A recent article in The Guardian stating that adders are endangered due to “uncontrolled release of millions of game birds” is incorrect say the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and the National Gamekeepers Organisation (NGO). The piece highlights the claim of Nigel Hand, a trustee of Amphibian and Reptile…
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GWCT launches 12 gamebird management principles
Responsible shooters should always support conservation and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has now published 12 clear principles for sustainable gamebird management. Extensive research by the GWCT shows that good game management will deliver a net biodiversity gain, a goal for all shoots. “Biodiversity net gain is embedded…
Surrey Police state killing any wild bird is “an offence”
It has come to our attention that wild birds are being attacked and killed using catapults.Under Section 1 of the… Posted by Surrey Police on Saturday, September 26, 2020 Shooters in the Surrey area were shocked to see their county police force announce that shooting parakeets, crows and pigeons was illegal. …
How Northumbria Police are tackling rural crime
Dealing with illegally coursing hares and deer If tables could tell stories, the one in the Northumbria Police rural crime team office would have some extraordinary tales. In the days when the Duke of Northumberland sat on the bench, the brown oak and red leather table was where the Alnwick…
PhD on driven shooting Chris Packham tried to stop is now published
A research paper “Understanding the social impact of participation in driven game shooting in the UK” has given an evidence-based picture of shooting which indicates that shooting creates strong social networks, offers support and reduces loneliness, provides regular exercise and positively impacts mental health. Impartial The author, Dr Tracey Latham-Green,…
Shooting exempt from latest COVID-19 restrictions
Fieldsports fans will be relieved to learn that shooting has been included on a list of sports that are exempt from the latest COVID-19 restrictions in England. The ‘rule of six’ restrictions brought in today (14 September) in England could have disrupted gameshooting which usually includes eight or more people. However,…
One of the most expensive-ever Scottish estates goes on the market
The Stobo Estate in the Upper Tweed valley is for sale for offers over £12 million and comes with its own herd of Sika deer. John Buchan said of the river: “I asked for nothing better than to spend my life by the Tweed” and his adventure stories such as…
Social gatherings above six banned in England from 14 September – will this affect shooting?
Sporting agents and shooting bodies were hoping that the Government press conference on 9 September would give greater clarity on how the ruling would affect shooting. However it is still not clear how and if shooting sports will be affected. Shooting UK spoke to a few individuals from the shooting…
EU votes to restrict lead shot from 2023
The proposed EU REACH committee restrictions against lead shot voted through on 3 September will be ratified by early 2021 and become law in 2023 in EU member states. The UK government may decide then to adopt the regulation depending on how it decides to legislate for REACH related laws.…
Venison market to get new boost
The domestic venison market has suffered a decline in recent months due to mass closure of restaurants and hospitality venues as well as the market being well supplied with European carcasses. However this crisis situation is now being addressed by a new body – the Wild Venison Working Group –…
New Natural History GCSE to help young understand natural world
Cambridge Assessment has confirmed that its UK exam board OCR is developing a new GCSE in Natural History, following a consultation open to all parties. The idea was proposed by conservationist Mary Colwell, who wants “to make nature part of British society again”. She was concerned that young people were…
LACS report slammed by shooting groups
The publication of Calculating Cruelty by the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) has been blasted by shooting groups, who criticise it for inaccuracy, misreporting and unsound science. The report was timed to coincide with the start of the grouse shooting season. LACS claims that an “independent surveyor” was appointed to…
What’s happening to the price of grouse this year?
Last week Shooting Times reported that prospects for the grouse season were mixed, with Perthshire estates expecting a good year but a poor season predicted for the North York Moors. A wet winter, followed by a dry spring with a return of rain in the summer, has created conditions for…
The virtual country show you need to visit
Fieldsports shows may have been postponed for now but the International Virtual Hound Show (iVHS) has caught our eye, which runs until 4th September. It offers the stalls and shopping, hound shows, online auctions and charity bids you’d expect to see at a game fair. We all know that fieldsports…
Demand for venison is crashing
Tree- planting targets and good woodland management is being put at risk as the demand for venison crashes. Game dealers in the south and east of England have begun to refuse to take venison because their cold stores are full and they are unable to find buyers for the meat. The…
Game Fair future ‘financially stable’ following sale to Dubai-based owners
Public events may have taken a battering due to Covid but the Game Fair has an assured future thanks to the financial backing of its new owners, World Media Group (WMG), which, amongst other events, has run the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX). Last week, the Game…
GWCT launches fact checking website to counter misreporting
In a move to address the frequent misreporting of science relating to land management and shooting in the national press, radio and media, the GWCT has launched a fact checking website: “What the Science Says”. “We want to correct bad information in the media, highlighting where claims have no basis…
New underkeeper apprenticeship launched
A new apprenticeship scheme for underkeepers has been given the green light. Unveiling details of the scheme, Adrian Blackmore, director of shooting for the Countryside Alliance, said: “We seized the opportunity in 2016 to support estates in developing a gamekeeper standard, when it was announced that the existing courses would…
Just what is happening with hare coursing season?
The Lincolnshire police force is reporting that it is making excellent progress in deterring hare coursers, reporting a decline in crimes and states: “There were 1048 incidents of hare coursing reported to us across the county between September 2019 and March 2020. For the same period during 2018 to 2019…
Defra director Ben Goldsmith accused of releasing deer and wild boar
Reports have alleged that Defra director Ben Goldsmith has allowed red deer to escape from his Somerset farm. (The official post held by Mr Goldsmith, 39, is as a non-executive board member at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.) There have been calls for him to resign on…