Table of contents for March 2022 in Sporting Gun

It may lack state-of-the-art engraving or a shiny European walnut stock, but when there’s dirty work to be done a pump-action shotgun is the sort of down-to-earth, reliable chum you can depend on. Our gamekeeper-cum-columnist Adam Cope certainly found the Mossberg Maverick 88 a tough, no-nonsense, reliable tool when he joined writer Richard Faulks in the woods for a day’s pest control. So if you want to worry the woodies or goad the greys, put this workhorse pump-action through its paces.…

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has announced a raft of new proposals to tackle illegal hare coursing including: increasing the maximum penalty for trespassing in pursuit of game under the Game Act to an unlimited fine and the possibility of six months imprisonment; making trespassing with the intention of using a dog to search for or pursue a hare, and/or being equipped to trespass with the same intentions, a criminal offence; giving courts the power to order the reimbursement of costs incurred by the police in the kennelling of dogs seized in connection with hare coursing and allowing courts to disqualify offenders from owning or keeping a dog. The Home Secretary said, “We are introducing new measures … (to) equip the police and courts with the powers…

No woodcock ban A petition calling for a ban on woodcock shooting has been rejected by the Government. In a statement, Defra announced: “Recent population trends for woodcock are likely to be influenced by the extent and quality of habitat rather than shooting. There are no plans for a ban.” New general licences for 2022 released Natural Resources Wales and Defra have released new licences for the control of birds in Wales and England. While each country’s licences have differences, they essentially allow for the control of bird populations that threaten flora and fauna, public health and safety, or could do serious damage. Full details at: gov.uk Ireland avoids blanket lead ban New EU rules will ban the use of lead ammunition on and around ‘wetlands’ in 2023. Ireland was…

Politicians are wedded to cheap food the world over. When food prices increase rapidly, politicians tend to end up hanging from lamp posts in some parts of the world and voted smartly out in others. The Arab Spring and rioting across South America were driven in part by a series of climate-induced harvest failures, the resultant commodity shortages driving up the prices of bread, tortillas, rice and other basics. The bottom tier of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid (a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling human needs in priority) quickly became unobtainable to swathes of the population. This fear of food inflation has led politicians to adopt short-termism, cheap food at any cost, policies. Globalism and low tariff/tariff-free trade allows food to move across borders from countries where production…

After a full ‘inventory’ of our ground I would say we got off lightly from Arwen’s lashing. There was destruction from the storm at the end of November but it was not as widespread as in many places. We were lucky. That said, much has changed. We had one seat crushed under a tree. Isn’t it typical, all the trees around it are fine but the one tree we put a high seat on comes down with the seat underneath. One ground butt has been blown over and, sadly, our new tower is down. Amazingly, it is not damaged. We can simply lift it back up. As it happens, when we were putting the tower up we did discuss if wire guys would be needed to secure it, as with…

I am just about to go up to the Borders for five days. I will take my caravan and Lotte to accompany me. She is still not keen on the trip in the car but the minute we arrive she is in her element, not least because she sleeps in the van with me. I usually find that after a few minutes me and the duvet are not alone. The upside is that she is a natural hot water bottle. The downside is she seems to prefer wrapping herself around my neck and I wake up from a nightmare to find I am nearly strangled. For a small dog she insists on an acre of bed and despite her size, and possessing back legs loaded with muscle, she has developed…

When we talk about promising young shots we often hear about shooters like Alfie Tibbles and Lucy Hall Theo Ling and Owain Humphreys, multi-medal-winning champions who represent the next wave of top British talent. They’ve got skills by the bucketload and determination to match, making the devilish tricky transition from keen amateur shooters to semiprofessional, sponsored top shots. They have the support of some of the biggest names in the industry and a clear route to the top. But what about the next generation? The pre-teens bursting with enthusiasm but with little in the way of silverware. How do they take their first tentative steps on the ladder to shooting stardom? Passionate Twelve-year-old Ryley Barrett is one of those passionate youngsters. Despite his relative inexperience he’s already been marked out…

One gun dominates biathlon: the Anschütz 1827. Looking like it’s jumped straight from the pages of a futuristic shoot ’em up alien computer game, this .22LR rimfire has been developed to do just one thing – bring home the medals. Anschütz says that 97% of biathletes compete with an 1827 strapped to their backs. Here’s why: • It’s lightweight. Skiing uphill is already hard enough without having to carry a skip load of scrap metal with you. The Anschütz 1827 weighs just 3.5kg. • It’s fast. Speed means accuracy – pull the trigger and the bullet will have left the barrel within 3.5 milliseconds. • It’s precise, even when the mercury drops like a stone. Anschütz cold tests its barrels in freezing conditions to ensure the 1827 shoots true shot…

What is the next step when the local clay shoot or beaters’ day shoot just isn’t enough to satisfy your desire to shoot? If money is no object, you buy a country estate, employ a gamekeeper and throw a load of money at it until you get the shoot you want. This, alas, is not an option for most of us. Another option is to rent the sporting rights over a piece of land. If this is too much, then being in favour with the landowner or sporting rights holder is your best alternative. A few years ago it was hard for a single Gun to find game shooting, especially without shooting friends. Now you can go on the internet and book a peg on a shoot. This is welcome…

Vet’s advice Neil McIntosh SG’s gundog health expert A good question and one that is difficult to answer in only two pages. ‘Socialisation’ is the process by which young animals display behaviour appropriate to the environment in which they live. It is important to remember that the ‘socialisation period’, while somewhat dependent on the species involved, is the period of an animal’s development during which it is most responsive to forming social attachments. It is all a matter of survival really – whatever stimuli pups encounter in a calm way in the first few weeks of life they become habituated to so that the particular stimulus elicits no response, and so time and energy are not wasted on stress type responses (fight or flight). Later in life, cynicism of new…

“From the moment I put them on my feet were cosseted” When it comes to lace-up shooting boots I prioritise comfort and grip over everything else. Water resistance is slightly lower on my list because you can always wear rubber boots if you know you will be wading through puddles. My other priority is quality. If a boot is going to cost £200 to £300 I want it to last for many years. So I decided to test the Härkila Pro Hunter Ledge GTX boots over a six-month period, right through the shooting season. Where these boots score most highly is comfort. From the moment I put them on my feet were cosseted. I would say they are the most comfortable boots I have ever had. Cushioning was just right…

For a family company that is quite small compared with other Italian gunmakers, Bettinsoli has a surprisingly large output. Despite this, it has never been as popular as perhaps it should have been here in the UK. Its high production levels can be attributed to a move towards computerised manufacturing techniques that started during the 1980s and enabled precision manufacturing without over-dependence on expensive hand finishing. CHARLES SMITH-JONES SAYS: “The ventilated top and mid ribs suggest it is intended as a Sporter but it would be comfortable in many situations” Bettinsoli may never be ranked among the major players but the firm still enjoys a reputation for well-made, dependable and attractive shotguns at a cost that will suit the shooter who does not want to reach too deeply into their…

For me, it was just great to be out again. I had some stunning walked-up days, the memories of which will stay with me forever. This got me thinking about what we really value about our days in the field. For me, it is that one shot that went perfectly. You know the one, you see the bird, mount the gun, pull the trigger and the bird falls to the ground, dead. This season I had a shot like that at Six Mile Bottom. A covey of partridges got up in front of us and I picked my bird and brought it down. When we retrieved it I found it was an English. I had no idea because English partridges are not usually found in that area of the shoot.…

Scientists in the USA are taking a unique, and seemingly effective, approach to tackling tick-borne Lyme disease. They have developed an mRNA vaccine, similar in principle to many Covid vaccines, that does not attack the disease itself but forces a reaction to tick saliva. The reaction causes the site of a tick bite to swell up and itch, similar to a mosquito bite. This irritation then alerts the host to examine and remove the tick before it has a chance to transmit the disease-causing bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. Erol Fikrig, one of the epidemiologists at Yale University currently developing the vaccine, said, “This would be the first vaccine that does not target the pathogen. Rather by targeting the tick, you prevent the transmission of a pathogen. In this case, the Lyme…

BASC is once again offering its Legacy Funded Scholarship Programme to students studying conservation, land management and gamekeeping. Successful applicants can receive up to £4,500 to help towards tuition fees, course costs and study materials. Curtis Mossop, BASC’s head of pathways to shooting, said: “Previous applicants are successfully entering the sector thanks to BASC’s legacy funded scholarship programme. To date, BASC has supported individuals studying diplomas through to Master’s degrees, a fact we are very proud of.” For further information or instructions on how to apply, visit: basc.org.uk…

“We will become increasingly aware of the returns from a bagful of cartridges” What sort of kill-to-cartridge ratio is the norm for woodpigeon over decoys? I haven’t kept written records of the birds I’ve bagged over the past 50 years or so but I’m honest enough to admit my average can swing wildly between 1.08 shots per bird on a very good day to six point something on some that are best forgotten. Maybe other shooters do keep accurate notes – if so, I would love to hear from them and finally nail down what constitutes a good, bad or indifferent performer. Yardstick To try to establish some sort of a yardstick I did put the question to Essex-based pigeon maestro Peter Theobald several years ago. I forget his exact…

“Come in Bond, and don’t touch anything.”Q was in one of his testy moods. “Look, Q Branch has given a bit of thought to what you’ll need for your next mission and we think this fits the bill.” Bond eyed the white dust sheet covering Q’s workbench. What gadget had they come up with this time, he wondered – one of those exploding pens, a miniaturised bugging device, or perhaps something containing yet another laser? Q seemed rather fond of those. “We’re really quite proud of this,” Q beamed. “It’s been tested extensively and should be just the job.” He whipped the dust sheet away and Bond stared at the complex mechanism lying on the bench. “There you are 007, a Mark 4 Fenn trap. Try not to break it.”…

Hunting with dogs has been illegal since 2005 but there are exemptions, including legal control of rabbits and rats. For various reasons, the Hunting Act 2004 is back in the limelight and there are calls by some to restrict hunting even further. I was never a fan of the ban and was always sceptical that such legislation was either practical or enforceable. A hunting ban was ever going to benefit a population of mammals. In fact, I have always believed that the more people who like hunting, shooting or fishing for a particular species, that species is more likely to thrive as it becomes increasingly important to those involved. The use of dogs to catch rabbits is a big part of the daily work I carry out for pest control.…

In 1982 Doug and Shirley Florent set out on their own. They both had a wealth of experience, but more importantly had a passion for the sport they wanted to share with the world. So, The Oxford Gun Company was born. Four decades later Doug can still be found onsite, sharing his knowledge with old-hands and newcomers alike. His passion has been inherited by his son, David, who works hard to continue his father’s vision. “We are very proud to be celebrating our 40th anniversary in 2022,” says David. “Over the years we’ve built up a team of highly experienced staff and can happily say that we have more than ever to offer our visitors.” The Oxford Gun Company’s offerings begin on its Sporting courses. There are three in total,…

Picture this: it’s snowing relentlessly; you’ve just raced 7km at ‘full beans’ on narrow skis but there’s more than twice that distance still to go and most of it’s uphill. Despite the intense cold, you’re now sweating in your tight aero skinsuit. You know that those damp patches will start to freeze as soon as you stop, chilling you to the bone, but stop you must. There are five .22 rounds waiting to be shot into five tiny 45mm targets 50m away, which in the snow and weak winter light looks a lot farther. The pressure’s on. You ski hurriedly on to the freezing range mat while trying to sense the wind direction and speed, well aware that each miss will cost you a minute’s time penalty. Around you, your…

If you fancy taking up the sport – and, despite the challenges involved, it does sound enormously good fun – then you may be in luck. The British Biathlon Union (BBU), the governing body for the sport in Great Britain, is currently searching for its stars of the future. “Historically, we’ve always recruited from the military,” explains Elizabeth Winfield, the CEO, “and we’ve found the armed forces to be extremely supportive. “However, more recently we’re finding that the sport has developed to such an extent that if you want to be a performance athlete and go to the Games then you can’t start this sport too late. By the time potential athletes have come through the system in the military they’re 18 or 19 at best, probably much older. We…

After the frustrations and disappointments of last season, I was looking forward to 1 October. The reports from the grouse moors earlier in the year had not been great and although some shoots managed a few days, the overall picture wasn’t good. The wet spring didn’t help; the inclement weather made it hard for the grouse to produce a sustainable number of chicks and even though the local economies could have done with the boost in revenue it just wasn’t to be. The wet weather also caused problems for shoots trying to get cover crops planted. In many places the fields and margins were sodden and certainly in my locality the late planting of covers went on to cause a few issues later in the season. Uncertainty I know of…

VERMIN On the fly Is it essential to do reconnaissance before chasing crows? Time pressures mean I can only get on to the ground when I need to be shooting. Tom says: Accurate information on bird movements or where birds are congregating could increase the chances of a good day but getting boots on the ground prior to a day’s shooting isn’t always possible. I used to live in the heart of my permission and I certainly found it easier to spot shooting opportunities developing as I went about my daily routine. I have since spent the past six or so years a 40-minute drive away, which has made scouting a harder task and more costly. Going in blind can be a challenge but also something that I have come…

We can be assured that any new product from Romagna Caccia, now RC EXIMPORT and known worldwide by the initials RC, will be of interest. Since the company was founded in 1970, RC has built up an impressive catalogue of successes in major international competitions, ever since Luciano Brunetti won gold in the Skeet World Championships in Seoul in 1978 using RC1 Skeet cartridges. World and Olympic medals have followed to the present time. Perhaps most memorable was Michael Diamond taking the Olympic Trap gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, using RC4 Champion Excellence cartridges. Closer to home, Peter Wilson won Double Trap Olympic gold at the London Olympic games using RC4 Champion cartridges and Giovanni Cernogoraz took Olympic Trap gold using the same cartridges. The pedigree of…

Perhaps a common perception with a pump-action shotgun is that it will be owned by somebody called Cletus or Bubba and that they’ll be closer to their immediate family than is comfortable in polite society. I’m hearing banjos and smelling jambalaya. This is probably an unfair assessment this side of the Atlantic and there are sound reasons for owning a Mossberg Maverick 88 shotgun, especially if you’re involved in gamekeeping and pest control. It will never replace your game or clay gun, but if you need a reliable tool to keep with you on your rounds as a keeper, or for pigeon shooting or wildfowling, this may suit you. No frills I’m possibly not this gun’s target audience, though I did enjoy shooting it. I shoot clays and pigeons regularly,…

The British Schools & Young Shots Championships, the highlight of the school clay shooting calendar, will be held at Orston Shooting Ground, Notts on 30 April. The event, held in conjunction with Sporting Gun magazine, will see youngsters from across the UK compete across three challenging Sporting courses. Individuals, groups and school teams are all encouraged to take part and battle it out for glory and suburb prizes. The event’s High Gun will be invited to help produce a quarterly column in this magazine, among other prizes. To secure your spot on the stands, call 01949 851181 or head online to: orston.com…

Everybody would like to be a better Shot, whether a beginner or a veteran trying to increase consistency. I have shot since a very young age and gathered different tips and tricks to improve my shooting ability over the years. One key element with shooting, which I think is sometimes overlooked, is that we have a responsibility to shoot to the best of our ability when in pursuit of live quarry. I would always ensure that any person wishing to transition to live quarry has the ability to shoot consistently and has already mastered the basics. I love to shoot with a range of guns for variety; the downside is that they all operate, handle and perform differently. I swap and change guns depending on the day, but I don’t…

Regulars will know that many of my permissions border some much larger towns, which over the course of the past 25 years have become the homes of equally large populations of pigeons. As such, I thought it would be interesting to compare the behavioural differences, if any, of urban over country birds. Urban pigeons are used to human activity, living in close proximity to man, mostly ignoring traffic whizzing around within feet of the verges on which they may be feeding. That is not to say they trust humans once they head out to arable fields. That said, they do not scrutinise every hedgerow for your hide, or even a bush in the middle of their ‘restaurant’ that was not there before. Nor are they overly fussed if your vehicle…

We are still in the thick of the doe season, so we will be giving as much time on our ground as we can. Arwen aside, so far we have got away with serious winter weather and very little snow. However, that could arrive at any time and if it decides to stay for long periods it could prevent us from getting on to some of the ground. On the whole, the repair work will have to wait until the ground dries out, but if we could get the tower and butt back up with the guy wires that would be a bonus. We do not have to be able to drive to those spots because the material and equipment we need is not heavy and it can be walked…

The largest of our ‘grey’ geese, the greylag is the only one truly native to our shores rather than a winter visitor. It was once restricted to the far north, but has spread its wings and can be encountered widely across the country. That said, the truly wild breeding population is still really only found in Scotland. These birds have been reinforced by feral populations that have since established themselves further south where they are an increasingly familiar sight. Native birds are joined by migrants from Iceland and northern Europe every winter; in fact at this time the entire Icelandic population comes to Britain. There are thought to be around 40,000 breeding pairs in the UK, although the arrival of migrants from Iceland every winter may swell overall numbers to…

Ferndale Shooting Club DISCIPLINES English Sporting and FITASC ADDITIONAL FACILITIES Cartridge sales and complementary tea and coffee MOBILITY Pathways to the stands are a combination of grass and gravel. Wheelchair users are advised to contact the grounds to discuss their requirements. WHEN IS IT OPEN? Thursday, 12pm-7pm, or as light allows Saturday, 9am-4pm PRACTICE ROUNDS Experienced licence holders can shoot solo but will require a buttoning partner. Clays are set to 30p, or 20p for members. TUITION Taster sessions are available from £25 and include 25 clays, cartridges, use of a club gun and tuition. DESCRIPTION The stunning landscape of South Wales is front and foremost at Ferndale Shooting Club, with each stand providing a picture-postcard view across the foothills of the Brecon Beacons. ■ Shooters can enjoy more than…

“I have yet to shoot with anyone who would willingly leave an injured animal out in the field” This month I’m going to examine a subject that’s usually swept under the carpet – that of accidentally wounding animals while shooting. Few people want to discuss the matter openly but, nevertheless, it still needs addressing. A vast majority of the anti-shooting brigade consider that we are all bloodthirsty killers with no mind to the welfare of the things we hunt. The reality is that this is so wide of the mark that if it wasn’t such an important issue the misconception could simply be ignored as the ramblings of the deluded. Paramount For those of us who target foxes, the primary concern should be to implement the tenets of best practice.…

Great tits sing in the new year Every spring for many years my great-uncle (now 96) and I would have a friendly competition. It was to listen out for the mating song of the great tit with what we called it’s ‘cross-cut saw’ call. Over the New Year we had a mild spell with record warm temperatures in many counties including our own. I clearly heard a male great tit’s song on New Year’s Day, a new personal best for me. I can’t corroborate with my uncle, as his care home is in lockdown, but my cousin will give him the message. By sheer coincidence, the great tit’s mating call was explained by Lord Krebs on BBC1’s Attenborough’s Wonder of Song, where he talked about recording the birds in February.…

I was sponsored by Zoli for seven years, so it’s nice to be able to test the new Zoli Z One. The Zoli I shot back in the day was a Z-Sport, with 30¾in barrels and custom stock. It won me many championships and I truly love Paolo and Elena Zoli, they are like family to me. So why did I decide to move away from this fine Italian brand, I hear you ask? There were a few reasons, the main one being that I felt to improve myself as a competition shooter I needed to step up my game. I felt I had become stale; I needed a new challenge. Going down a non-sponsored route I plumped for a Krieghoff K80 Super Sporter, which is the gun I shot…

CHARLES SMITH-JONES SAYS: “It is one of the best and most accurate switch-barrel rifles on the market” The Mauser M03 was hailed as a classic when launched in 2003. It is a thoroughbred rifle with the sort of modern styling, assembly, materials and attention to detail that you might expect from the marque. Mauser announced in 2020 that it was discontinuing the M03 to focus on its M18, M12 and M98 models, but stressed that it would continue to supply spare parts for all of the M03 variants. The M03 is built on a steel inner chassis, which forms the spine of the rifle, supporting a positive and smooth bolt run while providing a solid fixing point for the barrel. It has been produced in a wide range of configurations…