Indholdsfortegnelse for Dec-2018 i Shooting Gazette

The warmest of warm welcomes to this, our Christmas issue. Where on earth has the year gone? I sincerely hope that it has been a memorable 12 months for you on the game shooting front, and that you will have plenty to toast to come December 25. Boxing Day falls on a Wednesday this year, so fingers crossed you’ll all be able to make the most of the Christmas shoots you’ve (hopefully) organised. Getting together with friends and family is what Christmas is all about and in this issue we’ve been rather naughty and asked Ben Samuelson and Giles Catchpole to choose between the two parties for their preferred company. Roderick Emery has some sage advice on how to make sure your family has a cracking sporting Christmas, while Chris…

Five members of the fieldsports community raised £16,000 for the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) after taking part in the 2018 Frontline Walk in October to commemorate the centenary of the First World War. Walking 100km under the Countrysports Pride & Passion name in memory of fellow fieldsports enthusiasts and employees who served their country during the conflict were John Cavana, a gundog trainer and grouse moor ambassador; Victoria Goodall, a falconer; Chris Green, the “Cornish Countryman”; Shane Robinson, a game shooter and wildfowler; and Richard Walton, who follows hunts in south west England. “Country sports are all about community and friendship and to have the opportunity to reflect on the service of those who came before us and raise funds for those who serve our nation today has been a…

THE author of the Letter of the Month will receive a pair of Wexford boots from Dubarry of Ireland (RRP £325). The knee-length, side-zip boots – designed for both men and women – are handcrafted from waterproof Dry Fast-Dry Soft™ breathable leathers. The high quality of the boot is reinforced throughout with an insulated GORE-TEX® lining that wicks moisture away from the foot, ensuring the wearer remains dry and comfortable all day. Dubarry’s new hard-wearing, durable outsole gives maximum grip whatever the ground conditions.…

What does a great shoot lunch look and taste like to you? Good hearty, wholesome traditional food that will bring some much-needed warmth when you have been out in the cold. Slow-roasted lamb with creamy mash is a favourite of mine. Serve with a lovely full-bodied red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon. To finish, it has to be Bramley apple tart with vanilla custard. What ingredients should readers be putting with their game if serving it for Christmas dinner? Roasted parsnips with honey are a firm favourite, and a rich sauce finished with a bitter dark chocolate would be ideal with venison. For other game birds finish your sauce with some redcurrant jelly. Also, try roasting your Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and crispy bacon. How can we make game more…

We would shoot at Leys Estate Crathes. This is my local shoot and where we have held the Glad Rags & Cartridge Bags game days. First would be Brian Sim, he is the former headkeeper of Leys Estate. I will never forget Brain meeting the ladies of Glad Rags at our first game day dressed in full tweeds with a fascinator attached to his hat and his wife’s Dior sunglasses with the biggest mischievous grin on his face. Mary Berry would be my next choice. I love baking, there can never be too much cake on a driven day. Her cooking tips would be much appreciated to avoid any soggy bottoms in future. Third up would be Rachel Carrie as she is such a positive ambassador for fieldsports and always…

For your chance to win a bottle of Taittinger Champagne for Picture of the Month, send us a team photograph or a picture of something unusual from your shoot. Send high-resolution images or prints with captions to Shooting Gazette Gallery, Time Inc. (UK) Ltd., Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7BF or email: martin.puddifer@ti-media.com.…

TRAVEL Given its remote location it’s no wonder teams choose to shoot back-to-back days at Dunskey Shoot. Being 420 miles from London – the last leg from Gretna is 100 – the journey to the estate can be a long one. The nearest railway station is Stranraer, about eight miles away. The estate has its own airstrip –or you can fly to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, around 90 minutes away. STAY To make the most of your experience at Dunskey Shoot look no further than Dunskey House. Owners Alastair Orr Ewing and his wife, Anne Tristine Nguyen, have turned the 10-bedroom residence into one that will cater for all your creature comforts. While shooting parties take precedence over other guests during the season, do bear in mind that the house and…

“The beater I was with was keen to move on, despite the fact I needed two minutes to push my eyes back into my head.” People often pour scorn over the Christmas period, bah humbugging their way between excited shoppers as they try to finish their own gift gathering, but it’s funny how those who decry the festive spirit are often the first to curl their ears and noses around the kitchen doorway at the sound of corks popping and when the smell of the turkey in the oven begin to waft throughout the house. Christmas, as we all know, is a time to indulge in food and drink. Despite my devotion to my own weekly fitness routine from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Day, you will find me eyeing…

A highlight for me last season was that, on our Christmas shoot, my two granddaughters came with their father Justin to beat for the first time. Jemima was 13 and Pia eight. All friends who help on my old gravel pit shoot at Hauxton were thrilled and welcoming. Many have been involved with the shoot and other activities for nearly 50 years, so have seen my children grow up. Now it seems all the more special to welcome the next generation. A year or two ago I wrote of the disappointment of not seeing more young people out beating. So many have lives that revolve round tablet screens rather than exploring the countryside. I am proud to say that Jemima and Pia are more balanced in their interests and though…

Very occasionally, out of all the hundreds of guns and rifles I come across, I pick up a certain example and immediately think, gosh that is nice, that’s a bit special, what a beauty. This is exactly what happened at The Game Fair this summer when a gentleman appeared with a gun in a slip and said, “I wonder what you think of this?” He pulled out what was obviously a hammer gun but the minute he placed the gun in my arms, I realised that this gun was in a league of its own. “Several things struck me about this little hammer gun that instantly gave it the ‘wow’ factor.” It was a 20 bore top lever bar action hammer gun by Alexander Henry of Edinburgh no. 4887 completed…

Alexander Henry was of an inventive turn of mind and in 1861 he took out an extremely useful patent for an adjustable cheek-piece. The year before he had taken out his famous rifling patent that transformed the accuracy of the muzzle-loading rifle. This coincided with the rapid growth of the Volunteer Force in response to a perceived threat from French invasion. Since skill with the rifle was the raison d’être of the Volunteers, rifle competitions took place most weekends the length and breadth of the country. Henry rifles were used in many of these competitions and to ensure as great an accuracy as possible, Alexander Henry thought about every eventuality. The height of the cheek-piece was important in a muzzle-loading rifle as the bullet drop at extreme range meant that…

In England, the recent publication of the Agriculture Bill heralds the start of the Government’s clarification of the impact of Brexit on the farming sector. From the information available we know there is significant disruption to come in the way in which land is farmed and managed, and we anticipate a major shift in the occupation of land as a result. While the Bill will not be enacted in Scotland, we eagerly await the outcome of an inquiry by the Scottish Affairs Committee to understand the extent to which policy will be influenced by Westminster. Despite the differing policies north and south, opportunities will undoubtedly surface. The resilience of rural estates will be tested, particularly those heavily exposed to farming. Understanding the performance of rural businesses and being able to…

SPOT ON: Good Names for Dogs by Gail Garbutt Struggling to name the newest permanent addition to your ankles? Gail Garbutt’s thoughtful and at times hilarious suggestions will raise a smile and more than a few laughs among dog owners of all ages. Punctuated with quotes and poems from famous names throughout history, this A-Z will give you plenty of ideas, broken down into themes as varied as Drinking Friends and Shipping Stations. Ideal for a dog-lover’s Christmas stocking. £7.50 gfgarbutt@gmail.com DEATH OF A HIGH FLYER by D. P. Hart-Davis If you need a page-turner this Christmas, D. P. Hart-Davis’ tale of social change, new money, game shooting and murder fits the bill nicely. Death of a High Flyer is filled with characters many of us will recognise, from the…

Q I have just bought a spaniel puppy. My husband shoots and has his own labrador dog, but I just like the breed. My intention is just to have her as a pet and not work her. Is there a difference in the training of a pet gundog and a working gundog? A That is a great question. Your dog is instinctively a hunter- retriever of something – and it does not necessarily have to be fur and feather. You just have to add your own discipline, games and patterns into what that dog wants to do to get a well-balanced, happy and responsive companion, which is what everyone wants. At its simplest level, the fact a gundog wants to seek out and retrieve things means you have the power…

How to win For your chance to win either a Pintail Explorer smock (top) or a Seasons jacket (right), email high-resolution pictures to: katemaxim@outlook.com. Please put “Gundog Picture of the Month” in the subject line. The winner will be chosen by the Shooting Gazette judging panel. Good luck! The prize will only be posted to winners with a fixed UK postal address.…

Save beaters from an ‘odious nephew’ With regard to the ‘odious nephew’ in Uncle Giles’s Elevenses column last month, why put him in the beating line? Having a creature like this contained in the beating line can be disruptive, and which beater do you single out to care take him? If the beater got round him, the uncle might take offence. It is also unfair on other Guns, who may be trying to escape their own offspring for a day, to have to chastise another person’s child. I suppose the uncle could be asked to join the beating line with him, or help with the game cart on the premise the child be shown different aspects of the day. There will be those who say youngsters need to be encouraged…

I’ve been a keen shot since my early twenties, when I lived near Exmoor and studied animal care and countryside management. However, I’ve worked in care for 15 years now. Sometimes I get asked what I do in my spare time. “Shooting” or “training and trialling my gundogs,” are my usual replies. “Shooting” is normally followed by a frown and, “Shooting what?” When I reply pheasant, grouse, partridge or pigeon and geese, this is followed by disgust or curiosity. I try to explain my experiences so they can understand what I do and why. I ask if they eat chicken. Ninety per cent of them do and most buy from KFC. I tell them each branch across the UK wastes close to three tonnes of food per year and ask…

Cream of pheasant soup Ingredients • 1 whole pheasant • 1 onion, diced • 3 celery sticks, chopped • 1 large carrot, chopped • 1 garlic clove • Leek trimmings • 200g button mushrooms • 200ml double cream • 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced • A sprig of fresh thyme • 1tbsp fresh parsley, chopped • Salt and white pepper • 1 shop-bought sourdough loaf Method To make the stock, chop the carcass bones into several pieces and roast in a hot oven for 10 minutes at 200°C. Once browned, put the bones in a large pan with the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and leek. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 90 minutes, making sure to keep the water topped up so that the…

Dear Uncle Giles, In the shooting press and in conversation much is made of the correct attire in which to shoot game. Perhaps the neck tie a must for a majority, but what say you to the cravat please? C.S. by email Uncle Giles writes It is the nature of game shooting to be formal. Pest control: informal. Pigeons over decoys: informal. Wildfowling below the highwater mark in a howling gale with some sleet in its teeth: wear whatever is necessary. Driven game shooting: formal. And in a formal situation you should dress appropriately. Royal Ascot: morning coat and black top hat. Evening dress: swallow-tail coat and stiff shirt. Black tie: dinner jacket. Yet within even these prescribed areas there are opportunities for a dash of individualism to emerge. A…

At the risk of being labelled “Mr Scrooge” the first thing to recognise about the Christmas shoot is that it is not a freebee. Light-hearted and jolly it may well be but, like the rest of Christmas with its presents and its stockings and its various abundances, it is not without its costs. Just because the house is filled to bursting with children and dogs and grandparents does not mean that the beaters should be expected to work for nothing. “Who’s for a lovely walk and some bramble-bashing then?” might sound like a jolly sensible idea to you and the rest of the potential shooters, but it may be a zebra of a very different stripe to the nine-year-old who has only recently embarked upon the construction of an inter-galactic…

It has been a dud year for grouse. Speaking to keeper friends up and down the country, it is unusual to hear of anywhere that has escaped the fallout from a cold spring and a hot summer. A few places on the North York Moors seem to have done alright, but even the best ground in the Dales and Pennines has been quietly muted. Of course this has been frustrating for many, but there is some satisfaction in collapses like these because they remind us how special grouse are. As we move away from the traditional boom and bust of worm cycles which characterised grouse shooting until 10 or 15 years ago, it is easy to forget that wild game is chancy and unreliable. I shot a single day this…

Putting an estimate on a gun or rifle is a fairly straightforward job. One boxlock ejector is much like another; a best sidelock ejector can be valued due to its maker and condition and gun cases have a set value. But what if something is out of the ordinary and has never come up for sale before? Such lots can be difficult to value and frequently well exceed their estimates if there is desirability involved. Rarity does not guarantee value as often rare guns are so because they were a disappointment in their time. But desirability is a different matter entirely — as is oft quoted, it only needs two people to start a bidding war. I thought it might be interesting to study a few lots in the June…

Time for the onerous task of shooting a Purdey. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it. With me was Roger Bryan, one of our client instructors, and we started with a 40ft tower. We both agreed the gun shot incredibly well, despite its weight. We were shooting 24gram fibre wads at this stage and the breaks were impressive. I have done quite a few fittings for this Purdey and am looking forward to doing a hand-over lesson for one of the clients to see the handling of the production version, which promises to be amazing. The trigger-pulls were exceptional, the safety catch typical Purdey with a precise click. On to the high tower with a mixture of 24gram and 32gram cartridges, shooting some targets out to 50…

Q I struggle with shooting birds that can be seen flying over distant woodland. Can you give me any tips? A This is something most of my clients struggle with, particularly if the birds are coming from an elevated area. Before describing how to successfully shoot them, I’ll outline a few things that are often going on with these birds. The birds are often gliding if they are coming from a long way off, appearing to be moving slowly, when in fact they are flying are at, or are nearly at, top speed. These birds rarely flap their wings when gliding, so it is hard for us to focus on them, as there is little movement for our eyes to lock onto, and the higher the birds are in the…

“Beating and picking-up requires stamina and resilience...” Wendy Bardsley on keeping your gundog in shape this Christmas “He set off, hell bent on giving someone a piece of his mind…” Gatherer and the case of a Gun wearing yellow stockings “You have to add your own discipline, games and patterns…” Mike Barnes on the differences between training pet and working gundogs PLUS Reports from gundog events up and down the country…

One of the best things about our picking-up team is that none of us are greedy. We even things out among ourselves and the younger ones always volunteer to walk long distances across the glutinous plough. We also have a process whereby the first pickers-up to arrive at a new drive walk the longest distance in order to allow latecomers to slip unobtrusively into place. Arriving late with my black cocker, Granite, one day, I snuck in behind No. 10. I couldn’t help noticing his canary yellow stockings. In my experience, guns in the tattiest kit are often the best shots, so it was no surprise that His Elegancy was struggling to come to terms with the pheasants. At the end of the drive, Mr Yellow Stockings (YS) had just…

Having only been to a couple of all-aged retriever stakes, I’m still not entirely sure what their purpose is. Other than giving someone another bite of the cherry regarding moving out of novice, I think they are a wasted opportunity for holding a one-day open stake. The two all-aged stakes I have been to were both on superb ground, the atmosphere very jolly and both were extremely welcoming with great hospitality. Everyone was catered for – there wasn’t a “them and us” feeling between officials, Guns and the competitors. A novice dog winning an all-aged stake means they can move into open stakes but an open dog winning one means absolutely nothing – it doesn’t count towards making up a field trial champion. I suppose some must use them almost…

Shooting Gazette has teamed up with Quiller Publishing to offer readers the chance to take advantage of a special offer on two of the books reviewed on pages 80-81 of this issue. The Sporting Shooter’s Handbook is available for the special price of £18 plus free postage and packaging when you enter the code SGSporting at the checkout at quillerpublishing.com. The Great Shoots by Brian P. Martin is also available for the special price of £30 plus free postage and packaging when you enter the code SGShoots on the same website. You can also order direct via Quiller on tel. 01939 261616.…

As I prepare for my first day of this season, I find I am growing more concerned about our beautiful sport’s future. Indeed, I echo John Clements (The danger of silence, August issue], and the responses that followed. I would certainly purchase a ‘Speak Up for Shooting’ badge (pictured far right), as John Clements suggests, and write letters in support. My question is, who from the countryside community is best positioned to coordinate this? The additional revenue generated from badge sales and even, perhaps, an increase in premiums charged by BASC, the Countryside Alliance, NGO and GWCT could bolster a united media ‘front’ for the fieldsports community. Our lobbying, too, needs to move up a gear: e-petitions and pre-written letters to cross-party MPs should be provided for members to sign…

The BBC is often portrayed as a malign influence in major debates. With editorial guidelines set from above, news reportage on subjects as diverse as climate change and raptor persecution set agendas for listeners who didn’t know that they needed one. In a constantly changing media landscape, the BBC is facing different challenges to those faced by Lord Reith, coming from government and competitors for attention. It’s a race for revenue and like most competitive industries, the protagonists are constantly seeking commercial advantages. The BBC is no different but its less-than-impartial coverage of – and stance on – Brexit, espousal of the RSPB, RSPCA, WWF and so-called experts on meteorology, are major influences. Its recent announcement that the case for man-made climate change had now been accepted as holy writ,…

TRAVEL Getting to Carnanton by road is easy, with the M5 and A30 taking you most of the way. It is close to Newquay so air is an alternative and an obvious time saver. You can fly to Newquay from many regional airports, though you will have to plan ahead, but with London, Manchester and Birmingham only an hour away, and Edinburgh just under three-and-a-half you can see why this could be a wise move. STAY Watergate Bay Hotel (watergatebay.co.uk) is minutes away from the shoot. It has superb views, smart rooms and is dog-friendly. St. Moritz (stmoritzhotel.co.uk) is another stylish hotel with a coastal location. It is just north of the Camel Estuary and offers a spa, a gym and two restaurants. The Pickwick Inn (pickwickinn.co.uk) overlooks the Camel…

Names mean a great deal. If you are invited to a day shooting woodcock with Dashwood, pheasant with Digweed or grouse with Percy, you know that, between bumbling inaccurately through the day yourself, you are likely to see sporting shooting of the highest order. Buy a watch from Patek Philippe or Bremont or luggage by Louis Vuitton or Rimowa and chances are that they will outlive you. Laverstoke water buffalo mozzarella is peerless, as is the GWCT research into all things important about shooting and even Michael Gove’s masterplan for farming are good things, but the EU, PETA and LACS are demonstrably less so. Closer to home, the names Samuel Colt, Henry Derringer, Richard Gatling, George Luger, Peter Mauser, Sir Hiram Maxim, Mikhail Kalashnikov and Uziel Gal are immediately recognisable…

Engineering: 10/10 The engineering on the action looks incredible. The gun feels incredibly solid and is made to the highest standards of the English gunmakers. Looks and finishing: 9/10 This was a prototype that has had a hard life, with Purdey trying very hard to test it to destruction – and failing. As soon as I had finished the test, it was going back across the pond to the US to be tested by more potential customers. I have not, therefore, yet had the opportunity to see a new gun on delivery. I know how Purdeys look on delivery so had I got my hands on a new gun, I am sure this mark would have been a 10. Handling: 10/10 Even though the prototype is a little on the…

PEMBROKE HIP FLASK BY GREENWICH £299 greenwich.design THE CHILTON BAG BY THE ENGLISH ROOM £280 theenglishroom.com CIDER CASK PROJECT WHISKY BY GLEN MORAY £54.99 glenmoray.com/thewhiskyexchange.com PLUCKY PHEASANT CUFFLINKS BY VEALE FINE JEWELLERY £150 jamesveale.com CUSHIONS BY BELLA ART COUNTRY TEXTILES £45 (each) bellaart.co.uk CANTERBURY MOTOR SHOTGUN CASE BY GUARDIAN £172 sportsmanguncentre.com THE 114TH ELEY HAWK DIARY BY ELEY HAWK £5.95 shop.countryside-alliance.org…

Club: Golden Retriever Club (Eastern Counties) Event: Novice dog/novice handler and special puppy working test Venue: Ampton Estate Judge: Jennie Hankey Sponsors: Skinner’s and Sporting Saint REPORT BY: DI EWINGS The day was held by kind permission of Peter Rushbrook. Though warm, the temperature was nothing like what it had been over the previous weeks. Nevertheless, we were grateful for the ground being in and around the Round Water on the estate so there was plenty of opportunity for cooling the dogs and shade to stand in while awaiting the first two tests. Nineteen years ago, Jennie Hankey judged our first novice dog/novice handler working test and it was a pleasure to welcome her once again. The day started with a walk-up in pairs. The puppies remained off the lead…