TIKKA TACTICAL Drawing on our experience in tactical rifles, Tikka have created an excellent range of products suitable for both the target and varmint pursuits T3x TAC A1 4.9-5.1kg • RRP: £2040 A supremely accurate rifle with unrivalled features Based on a modular chassis, a wide variety of rails to meet every requirement plus an infinitely adjustable stock T3x TAC 3.5-3.7kg • RRP: £2025 A RIFLE FOR EVERY CONDITION A tough, compact, rifle that features a 20” semi -heavy barrel, adjustable cheek piece, picatinny scope rail and large capacity 5/6 magazine The phosphate coating on both barrel and action provide lasting protection against the elements T3x CTR 3.4-3.6kg • RRP: From £1175 www.gmk.co.uk For further product information and details of your local stockist please call GMK Ltd on 01489 587500 TIK0118RANGE+1 A multi-purpose rifle that is equally suited to the range or the demanding conditions of the toughest hunt Featuring a steel 10 round magazine, semi-heavy barrel and picatinny scope rail N E W S : W O R K I N G G U N D O G T R I U M P H S AT C R U F T S 1882 20 MARCH 2019 How to give a gundog the best start CLE ANER KILLS Are small loads the solution? DEER MANAGEMENT The overlooked joy of stalking roe does GAME COOKERY PERFECT ROAST PARTRIDGE ES SENTIAL KNOWLEDGE PIGEON SHOOTING AND THE LAW 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 Sika After a tiring day out carp fishing, Hungarian wirehaired vizsla Sika enjoys sitting down to watch Countryfile At the age of five, he feels that he is in his prime and looks forward to the next partridge season Owned by Nick Heath Photographed by Farlap Fieldsports Photography 20.03.19 Issue 6,132 £24.99 Subscribe to Shooting Times today and never miss another issue of Britain’s original and best fieldsports and countryside magazine In the frame J^ei[ e\ oek m^e ki[ ieY_Wb c[Z_W m_bb ^Wl[ fheXWXbo ijkcXb[Z WYheii Yecc[dji \hec f[efb[ Wia_d] m^o m[ YWd¿j i_cfbo Wffh[Y_Wj[ m_bZb_\[ \hec X[^_dZ W YWc[hW b[di$ CWdo e\ oek m_bb e\j[d m_[bZ W YWc[hW _d j^[ Ə[bZ WdZ ej^[hi fh[\[h W fW_djXhki^"Xkj j^Wj¿i X[i_Z[ j^[ fe_dj$ J^[ ceh[ ? j^_da WXekj _j" j^[ ceh[ ? 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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 Producing perfect puppies >emje]_l[j^[cj^[X[ijijWhj 18 Ensuring a clean kill 7h[oekki_d]j^[h_]^ji^eji_p[ 22 Highland stalker 9^eei_d]WYkbbX[Wij 24 Thermal imaging kit M^_Y^_iX[ij\ehoekhd[[Zi5 28 Pigeon shooting and the law ;l[hoj^_d]oekd[[Zjeadem 32 Disabled shooters 9^Wbb[d][iWdZjh_kcf^i 36 Luring corvids with owl decoys J[hh_jeh_WbcW]f_[ic[[jj^[_h\Wj[ 40 Partridge with bean braise C[bj_d]boie\jc[Wj"[l[hoj_c[ Follow Patrick on Twitter @paddycgalbraith Contents NEWS & OPINION 36 AIRGUNNING 06 NEWS 40 COOKERY 10 PRODUCTS REGULARS 12 LETTERS 22 STALKING FEATURES 31 GAMEKEEPER 14 GUNDOGS 39 COUNTRY DIARY 18 BALLISTICS 44 GUNDOGS 24 OPTICS 46 VINTAGE TIMES 28 PIGEON SHOOTING 48 SPORTING ANSWERS 32 DISABLED SPORT 53 CROSSWORD 58 SHARPSHOOTER * I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; NEWS High numbers of both red stags and roe deer are being shot out of season 37,000 Scottish deer culled The Forestry Commission Scotland culled more than 37,000 deer by out-of-season and night shooting, using a standing “general licence” A freedom of information request has revealed heavy and increasing out-of-season culling and night shooting by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) The recently released figures show that in 2017-2018 Forestry Commission staff and contractors shot 37,115 deer; 16,746 of them out of season and 14,556 at night All-night shooting and out-of-season licences are only allowed A standing “general licence”’ issued annually allows the yearround shooting of male deer and the shooting of females outside the period April to 31 August in enclosed woodland Additional licences held by the FCS allow out-of-season shooting in unenclosed woodland and night shooting of deer using vehiclemounted spotlights The trend towards greater use of out-of-season culling has particularly affected red deer In the period 2010 to 2016, out- of stags culled by the Forestry Commission Scotland were shot out of season in 2017-2018 The widespread use of thermal-imaging devices has increased the effectiveness of night shooting Consequently, authorisation of night shooting has increased dramatically Numbers of red deer shot at night have tripled from 1,573 in 2010-2011 to 4,513 in 2017-2018 Numbers of roe deer shot at night have increased even more significantly — from 2,829 in 2010-2011 to 7,425 in 2017-2018 The increase in the night shooting of roe does has also been marked, with more than 50 per cent of all females now shot at night, up from 27 per cent in 2010-2011 Matt Cross ALAMY / BEAT MEDIA “Seventy-five per cent of red stags culled were shot out of season in 2017 to 2018” when “no other means of control which might reasonably be adopted in the circumstances would be adequate” Out-of-season and night shooting of deer in Scotland are illegal in most situations of-season culls made up less than 50 per cent of red deer culling This rose to 55 per cent in 2016-2017 and to 68 per cent in 2017-2018 The trend has been especially strong with male red deer; almost 75 per cent , I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; The use of thermal imaging has made night shooting of deer much easier Email your stories / STeditorials@ti-media.com Shooting boost to economy A new report, commissioned by the Scottish Government and authored by the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, highlights the vital role that grouse moors play in the economic success of the Scottish uplands The authors of Socioeconomic and biodiversity impacts of driven grouse moors in Scotland point out that all the country’s grouse moors are sited on areas of extremely poor agricultural ground It would be unsuitable for alternative use such as sheep farming, forestry and windfarms without hefty taxpayer subsidies In contrast, there is no government subsidy for grouse shooting in Scotland Nonethless, grouse shooting creates 2,500 full-time equivalent jobs and a total gross value added contribution of £23million to the Scottish economy What would you rather shoot? 22% Red hind 27% Muntjac buck 42% Roebuck 9% Roe doe follow us @shootingtimes Respondents: 189 To this week Alex Hogg points out that shooting doesn’t drain the public purse Alex Hogg, chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers Organisation, said: “Some groups seeking to ban grouse shooting have been promoting the idea that grouse moors can be used for other activities like horticulture and housing “Some of these moors are Sites of Special Scientific Interest, with fragile habitats, and they have not considered the level of public subsidy it takes to keep other rural activities afloat “Not everyone loves grouse shooting and we accept that, but there needs to be an acknowledgment, as the report states, that many benefits are derived from an activity which is not going cap in hand all the time to the public purse or relying on charity,” he added Gundog winners at Crufts An Irish water spaniel, German wirehaired pointer, golden retriever and Spanish water dog were the top four in the gundog class at Crufts this year Judith Curruthers, owner of winner Lester, the Irish water spaniel, confirmed that Weekend Twitter poll she intends to train him to retrieve in the shooting field She added that he hadn’t done much before because he was “a bit of a whiner as a puppy” Sharon Pinkerton of Bareve, the owner of Esmee, the German wirehaired Sharon Pinkerton’s Esmee, a German wirehaired pointer, at Crufts pointer that won second prize, said proudly that Esmee: “has picked-up on driven shoots and seems to really enjoy it” However, due to time constraints, she added that they haven’t had time for formal field trials Far from being a pampered pooch, Esmee reportedly celebrated her victory “with a good run around the fields” and then nodded off Golden retrievers made up the highest number of entries in the gundog breed category, with 537 Gundogs also did well in the UK vulnerable breed’s group A curlycoated retriever took the reserve honours, with other the finalists including a Clumber spaniel, a Sussex spaniel and a Gordon Setter Visit the annual A T T E N D Deer Stalking Fair, held at the Border Union Showground in Kelso, from 23-24 March If you’re feeling lucky, buy a raffle ticket in aid of research into motor neurone disease and you could win a Brock & Norris custom-built rifle Other highlights include Scottish Natural Heritage presenting its Best Practice Wild Deer Initiative, which provides guidance on the law, public safety, food safety and deer welfare There will also be butchery and cooking demonstrations from top chefs Visit www.deerstalkingfair.co.uk The S U R V E Y Gamekeepers’ WelfareTrusthasorganiseda confidentialonlinesurveytojudge howbesttohelpthosein need It only takes10minutesto completeandall gamekeepers, stalkersand gilliesshouldlet theirthoughts beknown.To takethesurvey visit.po.st/ GWTsurvey I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; - NEWS EVENTS DIARY To record the woodcock’s whereabouts the GWCT has experimented with GPS loggers 23-24 MARCH DEERSTALKING FAIR Border Union Showground, Kelso www.deerstalkingfair co.uk 26 APRIL RED SQUIRREL CONFERENCE University of Exeter, Devon www.redsquirrel conference.co.uk 28 APRIL GAMEKEEPERS’ WELFARE TRUST CHARITY CLAY SHOOT Selkirk, Scottish Borders braidwood@ bisleyshooting.co.uk M AY NGO TEAM FLUSH Six Mile Bottom Shoot, Suffolk www.national gamekeepers.org.uk Woodcock data gives new insight An extensive tagging programme has provided researchers with vital insight into this mysterious bird Newly released research from the GWCT has given further insight into thefascinatingandmysteriouslives of the UK’s wintering woodcock Scientists from the GWCT have been fitting tiny satellite tags, weighing less than 10g, to woodcock to study their migrations The tags use a solarpowered battery that transmits their breeding sites from late September to late October Tagginghasalsoprovidedsome interestinginformationontheareas that woodcock use It was found that birds on the same wintering sitecomefromamixtureofdifferent breeding grounds and that they return to the same breeding and wintering sites year on year “One bird has flown nearly 24,000 miles in its lifetime” ALAMY M AY COUNTRYSIDECHARITY CLAY SHOOT West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire hayley.williams@basc org.uk for 10 hours in every 58 Orbiting satellites then triangulate the position of the tag and pass the data on to researchers The tags record the routes the birds are using, where they breed and where they rest during their migrations The data has shown that the birds are typically leaving their wintering sites in mid-March to early April and departing  I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; Some of the most striking findings relate to the distances that woodcock migrate and the time it takes them to so Migrations from northern Norway were found to take three weeks, whereas birds flying to the UK from central Russia took eight weeks Three tagged birds travelled around 4,000 miles annually to breeding sites in Siberia Incredibly, one male bird is estimated to have flown nearly 24,000 miles in its lifetime As well as ringing birds and fitting satellite tags, the GWCT has been experimenting with the use of GPS loggers which record the birds’ whereabouts with great accuracy, but which have to be physically recovered from the bird Seven birds carrying these trackers have been caught and the data recovered Two of the birds, Fuchsia and Blue, wintered in the Russian Republic of Karelia near the border with Finland However, they displayed remarkably different ways of returning to the UK While Fuchsia chose to stick to the north European coast followed by a short hop across the English Channel, Blue flew across the North Sea from Denmark to the Norfolk coast then on to Cornwall Matt Cross Email your stories / STeditorials@ti-media.com Diets of fish-eating birds examined Aspartofongoingresearch intothedeclineoftheAtlantic salmon,astudyintothe dietarymake-upoffisheatingbirdsisstartingon fourrivers;theTweed,the Nith,theSpeyandtheDee Theinvestigationisbeing carriedoutbyMarineScotland andlicensedbyScottish NaturalHeritage.Itinvolves takingasmallnumberof goosanderandcormorant fordietaryanalysis FayHieatt,theclerk commissionerofthe RiverTweedCommission told ShootingTimes: “Inthepastfiveyears wehaveseenasignificant riseincormorantsand wanttodiscoverwhat thecomponents of their dietare “Thelasttimeasurvey wasdonewediscoveredthat theirmaindietwaseels— however,therearenowhardly any eels in this river.” NEWS IN BRIEF BGA gets financial support from BASC The study will show if the birds’ diet is leading to fewer salmon Sheaddedthatthe Commissionisnotallowed tocullthebirdsunderScottish law.However,itdoeshave apiscivorousbirdlicencebut thisisrestrictedtoscaring toprotectsmolts WealsospoketoJonathan Mackereth,agillieonthe LowerFloorsbeat,and askedhimhisviewsonacull Hesaid:“Itwouldbemuch simpler but obviously would needtobepassedby the powersthatbe.” FishingontheriverTweed generatesabout£24million for thelocaleconomy andsupportsaround 500jobs.Officialfigures presentedtotheriverTweed commissionersshowedthe totalsalmoncatchin2018 was6,129—morethan 15,000catchesdown on five years ago GPs can object to firearms GPswhoobjecttothe possessionoffirearmshave beenadvisedthattheycan declinetoprovideamedical reportinresponsetoa patient’sfirearms licence application Theadvicewasgiven byJoGalvin,medicolegal consultantteamleader atMedicalProtection,in responsetoaqueryon the GPonlinewebsite Ifdoctorshavea conscientiousobjectionto gunownership,theyshould replytothepoliceletter within 21daysstatingthis Inaddition,conscientious objectorsareinstructedthat theydonothavetoarrange foranotherGPtosupply thereport.However,they areencouragedtofinda colleague willing to assist inthefirearmscertificate applicationwherethe applicantneedsafirearmfor work,suchasinthecaseof gamekeepers and farmers A GP’s stance on firearms could delay any firearm application Patientsshouldalso bemadeawareoftheGP practicestance on firearms inadvance JackKnott,campaigns managerattheCountryside Alliance,commented:“Not everyGPisopenfornew applicantsandnoteveryGP isclosetowhereyouliveand work—itisnoteasytochange GPsurgerieseither “Thisisanotherdelayin thecertificateapplication processwhichshooters shouldbeawareof.Wehave alsoheardofGPpractices bandingtogetherwhoare conscientiousobjectors TheHomeOfficeGuideon FirearmsLicensingsaysthat theshootingcommunity shouldnotbedisadvantaged bythisprocess–butdelaying applications does this.” TheBritishGameAlliance(BGA)has gainedmonetarysupportfromBASC, whichhasalsogivenaccesstoexpert stafftohelpsecurethefutureofshooting ABGAspokesmantold Shooting Times thatitsmainincomein2018had beenfrom£130,000ofsubscriptions, donationsof£290,000andavoluntary gunlevywhichraised£66,000 BASCcouncilmemberPeter Watson,whohasjoinedtheBGAboard, commented:“BASCandtheBritish GameAllianceareworkingtogether toensurethatassuredgamemeat entersthefoodchainandthattheBGA Assurancescheme,whichreferences the CodeofGoodShooting Practice, is adhered to.” Pheasant shooting legal challenge lost BASC, the Countryside Alliance (CA) and National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) have lost their legal challenge to overturn Natural Resources Wales’s ban on pheasant shooting on the Welsh Government Woodland Estate The Honourable Mr Justice Andrew Baker refused permission for a judicial review of the decision and ruled the application out of time A spokesman for the bodies involved commented: “The three organisations would like to thank the shooting community within Wales and further afield for their support We may not have got the result we wanted but the legal challenge was the right thing to do, and we will all continue to fight for the rights of shooters and evidencebased public policy.” FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @SHOOTINGTIMESUK I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; / Game Cookery Partridge Cooking little partridges individually in parchment parcels results in beautifully tender meat with a gorgeous golden finish, says Rose Prince O ver the years, I have had to change the way I cook the more abundant red-legged partridge There was a time when dressed partridges, bought from a butcher’s, were properly Thirty minutes in a hot oven and a little resting time resulted in tender meat that came easily off the bone With commercial game birds quickly going into cold storage before plucking, the breast meat may yield but the legs are as tough as, well, old boots Serving whole roast birds to friends for supper, it is distressing to see them sawing away with their table knives Trenchermen Ingredients FOR THE ROAST PARTRIDGE: PARTRIDGES TBSP MELTED GOOSE FAT SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER FOR THE HARICOT BRAISE TBSP GOOSE FAT CARROT, FINELY CHOPPED RASHERS SMOKED STREAKY BACON, CUT INTO SMALL PIECES ONION, FINELY CHOPPED CLOVES GARLIC, CHOPPED 100ML TOMATO PASSATA TSP DRIED OREGANO 450G WHITE HARICOT BEANS, DRAINED 300ML TO 400ML STOCK FOR THE TOASTED BREADCRUMBS TBSP VIRGIN RAPESEED OIL TBSP FRESH SOURDOUGH OR CIABATTA BREADCRUMBS TBSP CHOPPED FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY A SYDENHAM ZEST OF ONE LEMON will pull off the legs and use their teeth, but I’m clearing too many plates with half the meat still clinging to the carcase The cocker is delighted with the stewed fat at 80°C The outcome, eventually and somewhat uneconomically, delivered beautifully melting, flavoursome meat, but it was not roast partridge “With less air around it and a little bit of fat, at a decent temperature, the bird part steams, part roasts” remains from the stockpot, but the real conundrum is how should we cook the modern partridge? Following a chef’s example, I tried roasting the breast meat separately while stewing the legs in a pressure cooker — too fussy, frankly, for my kitchen Next, an attempt at the confit method: four hours simmering in a deep pool of goose Then I wondered about cooking en papillote — wrapping each bird in baking parchment With less air around it and a little bit of fat, at a decent temperature of 150°C, the bird part steams, part roasts Golden on the outside, tender meat within, I give you the parchment-roast partridge with a simple braise of pearly haricots and crisp, lemon-scented breadcrumbs PARCHMENT-ROAST PARTRIDGE, WITH HARICOTS AND TOASTED LEMON CRUMBS THE METHOD Serves Fh[^[Wj j^[ el[d je '+& 9$ JWa[ jme igkWh[i e\ XWa_d] fWhY^c[dj c[Wikh_d] )&Yc Xo )&Yc WdZ fkj W fWhjh_Z][ _d j^[ Y[djh[ e\ [WY^ i^[[j" Xhki^_d] j^[ X_hZWbbel[hm_j^c[bj[Z ]eei[ \Wj$ I[Wied m_j^ iWbj WdZ f[ff[h" mhWf b_a[ W fWhY[b WdZ fkj ed W XWa_d] jhWo$ HeWij j^[ fWhjh_Z][i \eh ' ^ekh WdZ '+ c_dkj[i" j^[d ef[d j^[ fWhY[b je h[b[Wi[ j^[ ij[WcWdZa[[f_dW mWhc fbWY[$ Je XhW_i[ j^[ ^Wh_Yej X[Wdi" fbWY[ W YWii[heb[ Z_i^ el[h W c[Z_kc# ^_]^ ^[Wj" c[bj j^[ ]eei[ \Wj WdZ WZZ j^[ YWhhej$ EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; *+ C ATING OUR BEST WRITE R B E RS EL Not just for summer Game shooters see it as a pastime for the close season but, for Arthur Shepherd, pigeon shooting is a fine sport with a challenging quarry M any shooters, especially game shooters, tend to regard woodpigeon shooting as a fineweather summer pursuit; a sport to fill a gap between game seasons and a sporting way of “getting your eye in” for the coming season But for the dedicated pigeon shooter, who either shuns the formalities of driven game shooting or cannot afford the expense, the woodpigeon is unsurpassed as the all-weather quarry for the all-weather shooter In bleak midwinter it offers a form of sport which, though it lacks the hazards of deep mud, shining wet-sided gutters and racing tides, ranks with wildfowling In the heat of summer fast-flying birds in a strong breeze and on a good flightline are as sporting as driven pheasants and probably more difficult I have, over the years, collected sizeable bags in all months of the year and on a variety of crops; sometimes easily when the birds came to the decoys in blueprint fashion, at other times unexpectedly, luckily, or after much hard work and many unrewarded outings The first time I shot more than 100 birds in a day was on the shortest day of the year on a field of sheep turnips At first sight neither the location nor the weather promised good shooting The turnips were in a 40-acre block, the centre strip of a much larger “During snow I don a white smock and hat and ambush the birds on a flightline” acreage of arable land sown to winter cereals They were separated from the neighbouring fields by post-and-wire fences with no natural cover for miles Taking my courage in both hands, I set up a netting hide way out in the open alongside the wire fence, put out 20 decoys on the field and another 10 or so on the tops of the fence posts I began shooting at 8:30am and when I picked up in failing light close to 3pm I gathered 157 birds By contrast, several years later I shot more than 100 birds on the longest day June is not usually thought to be a good month for pigeon *, I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; shooting but the circumstances were somewhat different A local farmer had decided to grow linseed as a break crop in what seemed to be an endless succession of cereal crops By the third week of June there appeared to be some pigeon activity in the area The field was bordered on one side by a large stream running between steep banks Late in the morning of the 21st I made a shooting stand by cutting a small step just above the water level, set out a few decoys among the crop and, using the banks as cover, sat back in the warm sun to wait Ten minutes later I shot the first pigeon and for the rest of the day until 7pm they came in a steady stream Tempting targets To add interest, mixed up among the pigeon were a number of radiocontrolled model airplanes flown from a nearby field by a group of enthusiasts After a couple of hours the constant penetrating buzz of the small engines began to irritate As they passed over the hide they presented tempting targets It was all I could not to add a little realism to the proceedings by providing an ack-ack barrage Woodpigeon shooting under hard winter conditions can be either difficult or almost too easy When the snow covers the ground the use of decoys is a waste of time During snowy conditions I have found a more active method of shooting Vintage Times pigeons is to don a white smock and hat and ambush the birds on a flightline Provided you watch your background, very little cover is needed, which leaves a good arc of fire with freedom to swing the gun Little sport in deep snow When the snow is really deep and the only feed for miles around is kale or sprouts sticking up above the snow, shooting becomes no sport at all; in their desperate need for food the birds become suicidal They are also in poor condition and their meagre flesh is tainted with too much green food There is no satisfaction in shooting starving birds so light they have difficulty falling out of the sky It’s much better to leave them for another day when shot birds in tip-top condition thump into the ground and a single bird makes a decent meal I have also had some interesting shooting in fog To stalk pigeons in the hedgerow is almost impossible “In the heat of summer, fast-flying birds in a strong breeze are as sporting as driven pheasant” from the sea in south Oxfordshire, the fog did not form, as is usual inland, by a gradual all-round reduction in visibility but crept in on me like a sea fret on the coastal plain Advancing like a wall of cotton wool, it first pushed out buttresses along and over “In snow, shooting is no sport at all; in their need for food the birds become suicidal” I have also shot woodies in the rain on clover, in driven snow on flightlines and even in a thunderstorm which, though severe, failed to deter them from feeding on a stubble It eventually forced me to beat a retreat to my car where I sat and watched them continue to fly into my decoy pattern, brilliantly illuminated by sizzling forks of lightning Celebrating strong gales in clear weather but early-morning mists give you a chance It is more sporting to try to take them in the air but beware shooting too hurriedly All too often you miss “over” as the bird drops to gain airspeed, only to miss again “under” as it rises On one occasion I was enveloped in fog while shooting from a bale hide on oilseed rape Though I was miles “The pigeon is unsurpassed as the all-weather quarry for the allweather shooter” any bare earth, then filled in the gaps left over the cropped ground As there was ploughed ground on three sides of my rape field, I was at one stage in a peninsula of perfect visibility in a sea of dense whiteness Even after I was totally engulfed they were able to approach in clear sky before dropping down through the clammy whiteness Sitting in the hide, I could hear birds approach and waited tense and ready to shoot the moment they appeared through the grey-white blanket I knew that once I could see them they were in range but I had only an approximate idea of where they would appear and no idea at all of the direction they would be flying in So thick was the fog that any bird shot would fall out of sight, so my spaniel was kept busy picking-up Birds were obviously landing in other parts of the field, often quite close After every shot there would be a flurry of wings and pigeons would suddenly materialise at various points at differing heights and angles, to disappear again with equal suddenness This eerie shooting lasted about an hour before the birds ceased to flight But whatever the time of year, whether you are sweating in shirtsleeves or shivering in thermal underwear and large sweaters, there can be no doubt that the best weather for woodpigeon shooting is a full gale Over decoys, the pigeons channel better in a high wind and second-barrel shots at flaring birds test your skills to the limit Birds on flightlines swing, turn, stall and sideslip as they battle upwind and hurtle downwind Their speeds are sufficient to cause birds killed overhead to carry on 50, 60 or 100 yards before hitting the ground to bounce high in a flurry of feathers And high-wind roost shooting is in a class of its own I can think of no other form of shooting that tests a Gun as much as woodies coming into roost in tall trees in a full gale To down one in five requires exceptional shooting and to shoot a full box of cartridges for a single bird is not an uncommon occurrence, though few admit it It must be one of the most exciting, exhilarating and frustrating forms of the sport anyone can enjoy This article was first published in the 28 February 1985 issue of Shooting Times I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; *- SPORTING ANSWERS The experts THE ULTIMATE SHOOTING QUIZ TEAM BILL HARRIMAN Rabbit liver is easy to cook and provides a tasty treat after a long day’s shooting, but make sure it is fresh and clean 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 C MCCANN / P QUAGLIANA / J.POTTS / REX/SHUTTERSTOCK / ALAMY SIMON WHITEHEAD 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: Shooting Times, Pinehurst 2, Farnborough Business Park, >Wdji=K'*-8< What to with rabbit livers GAMEMEAT I shot a few rabbits the other night and I have kept the livers I usually feed them to the dog but wondered if I might be missing a trick Are they something I could cook and eat myself? Rabbit liver, while very strong, is a delicacy Its robust liveryrabbit flavour is one that I find delightful It needs one of two treatments to make it shine, though First, you must check that the livers are healthy, that they look good, are clean and very fresh You can devil them; dust them with a little flour and fry in a knob of butter, then set aside Add a touch more butter and a little garlic, lots and lots of black pepper and a dash of Worcestershire sauce — or, better still, Henderson’s relish to which I am a recent convert *. I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; Cook the mixture briefly before adding a little cream or stock Reduce and season with a chopped anchovy and a pinch of cayenne pepper Put the rested liver back into the sauce then, once warmed, tip it on to toast and serve immediately The second dish is even simpler In a casserole or frying pan heat some olive oil until it’s almost smoking Add some finely chopped onion and garlic along with the whole rabbit livers, then briefly cook them on both sides Add chopped thyme as well as lots of salt and pepper and a good dash of brandy, Marsala or sherry, then cook rapidly for a couple of minutes Scrape the contents of the pan into a food blender and pulse to a coarse pâté, adding some more olive oil Scrape it into a small pot or dish and pour more oil over the top Serve still warm or at room temperature with some quality toast rubbed with lots of garlic TM Expert tips and advice Efficient deer cartridges RIFLES I am interested in trying some smaller-sized or more efficient deer cartridges other than my existing 243 Winchester Can you recommend any? I, too, am interested in smallercased deer rounds that are as deer legal and get the job done without too much venison spoilage Cartridges such as the 6mm PPC, 6mm BR, 6.5mm Grendel and 6.5x47 Lapua (right) are all classified as intermediate deer cartridges The new 6.5mm Creedmoor is another efficient deer round I like 30 calibre, so my 30-47L, based on the 6.5x47 Lapua case necked up to fit a 30 calibre bullet, shoots like a 308 Win but with less noise, recoil and powder charge and is just as effective Each case utilises a short and rather fat case design for its length This seems to give an efficient powder burn for good velocities with minimal powder The 6mm PPC and 6.5mm Grendel utilise one of the best-kept secrets in ballistics and that is the 220 Russian case that is expanded at the neck to the required calibre and then fire-formed to the new cartridge dimensions The 6mmBR is nothing more than a stubby 308 case at half size, and the 6.5x47 Lapua is a three-quarter-size 308 length case necked down to accommodate the slim 6.5mm projectiles Ballistically, the barrels need to be long to achieve deer-legal velocities and energy in some of these calibres If you shoot north of the border, bear in mind that there is a 100-gr minimum bullet weight for larger species deer and a minimum velocity of 2,450fps BP Measures to help the predated fish population FISHING Cormorants have heavily predated our local lake Rather than incur the cost of restocking the lake, we are keen to help what few coarse fish remain What can we to ensure they repopulate successfully? First, try to keep the cormorants away Inland populations of cormorants have hit some fisheries hard in the past decade and these birds can now be controlled under licence Scarecrows, bird scarers and a human presence on the bank can also help to deter them Secondly, try to provide refuges for small fish in your lake Encourage reed growth and leave the odd fallen branch in the There are a number of deterents available to fend off cormorants from inland lakes margins Coarse fish require a substrate on which to lay their sticky eggs Weed, reeds and roots are favoured places for eggs Artificial substrate, such as frayed rope, can be introduced to the margins in early spring if natural substrate is lacking CDC Native Britain Plants, flowers and fungi of Great Britain at a glance Latin name: Lamium purpureum Common name: Red dead-nettle Other names: French nettle, bad man’s posies, sweet archangel, bumblebee flower How to spot it and where to find it: We have probably all seen this plant — as a child I would sip the nectar trapped in the flowers — as it is common throughout the UK on arable and wasteland as well as hedgerows and roadsides It is a downy annual with heart-shaped, toothed leaves and reddish, square stems Whorls of pinkish-red, hooded flowers grow up the stem, which grows up to 30cm Interesting facts: The “dead” in dead-nettle refers to the plant’s lack of sting The generic name comes from the Greek lamia, meaning “devouring monster”, perhaps because the flowers look a little like open jaws It is a member of the mint family, but its scent is nothing like mint; some people find it unpleasant The leaves, however, are edible and have been compared with spinach They can also be made into a tea The flowers, with that tiny drop of nectar, can be added to salads The nectar makes red deadnettle attractive to lots of insects, including the red mason bee and bumblebee The caterpillars of garden tiger, white ermine and angle shades moths feed on the leaves I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; */ SPORTING ANSWERS Getting used to gun noise Too early to trap? GUNDOGTRAINING PESTCONTROL When should we start our Larsen trapping? At the beginning of March there were quite a few magpies about and lots of carrion crows, but we thought this was too early to begin controlling them What you think? Is March too soon? Early March is the perfect time to make a start The magpies will have already started marking out their territories and the carrion crows won’t be far behind them The secret to successful Larsen trapping is first to identify individual territories, then place the trap as close as possible to their chosen nesting site, catching one or both of the pair and then moving on In this way, a single trap can cover a huge area The more you move it, the more you’ll catch and the bigger difference your trapping will make LB Though my last dog wasn’t totally gun-shy, he was never happy at the sound of gunshot and would shake most of the time I took him out shooting The person I bought him from as a youngster used to take him to a clay shooting club and leave him in the car, but it had a far from successful effect How I get it right this time with my new Labrador? When training a gundog, it’s essential to be aware that every dog is different and you should adapt your methods accordingly This is particularly important when getting a young dog used to the sound of shot The clay shoot tactic is a non-starter, primarily because of the repetition of the noise but also because it gives the young dog no support from the owner I was surprised to learn that as the first stage of getting it used to shot, someone had left a young dog sitting alone in a field then retired a distance away and fired a starter pistol This tactic is also bound to fail First, assess your dog — be aware of how you have seen him react to other noises You should then have an idea as to how he will respond when you start getting him used to the sound of shot But it is a two-handed job You need to stay with your dog while your assistant takes instruction from you about how far to go before firing the starter pistol It is better to go a good distance at the beginning so that the shot sounds more like a dull thud Watch the dog’s reaction and amend the distance accordingly over an appropriate period of time If done correctly most dogs are unaffected If a dog shows concern take the sound further away and move to another location You should make the dog think this is no big deal Don’t keep repeating the sound with the dog in the same position or it may become tense and that’s how problems can arise JH A starter pistol is useful in training young dogs’ reaction to gunshot noise A Larsen trap will catch magpies and crows when they set up their breeding territories Special subscription offer! Save up to 30% * +& I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; ONLINE: IkXiYh_X[ edb_d[ Wj i^eej_d]j_c[iikXi$Ye$ka%()7L CALL: &))& ))) ''')" Gkej[ YeZ[0 ()7L days a week from 8am to 9pm (UK time) DIRECT DEBIT: 9ecfb[j[ j^[YekfededfW][)/ *per quarter by Direct Debit Expert tips and advice Redleg nesting problem GAMEBIRDS Though we usually have a good population of redlegged partridges left on our ground after the season has ended at our shoot in Lancashire, we have never found any evidence of the surviving birds nesting successfully Is there anything we can to encourage them? The blunt answer is that whatever you do, redlegs are unlikely to breed successfully on your shoot because the climate in northern England is too wet Redlegs are native to Spain and the southern half of France, and they best where the climate resembles that of their native range They dislike areas with heavy rainfall If releases were stopped in the UK, it’s likely that these partridges would become confined to East Anglia, where the sandy or calcareous soils and the low rainfall provide the optimum conditions for their survival A study published in the Game Research Association’s annual review in 1963 concluded that redleg distribution coincided with an annual rainfall of less than 35in, and that lower precipitation than this was important for chick survival That study still holds true DT Areas with low rainfall provide optimum conditions for red-legged partridges Dangerous quarry? STALKING As a recent convert to stalking with a rifle, I’m keen to add to the number of species I have stalked and hunted I would like to try for wild boar in the near future but understand that they can be dangerous How dangerous are they and is there any particular way of dealing with them? First things first: a wounded wild boar or a sow defending her young can be a formidable animal It is, indeed, dangerous and should be treated with the greatest of respect If you attend an organised hunt, those in charge will brief you and you should listen well I imagine if you are on a seat or are stalking, your guide will have an understanding of your knowledge, as well as your inexperience, of the quarry and will advise accordingly You must take no chances, particularly when approaching the downed animal On a recent hunt I took part in an animal weighing more than 100kg was approached 30 minutes after what was thought to be the fatal shot When the hunter was 5m away the apparently dead boar reacted very quickly and made to lunge Fortunately the experienced hunter had his defensive firearm, a pistol, drawn and reacted accordingly, killing the boar As regards convention, listen to the guidance of those running the shoot and respect their judgement IW Be wary when boar hunting and take no chances An injured boar can be formidable Bird of the week The hook-billed red-breasted merganser is an expert fish-catcher There are an estimated 9,000 present around our shores in winter and 2,400 pairs breeding each spring The largest by Graham Appleton numbers are in Scotland, but there are winter hotspots as far south as the mouth of the Thames and on the south coast of England At this time of year local birds are preparing to nest, while These diving ducks use their long serrated bills for catching fish RED-BREASTED MERGANSER others are fattening up for migration Ringing suggests a link to Iceland, with smaller numbers departing to breeding sites in continental Europe, but this could be due to Iceland’s greater ringing effort Females lay up to 10 eggs, incubate for a month and accompany their unfledged youngsters for up to two months The coastal distribution of the species means that red-breastedmerganser come into less conflict with fishermen than goosanders I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; +' SPORTING ANSWERS The control of muntjac STALKING Is it legal to use a shotgun to control muntjac? As is the case with all deer species, it is unlawful to use for the purpose of taking, killing or injuring muntjac a smoothbore gun, an airgun or a rifle and ammunition that does not conform to the legally specified calibre, muzzle energy and bullet weight, unless for the purpose of despatching a sick or injured animal This is as it should be because in general a shotgun is an entirely unsuitable firearm with which to kill any deer humanely There is, however, a defence in cases where serious damage is being caused to crops, growing timber and so on, on cultivated land, pasture or enclosed woodland In these circumstances a shotgun may be used by the occupier of land, a member of the occupier’s household or a person employed by him, or any person with the right to kill deer on the land The shooter must have reasonable grounds to believe that the damage was caused by muntjac, that it is likely that further serious damage will be caused and that it is necessary to shoot the animal to prevent further damage Moreover, the shooter must be prepared to provide evidence of this, in court if necessary The gun must not be smaller than 12-bore and the cartridge must contain shot size AAA (5.16mm) The use of a shotgun with cartridges containing birdshot or even BB would in any circumstance be illegal GD Be aware of legalities when controlling muntjac Breeds in focus Thoroughbred / 20 March No domestic breed of animal has a more detailed history than the thoroughbred horse Almost all the horses racing today can trace their ancestry back to three stallions imported to Britain from the Middle East in the late 1600s and early 1700s: the Byerley Turk, the Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Arabian These stallions were put to native mares, with the breeders’ quest to produce the fastest horse possible Royal patronage and support for The thoroughbred pedigree is a long and distinguished one +( I>EEJ?D=J?C;I9EKDJHOC7=7P?D; horse racing was a major catalyst in the development of the modern thoroughbred James Weatherby established the General Stud Book for Thoroughbreds in 1791, and it has been published by Weatherbys ever since, with a new edition every four years It records the pedigree of each horse, and the animal’s individual results Speed and athleticism are the hallmarks of the thoroughbred, and, though bred primarily for racing, they are also used in other disciplines from eventing to hunting Coughing ferret VETERINARY CARE My ferret keeps coughing and retching but is never sick What could be the problem and is there anything I can to help? There are various conditions that might cause a ferret to start coughing One of the most common causes is associated with hairballs that ferrets, like cats, can develop when grooming themselves, particularly if the animal is grooming excessively and there are areas of hair loss or coat thinning Hairs can get caught at the back of the throat and cause the animal to cough and retch Your vet should be able to identify the underlying cause and can prescribe appropriate treatment for the hairball, such as a laxative paste Alternatively, a cough can also be associated with canine distemper, infection with the human influenza virus in ferrets or simply the common cold Such infections can be quite serious in these animals and the ferret would normally show signs of being off food, lethargic and losing condition Again, in these circumstances you would be best advised to take the animal to your vet for treatment Other causes may include what are known as upper respiratory tract disorders such as sinusitis, rhinitis, an inflammation of the tracheal “wind” pipe, as well as infections of the ear, nose and throat Pulmonary (lung) tumours or pneumonia can also be associated with a cough In these cases the ferret may have difficulty breathing and make wheezing sounds Finally, it is worth considering that the coughing and retching could be caused by environmental factors such as the use of dry, dusty bedding or unhygienic conditions Dirty bedding and nesting materials can lead to a strong smell of ammonia and can contribute to both nasal and oral irritation My initial advice is to look for any of these more obvious causes but if in any doubt, if the problem persists or you are otherwise concerned, it would be best to take the ferret to be further examined by your vet TB Expert tips and advice No digging nor bolting FERRETING I’ve recently started ferreting, but I’m not bolting anything and I still haven’t had to dig I’m new to this and would love any advice you can give me Well, I wouldn’t complain too much about not digging; I am sure that you will get your fair share of digs in soon Without actually standing next to you and looking myself, I can only surmise what your predicament is One of the most common problems for those who are new to ferreting is not reading the warrens and overworking the same warrens With rabbit warrens, sometimes they are just night holes, safety warrens or halfway houses Some of these warrens are used intermittently in cases of danger, whereas others are used for youngsters, almost like a nursery I would suggest that you have a look during the day as well as at night If you are convinced that the warrens hold rabbits, then ferret them You could place some small sticks over the centre of the holes and when a rabbit goes in or out it will push the stick down, giving you an indication of activity A lot of people just keep ferreting the same spot week after week This is not the best way to ferret, because sooner or later you are going to run out of rabbits SW When ferretting it is important to read the warrens: a skill that will develop over time Inherited firearm ANTIQUE GUNS I recently inherited a W J Jeffery & Co hammergun 12-bore No 27085 Can you give me any information about it? Your gun was made between 1916 and 1920 Jeffery allocated his serial numbers in blocks and a look at the records will reveal the exact date William Jackman Jeffery was a dealer in the London gun trade from Y$' - je '/+-$ J^[ Əhc mWi Xek]^j out by Westley Richards, who merged _j _d '/+/ m_j^ >ebbWdZ  >ebbWdZ$ While the firm supplied shotguns of every quality, it specialised in sporting rifles and developed many proprietary big game cartridges However, it is best remembered for the leviathan 600 nitro express During World War I it was Z_iYel[h[Z j^Wj j^[ ijWdZWhZ $)&) bullet was being deflected by the armoured steel shields deployed by German snipers The firm weathered World War II but did not survive the economic privations of the post-war years BH Crossword / Compiled by Eric Linden / 1396 Across Solution 1394 / March 2019 Across: Sight in Plain Recoil 10 Nosler 11 Pierce 12 ISSF 14 Long 15 Lights 17 Static 18 Opened 19 Poach 20 Attacks Down: Fixed Shooting stick Filler block Flash in the pan Disease Undergrowth 13 Control 16 Beaks WINNER: FRANCES HALSEY, HERTFORDSHIRE PRIZE WORD: HINGE In front of a cosy log fire, there’s noise from the rut (7) The nutty tree brings colour to our eyes (5) Shooting supplies run short in Birmingham, moreover (4) 10 A rifle, a rifle, a rifle! (8) 11 Cuts short those helping set up pigeon decoying hides, crocodile-style! (5) 13 Clive is confused as he reverses into an SUV or ATV (7) 15 There’s no leaving a virulent variety of small stream (7) 17 The blue terrier is key to the integration of rest and relaxation (5) 20 Get a stranglehold on an essential gun accessory (5,3) 21 A falconry strap is on both ends of Jenny’s dress (4) 22 A teatime treat at the Palace (5) 23 Sporting swordplay keeps animals penned in (7) Do you know falconry terms? Down Return the mop to Melanie — get a grip! (6) Bruno loses heart with a Czech gun (4) A trap that drummers are familiar with? (5) What makes a trooper on location tick, for example (8) Is the crop a breakfast favourite? (6) The going rate for a feature of moving targets? (5) 12 Making tweaks during shot bird preparation (8) 14 If a bird sticks its beak in, measures must be taken (5) 16 I have a funny chat with a gun company from the US (6) 18 With aerial targets in the ascendancy, there’s revolt (6) 19 The deputy head’s keys are scattered around drainage spots (5) 21 Jill’s uphill partner was a snipe (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; +) Subscribe to Shooting Times from only SAVE UP TO 30% £24.99 ENJOY THESE REAT SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS: /FWFS NJTT BO JTTVF XJUI
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