There was widespread expectation that gun certificate fees, last increased in 2001, would be raised this year. But Prime Minister David Cameron has personally vetoed a rise. I think that was the wrong decision and would like to list some things that could usefully be done when licence fees are…
Shooting
David Whitby on disease in game birds
By now, those of us who are keepers of game have our birds and await (or have already experienced) the inevitable onset of disease; a good year on the rearing field is so often followed by problems in the release pens and vice versa. I suppose the less hardy are…
Reaping a rabbit harvest
With the combines and the crops gone, now’s the time to grab your airgun, explains Mat Manning.
Proof: vulnerable birds flourish on keepered land
Wetland birds are thriving on shooting estates in Scotland, bucking national trends of decline, according to counts collated by the SGA
The battle to bring back Welsh grouse
It is difficult to imagine the grouse moors of Wales as they were 100 years ago. A look at the gamebook of one of the estates in the Ceiriog Valley in north-east Wales shows that 2,360 red grouse were shot in the 1913 season, and the same record shows this…
Sharing your hide
Peter Theobald reveals why two hides can be better than one and how to play nicely with others while sharing a hide
How to make your own nets for ferreting
Edward Cook recommends some books that will help you learn how to make your own nets for ferreting
How to use a goose flag
Like a lot of my current fowling gear, the goose flag is another toy that originates from across the Pond, where shooters have used them wildfowling with a lot of success for a number of years. A goose flag is a simple piece of kit, hand operated and extremely easy…
Bullet placement when deer stalking
Stalking trends come and go. From calibres to optics, all have their time. Fashion also influences the shots we take, and currently the head or high neck shot seems to be in vogue. Of all the decisions a stalker makes, bullet placement is surely one of the most critical. Not…
How to spot the signs of the roe rut
The roe rut is different from that of other deer species. Here’s how to spot the signs
Bagging your sporting rights
You pick up a sporting magazine and an advertisement catches your eye. It’s offering shooting rights. You’ve always dreamed of managing a little grouse moor or pheasant shoot, and inviting a few friends to join you in starting up a syndicate. These opportunities don’t come along too often, so this…
How much wildlife have we got?
We are already doing great things, but with a few tweaks we can make our shoots so much more wildlife friendly, says Dr Roger Draycott
The pigeon shooter’s code
There are some occasions on which the responsible pigeon shooter must turn down outings that sound good in favour of prior arrangements or more pressing needs. I’m lucky enough to manage pigeon on many farms and estates, and I do my best to be there when there is a problem,…
Game shooting services
Felin Newydd House Probably the most sought-after of all game shooting services, there’s nothing like time away with friends, especially when they’re shooting friends, at a private residence. No sportsman worth their salt can deny they wouldn’t mind playing lord of the manor, and the extensive facilities at Felin Newydd…
How do we encourage more Young Shots?
What do you think are the barriers preventing youngsters from taking part in shooting?
Ladies who stalk
It is a well- established fact that women are better than men at catching heavy and large numbers of salmon. It all began with Diana the Huntress. In Roman mythology Diana was associated with wild beasts, woodland, and the power to talk to and control animals. Though her name was eventually…
Why we need predator control
How much more evidence will they have to amass before countryside saviours GWCT are listened to by the Government? asks Editor-at-Large, Robin Scott.
Game shooting and legal liability: A shoot owner’s responsibilities
Shoot owners cannot ignore the law governing workers, guests, neighbours, buyers and even trespassers
How to place rotary decoys
To spin or not to spin – that is the question. Of all the questions that I get asked when I run BASCs pigeon courses, the one that crops up most frequently is: “Do rotary decoys work any more, and if so, where should I place them in the pattern?”…
Big hand for Olympic shooters
By Peter Wilson The World Class Programme (WCP) is one of the best-kept secrets of shooting. There seems to be reluctance on behalf of UK Sport and British Shooting, the governing body that it funds via the national lottery, to advertise the help that is available to eligible athletes, despite…