 7mm, being ballistically excellent, with a wide variety of weights and designs on…

What’s your favourite shooting ground near you? What about the best one for Trap, or Skeet? And the best one full stop? Everyone has their personal picks, and we all know that barely anyone agrees on which ground truly is the best. That’s why the Nation’s Favourite Shooting Ground poll, run by Clay Shooting magazine, has been so enduringly popular – it’s voted for by the shooting public, which means you can have your say and help your favourite ground win. Plus, it gives crucial recognition to the ground owners and managers who work hard at all hours of day and night to put on excellent shoots and keep us coming back week after week. Of course, a good clay ground is about more than targets. It’s about the quality…

For many shooting men, the season is over by February. In the game shooting world, it seems that one day we are preparing for another exciting pheasant or partridge season then the next it’s over! My keeper friends tell me that as far as the birds were concerned, it went well. What didn’t go so well was the weather, and this of course reaches across all field sports. Without a doubt the autumn was incredibly wet and in some areas shooting almost ground to a halt due to flooding. Even my wildfowling friends complained bitterly about the excessive water covering the fields, as their quarry could drop in almost anywhere for a feed. As far as the game went, I had one very good but very wet day at the…

TIME IS RUNNING OUT… Get the doe cull complete in good time FOXING FIELD TEST Mike Powell’s verdict on the Sightmark Wraith TOUGH TRAINING What it’s like learning to hunt in New Zealand TOP-END OPTICS Does the Leica Fortis 6 measure up to our high expectations? PLUS… • On the range with a Browning X Bolt fluted .308 • Build-up to the 2020 roebuck season • Ultimate foxing kit round-up • Win a pair of Vortex Fury HD binoculars • News, views, competitions and offers SUBSCRIBE NOW Never miss a copy of your favourite shooting monthly again – subscribe to Sporting Rifle and save money every month, as well as getting the mag delivered to your door. With a quarterly subscription starting at £12, it’s more affordable than ever to…