We can go roughshooting, wildfowling and deerstalking
Here’s what lockdown means for shooting sports. On 6 January 2021, shooters were resigned to the new coronavirus lockdowns stopping most UK recreational shooting for the rest of the season. However, the anglers in England negotiated an exemption for their sport on 7 January and, later in the day, the shooters in England did the same. […]
Fox and squirrel shooting
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY8KvExA1K0 It’s a multi-storey job. Roy Lupton is looking for deer and foxes at ground level, squirrels in the trees and feral pigeons under the eaves of farm buildings. To do that, he has a Sako 85 in .25-06 and a Brocock Commander XR air rifle in .22. Aimpoint Acro Aimpoint.comBrocock Commander XR Brocock.co.uk Buy […]
Driven gameshooting cancelled – Fieldsports News, 6 January 2021
Here are the links: Lockdown stops driven shooting in the UK – Fieldsports News ITV News wages war on trailhunting – ITV Antis expose West Country farmers who support hunts – Innocent Badger Vegans mark Christmas by attacking butcher – Fieldsports News Celeb Packham challenges Scottish beaver cull – The Times Police investigate man killed […]
What’s killing off the capercaillie?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMHf83s9U54 by Ben O’Rourke In the 1970s, there were more than 20,000 capercaillie in the UK. “Now there might only be 1,000,” says Ian Coghill, chairman of the Coordinated Upland Partnership. The RSPB goes even further. In 2022, it released figures claiming there were only 542 capercaillie left. The responsibility for that lies at the […]
Northern Ireland mulls foxhunting ban – Fieldsports News, 30 December 2020
Here are the links: Antis push for Northern Ireland ban on hunting with dogs – Fieldsports News + video from Facebook Irish coursers annoyed after lockdown ban – Irish Coursing Club Scottish Green Party wants to replace foxhunting ban – Aberdeen Evening Express Scottish charity ‘bullied’ into refusing game meat – Aberdeen Press & Journal […]
Ferreting an old people’s home
The South Somerset Ferreters – that fun-loving group of ferret owners from Ilminster – have found a new spot. It’s an old people’s home that wants a vegetable patch. But there will be no veg while Peter Rabbit and his gang own the garden. Jaf and the gang unleash nets, dogs and ferrets on […]
Fieldsports Britain – fallow and ferreting
We’re on Dartmoor on a meat hunt, culling fallow deer for the freezer. Tom Davies of Dartmoor Deer Services is out with Ollie Williams from Cornwall (where fallow deer are an exotic animal). Plus they show when to and when not to use a thermal spotter. Just over the county line, the South Somerset […]
2020 Fieldsports News review
It was meant to be the year of the gamekeeper. Instead, 2020 was they year of the armchair environmentalist, as people confined to their homes took to their keyboards to vent their frustrations. News editor Ben O’Rourke looks back on the ‘year of the epidemic’ and forward to what 2021 will hold. Stories we […]
FORM Chieftain custom air rifle stock – review
A new stock could transform your trusty air rifle, improving accuracy and ease of use and giving it a whole new lease of life, not to mention a stunning modern look. If that’s your aim, look no further than this pistol grip style thumbhole FORM Chieftain air rifle stock, available for the Air Arms […]
The evolution of the airgun – Fieldtester, episode 4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeVqLp-iYAQ In this month’s Fieldtester show, our kit gurus Roy Lupton, Johnny Muston and Tim Pilbeam come together with host David Wright to discuss the evolution of the airgun. That’s not all. Johnny Muston from R&J Stockcraft says how to choose the perfect airgun pellet, and shows off his shooting skills putting holes in Polo […]
Best airgun pellet for 2021
This is the Fieldtester survey where we asked you to tell us about your kit back in 2020, and you responded: 3,500 completed surveys came back to us, 10% of which are about PCPs, 10% of you told us about your airgun pellets, only 5% are about spring-loaded air rifles, which is why springers didn’t […]
Pellet power and performance: putting a hole in a Polo
Johnny Muston from airgun shop R&K Stockcraft is supergluing Polo mints to the top of a wooden batten. Why? To check his accuracy with his airgun of course! A pellet can just pass through the hole in the middle, but he’ll have to be super-accurate. “This is part of my mis-spent youth,” he jokes. But […]
Airgun law UK – what you can shoot in your garden
Airgun law UK: What can you shoot with your airgun in your back garden in the UK? It’s a garden, it’s a private premises where you have permission, and you are happy with your backstop and that backstop is in your garden. What birds can you shoot? We will come to those in a […]
General licences
Delicious roast venison squashes – easy recipe with Tim Maddams
Top chef Tim Maddams shows how to cook delicious butternut squashes stuffed with venison, in a cream and mushroom sauce, while Country Food Trust chief executive Tim Woodward gets in the way – and explains the work of the charity, feeding the nation with game meat. Ingredients 2 butternut squashes 1 large onion, finely […]
Vegan tries deerstalking
Katie Hargreaves goes deerstalking with Paul Childerley. What’s unusual is that Katie is a vegan. She sees sustainable hunting as part of her veganism. Paul and Katie are out after Chinese water deer in Bedfordshire. Katie is also a wildlife artist, drawing her inspiration from deer and other animals. Here are some of her […]
Fieldsports Britain – we’re a little bit veggie
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQHbdG4I_g0 Paul Childerley takes a vegan out to shoot a deer. Katie Hargreaves is a properly woke wildlife artist – but she is connected enough to the augment to understand that hunting has a place in veganism. Find out how she gets on shooting her first Chinese water deer. Taking the deer process further, we […]
Gun price changes after a no-deal Brexit
What are WTO rules and how will they affect UK shooters? When it comes to buying guns, Simon West from the Gun Trade Association spells it out: the World Trade Organisation tariff on importing guns is 3.2%. The tariff on imprting gun and ammunition parts is 2.7%. These are prices that the gun trade […]
H&M owners abandon roots to ban trailhunting in Wiltshire
The family behind fashion chain H&M is banning trailhunting over 16,000 acres it owns in Wiltshire and Berkshire. The ban is the latest move in a media campaign by ITV News to force landowners to ban trailhunting in England. Former H&M chairman Stefan Persson is behind the ban. Persson’s father Erling Persson founded the shop […]
Wharfedale gamekeepers to thank for hen harrier sightings
Anti-shooters who spot hen harriers on the Denton Park estate in Wharfedale can thank gamekeepers for the conservation work that brought them back. A story in the Yorkshire Post suggests that shooting is banned at Denton Park. The newspaper quotes convicted animal rights extremist Luke Steele, saying: “It’s fantastic to see these magnificent birds of […]
Fabulous duck flighting at dusk
Gamekeeper Paul Childerley goes duck shooting. There’s a pond on his shoot in Bedfordshire that’s away from the main duck ponds, and it is attracting wild duck, including widgeon and teal, which are a delicious addition to the Christmas dinner table. He calls them in then, as it gets dark, takes his thermal spotter […]
Cattyshack Wayne’s amazing squirrel shot
It’s world-class precision slingshot hunting, as Cattyshack’s Wayne Martin and friend Matt Lower go out for pheasant, dove, rabbit and squirrel on a permission in Sussex – and Wayne gets a stunningly (literally) good shot on a squirrel. For Wayne’s catapults, visit Cattyshack.co.uk
Fieldsports Britain – expert catapult hunt
Wayne is one of the country’s top slingshot hunters – and he shows off his skills with his buddy Matt Lower. They are on a mooch around a Sussex farm permission looking for a pheasant for the pot, squirrels, rabbits and feral pigeons. That’s not all. Bedfordshire gamekeeper Paul Childerley completes his rounds with […]
BBC flogs puppies for fun – Fieldsports News, 9 December 2020
Here are the links: BBC exploits lockdown dog price hike – BBC and petition Bird flu prompts Britain-wide ‘protection zone’ from 14 December – government press release Pressure grows on arrested Liverpool mayor to go – Fieldsports News Thousands of fish die after canal breach – Leicester Mercury Pet flea chemicals are poisoning rivers […]
Roe doe double
Ollie Williams has a target to meet: two-thirds roe does to one-third tree bucks. It’s the doe season and he is out on the family farm in Cornwall to meet that target. To go shooting or stalking with Ollie, visit CornishSportingAgency.com For Seeland clothing, go to Seeland.com Buy Ollie’s’s Seeland Hawker jacket on Amazon […]
Game-changing government rules could take pheasant off pub menus
Ben O’Rourke You know your local pub where they serve pheasants from the local shoot? That may be about to stop. The Food Standards Agency is thought to be preparing to tighten up the rules on game meat, so only ‘approved’ gamedealers will be able to sell it to ‘food businesses’. British Game Alliance […]
Fieldsports Britain – Gamekeeper’s Rounds
Paul Childerley shows how gamekeeping is not just one job. It’s a whole series of roles that amount to a bright future for wildlife in our woodlands and wild places. He is out feeding pheasants and ducks, which benefit all kinds of birds and animals on his shoot in Bedfordshire. Plus he is trying […]
Squirrel shoot with .410 and Zeiss thermal
Gamekeeper Paul Childerley finishes his rounds looking after pheasants and ducks, and then he takes time to carry out shoot management. Today, it is squirrels. If he can shoot a few grey squirrels, he will improve the chances for the trees on his shoot, and trees in this lowland landscape are good for all […]
Shooters plan Scottish grouse protests – Fieldsports News, 25 November 2020
Here are the links: Country people plan anti SNP demos – Fieldsports News Lockdown means keepers spot disease early StDavids-Gamebirds.co.uk PM urged to extend public’s right to roam on private land – The Guardian Packham Christmas profits benefit Wild Justice ‘charity’ – Fieldsports News RSPB accused of dropping neutral stance on shooting – GWCT Big […]
Why pay more than necessary for a riflescope?
You can spend a large sum of money on a high-end scope, but will it actually put more meat in the freezer? Of course a top-end scope may give you a few more minutes’ shooting at dawn and dusk, but Dan Pool of Braces of Bristol thinks there’s a law of diminishing returns at […]
Meopta Optika6 1-6×24 RD SFP riflescope – review
If you shoot driven boar or practical rifle competitions, you need the right scope for the job, something designed for fast, reflex shooting. James Fowler at distributors RUAG knows his stuff, so what does he recommend? “The Meopta Optika6 1-6×24 is ideal,” he says. “It’s a nice compact scope that’s the perfect fit for […]
Bergara B14-R .22LR rimfire training rifle – review
Why would you want a .22 rimfire version of a centrefire Hunter Match Rifle? The obvious answer is running costs. With the price of centrefire ammo, a .22 rimfire allows you to practise to your heart’s content without worrying about the cost. But it’s also a lovely little rifle to own and use in […]
Bergara BA13 TD take-down rifle – review
How about a rifle that you can take down like a shotgun and pack into a rucksack? That’s the Bergara BA13 TD take-down rifle. “It’s a little single shot, break action rifle and it’s incredible,” says James Fowler of distributors RUAG. “It gets called the keeper’s gun because it’s compact and they can put […]
Webley Raider Classic air rifle – review
Webley Raider Classic review Ryan Charlton from Highland Outdoors with a Webley Raider Classic Webley is one of the oldest names in the gun trade. The company has produced some of the most famous firearms the world has ever seen, including some classic airguns. They’ve moved with the times, of course, and modern Webley airguns […]
Bergara B14 HMR rifle – review
What rifle do you choose when you work for the importer and could take your pick? For James Fowler of RUAG there was no hesitation – he tried the Bergara B14 and fell in love straight away. “It’s a versatile rifle that you can use for hunting or match shooting,” he says. “The HMR […]
Best spring-powered air rifles for under £400
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYjScrprPbY Pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) airguns tend to get all the glory nowadays, but don’t overlook the good old spring-powered guns if you simply want an inexpensive airgun that will give you hours of fun in the garden, as well as killing the odd rat, rabbit or pigeon. “PCS are great, but by the time you’ve […]
Yildiz Pro Black Sporter – review
You can spend £10,000-plus on a competition sporting over-and-under shotgun, but for a fraction of that price Yildiz offer its value Pro Black, offering all the basic sporting features. “The range starts at £1,349 for a grade 3 non-adjustable model, with the adjustable version selling at £1,899,” explains Richard Ryan of Yildiz importers Raytrade. […]
Webley & Scott 912 sideplate shotgun – review
You don’t need to spend a fortune these days on a gun that will look the part and do a great job on clays, rough or game shooting. There are some excellent guns available for under £1,000 – and this stunning over-and-under Webley & Scott 912 is a great example. Fieldsports Channel’s viewer research […]
Country people plan anti SNP demos
Members of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association are planning local protests in the run-up to the 2021 Scottish elections. Reacting to the SNP government’s attack on grousemoors, country people will campaign against the nationalist politicians who want to end their way of life. The SGA says it has dealt with an unprecedented number of calls, messages […]
Europe bans lead shot over wetlands
The European government on 26 November pushed through a ban on lead shot over wetlands, leaving pro-shooting groups in Brussels and Strasbourg aghast. Shooters in North European countries, especially Scandinavia, point out that most rural land is wetland, by the European definition. But on 30 November, the EU Committee, a body within the Swedish parliament […]
Scottish government lashes out with grouseshooting restrictions
The Scottish government has lashed out at grouseshooters with a raft of measures designed to restrict the sport. It plans to introduce licensing for both ‘grouse shooting businesses’ and muirburn, and it is threatening a ban on medicated grit. Muirburn licences will only be given out ‘in order to protect wildlife and habitats’, and no […]
Crawling boar range 😭 🐗
Planning to go boar hunting? You know how you look at a running boar range and say to yourself or, worse, to your friends, ‘I bet I could build one of those for a tenth of the price’? Well, we did. And the results are less than spectacular.
New gun bans heading to the UK – Fieldsports News, 25 November 2020
Here are the links: England faces new round of gun bans. Take part in the Home Office survey Shoots resume on 2 December after government double U-turn – Fieldsports News Grouse shooting under ‘sustained attack’ as ministers back muirburn ban – Daily Telegraph JCB hoists hunt sabs’ car to stop attacks – Kent Messenger […]
Two ways of shooting rabbits, with Sam Green
World champion shot Sam Green shows two methods of rabbit shooting. When it’s a quartering target, keep the gun behind it and push through. When the target is square on, Sam says it is better to switch to maintained lead. He shows how that works. For Browning, go to Browning.eu Sam shoots with a […]
Fieldsports Britain – fallow deer mass gathering
Only in a handful of places on Earth do fallow deer congregate in numbers for their annual ‘lek’. We are at one of them, in Sussex, with headkeeper David Whitby, to witness one of the marvels of the natural world. David talks about deer management here, and we go stalking inside and outside the […]
Boris’s new lockdown dates cock-up
Planning to go shooting in England on Wednesday 2 December? First the government said it was legal, then they said it was illegal, now they say it’s legal. You can hold a driven shoot on 2 December 2020. Members of the UK government, including prime minister Boris Johnson, announced that 2 December 2020 […]
Princess Diana’s family gun for sale
Do you want to buy Princess Diana’s shotgun? It’s a good quality .410 by Curry of Birmingham and it is up for auction on 8 December 2020. Her family won’t confirm that she used this gun, but the evidence points that way. Boys and girls usually start shooting with a small-calibre .410, 28-bore or 20-bore […]
Waders for Real: saving wading birds
Ben O’Rourke “We’ve learnt a lot through working with the GWCT about how we approach things, how I approach my work, planning it and the effect I can have on the work we put in,” says gamekeeper Rupert Brewer of his involvement in the Waders for Real project. Gamekeepers like Rupert are an essential […]
Shooterking Huntflex jacket and trousers – review
Shooterking’s Huntflex is a range of clothing aimed at most gameshooting and stalking styles. We talk to two professionals about how they use it. Click here to watch Paul shooting in a Huntflex Winter Skeet Jacket The Huntflex jackets and trousers range from Shooterking is designed to be a great-value option for demanding […]
Thermal spotter vs hunting binoculars
Tim Pilbeam is deerstalking with a difference: he’s fieldtesting for us. What are the best binoculars for hunting? And what should you look for when buying binoculars for hunting? Are thermal binoculars any good? As well as the chance to shoot a doe, he wants to work out when to use a thermal scope […]
