The number of people enjoying shooting is growing, with more than 23,000 new shotgun certificates issued by police forces in England and Wales in the past year. There were 23,718 new applications between 2016 and 2017, of which 98 per cent (23,128) were granted and two per cent (590) were…
News
Special ticket offers for The Game Fair
Readers heading to The Game Fair at Hatfield House on 28-30 July can claim an excellent ticket offer. How to claim the ticket offer for The Game Fair Quote code SHOOTINGUK when booking tickets online (click here to visit The Game Fair ticket site) or over the phone and you…
Should our police be armed?
When you’re up against today’s breed of religious nutter, who’d want a job as a tactical cop in a firearms response team? Slotting an escaped bullock or a gun-wielding loner in a quiet country lane is one thing; dropping a knife crazed fanatic in a crowded city street, something entirely different.…
This is why you’ll want to visit the Game Fair 2017
As the largest outdoor countryside-themed event in the world, the Game Fair 2017 is set to attract around 120,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors to its brand new venue – Hatfield House in Hertfordshire from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 July 2017. Reaching the new venue could not be simpler, a…
How to get your Sporting Gun 40th anniversary pin badge
Sporting Gun are excited to be able to offer our loyal readers, some of you who have been with us since the beginning, a free limited edition pin badge to celebrate our 40th anniversary. We decided to commemorate our special birthday with a smart pin badge as we know you all…
Lowland birds breeding well
Gamekeepers across the UK are reporting strong broods and quality eggs, despite a period of bad weather, with the breeding season under way. Persistent rain has been an issue, but warm weather followed soon after, preventing too much damage to stocks. Stuart Maughan, headkeeper on the Whitfield estate in Northumberland,…
Scotland ends tail docking ban
The Scottish Government this week voted in favour of allowing vets to shorten the tails of spaniels and hunt, point, retrievers (HPR) if they will be used as working dogs. Legislation was laid in May, with environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham pledging to introduce a bill to drop the existing ban…
Will new police text alert system speed up firearms licensing?
Thames Valley Police is pioneering a new text alert scheme to improve and speed up its firearms and shotgun licensing process. The three-stage system will send a text to applicants once their application is first received and sent for process, a second message when the application has been referred to…
Pheasant lands on school menus
School pupils across the UK are to learn about the benefits of game meat after BASC’s Taste of Game campaign teamed up with teachers to get pheasant cooking lessons added to the curriculum. Secondary school teachers will attend an interactive workshop at the Food Teachers Centre’s Get Set for GCSE…
Scottish shooters condemn illegal killing of raptors
The shooting community has condemned the illegal killing of birds of prey after a new report into the disappearance of golden eagles provided strong evidence of raptor persecution over Scottish grouse moors. The Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) report followed the movements of 131 golden eagles between 2004 and 2016 and…
Police get tougher on gun ownership
The police are overcautious and too quick to revoke shotgun and firearm certificates, according to a firearms legal specialist. Earlier this month, Shooting Times reported on prosecutions launched by South Wales Police against those who withheld “spent convictions” during firearms applications. It has now been suggested that police forces across…
Shooters must announce past convictions
Shooters are being warned not to withhold details of past or “spent” convictions when applying for or renewing their firearm and shotgun certificates, otherwise they could risk prosecution. BASC has reminded its members of their legal obligation to fill out the forms correctly in regard to the standard question on…
Positive start for European partridge research project
A Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust-led project has got under way, with the grey partridge helping to improve farm biodiversity across Europe. Apt acronym As Shooting Times reported at the start of the year, the four-year PARTRIDGE (an acronym for Protecting the Area’s Resources Through Researched Innovative Demonstration of Good…
Gamekeepers rewarded for community effort
Gamekeepers who helped villages in Royal Deeside to recover from devastating flooding have been recognised for their community effort with a major award. Around 70 estate workers and gamekeepers from the Grampian Moorland Group teamed up with South Grampian Wildfire Group to remove debris from the river Dee at Ballater…
Scotland puts game-shoot licensing back on the table
Scottish fieldsports groups have expressed their dismay over the Scottish Parliament’s decision to explore the introduction of game-shoot licensing. Last month, the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee voted narrowly in favour of examining a possible licensing scheme to tackle wildlife crime in the country. And cabinet secretary Roseanna…
How will the result of the General Election affect the countryside and rural issues?
I’d like to throw Jeremy Corbyn,” began one landowner and keen Shot who wished to remain nameless, “…off a cliff.” By the time you read this, the General Election will be just a week away. And thank goodness — even a short campaign can drag, not least for those working…
Rural police back on the Wiltshire beat
A joint endeavour by Wiltshire Police and rural groups, including the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO), has put 20 dedicated rural officers back on the beat in the county after they were dropped following budget cuts. Police rural and wildlife crime officers are specially trained to understand the unique and complex…
Book your place on our Pigeon Shooting Masterclass with Will Garfit
We are excited to announce the return of our very popular Pigeon Shooting Masterclass with Will Garfit exclusively for readers of Shooting Gazette, Sporting Gun, Shooting Times and the Field. This year’s masterclass will take place on Tuesday 26th September 2017 at a new location for 2017, Sporting Targets in Bedfordshire.…
Gun dealers warned over Islamic State threat
The police have asked registered firearms dealers to be extra vigilant after an online magazine published by Islamic State advised would-be terrorists to acquire guns from gun shops by force. A letter to dealers from Assistant Chief Constable Dave Orford, the National Police Chiefs Council lead for firearms licensing, stressed…
Fox hunting ban repeal could nearer than you think
Shooters have been encouraged to support a repeal of the fox hunting ban after Prime Minister Theresa May pledged to give MPs a free vote on the issue. Mrs May described views on the divisive topic as “a situation on which individuals will have one view or the other, either…