April 17, 2024
In February, Royal Mail announced that it would be banning the carriage of knives and other bladed items across its delivery network (News, 10 April and 14 February). In March, I wrote to several senior people at Royal Mail raising BASC’s concerns about the planned ban and the impact it would have on hundreds of…
April 17, 2024
Gamekeepers are being advised to practise stringent biosecurity as the UK has self-declared zonal freedom from bird flu. The decision is in line with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) rules and came into effect across Great Britain on 29 March. The UK does not have any high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in…
April 17, 2024
Partners and spouses of all gun licence applicants are being asked questions for the first time, as five police forces seek to strengthen licensing processes. The Metropolitan Police, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Gwent forces are testing a questionnaire designed to build a more detailed picture of those wishing to own any sort of gun. The…
April 17, 2024
Hunting and rural communities have united to take part in a cleaning-up initiative, clearing rubbish from hedgerows, roadside verges, footpaths, riverbanks and fields across the UK. The Countryside Alliance’s annual Countryside Clean-Up took place between 16 March and 1 April with representatives including hunt staff, farmers and landowners. The Warwickshire Hunt enlisted the help of…
April 17, 2024
James Purdey has released 10 limited edition trigger-plate 28-bore game guns to celebrate the brand’s 210th anniversary. Purdey has forged a reputation as one of Britain’s finest gunmakers since 1814 and the trigger-plate shotguns are among its most covetable designs. Each of the 10 exclusive versions are built from exhibition-grade stock, with full pistol grip…
April 17, 2024
Land managers may ignore evidence of gamebird impact depending on their job, a new paper by RSPB suggests. The scientific paper highlights the perception divide on the impact of gamebird release between land managers employed by conservation NGOs and government, and those from farming and game shooting estates. The former were more likely to perceive…
April 17, 2024
The population of hen harriers is showing signs of recovery throughout Great Britain, according to the RSPB’s 2023 survey. The UK and Isle of Man population is estimated to be 691 territorial pairs. This is a 20% increase from the 545 pairs recorded in the last survey in 2016 and arrests the trend of decline…
April 10, 2024
I have worked as a polling station clerk in various elections over the years and the Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) elections are undoubtedly the graveyard shift, with the paucity of visitors making a 16-hour day drag even more interminably. That public apathy about who becomes their PCC is surely an opportunity for the shooting…
April 10, 2024
When shadow Environment Secretary Steve Reed insisted a Labour government would prohibit drag and trail-hunting in its first term, 10,000 members of the public emailed Mr Reed within 72 hours. In an interview in The Times, Mr Reed initially made the comments relating to foxhunting, while also stressing that the Labour Party wanted to shift…
April 10, 2024
Hatfield Park, the Hertfordshire home of the Marquess of Salisbury, hosted the Cambridgeshire Hunt with Enfield Chace’s closing meet of the season, an event that dates back to the 18th century. Activists from North London Hunt Saboteurs and East Northants Hunt Saboteurs were in attendance to “monitor” the event, with member Rhys Giles claiming the…
Sponsored by Skinner’s, this week’s dog of the week is Axel. Now 11 months old, Axel was picking-up game almost as soon as he was introduced to it and and he has focus, enthusiasm and an attention span far beyond his years. He will be competing this summer before the new season. For your dog to be included, email [email protected] a picture and tell us all about them. Featured dogs receive a 15kg bag of food, via Skinner’s.