1. Do I need a licence to own an air rifle? In England and Wales you do not need a licence to own what is regarded as a “legal limit”…
Shooting UK
What you need to know about general licences right now
Defra has issued new general licences that look workable, following weeks of uproar. Here’s what you need to know. The three new licences do not need to be applied for…
How long should you hang a deer carcass?
When should a disembowled deer carcus be moved into a refrigerator?
How to call muntjac deer
Learning how to call muntjac deer can be a deadly tactic but you need a strategy, stealth and a good call, writes Graham Downing
New £10,000 bursary scheme available for young keepers and stalkers
A generous new bursary scheme which supports young keepers or stalkers in the first five years of their career has been announced by Holland & Holland. The company is keen…
We asked a Natural England representative to answer your questions on the practicalities of the new general licences. Here’s what she said ….
1) Despite repeated attempts at scaring, a farm suffered serious damage to a pea crop throughout the growing season. Can the farmer arrange for the [wood] pigeons to be shot…
Tell Defra what you think about the impact of Natural England’s decision to revoke three general licences
All shooters, keepers, farmers and landmanagers are encouraged to take part in submitting evidence to Defra to state how the sudden Natural England ruling on general licences has affected them.…
The new individual licences from Natural England – what’s been the experience of shooters so far?
Staff at Natural England have been working through more than 1000 applications from farmers gamekeepers and pest shooters since the previous system of general licences was scrapped a week ago.…
This photograph of Michael Gove with Chris Packham surprised us
< My meeting with @michaelgove this morning started well – two Red Kites soaring from his office window , as did our cordial discussions about @ExtinctionR @WildJustice_org , the Peoples…
General licences latest update – what happens now?
The revocation of the general licences from midnight on the 25th of April means that in most situations it will be a criminal offence to kill any wild bird in…
The latest reactions to withdrawal of the general licences
Farmers, gamekeepers and recreational shooters have reacted with a mixture of anger and confusion to the decision by Natural England to withdraw the general licences for England with just two…
Shooting pigeons, crows, rooks, magpies and Canada geese to become illegal in UK as general licences revoked
Natural England has announced that General Licences GL04 (for the prevention of serious damage to crops and livestock), GL05 (for prevention of disease and ensuring public safety) and GL06 (for…
Will I have problems obtaining a firearms certificate?
I am soon to retire and would like to apply for a firearms certificate to take up shooting with a .17HMR for both targets and vermin.
Roasted shoulder of venison recipe for Easter
Recipe for roast shoulder of venison Ingredients 1.2 kg shoulder venison 1 bottle good red wine 275 ml game stock 4 tbsp olive oil Mixed peppercorns Juniper berries 6 large baking potatoes 100 grams butter 1…
What happens when you use an imitation owl to lure crows and magpies?
Corvid control with an air rifle can be unpredictable. There are days when the quiet stealth of a moderated airgun can be a real asset, enabling you to pick off…
Does choke matter?
The degree of choke in your gun barrel is the difference between the size of the bore — the barrel diameter — relative to the constriction at the muzzle. For…
English and Welsh Roe Review 2018
English roe had a good year in 2018. After reporting an increased number of heads presented for measuring in 2017 — the best on record — we were prepared for…
Recipe for venison pie
Here’s a venison pie recipe from Neil Molyneux, the head chef at the Museum Inn, Farnham, Dorset who used venison from the local Rushmore Estate. Making the most of Dorset’s…
Venison tortillas
Barbacoa is perfectly suited to venison as it really enhances the flavour of the meat. This recipe uses a shoulder of venison for “low and slow” style cooking. The meat…
Guns for women shooters
Shooting has becoming increasingly popular – and accessible – in the last 20 years and the number of female shooters has risen too. The number of women joining the British…