Sporting Rifle April 2021

As I write my penultimate Editors’ leader I’m happy to say Spring has definitely sprung in these ‘ere parts. After a week of sub-zero conditions, with drifting snow delivered by a prolonged Nor’easter to my corner of Yorkshire, the barometer has risen. Snowmelt has filled the runners on the hills and cliffs, and the late February sun in a cloudless duck egg blue sky has brought the songsters out in force. Blackbirds, song thrushes, and robins are battling out in the avian version of the ‘Voice’. But enough of the purple prose – I will be handing over the reins of this fantastic sporting journal to the incoming editor after the next issue, and I can honestly say I have loved every minute of my decade tenure as editor –…

The shocking cost of defending Wild Justice’s failed attack on the General Licences in Wales has been exposed, and highlights the mismanagement of funds that could have been used towards conservation efforts. The anti-shooting campaign group brought the action in the hope of having the licences declared ‘unlawful’ by the court thereby forcing their withdrawal. However the Judge rejected all of the group’s claims. In a subsequent costs order the group were ordered to pay £10,000, the maximum allowed under the Aarhus convention. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) explained that they were unable to calculate the full cost of defending the action due to the number of staff hours that were spent on it, however the external legal advice they needed and their court representation took £145,000 away from the Agency’s…

Questions have been raised about a leading rewilding charity’s deer management practices after a dog walker came across the carcasses of a hind and calf apparently dumped at a beauty spot in the Scottish Highlands. A dog walker came across the carcasses in the Nevis gorge near Fort William on 27 January. The animals appeared to have been gralloched and then left on the hillside. The Nevis gorge is part of a large estate owned by the John Muir Trust which includes much of Ben Nevis. “Every few years these things seem to happen on John Muir Trust ground. It is not isolated, sadly,” said Bill Cowie of the SGA Deer Group. The Trust angrily denied any involvement saying: “We were curious as to why these carcasses had been dragged…

BASC has highlighted concerns about the negative impact of Brexit on firearms dealers to Northern Ireland’s Minister for the Economy, Diane Dodds MLA. Prior to Brexit, dealers in Northern Ireland and Britain simply exchanged copies of their firearms dealer’s certificate before the Irish dealer sent the firearm via the contracted courier. However, post-Brexit, Trader’s Support Service (TSS) and the Department of International Trade (DIT) have been advising NI dealers that they need a Single Individual Export Licence (SIEL) for each customer, before TSS will support a Customs Declaration. Irish dealers have also been advised that a single SIEL application can take 6-12 weeks, affecting the ability of NI dealers to honour warranties on firearms, which may need to be returned to a distributor in GB. This delay in effecting any…

From 1 March Highland Outdoors will become the new exclusive distributor for Infiray (IRay), taking on the full range of well-regarded thermal imagers and riflescopes. Infiray products have previously gained an excellent reputation in the industry for high-end yet affordable electronic optics. A leading manufacturer and OEM supplier of optoelectrical thermal imaging monoculars and digital riflescopes, InfiRay is at the cutting edge of global thermal development. “IRay technology is a high-tech enterprise that develops and produces infrared FPA detectors, thermal imaging modules and other IR related productions. The company has completely independent intellectual property rights. IRay, as the leading enterprise in the industry in China, is committed to providing professional thermal imaging products and solutions for global customers,” said a spokesperson for Highland Outdoors. Asked about the new IRay agreement,…

LEAD-FREE EUROPE The European Chemicals Agency has proposed regulations that would ban all use of lead in shotgun and rifle ammunition in the EU. The proposals include a five year transition to a complete ban on the use and sale of all lead shotgun and rifle ammunition with a possible derogation for events such as Olympic shooting where lead can be prevented from reaching the wider environment. The UK will not be obliged to copy the proposal however it is regarded as likely to influence the UK’s regulations SCOTLAND MISSES OUT ON COVID SUPPORT Scotland’s fieldsports businesses have been denied Covid support for a second time. Operators of shooting and fishing businesses which bring vital revenue into remote rural communities had hoped to benefit from the same funding which has…