May 08, 2024
I come from a gamekeeping family. My father was a keeper and I’m proud to say my son has followed in his footsteps. So it gave me great pleasure to attend all three of BASC’s gamekeeping conferences in March and talk to gamekeepers of both generations. In Yorkshire at our northern conference, Environment Secretary Steve…
May 08, 2024
More than 40 Natural England (NE) staff have attended three BASC wildfowling workshops held at Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) reserves since the beginning of the year. The Introduction to Wildfowling workshops, which have also attracted members of local fowling clubs and a Crown Estate representative, have sought to improve NE staff’s overall knowledge and…
May 08, 2024
The British Deer Society (BDS), has unveiled its new plan, Together for Deer. The plan aims to safeguard deer welfare, mitigate threats and promote sustainable coexistence in the face of complex and growing environmental challenges. The BDS, which is the only charity dedicated solely to the preservation and welfare of UK wild deer, says the…
May 01, 2024
For nearly 200 years, the industry-leading manufacturer of fine shotgun cartridges for game and clay shooters, Eley Hawk, has been a market leader in modern shotgun cartridge innovation. Such experience has enabled the brand to develop a wide range of product innovations designed to meet the demands of game shooters worldwide becoming the benchmark for…
May 01, 2024
I tend to develop a Zen-like focus when fishing lochs and llyns for wild trout that excludes everything that is not relevant to flies and fish. This can lead to heart-stopping moments when interruptions appear from outside my zone of concentration. I can still feel the shock of the moment the water exploded in front…
May 01, 2024
A ban on sandeel fishing could boost kittiwake and puffin numbers on the East Yorkshire coast, say conservationists. A ban on trawlers from the UK, EU and other nations from fishing for the small fish in the North Sea has come into force. Officials at RSPB Bempton Cliffs said sandeels are a vital source of…
May 01, 2024
The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation this month awarded its Long Service Awards to Keith Wooldridge, Terry Oscroft, David Barnes and Stewart Lomas for 50 years of service, and to David Nokes, Jeffrey Powell, Steve Carter, John Pickard and Glynn Smith for 40 years of service. One group of three keepers, all of whom had worked at…
May 01, 2024
Record numbers of groups and individuals joined the GWCT’s spring grey partridge count, covering some of the largest areas ever. The Partridge Count Scheme (PCS) is a free and voluntary scheme run by the GWCT since 1933 to collect information on the annual abundance and breeding success of grey partridges. The grey partridge is a…
May 01, 2024
The Countryside Alliance is backing the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) proposed investigation into the UK veterinary sector, further to its market review in September 2023. The review, which received an “unprecedented response from the public and veterinary professionals”, identified five key areas that warrant further investigation. These areas include: the information given to pet…
May 01, 2024
Bonhams, one of the oldest auction houses in the country, has closed its modern sporting guns department, bringing an end to dedicated sporting gun sales in London. The move has come as a surprise to many in the industry; Bonhams was established in 1793 and has been selling arms since the mid-1800s. However, the company…
Sponsored by Skinner’s, this week’s dog of the week is Betty. At three months old, Betty is described as a “wonderful, crazy, happy girl, full of fun”, and she will be joining rough shoots next season. She loves to chase everything but hasn’t quite grasped the “leave” command yet… 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.