While I can’t deny that the shotgun is the most effective tool for keeping woodpigeon at bay when they are hammering crops, it is possible to make decent bags with…
Shooting Times
IS firearms licensing a public service?
David Jamieson, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, wants a fee increase so police are not “subsidising gun ownership” I am pleased to see that BASC’s Bill Harriman is suitably…
Stark choice for game industry on antibiotics
A coalition of shooting and veterinary groups has urged the game sector to make further cuts to antibiotic use in game birds. A joint statement has been released by the…
New gun laws could have ‘unintended consequences’
The Countryside Alliance (CA) and BASC have both warned of “unintended consequences” for shooters stemming from the Government’s proposed new Offensive Weapons Bill. Announced by the Home Office earlier this…
Game meat is free range so does that mean it’s organic?
Only a tiny proportion of game meat is officially “organic”. Game meat is free range or wild, healthy and nutritious but the label “organic” was captured by the organic farming…
What’s my best gun for shooting clays and game?
Q: Having just taken up the pastime of clayshooting (the skeet discipline), and having more than a passing interest in gameshooting, I find I am bamboozled by the choice of…
What makes the perfect Labrador?
If you wanted to start an argument at a game fair, you couldn’t go far wrong with initiating a discussion about what the perfect Labrador should look like. Even the…
Police boss wants to increase firearms and shotgun certificate fees
In another blow to the shooting community, a senior police official has called on the Government to increase the fees charged to applicants for firearms and shotgun certificates. David Jamieson,…
Should you neuter your dog?
Neutering dogs has become such routine practice that I’m sure many people don’t give it a second thought. Bitches always seem to come into season at the most inappropriate time,…
Queen makes donation in support of gamekeepers
HM The Queen has shown her support for the fieldsports community by making a donation to the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust. The gift to the charity was revealed following the Trust’s…
English and Welsh roe review 2017 and other species
The CIC’s trophy measuring system has had another good year. Newly qualified UK measurers got into their stride throughout 2017 at home and at shows around the country. And senior…
Government ‘betrayal’ on GP fees for new licences
Proposals to make every gun owner pay a fee to their GP when applying for a shotgun or firearm certificate have been declared as a betrayal by Government. Following a…
Laser range finders
Q: Could you recommend a laser range finder to help me accurately judge distances? I shoot over large fields and hills, so knowing the correct range would be useful. A:…
Mauser M12 Impact
Mauser knows what real shooters want from a rifle. The Impact is not only a premium sporting arm at a great price but its overall design of stainless-steel metalwork and…
Is heather burning doomed?
About a year ago I wrote about looming problems with heather burning, saying that it would become a thing of the past on large areas of the northern uplands. It…
Woodcock need a reprieve during cold, say experts
Shooters across Europe have been advised to reduce the number of woodcock they shoot during cold weather. New research suggests that for every four consecutive days of frozen conditions, the…
Scottish roe review 2017
With a score of 175.93, K. Mehl’s Aberdeenshire trophy took top honours for Scotland in 2017, maintaining that county’s place as one of the country’s great roe hunting territories. However,…
Is it really possible to train a rescue springer as a gundog?
We all know that puppies aren’t easy, but if you want a working spaniel, taking on a puppy is probably your best option, as it is rare to find a…
What can Guns do about plastic?
I’m talking rubbish again. After my account in Shooting Times of wildfowlers organising a litter-picking day at Lindisfarne , a reader pointed me to an item in the Daily Telegraph. The…
Government has no plans to license grouse shooting
The Government has highlighted the importance of shooting and said it has no intention to licence driven grouse shooting after responding to an online petition. The petition, which received the…