The Rural Workers Protest had been planned to take place in Scotland’s capital, however COVID restrictions forced organisers to think creatively and the protest moved online. The event was jointly organised by the Scottish Gamekeepers association and Scotland’s regional moorland groups. However support is going far beyond gamekeepers. As well…
News
Holland & Holland launches new sporting course for 29th March opening
The Holland 100, a challenging sporting course over 12 stands, opens up for shooters from 29th-31st March and Tuesdays & Wednesdays until 14th April 2021. Situated at the stunning Holland & Holland shooting grounds in Northwood, the course has been designed by head instructors as an entertaining way for shooters…
Theoben airguns available again to UK shooters
Around thirty years ago, Theoben airguns were a popular and sought-after brand in the UK. Yet in October 2012 Theoben went into receivership in the UK and Managing Director Martin Rutterford set the Theoben name up in the USA under the banner of Rapid Air Weapons (RAW). UK fans of…
High demand for shooting next season
What will the shooting season 2021 look like? We asked some keepers, sporting agents and fieldsports fans what they think the autumn of 2021 is going to look like. Here’s what they said. Alex Farrell, game and gamekeeping officer at BASC, said: “While Covid continues to impact our daily lives,…
Schöffel pledges 1% of new fly-fishing clothing sales to salmon conservation charity
Schöffel has pledged to donate one percent of turnover from the company’s new fly-fishing clothing range to the Atlantic Salmon Trust, a charity dedicated to the conservation of wild salmon and sea trout at sea and in fresh water environments. Says Marcus Janssen, Brand Director at Schoffel: “The Atlantic Salmon’s…
UK gun trade in Brexit turmoil
A remarkable seven out of ten businesses surveyed at the end of February 2021 have reported having difficulties trading abroad since Brexit, with four in ten calling trading conditions ‘very difficult’, according to an exclusive Gun Trade News survey. The survey, which includes responses from major manufacturers, distributors and retailers…
More to look forward to in Shooting Times, Sporting Gun and The Field
Shooting and fieldsports enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that their favourite magazines will be offering even better value for money. In a move to strengthen the brands and simply its offering, the publisher will blend Sporting Rifle into weekly Shooting Times. Clay Shooting magazine will be a section in…
What’s the news in Shooting Times this week?
Here’s a brief summary of what Shooting Times subscribers will be reading about in the news this week. Guns and ammo theft spate Police have moved quickly to make arrests and recover stolen goods after more than 300,000 rounds of .22 LR ammunition were stolen from a lorry that was…
Shooting groups defend progress on lead transition
Non-toxic shot progress Shooting organisations have defended the progress of the five-year transition away from the use of lead and single-use plastics in shotgun ammunition. The plan to make shooting more sustainable and to head off Government regulation has come under attack for not making enough progress after a study…
Scottish gamekeepers plan Holyrood protest on 19th March
The Scottish Gamekeepers Association (SGA) has announced The Rural Workers’ Protest 2021, #RWP21 and says it is: “… an opportunity for everyone across the countryside, on land and river, to unite and find their voice.” The event will take place on Friday 19th March 2021. The association is mindful of…
Stolen Webley Nemesis Combo air rifles reappearing
On the night of February 17th a shipment of Webley Nemesis X Combo Airguns was stolen from a lorry in Leicestershire whilst in transit to Webley importer Highland Outdoors. It is thought that the thieves have been using a What’s App group to sell on the stolen guns, some of…
National Gamekeepers’ Organisation calls for focus on gundog theft
The call comes after police officers recovered between 70 and 80 stolen dogs in a single raid in Carmarthenshire last week. Dog theft increasing Theft of dogs, including gundogs, is on the rise across the UK Stolen dogs are often transported over huge distances, with animals that were stolen in…
£1m coronavirus funding relief made available to country sports businesses in Scotland
Details of a £1m Scottish Country Sports Tourism Restart Fund have just been announced with affected businesses being able to apply from next week. The fund, which was jointly developed by the Scottish Government, Visit Scotland, British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group…
Threat to young airgunners with proposed Home Office law changes
Shooting groups are lobbying against the Home Office’s proposed amendments to airgun legislation, which would prevent those between 14 and 17 taking an airgun out alone, even in a private garden. Of particular concern is the impact on thousands of under-18s who use airguns as part of their work for…
What you need to know about the new 2021 general licences for England
The new 2021 general licences for England came into effect from 1 January and are valid for this calendar year. They were announced by Defra in November after the withdrawal and subsequent reinstatement following a challenge by Wild Justice. New 2021 general licences in detail GL40 Conservation of endangered wild…
Beretta takes over Holland & Holland
Beretta Holdings has now significantly expanded its presence in the UK after signing an agreement to buy 100% of the prestigious Holland & Holland brand. The takeover took place on 1 February 2021. Beretta says that it has been seeking to acquire a premium luxury brand for a while now…
Big Farmland Bird Count back for 2021
Gamekeepers, farmers and land managers across the country are being asked to pledge their support to the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Big Farmland Bird Count. The GWCT is asking you to spend 30 minutes spotting species on a patch of land between the 5 and 21 February 2021…
Natural England adds ‘screening’ to general licence applications
Natural England’s latest move will mean it takes longer to get permission to control birds not covered by the general licences, such as lesser black-backed gulls and herring gulls. The government body advises: “To apply for a licence to control wild birds for conservation or health and safety purposes that…
How will COVID affect the biggest shooting events in 2021?
The organisers of the Northern Shooting Show have announced that the show planned in May 2021 has had to be cancelled. The organisers explained: “We know that you, like us, will be hugely disappointed, but it was just not possible to deliver the show with the current government restrictions. “Any…
Brexit frees Britain from European laws limiting use of lead on and around wetlands
The free trade agreement between the UK and the EU will not bind the UK to European laws that limit the use of lead on and around wetlands. And in more good news, environmental regulations that have been used to attack shooting will come under the full control of the…