Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i Sporting Gun

The Great British Shooting Show has become the focus of a campaign by activists opposed to its existence. A petition calling for the show to be cancelled has so far amassed more than 100,000 signatures on the website change.org. The show, held at the NEC in Birmingham, is the largest of its kind in the UK and is attended by thousands of visitors and associated tradespeople. This year’s show runs from Friday 14 February to Sunday 16. Opponents have said that it promotes the killing of animals for pleasure. Dr Conor O’Gorman, BASC’s head of policy and campaigns, called on the shooting community to rally behind the event. He said: “[The activists] have no interest in anything but their own voice and being outraged about whatever the latest issue is.…

Another year. Really? Where did the old one go? It seems only yesterday I was drawing up a list of resolutions for 2019 and here I am slipping quietly into 2020 with most of that old list still in place. Out of six well-intentioned resolutions made a year ago I’ve managed to keep only one – to stop smoking. A single cheroot hasn’t touched my lips since the second week of January. I can’t say I feel massively better for having kicked the habit but I suppose it must’ve done some good. The obvious (and instant) benefit has been to my finances. You wouldn’t believe how much I’ve saved. Breathing fresh air for a year covered the cost of three modest driven days and much of my salmon fishing in…

After Alfie’s unexpected demise it feels like I have a limb missing. Thank you to all who contacted me with their commiserations. Many have even called him a legend, and the big lad certainly deserves that accolade. We have to move on and with that in mind we have viewed some pups and should be collecting a new member of the family to train as my deer dog to join us after Christmas. My choice, which I have to say took some serious thought, is a surprise to many, me included. The boss wanted a border terrier, and I have seen them work well on deer. We have come to a compromise and decided on a teckel. It is from European stock and if the parents are anything to go…

PHEASANT CURRY SERVES 4 Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion (roughly sliced) 3 pheasant breasts (cut into small chunks) 1 garlic clove (roughly chopped) 3 tsp mild curry powder 3 tsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp mango chutney 400g tinned tomatoes 400g coconut milk Small bunch of coriander (finely chopped) Method 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions until golden 2 Add the pheasant breast to the pan and cook until golden. Add the garlic 3 Add the spices and mango chutney to the pan and mix well. 4 Pour over the tin of tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes 5 Pour in the coconut milk and simmer the curry until the sauce has reduced by half 6 Sprinkle the chopped…

I have had the privilege to work with some pretty handy dogs over the years as part of my job. I feel lucky to have formed such ‘man’s best friend’ partnerships, which as well as being integral to me doing my work successfully, have seen me share some unforgettable adventures. Many of these dogs have helped me adapt and streamline how I have gone about my work and, as a result, have been responsible for me being engaged for certain jobs when I might otherwise not have been. Most of the dogs have been collie-based lurchers but there have been a few other ‘makes’ along the way. True, they haven’t all warranted legendary status but I’ve always been of the view that ‘perfect dogs’ don’t exist and are limited to…

• Do your best to keep the wind in your face as that way you’ll be approaching from downwind • Avoid wearing anything perfumed, as it will signal your presence long before you arrive if it catches on the wind • Putting down smelly bait can help mask your own scent • Remember, it is not where the wind is blowing where you are that counts but what it is doing where your quarry is. This may not be the same thing • When there’s little sign of a breeze, light debris (chaff) or talc can be used with good effect to determine which direction it’s blowing in • There are two basic types of scent – that which travels in the air, and that which lies on the ground. Unfortunately for us,…

Having a new pup at this time of the year is certainly more challenging than having one in the spring. Percy has been running in with various debris from the garden and we have had to be careful that we don’t start trying to get his treasure off him, as this may develop into a habit where he doesn’t want to bring anything to me. That said, however, his place-board training is coming on really nicely. In fact now as soon as I put it on the ground he jumps on it and won’t come off, which makes things a little difficult when trying to work on his recall. I have also been working on his retrieving and he has really cottoned on to coming straight back to the board…

FRAN ARDLEY GUNDOGS Owner of Tarncrag Gundog Training, with more than 10 years’ experience. NEIL MCINTOSH VETERINARY A keen shooter and a practising vet in Scotland. TONY BRACCI TUITION Bisley Shooting Ground’s deputy shooting manager and master gunfitter. DAVID FROST LEGAL SG’s legal expert and author of Sporting Shooting and the Law. PETER THEOBALD PIGEONS Pigeon-shooting expert; author of Woodpigeon: The Ultimate Quarry. ROBERT MORGAN ANTIQUES Arms and armour valuer at Holts Auctioneers. ED COOK RABBITS Professional rabbit catcher working over 30,000 acres. TOM SYKES PEST CONTROL & WILDFOWLING Sporting photographer, wildfowler and pest controller. MARC BULL COVER CROPS Marc is our plant expert and is the Midlands and Eastern adviser at Bright Seeds.…

David says: This is an EU inspired change in the law that the Government has been obliged to introduce because of delays with Brexit. A condition was due to be added to all FAC and SGC issued from 12 December 2019 that requires a parent/guardian, or another adult certificate holder who is authorised to possess the guns in question, to be responsible for security if the certificate holder is under 18. Unless the responsible adult is also a certificate holder (in which case they should hold the cabinet key) there must be two locks with different keys on the gun cabinet – one held by the teenager, the other by the adult, ensuring that only one person cannot open the cabinet. Under 18s who hold a certificate without the new…

Tony says: I’m very sorry to hear that you have lost the use of your right eye. I have worked with lots of clients over the years who have been in a similar situation caused by different circumstances. The first thing to try is shooting off the left shoulder. This will feel awkward at first but we have had a lot of successful conversions. We have also had clients that cannot change for various reasons. If you can’t change, you will have to work with a good coach to find a solution that works for you. There is the option of a crossover stock, keeping the gun in your right shoulder but the stock curving drastically so you left eye is in line with the rib. When making a crossover…

Peter says: We solved this problem years ago by employing lightweight swivel chairs (as pictured below) and learning to shoot sitting down. It was difficult at first but you soon get the hang of positioning the chair so as to maintain a smooth swing, something you cannot guarantee with a static seat. The advantages are that the hide is less conspicuous, you won’t have aching knees, and you can turn through 360 degrees if required.…

Ridgeline clothing has a knack for striking just the right balance between quality and affordability. Consequently, it has found favour with a wide range of shooters. The Pro Hunt jacket, No Boundaries fleece and Trail top have become my go-to garments for airgun hunting over the past couple of years because they perform well but aren’t so expensive that I worry about ripping them while clambering through undergrowth. Given my fondness for the brand, I was eager to try the new Evolution jacket, which, at £239.99, is in a higher price bracket than my usual Ridgeline attire but promises impressive protection from wet weather in a seriously lightweight package. The first thing to strike me about this new offering was its length. I’m over six-foot tall and the Large is…

FOR SALE GUN TYPE: SHOTGUN Make and model Morrow Side-by-side Choke Improved Cylinder and ¾ Calibre 12-bore Barrel 30in Price £350 CONTACT DETAILS Name John Tel 01759 307040 County East Yorks GUN TYPE: SHOTGUN Make and model William Ford side-by-side Choke Improved cylinder and ½ Calibre 12-bore Barrel 28in Price £350 ono CONTACT DETAILS Name John Tel 01759 307040 County East Yorks GUN TYPE: SHOTGUN Make and model Baikal side-by-side Choke ¼ and ¾ Calibre Baikal Barrel 28 ½in Price £60 CONTACT DETAILS Name John Tel 01759 307040 County East Yorks GUN TYPE: SHOTGUN Make and model Enrico Pedretti Single Barrel Choke Full Calibre 12-bore Barrel 28½in fully moderated Price £225 ono CONTACT DETAILS Name John Tel 01759 307040 County East Yorks GUN TYPE: RIFLE Make and model BRNO Mod…

This saddened me because I like to think that we welcome new people and the more people who shoot and understand fieldsports the better. Over the past 30 years guns and shooting seem to have been almost forced underground because of legislation and restrictions. I’m not saying this legislation is not necessary but it does mean that the only guns most people see are being used in Hollywood blockbusters. No wonder the public has a skewed idea about what we do. Add to that some misinformation (of which there is plenty) and you can understand why our sport is often held in disesteem. In countries such as Denmark and Sweden, shooting is an understood part of everyday life and that’s the way I would like it to be in the…

Tributes have been paid to David Bellamy, the naturalist, who died in December. Liam Bell, chairman of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, of which Bellamy, 86, was patron and an honorary life member, said: “David inspired a generation of children to look under logs, identify the trees in their garden and learn more about our fascinating natural world. He also understood the work of gamekeepers, the value of their work to conservation and sustainable land management and was a supporter of the NGO for decades. He was also a keen supporter of the NGO Educational Trust and will be greatly missed by everyone at the NGO who has worked with him.” Bellamy was a fixture on the nation’s television screens in the 1970s and 1980s. He even became a staple of…

A long-awaited review of grouse-moor management has been sent to the Scottish Government. The Werritty Review has looked into what is a contentious issue in Scotland. Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister, whose administration commissioned the review, said that a government response would be made priority and “how we will take forward its recommendations”. The report, which was prepared by three senior academics and two estate management experts, was originally due in the spring but has been repeatedly delayed. Options considered by the review include a licensing system for grouse moors. • There have been calls for more drastic culls of deer in Scotland, despite evidence in a report that the deer population is stable. Scottish Environment LINK Deer Group said: “Much more needs to be done. Across our upland landscapes,…

When I was a young man fresh out of school, I wanted to steer clear of working in a typical nine to five job. I thought I would be better suited spending my life in the countryside. Having a hands-on job, which is more considered as a lifestyle rather than work, seemed far more appealing after spending much of my previous years cooped up in a classroom. I had always had a love for shooting and the countryside, which was a major part of childhood. The romantic side of being a gamekeeper and custodian of the countryside was enough to make me think long and hard about what I wanted to do. After some consideration, and time spent convincing my parents, I chose to head down the path that would…

• If you would like more details, please contact Steve Rogers on 07766 604295 or email him at: info@orkneyshootingholidays.com • Shooting costs £100 per person per flight, and the hotel is around £55 per single room, bed and breakfast. • All birds shot are expected to be taken home with you. Steve provides a processing service that will turn birds into sausages or burgers all couriered to your home address in due course. I guarantee that if you have any wildfowling blood in your veins you will not be disappointed visiting this place.…

Ingredients 1lb middle-cut venison loin 1/4 pt tomato ketchup 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2oz butter 2 tbsp cider vinegar 1 orange, sliced 1 onion, finely chopped ½ tsp quatre épices, or you can use ground ginger instead. Method Preheat the oven to 220ºC Heat a dry frying pan until hot then sear the meat in the hot pan so that it is golden brown on all sides. Leave to rest on a warm plate while you make the sauce. Put all the other ingredients in a small pan and boil them for about 10 minutes, stirring so that they don’t burn. Put the meat into a roasting tin and pour the sauce over the top. Cook in the oven for about 10 minutes. Baste the meat regularly with the sauce.…

This article is not intended to be a masterclass in skeet shooting, rather a brief explanation to encourage you to give it a go if you haven’t already done so. Skeet is a formal discipline and an Olympic sport at its highest level. It has a humble history starting when some American farmers wanted to practice wing shooting in the offseason. They started with one trap, shooting at 12 stations ‘around the clock’ to give a variety of angles to mimic wing shooting. After a dispute with a neighbour over falling shot they added a second trap and shot in a semicircle with seven equidistant stations, starting from station 1 at the high house and station 7 at the low house. You can use any type of shotgun to shoot…

In recent articles I have outlined some of the most important aspects of gun fit. The aim is to help newcomers have a clear understanding of how important it is and the implications of the wrong fit and how to make clear assessments. Why do I need to understand cast? You need to do this so that when your gun is mounted in the correct position, your dominant eye sits centrally over the rib without the need to move or roll your head in order to put it there. If the cast is wrong for you it may cause you to miss to one side as your eye is in the wrong position. How much cast do I need? The amount of cast required will depend on your body and…

Fran says: It really is a matter of what suits you. Some people get on better with dogs and other get on better with bitches and to others it makes no difference. If you have a bitch you have to take into consideration that she will normally come into season twice a year and that may coincide with the shooting season and you will lose her for at least three weeks. I have heard it said that dogs are less complicated than bitches and more ‘honest’. I have never been sure what that means as in my experience every dog has a different personality and I adapt my handling and training to suit the individual dog.…

Tom says: I have used different techniques over the years to attach my decoys to the motherline. I have utilised fishing clips that I fixed on to loops tied into the motherline. Although this did a job and worked for a while, I found that the motherline was more likely to tangle and snag due to the loops. I changed my system a few years ago and opted for a new motherline from Tidepool as well as the long line fishing clips to ensure that the decoys could be attached easily and securely. These are worth the investment and a method that I wish I had employed sooner.…

David says: No, but the new rules, which came into force on 12 December 2019 because we had not left the EU, promise to be a glorious muddle. From 12 December you are required to notify all transfers of deactivated weapons and to notify the Home Office of those you possess. But it’s not that simple. If you are in any doubt send in the notification as it costs nothing and is easily done. The Home Office, not the police, are responsible for operating the new system. You can find the full details, including the relevant forms, on the department’s website. There are several issues, however: • The new rules do not apply to weapons deactivated before 8 April 2016. However, existing legislation means that in order to transfer a…

Fran says: I don’t think that you have a hard-mouthed dog, but she clearly has an issue with pricked birds. This could due to one or two things: either the dog is inexperienced when dealing with something that is putting up a fight; or the first bird that she pegged spurred her. Both situations can be cured with training. You need to give the dog more experience on picking game, so see if you can join a picking-up team and explain why. A partridge shoot is ideal because dead and pricked birds of this size are far easier to manage than, say, a large cock pheasant. If your dog has been hurt in some way when pegging a pheasant then confidence with a smaller bird will ensure the dog will…

Surrey Men’s Cotton Field Coat This stylish jacket from Alan Paine has a waterproof and breathable cotton blend outer and a contrasting check lining. The large bellows pockets have drainage holes and there is a secure internal pocket. Available in size range S to 3XL in tobacco, navy and green Price: £349.95 alanpaine.co.uk Le Chameau boot liners These fleece boot liners will keep your feet warm and comfortable on even the coldest winter days. They come in a range of colours to complement Le Chameau’s natural rubber boots. Price: £24 lechameau.com Brown Bear Trousers These functional and lightweight shooting trousers are manufactured from silent microfibre, making them ideal for stalking. Beretta BWB (Beretta Waterproof Breathable) membrane and taped seams make them waterproof and durable. Price: £124.95 gmk.co.uk Streamlight Night Com…

The Breda B3.5SM is a well-made gun. Its working parts move with a well-engineered finesse and the large controls make it ideal for fowlers wearing gloves on the foreshore. I like that the gun comes with a set of sling swivels and shims to enable it to be customised to suit the shooter. I wasn’t keen on the camo, but that’s a personal taste and an all-black version is available. What appealed to me was the fact that the parts of the action were accessed easily, which would make cleaning it a doddle. A lot of thought has gone into this gun’s design. It was also a very comfortable gun to shoot. The new Breda ticks all the boxes for a fowler, but some might baulk at the price tag.…

BASC has called upon Defra to extend the general licences in England for a year. The shooting organisation made its comments in an official response to the department’s consultation on the licences, which was conducted over the autumn and ended on 5 December. The consultation was the consequence of the furore earlier in the year surrounding the withdrawal of the licences in April by Natural England following the threat of a legal challenge by the campaign group Wild Justice. New temporary licences were issued following an outcry by those affected but these only run until the end of February. BASC has asked Defra to extend these for a further year as there had been insufficient time for the consultation. BASC has implored Defra to trust the information from shooters who…

Fun at the fairs A couple of events for you to put in your diaries as 2020 takes flight. The West of England Game Fair will celebrate its 25th anniversary in March at the Royal Bath and West Showground in Somerset over the weekend of Saturday 21 and Sunday 22. Bristol Clay Shooting will oversee clay shoot competitions and a team of experts from BASC will be on hand. In April, The Great Shires Game Fair takes place at the Three Counties Showground in Worcestershire over the weekend of Saturday 18 and Sunday 19. Gunslingers head West Visitors to the West London Shooting School can now benefit from a new venture. Sportarm has taken over the gunroom at the school and has been up and running there since the autumn.…

The shoot day gave me the opportunity to test the eco-friendly Gamebore Silver Steel Bio-Wad 3in 32g 4s steel-shot shells. These cartridges performed fantastically through a Beretta DT11, producing clean kills on both pheasants and partridges. I have used these cartridges on a driven duck day as well as on the foreshore, which has given me the confidence that the cartridge manufacturers can find a solution to the current issue over plastic wads with steel shot. These cartridges and others like them may soon be the main shells you buy for a wide range of quarry. Judging by how the cartridge performed in the field, a future without lead shot is not nearly as daunting as one might imagine.…

DISTRIBUTION: Widespread across Europe, Australia, Asia, New Zealand and parts of northern Africa UKDISTRIBUTION: Common on freshwater lowland habitats across the UK IUCN RED LIST STATUS: Least concern, world population increasing HABITAT: Lakes, ponds and streams or larger stretches of slow-flowing water. Outside the breeding season birds will congregate in large flocks FOOD: Omnivorous; will take a variety of small, live prey, including worms, molluscs and small amphibians, the eggs of other ground-nesting birds, seeds, fruit, algae and other vegetation, including aquatic plants BREEDING: Territories are established at the beginning of the breeding season when birds pair up with much calling and simple displays. The male often chooses the nest site NESTING: The bulky nest, constructed from grasses and reeds, is built close to the water’s edge or a suitable…

• Station 1: High house single, low house single and a pair taking high house first • Station 2: High house single, low house single and a pair taking high house first • Station 3: High house single and low house single • Station 4: High house single, low house single and a pair nominating which one you’re going to take first • Station 5: High house single and low house single • Station 6: High house single, low single and a pair taking the low house first • Station 7: Low single, high single and a pair taking the low house first…

The cast of the stock is the measurement between the central line of the gun and the central line of the stock’s butt. Cast can be applied in either direction and is referred to as ‘cast on’ for a left-handed shooter and ‘cast off’ for a right-handed person. I have also heard it referred to as the ‘windage adjustment’ on a shotgun. The bend of the stock is intended to centre the dominant eye over the rib, the most pertinent point to consider.…

Age 46 months The middle part of my shooting season hasn’t really gone to plan although I am having a great time shooting with my little rough shooting syndicate the Circle of Trust. A few weeks ago we shot at one of our favourite locations, Hexton Manor, and we had a great time – even the weather played ball and we ended up in shirt sleeves despite it being early December. Ted was working really well. I have been doing quite a bit of beating with him this year and I am really pleased the way this has increased his hunting drive. He has shown himself to be totally steady, no matter now many birds are in front of him. I have also realised how important it is to have…

Neil says: The veterinary profession is regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), which investigates every complaint made to it. Investigations involve speaking to the vet concerned, examining practice records, and taking statements from witnesses. In reality very few vets are struck off. Figures from the RCVS show that there were 24,422 practising vets at the end of March 2018. In the previous 12 months, the disciplinary committee of the RCVS heard 19 cases against vets, of whom only four were ‘struck off ’. Making an honest mistake is not sufficient grounds to remove anyone’s livelihood.…

Marc says: Don’t despair. If you are in the south of England then our Jaguar sorghum or Capetown sorghum blend provides a cover crop that will perform until the end of the season and allow excellent broad leaves weed control. If you have grass weed issues or are north of Derbyshire, then you will have to look at switching to a late cob variety of maize like our Foxxi. It will stand well until the end of the season and in a normal year the cobs will not ripen and remain small and milky so the deer and badgers will not find them palatable or nutritional.…

Schoffel Gunnerside Fleece Schoffel has a new fleece designed specifically as a shooting waistcoat. The Gunnerside has large bellows pockets, hardwearing Cordura pads on each shoulder and there is also a removable rubber recoil pad that can be placed in either shoulder. There is an adjustable drawstring so the waist can be cinched in and it is also cut a little longer than the popular Oakham fleece. The best thing about the Gunnerside is the material is luxuriantly thick and hardwearing. I found that even on a chilly winter day driven shoot I could wear it over shirtsleeves and stay warm. If it’s really cold or wet, then the Gunnerside can be worn as a mid-layer. I liked the chunky YKK zip, which was easy to use with cold hands…

Semi-autos often divide opinion. You either love them or hate them. Our two reader testers have used semi-autos in the past but now mainly concentrate on over-andunders – but will one of them be swayed to go to the ‘dark side’ when they test the new Breda B3.5SM? Steve Want is first to try the gun on some driven targets and he makes easy work of getting all 10 clays. “The gun feels very light when it’s in my shoulder. It felt more like a 20-bore than a 12,” he said. Another thing he liked was the fairly light trigger pull. “That felt refined.” Terry Friend also shot well with it, but was slightly less complimentary. “I have shot better semi-autos from makers like Beretta and Winchester. I am very…