DUCKLINGS: MAKE A CRUMB FEEDER TO IMPROVE THEIR CHANCES Since 1882 13 MARCH 2019 Whiffling pigeons The art of lofting poles FERRETING Bolting bunnies in a Suffolk garden TE AL The greatest of all ducks? R AT TING FAST AND FURIOUS SEALYHAM TERRIERS GAME COOKERY SLOW-COOKED VENISON TORTILLAS Serengeti in the city The Beretta Gallery is situated in the heart of London, on the corner of historic St James’ Street Beretta products are EVVERKIH SZIV XLVII ¾SSVW JVSQ LERHFYMPX WMHIPSGO WLSXKYRW XS XLI ẵRIWX LYRXMRK VMắIW %PSRKWMHI XLI MGSRMG 7IVIRKIXM NEGOIX ]SY´PP ½RH SXLIV I\UYMWMXI PEHMIW ERH KIRXPIQIR´W ETTEVIP as well as a discerning range of accessories and gifts 8LIWIGSRH ¾SSV LSYWIW XLI &IVIXXE KYRVSSQ Harrods, Knightsbridge London SWIX 7XL 36 St James’s, Street London SW1A 1JD Tel: +44 207 408 4411 or visit www.beretta.london GAL0219SPR the largest in London DOG OF THE WEEK In association with Orvis For all things dog, Shooting Times recommends Orvis.co.uk Outdoor outfitters, instructors and apparel makers since 1856 Sybil Sybil, a Sealyham terrier, has perfected the arts of scrounging, snoring and barking loudly at intruders both inside and outside her domain She picks-up with the rest of the pack at Compton Manor shoot Owned and photographed by Deborah and Robbie Gates 13.03.19 Issue 6,131 £24.99 Subscribe to Shooting Times today and never miss another issue of Britain’s original and best fieldsports and countryside magazine Get the picture ?d j^_i m[[a¿i _iik[ j^[h[ _i W b[jj[h \hec W h[WZ[h p.13 ZhWm_d] Wjj[dj_ed je j^[ \WYj j^Wj" _d W f_[Y[ m[ hWd h[Y[djbo" j^[h[ _i W f^eje e\ W del_Y[ I^ej m^ei[ ijWdY[ _i _dYehh[YjWdZ m^e ^Wi Wd [o[ Ybei[Z$ ẳM^o ki[ feeh f_Yjkh[i5ẵ Wiai j^[ b[jj[h mh_j[h$ Ed ed[ ^WdZ ^[ ^Wi W lWb_Z fe_dj$ Oek YekbZ Wh]k[ Shooting Times ^Wi W Zkjo je Z_ifbWo X[ij fhWYj_Y[ _d [WY^ WdZ [l[ho f^eje _d j^[ ^ef[ j^Wj f[efb[ m^e Wh[ lW]k[bo _dj[h[ij[Z _d ekh ifehj WdZ f_Ya kf W Yefo e\ j^[ cW]Wp_d[ i[[ ^em je Ze _j fhef[hbo$ 8kj j^Wj¿i W fei_j_ed ?¿Z Z_iW]h[[ m_j^$ ? h[c[cX[h ed[ Wkjkcd ZWo Xehhem_d] W ^ehi[ WdZ jWa_d] _j ^kdj_d] » co Xh[[Y^[i m[h[ j^[ mhed] Yebekh" ? mWi m[Wh_d] W i^eej_d] `WYa[j WdZ ? 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X[b_[l[ j^[oi^ekbZd¿j beea b_a[ [nf[hji$ Patrick Galbraith, Editor shootingtimessubs.co.uk/23AV SAVE 0330 333 1113 Quote code: 23AV UP TO Lines open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm (UK time) 30% *Pay just £24.99 by direct debit payable every months, with the price guaranteed for the first 12 months and we will notify you in advance of any price changes Offer closes 10 April 2019 Terms and conditions apply For full details please visit www.magazinesdirect.com/terms 14 Roost shooting in Suffolk J^[Whje\be\j_d]feb[i 18 Raining, rats and dogs 7m[jZWo¿ihWjj_d]_d]eeZYecfWdo 26 Ilkley Moor: one year on J^[[Ƈ[Yjie\j^[i^eej_d]XWd 30 Soldier Palmer IjWba_d]j^[9^_d[i[mWj[hZ[[h 32 Browning 525 Laminate on test M^oYbWoI^ejii^ekbZidWfed[kf 36 Taking the sting out of nettles >emm[YWdki[j^_i\ehW][ZƏdZ 40 Coming up roses EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; 8.V 1R  8.V 1R  %5,672/ 75,3/( %$6.(7 (** :$6+(5 +($9< *$/9$1,6(' :,5( 1(77,1*  075 52//6 00 0(6+ 6,=( 527$0$,' (** :$6+(5  (JJ 0DFKLQH :,5( 1(77,1*  PP PP  UROOV  SOXV UROOV   PP PP  UROOV  SOXV UROOV    (** %$6.(7 .* ,1*),6+(5 )(('(5 :0( '5,1.(5 ´ NJ 3DQ *DOYDQLVHG )HHGHU )HHGHU 6SDUHV DOVR DYDLODEOH 723 (175< /$56(1 &$7&+ 1(7 6SDUH 1HW 328/7 &5$7(  3+($6$17 6$''/( :,1* %5$,/(6 3+($6$17 &/,3 21 63(; 3HU  3HU  $OVR DYDLODEOH )OH[L 6SH[ 7HO   )UHHSKRQH    $// 35,&(6 (;&/8'( '(/,9(5< 9$7 2UGHU RQ OLQH DW ZZZSDWULFNSLQNHUFRP HQTXLULHV#SDWULFNSLQNHUFRP NEWS A booming elephant population has been the main motive for those seeking to lift the ban Botswana to lift hunt ban? The government of Botswana, which has the world’s largest elephant population, is considering lifting a ban on hunting the animals A hunting ban in Botswana may be about to come to an end after a group of government ministers asked President Masisi to change the law The ban was introduced by former president Ian Khama in 2014 and was described in Botswana’s Sunday Standard newspaper as “the ultimate victory by photographic safari investors against trophy- Mbaiwa of the University of Botswana said the ban “has led to a reduction of tourism benefits to local communities such as income, employment opportunities and provision of housing for the needy and elderly Reduced tourism benefits have led to the development of negative attitudes by rural residents towards wildlife conservation and the increase in incidents of poaching in northern Botswana.” ALAMY / A WARD / C WARREN / J NIEMAN “The increased expansion of the elephant population has impoverished communities” hunting safari tourism investors, their long-time rivals” Questions were raised over Mr Khama’s connections to the photographic safari business and to antihunting campaigners A formal study of the ban’s effects by Professor Joseph A booming elephant population has been the main motive for those seeking to lift the ban In June Botswana’s parliament unanimously supported a motion to repeal the ban Tabling the motion, Kostantinos Markus MP told parliament that “Botswana has approximately 237, 000 , I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; elephants as compared with our carrying capacity of 50,000, because there is no hunting of elephants” and that “the increased expansion of the elephant population in Botswana has impoverished communities, where crop damage and lack of harvest due to elephants is prevalent” The new report, which was published on the Facebook page of the Botswanan government, made a list of recommendations including that the hunting ban is lifted and that the government should “develop a legal framework that will create an enabling environment for growth of a safari hunting industry” The ministers recommended “regular but limited elephant culling and establishment of elephant meat canning, including production of pet food and processing into other by products” Botswana’s neighbours, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, all have thriving hunting industries attracting visitors from around the world Elephant hunting costs from $30,000 to $50,000 (£22,900 to £38,170) for a 10-day hunt Matt Cross Namibia’s hunting industry is thriving and plays a vital role in conservation Email your stories / STeditorials@ti-media.com Shooting ends on NRW land Weekend Twitter poll Which is the best terrier for ratting? 54% Jack Russell 31% Patterdale 9% Plummer 6% Sealyham follow us @shootingtimes Respondents: 212 To this week The move to ban pheasant shooting on NRW-managed land was criticised for its lack of clear rationale Thebanonpheasantshooting on land managed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has come into force The existing leases expired on March and will not be renewed The decision to end shooting and rearing of game birds on land managed by NRW was taken by former Welsh environment minister Hannah Blythyn and went against advice from an expert report.Themovewasopposed by fieldsports organisations and drew criticism for its damaging effects and lack of clear rationale Ms Blythyn, who has now been demoted to deputy minister for housing, subsequently tried to distance herself from the decision, claiming that she had merely expressed a view and NRW was not required to act on it Scots salmon rivers classified The classifications of Scotland’s 173 salmon rivers for 2019 have been announced.Theclassification determines whether mandatorycatch-and-release will be enforced on a river Scotland’s four largest salmonrivers—theDee,Spey, TweedandTay—haveallbeen givencategoryonestatus, meaning that the current level ofcatchissustainableandthat thesmallnumberofanglers killingfishonthoseriverswill beabletocontinuetodoso Theclassificationsystem hasbeencriticisedinthepast forthetendencyofriversto movebetweengradings for noclearreason DuncanFergusonof theScottishGamekeepers Association Fishing Group, commented:“Morethought iscertainlygoingintoitnow thanattheoutsetbutthere isstillanissueoverusing rodcatchasanindicator ofconservationhealth Ifriversarenotgettingthe fishnumbersthenthatcan discouragefutureanglers Thatwillaffecttherodcatch figuresagain,whichmakes a mockery of the equation.” With the trout season F I S H now open on many English, Welsh and Northern Irish rivers, and opening on 15 March in Scotland, stiller, warmer days will offer opportunities to find a fish Nymph fishing is often the most successful method early in the season Classics like the Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear and Pheasant Tail Nymph will produce resultsbutanglersofamoremodernbent oftenlooktosuper-heavyCzechnymphs cast upstream and trundled down the stream bed to tempt early trout With G O Q U A C K E R S spring finallyarrivingitisalmostducklingtime Ducklingswon’teatforthefirst24to48 hours,butafterthatchickcrumbsmake agreatfeed.Ducklingsshouldbefed adlibsokeepfeederstoppedup Chooseyourcrumbwithcare.Some chickcrumbsaremedicatedwithdrugs thathelptopreventcoccidiosis.These areunsuitableforducklings,soavoidany crumblabelledas“medicated”,“contains ACS”or“containscoccidiostats”.Check withyourfeedmerchantifyouareunsure DownloadtheGWCTguidetobuilding a feeder at po.st/ducklingfeeder Scotland’s “big four” — the rivers Dee, Spey, Tweed and Tay — have been given category one status I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; - NEWS The 2019-2020 season for mountain hares will open on August EVENTS DIARY 16 -1 M A R C H WEST OF ENGLAND GAME FAIR Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset www.westofengland gamefair.co.uk 23-24 MARCH DEERSTALKING FAIR Border Union Showground, Kelso, www.deerstalking fair.co.uk 29 MARCH GAME SCOTLAND 2019 CONFERENCE Perth Racecourse, Perth po.st/Game Scotland2019 30 MARCH RANGE DAY — BARONSCOURT ESTATE Cashty Quarry, Newtownstewart Tel 02892 605050 or email nire@basc.org.uk po.st/BASCrangeday 16 APRIL B PHIPPS / ALAMY / J MILLAR YOUNG SHOTS ACTIVITY DAY Penrhiwpal Shooting Club, Rhydlewis,Llandysul Tel 01244 573029 or email sian.mean@ basc.org.uk po.st/BASCYoungShots Hare season mired in controversy Characterised by disputes over the animal’s decline, an eventful mountain hare season has come to an end Scotland’s most controversial mountain hare hunting season to date, which has been marked by disputes over the role of grouse moor management and forestry in driving declines in mountain hare populations, has closed In March 2018, a series of covertly filmed videos were released showing mountain hare culling operations on moorland in the Highlands Despite the videos showing fewer than 10 hares being shot, they were met with a strong response from Scottish politicians First Minister Nicola Sturgeon commented that “large-scale culling of mountain hares could put the conservation status at risk and that is clearly unacceptable” The next major development came on the first day of the grouse seasonwhenapaperwaspublished claiming that mountain hare populations on moorland in the eastern Highlands have declined by 99 per cent since the 1950s The blame was put on grouse moors commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) A closer look at thepaperrevealed,amongother problems,seriousdoubtsabout the methods used to count the hares InNovember,afreedomof informationreleasefromSNH obtainedby ShootingTimes gave detailsofalltheout-of-season licencesgrantedtocullmountain haresinScotland.Therelease showedthatnoout-of-season licencesweregrantedtocullhares ongrousemoors.Italsoshowedthat “One woodland had culled nearly 1,000 hares out of season” Nicola Sturgeon condemned the hare culls as “unacceptable”  I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; culling hares to prevent the spread of louping-ill virus from hares to grouse Journalists were notified of some of the paper’s contents in advance by an RSPB press release This meant that stories were carried in the national media before shooting organisations were able to read the paper and respond Thepaper’sconclusionswere contradictedbyothersources ofevidence,includingtheGWCT’s Gamebag Census and a report woodlandplantingschemeshad madeextensiveuseofthelicences One,theAuchtertipperNewNative Woodland,hadcullednearly1,000 haresoutofseason.Thewoodland, whichhadwonanawardsponsored bytheWoodlandTrust,wasplanted onaformergrousemoornear CarrbridgeintheHighlands The 2019-20 season for mountain hares will open on August Matt Cross Email your stories / STeditorials@ti-media.com Alliance slams Cheshire PCC’s “wasteful” focus on hunting TheCountrysideAlliancehas hitoutatthePoliceandCrime Commissioner (PCC)for Cheshireoverwhatitcalled a“wasteful”focusonhunting PCCDavidKeane,who narrowlyavoidedavoteof noconfidenceinDecember, calledapublicmeetingto questiontheChiefConstable overhispolicingofhunting In2017,huntingincidents madeupjust0.06percent ofthe273,000incidents reportedtoCheshirePolice Despitethis,MrKeanechose tocommissionareportto adviseonhowhunting could bepolicedbetter TimBonnerofthe CountrysideAlliancesaid: “TheCheshirehuntsoperate entirelylegallyandhavealways co-operatedwiththepolice.” Meanwhile,BASChas announcedthatitismaking a complaint to the PCC for NorthWalesovertweets bytheNorthWalesrural crimeteam.Theofficers haveretweetedanumber of what have been seen as anti-shootingnewsstories, culminatingwiththeretweet ofastorybasedonapress releasefromtheLeague Against Cruel Sports Amo was stolen during last year’s Midland Game Fair Missing springer is reunited with owner Of 273,000 reported incidents, 0.06 per cent related to hunting A Sussex breed fit for royalty? The Sussex Spaniel Association has denied reports in the Daily Mail that it urged the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, to get aSussexspaniel Theassociationwas reportedtohaveencouraged theroyalcoupletohelpsecure thefutureofthebreed,of whichonly34puppieswere registeredin2018 Butwhencontacted by ShootingTimes, the associationsaidthatwhileit wouldbedelightediftheroyals didchooseaSussexspaniel,it hadnotapproachedthem and hadnoplanstodoso Whilehehasn’t encouragedtheroyals togetaSussexspaniel, enthusiastIanSmithis keentoencouragegundog handlerstoconsiderthe breed “They are very NEWS IN BRIEF Amo,thespringerspanielstolenduring lastyear’sMidlandGameFair(News, 26September),hasbeenreunitedwith herowner.Thestolenspringerbitchwas foundwanderinginBedfordshire 171daysaftershewasstolen Amo’sownerBibbyCurtissaid:“Amo willbetuckedupinmyarmsallevening andIamsocontent,happyandbeyond overwhelmedtohaveherhome.Words cannot describe how I feel right now.” Firearms licensing consultation Bred for beating: the Sussex spaniel is the perfect flushing dog methodicaldogsandvery rarelymissabird,”saidMr Smith,whohasfourSussex spaniels.Hedescribedthem as“slowerthanacocker or springer but also much steadier”.Whiletheyarenot naturalretrievers,hesaysas flushingdogstheyareperfect “Theywerebredforbeating andtheyaretheideal dog for it,” he added The Government has announced that a public consultation on plans to introduce statutory firearms licensing guidance will begin by July this year It will include measures to resolve the crisis affecting the firearms licensing medical procedure Home Office ministers had given repeated assurances that the problems with the medical procedures will be addressed as part of moves to place the existing advisory guidance on a statutory footing However, until the debate no timetable for this had been confirmed FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @SHOOTINGTIMESUK I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; / running backwards and forwards, it is surprising how much bigger the diameter gets If I had worked a smaller ferret or jill, they would have been given the runaround The ferret-finders were checked and fitted Ronnie, an experienced hob, was placed inside the warren and we stood back and waited This is where patience is required and complete trust in all the animals, both dog and ferrets No matter what I may think, my animals know best Tawny was moving around the same spot, ieW\j[hW]eeZ'&c_dkj[i_jmWij_c[ to get the ferret-finder out Seconds later I located the spot, 3ft down After a quick dig, the ferret looked up at the light After I boxed him up, I stretched my hand down Sooty removes a bunny from a long-net; purse-nets are no good when working the big hob ferrets “I’m prepared for the odd dig; this is where my ‘if they won’t come out, I’m going in’ mentality pays the bills” and picked up a rabbit This one was loose, not tight in an end, so I checked again This resulted in another rabbit, this one was very tight; after a bout of jiu-jitsu with its hind legs, I managed to get a hold and remove it The tennis court was next It may seem a bizarre place to ferret but Tawny marked a few holes My only Image © Nick Ridley At BASC we look after the interests of over 155,000 people who shoot – more than any other organisation in the UK As a member you will automatically receive: • Liability, personal accident and legal expenses insurance to protect you* • Shooting opportunities for members • Exclusive offers from trade members and partners to save you money And as a member you can also access tailored additional insurance covers for: • Working dogs • Guns and shooting equipment • Shoot cancellation And there is more To see the exclusive BASC member offers go to basc.org.uk/membersoffers To join BASC, visit basc.org.uk/join-basc or call 01244 573 030 in office hours * exclusions apply see the BASC website for full details The British Association for Shooting and Conservation is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ref 311937 The insurance aspect of your membership is a non-advised sale and includes Insurance Premium Tax BASC arranges insurance and the Insurer(s) provide it Ferreting “The rabbit was quickly followed by a large dog stoat, obviously hunting the same game as we were” concern was the depth of the warren Wi _j mWi d[Wj iWdZ$ 7\j[h W m^_b[ W hWXX_j YWc[ ekj \eh JWmdo je cWa[ W YWjY^ Xkj _j mWi gk_Yabo \ebbem[Z Xo W bWh][ Ze] ijeWj" eXl_ekibo ^kdj_d] the same game as we were With j^[ Z[Whj^ e\ hWXX_ji" fh[ZWjehi Wh[ ƏdZ_d] _j jek]^ Wi m[bb$ J^[ d[nj jme Wh[Wi m[h[ j^[ ceij fheXb[cWj_Y$ Ed[ mWi W l[ho ij[[f iWdZo XWda" j^[ ej^[h kdZ[h j^[ heeji e\ W jh[[b_d[$ 8ej^ ^[bZ hWXX_ji Xkj fheXWXbo W X_j e\ jhekXb[Wim[bb and a deep dig or two J^[ XWda _i WbmWoi W Z_ƊYkbj mWhh[d$ J^[ hWXX_ji adem j^Wj j^[o Wh[ iW\[" j^[ \[hh[ji Zed¿j adem ^em Z_ƊYkbj _j _i je Z_] j^[h[ WdZ j^_i _i W fej[dj_Wbbo ZWd][heki YeYajW_b$ ? fkj _d j^h[[ `_bbi WdZ W ^eX$ ? ^WZ 8[bbW ekj jee" W icWbb[h WdZ d_cXb[h Ze] j^Wd JWmdo$ J^[ \[hh[ji ]ej je meha _dijWdjbo WdZ" j^ek]^ m[ iWm de i_]di e\ WYj_ed \hec WXel[" _j mWi eXl_eki j^Wj j^[o m[h[ meha_d] j^[ f_f[i ioij[cWj_YWbbo$ hWXX_j iWj ekj _d W Xki^ \eh W c_bb_i[YedZ" `kij cel_d] X[\eh[ 8[bbW cel[Z _d$ 7i j^Wj ed[ hWd _d" Wdej^[h i^ej _dje j^[ waiting net Was that the rabbit we `kij iWm eh mWi j^[h[ Wdej^[h _di_Z[5 \[m e\ j^[ \[hh[ji ikh\WY[Z WdZ c[WdZ[h[Z WXekj ie ? Xen[Z j^[c kf" Xkj ed[ mWi c_ii_d] » Hedd_[$ Ieejo Zk] Zemd *\j je j^[ f_f[$ ?j mWi dej j^[ ceij jWn_d] e\ Z_]i WdZ h[ikbj[Z _d Wdej^[h hWXX_j$ M[ Əbb[Z _d Wbb j^[ ^eb[iWdZcel[Zjej^[bWijWh[W$ ABC OF FERRETING ?d j^_i Yebkcd" I_ced ekjb_d[i j^[ [ii[dj_Wbi e\ good ferreting Tawny and Bella both had their jobs to ?j mWi W i[Yj_ed e\ jme icWbb mWhh[di$ Ed[ mWi W jme#^eb[h Xkj _j jeea iec[ '+ c_dkj[i je Yb[Wh WdZ ][j j^[ bed]#d[ji WhekdZ$ :_l_Z_d] j^[ jme Wh[Wi mWi W icWbb ijef#d[j$ EdY[ j^[ \[hh[ji m[dj _d" W hWXX_j flew out but somehow managed to ][j fWij j^[ ijef#d[j m^[h[ _j `e_d[Z j^[ \[dY[$ Ieejo mWi [nf[Yj_d] iec[ _dZkijh_Wb bWd]kW][ Xkj ? i_cfbo ic_b[Z$ ? ad[m _j mWi ]e_d] dem^[h[ WdZ i[YedZi bWj[h _jmWijWd]b[Z _d j^[ bed]#d[j$ Leisurely ferreting J^[ \[hh[j mWid¿j Əd_i^[Z WdZ W\j[h a short wait we decided to dig again J^_i j_c[ Ieejo fkbb[Z jme hWXX_ji ekj e\ W ijef [dZ" W d_Y[ Əd_i^je W b[_ikh[bo ZWo¿i \[hh[j_d]$ J^[ Z_Ƈ[h[dY[ X[jm[[d Ze_d] j^_i \eh W ^eXXo WdZ Ze_d] _j Wi W b_l_d] _i j^Wj oek ckij X[ fh[fWh[Z je ][j j^[ `eX Zed[ fhef[hbo$ Ekj#j^_da_d] j^[ hWXX_ji _d j^[_h emd ^WX_jWj m^Wj[l[h j^[ m[Wj^[h" m^Wj[l[h j^[ \[hh[ji ? Wc meha_d] eh m^Wj[l[h j^[ Yb_[dj j^_dai _i ]e_d] je ^Wff[d" ? ckij[dikh[j^Wj j^[ `eX _i Yecfb[j[Z$ M[ Əd_i^[Z j^[ ZWo _dje ZekXb[ Ə]kh[i" ded[ [iYWf[Z WdZ j^[ bWZo e\ j^[ ^eki[ mWi fb[Wi[Z j^Wj ^[h ]WhZ[d mWi dej ]e_d] je X[ \khj^[h Z[ijheo[Z Xo hWXX_ji$ Ed j^[ `ekhd[o XWYa" ekh ^WdZi ijWhj[Z je j_d]b[$ J^[ d[jjb[i are starting to sting (see Foraging" f$),"ie_jckijX[][jj_d]mWhc[h$ The lightning-quick dog grabs the bolting rabbit — another one for the bag *( I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; FULL OF THE JOYS OF SPRING T he year is ploughing on at a rate of knots The rabbits are all hormonal, the same as my ferrets Thankfully my team of castrated hobs (hobbles) are cracking on with the land I have to cover The entire hobs have been separated and the jills are starting to become too erratic to consider serious work This can be annoying, but I cannot risk working a jill ferret that has her mind and body full of hormones while I need to manage the rabbits The ferret shed is getting its annual clean The hutches inside need a lot of care and attention as they are getting old I might alter my set-up and get some new layers of hutches made The ferrets are all going mad as they can see and smell each other When I go inside the shed it is like having loads of monkeys running around and climbing “I can only breed what I want to improve on what I already have” about However comical it is, I must be responsible and only breed what I want to improve on what I already have I remove my jills from their season using my vasectomised hob It is at this time of year when the decision to have a load of ferrets neutered pays dividends They can concentrate on the job in hand and not spend more time rubbing, scenting and sniffing around when they should be bolting rabbits This also means that I can continue to work some jills with them because I haven’t the worry of any funny business going on underground However amusing this may seem, you would be surprised how many people forget this and court disaster Tony Jackson Country Diary Vivid accounts of our sport’s glory days bring the past to life but also serve as a bleak reminder that we are unlikely to see such times again B y two strange quirks of fate, both within days of each other, the past — my past — was suddenly a matter of both curiosity and wonder First, let me take you back a few decades to the 1960s and 1970s, a time when I earned a fairly meagre crust as an assistant editor on Shooting Times but had the good fortune to work under the expertise of Noel “Tim” Sedgwick, the renowned Editor and author of the weekly Tower-Bird articles Among the regular contributors to the magazine was one J E F Rawlins, an all-round sportsman and countryman who lived in south Somerset Jack Rawlins’s articles were invariably fascinating, wellwritten and vivid accounts of his days in pursuit of game, wildfowl, pigeons and, occasionally, of his hunting exploits He shot in a modest syndicate but, I sensed, took greater delight in solitary rambles in rough-shooting mode While I never met him, I often dealt with the articles he submitted and recall that he did not appreciate any editorial changes to his copy, though these were seldom required Dogs, Game and Guns PA PHOTOS I had, I confess, long forgotten Jack Rawlins until a few days ago, when a friend who runs a successful shoot and is also Joint Master of a local pack of foxhounds in Somerset sent me a book, or rather the unpublished draft manuscript of a book entitled Dogs, Game and Guns by J E F Rawlins I then discovered that the author had lived in a small Somerset village close by, knew my friend and had passed the manuscript to him There is an author’s note to say “the chapters originally appeared in Shooting Times, The Gamekeeper and Countryside, The Field and the WAGBI magazine by kind permission of whose editors they are here reproduced” The articles are dated from April 1957 to around 1970 I not think this book was ever published, for I can only trace one book by J E F Rawlins, namely Bridle & Gun: Essays of an Undistinguished Sportsman, which was published in 1973 The manuscript is a time-warp and, dipping into it, I was carried back to a period when good rough shooting Sport at its best: the past holds a wealth of fascinating shooting tales, encounters and wisdom was easier to find and acquire, while grey partridges were still a commonplace part of a day’s bag and to be encountered countrywide For instance, the author in 1960, shooting with friends in north Somerset, saw 15 large coveys and some smaller ones too, more than the keeper had seen since 1935 Nevertheless, he notes that partridges had been scarce for many years and on the 2,000 acres round his home there were no more than a dozen coveys to be found in 1960 Writing seven years later, Rawlins says that there were scarcely any grey partridges to be found in a tract of country that used to hold a fair number I mentioned two quirks of fate The second was the discovery of a longmislaid hunting journal that I had kept from 1970 to 1989 Though I continued to ride to hounds until a series of falls, loss of confidence and the ban made the decision for me, I failed to continue the diary Looking back, I was lucky enough to enjoy the companionship and pleasure of outstanding days with a West Sussex pack, the Chiddingfold, Leconfield & Cowdray, though my hunting career began with the Bisley & Sandhurst, whose Master, Robin Fulton, ran Fulton’s gun shop on the Bisley ranges — a shop that still thrives “I was carried back to a period when good rough shooting was so much easier to find, while grey partridges were to be encountered countrywide” Today, in my part of south Somerset, grey partridges are non-existent, and though a few shoots rear redlegs, these birds provide driven shooting but not become a part of the country scene I can still recall walkingup grey partridges in stubble beneath Box Hill in Surrey and invariably finding a covey or two on a pocket-sized shoot in West Sussex Those were the days and Rawlins’s manuscript brings them to life How sad that it was never published, for it contains a wealth of fascinating tales, encounters and wisdom Who knows, perhaps an enterprising publisher might yet be found Perusing the journal’s pages made me realise how fortunate I was to have seen and enjoyed hunting when it was at its best There were days with other packs, too, including the Heythrop, the Essex, Banwen Miners, the Devon & Somerset Staghounds and even packs in France Now it is history and, sadly, we are unlikely to ever see its like again Tony Jackson, former Editor of Shooting Times,lives in Somerset, stalks, picks-up with Labradors and helps run a small shoot I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; *) Conservation Northern Nature Notes W I T H L I N D S AY WA D D E L L A delicious little morsel Teal is the smallest of the ducks in the UK but it is a colourful bird that exists in vast numbers, is fun to shoot and sublime to eat M BEEDIE / ALAMY A long with the wigeon, teal, the smallest duck in the UK, is my favourite in a number of respects It is a stunning bird to look at — the drake, at any rate — with its chestnut and striking green head, highlighted by the cream to yellow stripes acting as defining lines between the colours Much of the body is grey and barred with black The female is, by comparison, rather drab, not unlike a miniature female mallard Compared with many of our other species, the teal is quite diminutive The flyweight of the duck species, it is some 8in to 12in long with a wingspan of around 21in to 23in Weighing in at ¾lb for a male and females a little less, it does not make for a large meal I was fortunate enough to shoot a couple this season and they were delicious This fact has not escaped many people throughout history The Vikings seem to have had a taste for the bird, with remains being found in waste pits surrounding settlements Furthermore, one notable Archbishop of York, George Neville, had 4,000 teal and mallard as part of his celebrations at his investiture in 1465 I can only imagine that quantity were caught in duck decoys, which were the common trap used for capturing large volumes of wildfowl for the table Huge expanse The teal was given the title of Anas crecca in 1758 by the noted naturalist of the day Carl Linnaeus, and is part of a family of teal scattered around the world The Eurasian teal does inhabit a huge expanse of the globe, including more or less all the northern half of Europe and Asia It is here that it breeds before the harsh winter weather pushes it south as far as Africa and the southern tip of India Though it is in slow decline, it is still not an uncommon bird, with an estimated world population of more than 1.5million The British overwintering contingent is significant and, with more than 200,000 birds arriving from the north and east, our contribution ** I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; With its chestnut and green head, cream bars and bold markings, the teal is a striking duck Conservation The eggs are roughly the size of those of the woodpigeon and the hen may lay up to 10 There is an estimated world population of 1.5million of Anas crecca, or Eurasian teal to the safety of the species is not inconsiderable Ringing returns from teal caught here give an insight into just how far these little birds move, with some recovered from France, Finland, Russia and Denmark Our breeding population is, by comparison to our winter one, considerably less, with just over 2,000 pairs, mainly in the north of the country It prefers to nest buff-coloured egg similar in size to a woodpigeon’s The hen will lay a clutch of eight to 10 — though it may be a few more or less — and incubation of 21 to 23 days is rather less than many of the larger species of duck In keeping with many other species, though, the young are ready to go it alone at around four weeks of age Downward trend There is some concern for it here as a breeding species because it has declined considerably in recent years, withdrawing to the north from southern England and Ireland This is “Archbishop of York George Neville had 4,000 teal and mallard as part of his celebrations at his investiture” by water, though the body of water does not have to be any size Large numbers of our birds breed adjacent to rather small patches of water, similar to the open broken type found in the Flow Country That may well explain why a few are found on the small ponds on the open moors of the Pennines But they are not common and in all my years as a gamekeeper I only ever once saw two broods of teal The ducklings are small with a cream- to a trend copied by a number of species and may well be linked to increased pressure on habitat as well as an increasing number of predators It is to be hoped that the trend will ease at some stage as it would be a great shame if teal were to become a rarity as a breeder on our shores It would be good to think the upand-coming generations of moorland gamekeepers could be as fortunate as me and see at least a couple of broods during their working lives I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; *+ Gundogs With its lovely head and expressive eyes, the Welsh springer is a good-looking dog A dog that can it all D TOMLINSON Looking for a family dog that can perform both in the field and on the show bench? Consider the Welsh springer, says David Tomlinson A RECENT REQUEST from a reader made me think He explained that his old working springer had recently died, and that he was keen to get a replacement He added that the new dog would be used mainly for beating and rough shooting, but its principal role would be a family pet However, his daughter had developed an interest in showing dogs, so it would be a bonus if the dog could also be shown He didn’t want anything as big as an HPR — what did I suggest? The sad fact is that almost all our traditional working dogs divided long ago into two types, work and show A working English springer would be laughed out of the show ring, as its only real similarity to a show-bred springer is in the name The latter tends to be much bigger, usually exceeding the breed standard height of just 20in, but this is an approximate figure and one that judges ignore Show springers are not only bigger and longer-legged, but tend to be much hairier, with lots of feather, while the working instinct has been bred out of most of them I have seen effective work by show springers, but there are few show kennels that also work their dogs It is rare, too, to see a show-bred cocker working A friend struggled for “A working springer would be laughed out of the ring, as its only similarity to a show-bred springer is in the name” years to turn her show-bred cockers into workers, but it was always a battle and one she was clearly never going to win She now has a working-bred cocker and she can’t believe how quick he is to learn and how responsive and adaptable he is Just as with the English springer, a working cocker *, I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; doesn’t have the right conformation to get anywhere in the show ring Dual purpose One native breed that remains genuinely dual purpose is the flatcoated retriever This could be because these handsome dogs are far more popular in the show ring than the field, but there is not much physical diversity in the breed Look at the hundreds of flatcoats assembled every year at Crufts and they look as similar as peas from the same pod Judging them must be a nightmare I could never recommend a flatcoat as I have known far too many that have died prematurely of cancer, to which the breed is susceptible This brings us to our native spaniels I’ve met some delightful Sussex spaniels, but I’ve also met some decidedly grumpy ones The Sussex is a one-off gundog, for it was originally bred for beating and is allowed to give tongue as it works A Sussex can retrieve, but it is not a strong point Gundogs DAVID’S VIEWPOINT CANINE CLOSE ENCOUNTERS A run-in with a rabid dog will live long in the memory A t the end of the shooting season I like to escape somewhere warm, and this year I travelled to southern India to see the endemic birds and animals of the Western Ghats, the highest range of mountains south of the Himalayas A trip like this is in some ways more of an expedition than a holiday, as there was no sitting on the beach or around the swimming pool; most of the time was spent in the wilds, including two extensive tiger reserves Alas, I didn’t see any tigers, as the tiger reserves of southern India are so densely forested that the big cats are more usually heard rather than seen Nor did I see any wild dogs (dholes), though these are not, so I was assured, There is no division between working and show strains, but there are so few of them that’s not surprising The same is true of the field spaniel I’ve frequently written about the Clumber’s renaissance as a proper gundog, one that is due entirely to a handful of enthusiasts They have succeeded in breeding back spaniels that look much like the Victorian Clumbers: relatively compact, with plenty of colour They are handsome dogs, but though the breed standard no longer requires a massive spaniel, the modern working Clumber isn’t going to cut it in the show ring uncommon I have been fortunate enough to have seen wild dogs in Africa, but the wild dog of Africa is totally unrelated to the wild dogs of India As one fascinated by the canids — the group that includes all the wild dogs, from jackals to wolves — I’d have dearly loved to have seen a dhole, or Cuon alpinus alpinus Wherever I travel I always look at the local domestic dogs with interest Pedigree dogs were conspicuous by their absence, though my guide was the proud owner of a black Labrador and I stayed in a hotel that also had a resident black Lab I was surprised to note that many of the free-range village dogs sported collars, while the great majority looked in good condition, and much better than their counterparts in northern and central India However, one canine encounter will long linger in the memory We were out walking in the late afternoon on the edge of Nagarhole National Park We’d just had a close encounter with a splendid male The last of our native spaniels is the Welsh Despite claims that this is the oldest of our native gundog breeds, and that there is a history of red-and-white spaniels in Wales dating back several centuries, the evidence is slim The Welsh Springer Spaniel Club’s website is refreshingly honest about this, pointing out that the red-and-white spaniel in Wales can only be traced back to the 18th century, while the breed was first recognised as a distinct variety by the Kennel Club in 1902 David wisely gave the rabid dog a wide berth pallid harrier when our guide took a long and careful look at a dog he had spotted sitting a couple of hundred yards away It was a large black animal, reminiscent in shape and size of a German shepherd Look at its mouth, my guide suggested I did so, and saw that the animal was frothing around its muzzle We beat a hasty retreat, as a frothing mouth is a strong indication of rabies Email: dhtomlinson@btinternet.com More than a century since it was first recognised, the Welsh springer remains remarkably true to type, resembling the very first recognised members of the breed One of the most influential of dogs was one called Corrin, who was born in 1893 He was successful in both the field and the show ring, and was a hugely influential stud dog I was interested to read that he m[_]^[Z *-bX0 W ceZ[hd M[bi^ i^ekbZ weigh considerably less, though the breed standard doesn’t specify a weight This is a smaller breed than its English cousin The maximum height for a dog is 19in, 18in for a bitch, and the best specimens are notably lighter and daintier than an English springer Beautifully marked Working-bred cockers not have the right conformation for showing The Welsh is the best looking of the spaniels They are beautifully marked, have lovely heads and expressive eyes I’ve never seen an ugly one Nor have I ever seen one perform with the drive and determination of a good English springer, but even so I have seen some excellent workers For my correspondent who wants a pet, a worker and a show dog, the Welsh springer is the best bet, but he should try to buy a puppy from a kennel that works its dogs I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; *- SPORTING ANSWERS The experts THE ULTIMATE SHOOTING QUIZ TEAM Most people will choose to install a cabinet before applying for a shotgun certificate BILL HARRIMAN BASC’s head of firearms and global authority on guns MAT MANNING Airgunner and journalist from the West Country BRUCE POTTS Shooting Times rifle reviewer and stalker DAVID TOMLINSON Highly regarded writer and ornithologist LIAM BELL NGO chairman, Shropshire gamekeeper and keen wildfowler GRAHAM DOWNING Shooting consultant and sporting author CHRIS DE CANI Riverkeeper, with specialist knowledge of chalkstreams TONY BUCKWELL Veterinary surgeon with a special interest in gundogs TONY JACKSON A game Shot, keen stalker and former editor of Shooting Times TOM PAYNE Professional shooting instructor and avid pigeon shooter JEREMYHUNT Runs Fenway Labradors and a professional gundog trainer TIMMADDAMS Former head chef at River Cottage and runs a shoot in Devon Cabinet or certificate first? SHOTGUNLAW Do I need to buy a gun cabinet and have it installed before I apply for my shotgun certificate or can I wait till it is granted? SIMON WHITEHEAD P QUAGLIANA / B PHIPPS / REX/SHUTTERSTOCK / ALAMY, Author, professional ferreter and rabbit controller IAIN WATSON Keen stalker and senior CIC international trophy judge Contact the team Email: stanswers@ti-media.com By post: I^eej_d] J_c[i" F_d[^khij (" EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; +' SPORTING ANSWERS Ferreting and the weather FERRETING When I go ferreting on a windy day, I’m never as successful as I am on a dry or drizzly day Does the weather affect ferreting? To a degree, but not as much as the old wives’ tales will lead you to believe What a lot of people don’t take into consideration with the weather is how it affects the rabbits as opposed to how it affects us HWXX_ji Wh[ m_bZ Wd_cWbi WdZ j^[ weather will impact their ability to survive If it snows, for instance, and there is a substantial amount of it on the ground, the rabbit cannot run as low to the ground as usual This makes it more difficult for them to keep their purchase and escape any predators In all my years of ferreting, the hardest rabbits to bolt have been in deep snow EdY[ j^[o Wh[ ekj _d _j j^[o Wh[ Wbceij always going to be caught because they are a much easier target Ferreting in the wind is a peculiar j^_d]$ Oek YWddej ^[Wh Wdoj^_d] WdZ a simple task like talking turns to shouting I am not sure if it is the wind that deters the rabbits or the fact that if it is blowing down their pipes they are more likely to be tucked up in a dead end and harder to bolt Torrential rain is a pain in the same way as snow as it disables one of the rabbit’s main survival tactics — running fast and low to the ground for grip SW Test your shooting knowledge! To find out if you know the right answers and for a chance to WIN a GWCT game cook’s apron visit gwctknowledge.com/ shootingtimes Which of these traps was made illegal in Scotland in 1971? A Terms and conditions apply — see www.gwct.org.uk for details Last month’s answers: C,A,B,C Last month’s winner: Anne England, Devon B C D Fenn Gin Larsen Cage Which breed claims ancestry from the now extinct St John’s water dog, exported from Newfoundland in the early 1820s? A B C Which famous shoot D is the birthplace of the bowler hat? Springer spaniel English pointer Labrador Poodle What is the collective term A B C D Linhope Castle Hill Holkham Bolton Abbey for ferrets? A B C D Parliament Business Caravan Pack What to with shotdamaged meat? GAMECOOKERY I have carefully stowed away my pheasant meat from the season to keep me going over the summer, but I have a lot of breast meat that I have diced because it was shot damaged Have you got any good ideas for using this up? Mince it up and then you can use it for pies and curries Pheasant mince is brilliantly versatile — I use it for everything from spicy meatballs to bolognese-style ragu for pasta If you not have a mincer but you have plenty of meat, the butcher may be prepared to mince it for you for a small fee or you can buy a hand mincer or an attachment for an existing piece of kit you have in the kitchen — for example, a Kitchen Aid, Kenwood or similar I love to spice up the mince Thai style by adding lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, a little green curry paste, lots of garlic and a tonne of chilli before shaping into meat balls — just little ones I pan cook these with a little oil and serve with freshly shucked oysters — the counterpoint of flavours between fresh, salty oyster and spicy, earthy Thai pheasant is rather pleasing Another great use for pheasant mince is to add lots of pepper, salt, chopped herbs and grated garlic, along with a little chickpea flour and milk and drop little spoonfuls of this into the deep fryer Serve them with a green herb dip TM Do you know the law? Now take the real test! Visit www.gwctknowledge.com to become a GWCTAccredited Game Shot and order your copy of The Knowledge guide to: The Accreditation is based on The Knowledge book on the conservation benefits of game management and the law on shoot days.To order, visit www gwctknowledge.com Understand the law on shoot day Tell a premium shoot from a poor one Learn more about wildlife conservation Shot-damaged meat can still be put to tasty use +( I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; Expert tips and advice Age limit for shotgun possession SHOTGUN LAW My son, age 12, is becoming increasingly interested in shooting and accompanies me in the field whenever he can Is there an age limit for the possession of a shotgun? There is no minimum age to obtain a shotgun certificate, but anyone kdZ[h j^[ W][ e\ '+ m_i^_d] je YWhho a shotgun must be under the supervision of an adult aged at least 21, unless the gun is in a securely fastened gun cover and cannot be fired A youngster under j^[ W][ e\ '+ cWo dej Xko eh X[ ]_l[d a shotgun but can be lent one and it may be more convenient for you to keep a shotgun intended for use by your son ed oekh emd i^ej]kd Y[hj_ƏYWj[ WdZ lend it to him under supervision Once your son has reached the age e\ '+ ^[ cWo X[ ]_l[d W i^ej]kd m^_Y^ ^[ can use unsupervised, but he cannot buy a shotgun or ammunition This embargo bWiji kdj_b ^[ _i '- o[Whi ebZ$ >em[l[h" at the age of 18 he can purchase or hire a shotgun and also buy ammunition TJ Breeds in focus Sebastopol goose / 13 March There is no mistaking a Sebastopol goose: its frizzled feathers and loose fluffed plumage give it a distinctive appearance Descended from the greylag, the Sebastopol’s origins can be traced back to the Crimea, and it was from the port of The Sebastopol was bred specially for its curly feathers Sebastopol that the first birds were sent to England, arriving in 1860 These geese were bred specially for their curly feathers that were favoured for stuffing pillows and quilts This plumage makes flight difficult Today the Sebastopol is popular as an ornamental bird and with waterfowl exhibitors Two colours are permitted: pure white or buff The bill and feet and legs should be orange in both colour variants, with the eyes blue in white geese, or brown with buff A gander will weigh from 12lb to 16lb, a goose from 10lb to 14lb The breed is a fast grower, but a goose will only lay between 25 and 35 eggs a year Crossword / Compiled by Eric Linden / 1395 Across Solution 1393 / 27 February 2019 Across: Trackers Trust Eclipse 10 Head 11 Egyptian 13 Breda 14 Enemy 17 Thistles 19 Zero 21 Dormice 22 Night 23 Entry fee Down: Release Caps Energy Stripped Multi Twenty-bore Exhibition 12 Castrate 15 Eyewipe 16 Red dot 18 Image 20 Drey WINNER: E JENKINS, DORSET PRIZE WORD: REPEATER Scope mounts get a prompt launch (5-7) A marketplace for guns where United are in action (7) Tread ever so carefully in case of trigger movement (5) 11 Resting place in the Chinese water deer’s reedy habitat? (3) 12 Historic battle for the old coursing cup (8) 14 Country show elk are wandering onto wetland (8) 15 A game recipe for one involved in physical education (3) 17 Is the gundog contest a bit of a gamble? (5) 19 A feature of gun engraving carrying a fine aroma! (7) 20 Ejectors are bound to be rolling in it! (6-6) Down Endemic diversity is pointless when venison’s gone to pieces (6) Where might a Chinese water deer take a nap? Getanearlystartinthe hidetoseegeeseflying together(5) A retrieve didn’t go unnoticed (4) A Lincoln shotgun in a fancy rare car (7) The waxy part of the beak is revealed once redlegs are taken in (4) A Basque kid rebuilds allterrain vehicles (4,5) The top priority is to create a detector of species that aren’t so game (9) 10 What a brief field trial champion can fetch, out east (4) 12 Treat dogs to a bite to eat for birds (4) 13 Those habitually lighting up ratting machines? (7) 15 Measures of triggerpull lead us to stray dog shelters (6) 16 Territory of Canada in the optics business? (5) 18 On the outskirts of both Turin and Minsk, wild boar growth has a point (4) 19 Bookings are taken from start to finish on wetlands (4) Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are unable to offer a prize for this week’s crossword, but we hope you will still enjoying doing it just for fun Look out for details of a new prize soon I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; +) CLASSIFIED Market Place The UK’s No1 weekly shooting magazine - out every Wednesday Private/Trade ads 01252 555305 Email felicity.bateman@timeinc.com www.shootinguk.co.uk/marketplace GAME BIRD & DUCK 1RUIRON *DPH 6XSSOLHV /WG ,PSRUWHUV RI HJJV IURP )UDQFH IRU RYHU  \HDUV %UH[LW 5HDG\ )UHQFK 3DUWULGJH DQG 3KHDVDQW  ... 152 .13 149.33 149.12 148.53 148.08 146.93 146 .13 146.05 146.03 144.88 143.72 143.05 141.88 141.68 141.50 141.05 140.85 140.30 140.15 140 .13 140.02 139 .43 139 .25 138 .78 138 .70 138 .10 137 .65 137 .60... 11.4 29 14.8 11.5 13. 5 13. 6 10.5 11.3 13. 1 13. 6 23.3 10.6 13. 0 14.9 11.0 10.45 8.9 13. 4 11.2 18.2 12.1 11.3 11.2 11.2 14.8 12.8 8.5 13. 5 18.0 17.1 13. 9 11.0 14.5 11.2 11.5 13. 3 11.0 4.6 10.0... Gloucestershire with 14 and three golds Other consistent producers of medal heads, albeit in smaller numbers, are Northumberland with four golds from 13 heads, Cumbria with nine heads and Worcestershire with