Zac Goldsmith makes dog law by letter
A government minister is trying to make law by letter. In what’s likely to be his last days in office, DEFRA minister Lord Zac Goldsmith is announcing rules that reflect his animal rights agenda, and that are not on the statute book. In a letter to an MP, Goldsmith claims that electronic collars are to […]
BBC celebrates Amber Hill’s shooting success
The BBC, not noted for its shooting sports coverage, is hailing Amber Hill’s achievement in Changwon, South Korea. The 24-year-old Olympic Skeet shooter won silver in the ISSF World Cup, making her the most successful GB shooter ever in ISSF events. Her 11 World Cup medals puts her one ahead of the previous record holder, […]
How to buy guns at sealed bids auctions
Gun expert Diggory Hadoke from VintageGuns.co.uk talks to Charlie Jacoby about what some serious collectors consider to be the arse end of the auctions market – the sealed bid sales run by Holt’s auctioneer. He explains how to play the system to your advantage and, therefore, grab a bargain. More on auctions here:
The new face of British Shooting
youtu.be/q63FKLqlehQ An English shooting champion is the ambassador of a new initiative to encourage more people to get involved in the sport. Ruth Mwandumba is a two-times English air rifle champion and the first black woman to represent England in ISSF shooting disciplines. British Shooting has teamed up with the global story telling platform Women’s […]
Wildlife trust tries to ban anglers
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREsBKDjbv8 Angling is a gentle sport. In Nottinghamshire fishers are showing they can also be tough when their sport is threatened. The threat? Their new landlord, the local wildlife trust. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust purchased the Attenborough Nature Reserve in December 2020. Now groups including the Angling Trust and Countryside Alliance are fighting to save the […]
Crow’s fruity night-vision rabbit shoot
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIxno1pX8uc Andy Crow and cousin Gary are on a strawberry farm shooting rabbits. The rabbits can’t reach the strawberries, which are grown at picking height. Actually, the real pest here is Andy, who is eating a strawberry for every rabbit he shoots. What the rabbits are doing is eating around the raspberry canes nearby, so […]
Fieldsports Britain – Crow’s on rabbits
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Eb625CuJeg The fruit farm needs help. Rabbits are nibbling the raspberry canes. The good news is that Crow and his cousin Gary have the latest in rimfires plus the magic of an Infiray Tube TD50L night vision scope. They can make a hole in the bunny population with that. Meanwhile, Nobby Clarke from UK Deer […]
Boris replacement might be pro-shooting – Fieldsports News, 13 July 2022
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImO16fJ2EP8 Here are the links: New prime minister could be shooting supporter – antis furious – Twitter DEFRA announces gamebird research programme – Countryside Alliance British shooting champion spearheads #TargetChange – Fieldsports News Scottish land reform must write fieldsports into its future – Scottish Government consultation A1 Shooting Ground to close – Fieldsports News Welsh […]
Popular North London shooting ground to close
Photo: Franco Capaldo A popular North London shooting ground is closing down after increasing pressure from property development nearby. The A1 Shooting Ground, just inside the M25 near Borehamwood, has a history going back nearly 100 years, and was originally owned by the famous London gunmakers Boss & Co. Claudio and Teresa Capaldo took over […]
Kitfinder launches – Fieldsports Extra #228
You can win Game Fair tickets in this week’s Fieldsports Extra. Plus we launch Kitfinder tommorrow – find out how it’s going. We have a deer tracker on shotgun cartridges for dee, Charles Jardine from the Countryside Alliance on the good fishing does, and Andy Crow gets a bit lary with David.This week’s prizes and […]
Vorn EV45 hunting backpack with rifle quick release
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us7SWBihgkM Fieldsports Channel’s Jason Doyle is a professional deerstalker who needs a good, comfortable backpack for hunting. He’s often stalking in demanding terrain, such as the Wicklow Mountains in his native Ireland. “I’ve used Vorn backpacks for a number of years now, and the comfort with them really is second to none for somebody like […]
General licences in Wales: no rooks, magpies or jackdaws
www.youtube.com/watch?v=srDW6v7UWoY by Deborah Hadfield New general licences in Wales are bad news for rare birds and worse news for farmers. From 1 July 2022, Welsh shooters face new restrictions on how they can protect livestock, crops and carry out conservation work. Natural Resources Wales has removed magpies, jays and jackdaws from one of its new […]
How hunting and shooting sports help the blind and partially-sighted
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN9kirnvQhQ Malik Ezzi wants to be a professional hunter. His first problem is that he only has 40% daytime vision and no vision at all at night. That doesn’t stop the Northern Cape Professional Hunting School teaching him. They take him out after warthog and kudu – and he explains how he does it. Malik […]
Scottish roebuck: from field to skinning to Kilted Chef
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5JzfG95vtw The ‘Kilted Chef’ Craig Wilson and deerstalking guide Milton Ferguson have got together to raise money for the Children’s Heart Unit Fund. First-time stalker Ross Stephen won an Aberdeenshire roebuck outing in a charity raffle. They give it to him, taking the deer he shoots from the wild to a delicious lunch in the […]
Fieldsports Britain – roebuck stalking with bells, whistles and pipes
We’re in Scotland this week to report on a charity roebuck stalking outing with a pro guide and the ‘Kilted Chef’. We’re in Wales where the new general licences banning magpie shooting are set to turn back the clock on wildlife conservation. And we’re in South Africa, where a visually-impaired lad is learning to be […]
Alert system for England’s ‘mental’ gun owners – Fieldsports News, 6 July 2022
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHp5_ns6U6U Here are the links: New medical alert for shooters – Daily Mail Environment secretary stands with animal rights extremists – Twitter Antis pour out hatred over death of professional hunter – Twitter Finland proposes hunting trophy import ban – Instagram New taskforce to protect Scottish gamekeepers – Scottish Parliament TV Carrie’s boss asked to […]
Gamekeeper’s gun and ammo choice for clays
youtu.be/XvjVgU8vdTA Essex gamekeeper Geoff Garrod has set up a 60-bird clay shoot on his estate, raising money for the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation. He’s shooting with his trusty pigeon gun, the Browning Maxus, and Eley Select cartridges. He’s using the fibre version because his shoot is fibre wad only, to avoid leaving lots of plastic wads […]
Win £165 Kite binos – Fieldsports Extra #227
You can win Kite binoculars in this week’s Fieldsports Extra. The Fitis model has an RRP of £165. Plus there’s deer skinning (by car), driven buffalo (by car) and BASC tells us to get in touch with our MPs (not by car). And Kitfinder – how’s that going?This week’s prizes and other links:Reolink KEEN Ranger […]
Leupold VX-6HD 3-18×50 riflescope – tested in the field
youtu.be/1BvUZ3XiuU0 Owen Beardsmore of Cervus UK is a professional deer manager and stalking guide, who demands a lot of his kit. He needs a scope that will work flawlessly in all conditions – and he loves his Leupold VX-6 3-18×50 scope which he’s been using for the past year. “The light gathering power of the […]
Leupold BX5 Santiam 10×42 binoculars – review
youtu.be/2_nDCIaMktQ Owen Beardsmore of Cervus UK spends most of his time out in the woods, either hunting professionally or guiding stalkers. “I give my kit a lot of stick,” he says, “and I really rate these Leupold BX5 Santiam binoculars.” “Whether it’s out in the British woodlands, pouring rain out on the hill in Scotland […]
Leupold GR4 12-40×60 spotting scope – review
youtu.be/GL7g_Rwo-kE Owen Beardsmore of Cervus UK demands the best kit in his job as a professional deer manager and stalking guide – and he’s a big fan of Leupold’s GR 12-40×60 spotting scope. “What a piece of kit this is!” he says. “I’ve been using it on the hill in Scotland, and I’ve been very […]
Leupold RX-1600i rangefinder – pro stalker review
youtu.be/sc0V-KSHMMM As a professional deer manager and stalking guide, Owen Beardsmore demands the best kit. He’s been trying out the Leupold range of optics, and is particularly impressed with the RX-1600i rangefinder. “I wasn’t used to using a rangefinder, but this is a lovely bit of kit,” he says. “It’s lightweight, ergonomic, waterproof and rugged […]
Meopta MeoPro Optika6 3-18×56 riflescope
youtu.be/1WamXNj3UAA OIlie Williams talks to former editor of SA Hunter, Johan Van Wyk, about the Meopta Optika6 3-18×50 riflescope. It comes with a 4C reticle and RRP in the UK is £617. The pair agree that this isn’t a scope for African plains game. It’s too big and complicated, when you’ll be carrying your rifle […]
Gamebird shortages: how are shoots coping?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSxfDEdsmSY by Deborah Hadfield The shortage in game birds is pushing up the price of shooting and birds. Pheasant and partridge chicks may not be worth their weight in gold but, at current bullion prices, they are worth their weight in silver. Bird flu in France has caused a shortage of eggs and poults. The […]
Catapult masterclass: hunting steel
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyYBTyLqooI When it comes to well-dressed sports, you might think golf, you might think tennis, you could even think some of the top claygrounds. Now catapults are rising up the sporting class system. Top catapult shot Wayne Martin explains how he set the course at the Sussex Catapult Club and gives his top tips for […]
Fieldsports Britain – what gamekeepers do in the summer
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKc5c-j4Lm8 Your local gamekeeper brings life into the world with the pheasants hatching and growing up. He or she protects other wildlife from predation by shooting foxes and catching magpies. He or she is part of a social fabric that means the countryside can live and breathe. Working gamekeeper Geoff Garrod looks at his job […]
Battle for a grouse moor – Fieldsports News, 29 June 2022
www.youtube.com/watch?v=szgbmd82CWo Here are the links: Campaign to protect moorlands from antis – Countryside Alliance Pulsar is game-changer for wildlife identification, says scientist – Fieldsports News Bracken fire damages Scottish world heritage site – Evening Standard + Bracken Control Vets rule out foot & mouth at Norfolk farm – Eastern Daily Press England’s deer population soars […]
Pulsar is game-changer for wildlife identification, says scientist
Wildlife scientist and shooter Professor Jaimie Dick from Queen’s University, Belfasst, explains how thermal spotters are going to revolutionise wildlife counting across the world. He has found that out thanks to his work on badgers. More on thermal here:
We launch Kitfinder – Fieldsports Extra #226
This week’s prize draw is for a FORM custom airgun stock priced at £600. Plus Sir Jackie Stewart explains how shooting helped him as a racing driver, Paul Hodson talks about the amazing world of thermal, and a sea lion uses an octopus as an offensive weapon.This week’s prizes and other links:Kitfinder.co.ukFORM Rifle Stocks – […]
Game bird patrol: summer solstice fox stalking
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwbx5CBOidk Paul Childerley is out to protect his ducks tonight. It’s been a big year for foxes and he has the latest thermal kit from HIKMicro to help him. Plus HIKMicro’s Paul Hodson explains what to look for in a thermal scope and spotter. For more from HIKMicro, visit EliteOptical.co.uk Find Paul on Facebook […]
Fieldsports Britain – foxshooting ‘thermology’
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb7jHtiJgyU Armed with the latest thermal kit, Paul Childerley is out after foxes. He has to protect his ducks this year (pheasants are rare birds) and he has help from thermal manufacturer HIKMicro. Meanwhile, Sir Jackie Stewart holds a clay competition and explains why he chose motor-racing over shooting as a career. And Roy Lupton […]
Sir Jackie Stewart Classic – a DTL shoot with a difference
youtu.be/VgTsk2aCtoI by James Marchington Legendary Formula One racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart OBE was a top international clay pigeon champion, sponsored by Eley cartridges, before he took up motor racing. So when he created the Sir Jackie Stewart Challenge, to celebrate his life and raise funds for the charity Race Against Dementia, he insisted on […]
Falcon racing – what is it?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCqL_-PhJek Roy Lupton is producing some of the finest racing machines known to man. His falcon breeding programme is for the Middle Eastern falcon racing market – and it is a sport that’s taking off (literally) in the UK, too. He explains what it’s about. For more, visit Vowley.com More falconry:
Scots government pushes for hound ban – Fieldsports News, 22 June 2022
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCa5xm1REfI Here are the links: Scottish foxhunting ban plea – Fieldsports News Anger as Great Yorkshire Show cancels hounds parade – Daily Telegraph Southwest gun grab victim’s court date delayed – Fieldsports News + GoFundMe Last winter saw largest ever UK avian flu outbreak – Fieldsports News UK hunting trophy ban private member’s bill – […]
Scottish foxhunting ban update
by Deborah Hadfield The Scottish Countryside Alliance is appealing to the Scottish government not to ignore its evidence during the passage of the Hunting with Dogs Bill. The bill is making its way through committee stages at Holyrood.In its current form, it will have the greatest impact on landowners who rely on hounds to flush […]
Bird flu update – effect on 2022/23 UK shooting season
by Deborah Hadfield Bird flu is bad news for game farmers and shooters who face a dire season ahead. There were more than 100 recorded cases of avian influenza in the UK during the winter of 2021/2022. As reported in Fieldsports News, outbreaks of avian flu in the UK and France have pushed up the […]
FORM Rifle Stocks – factory film
youtu.be/pTpz9Fx5j80 How does FORM Rifle Stocks make its custom stocks and grips for rifles, airguns and handguns? Peter McGregor, who founded the Devon-based company in 2017, explains the process, and talks about what FORM can do to make a great gun better. More from FORM Rifle Stocks here:
Win a £600 custom airgun stock – Fieldsports Extra #225
This week’s prize draw is for a FORM custom airgun stock priced at £600. Plus Sir Jackie Stewart explains how shooting helped him as a racing driver, Paul Hodson talks about the amazing world of thermal, and a sea lion uses an octopus as an offensive weapon.This week’s prizes and other links:Woox custom rifle stocks […]
Police plan to price shooters out of gun certificates
Exeter Crown Court could set a nasty legal precedent in October 2023. If Devon deerstalker Andrew Andrew loses his gun certificate appeal, police throughout the UK could revoke certificates without reason. In August 2021, Andrew had his firearm and shotgun certificates renewed. A few days later, armed police came to his house at night and […]
Fieldsports Britain – to shoot or not to shoot?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJVMUroi9KE With roebuck in abundance, Paul Childerley accepts an invitation to stalk from Ruby Lewis in Wiltshire. Ruby recently completed the game and wildlife course at Sparsholt College and is looking for work. The outing lands him in a quandary: to shoot or not to shoot? No such problems for Ollie Williams in South Africa. […]
Young blood: how to get a job in fieldsports
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfV_B_Jy34Q Young pro stalker Ruby Lewis takes old hand Paul Childerley out after a roebuck. It lands Paul with a dilemma. For more from Sako, visit Sako.fi Find Paul on Facebook and Instagram More from Paul here:
Gamekeepers save stone curlews and turtle doves
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRJFscjd0eITony Lowry is a gamekeeper in Hampshire. His shoot gets the stone curlew as a summer visitor. It’s also a working arable farm. That’s bad news for the birds, which are ground-nesters. In summer, part of Tony’s job looking after wildlife on his ground is to go out and save stone curlew chicks from the farm machinery. “If we don’t protect them […]
Pro hunter school: wildebeest and springbok
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO4vpDvCmpI The trainee PHs have a new challenge today: they have to find Ollie Williams a bull blue wildebeest and put him in a position to shoot it. Find out how they get on – and what Ollie thinks of their efforts. For the Northern Cape Professional Hunting School go to NCPH.co.za or find it […]
Animal rights professor attacks shooting – Fieldsports News, 15 June 2022
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXaVe0-Wo3M Here are the links: Gamebird report ‘inaccurate’ – Harris report + GWCT New UK food strategy promotes venison – DEFRA District council attacks Chris Packham over ‘vandalism’ claims – Derby Telegraph Wales quashes country sports ban claims – BASC Controversy over long-service awards for gamekeepers – BGA press release + NGO rebuttal New scheme […]
Foxes, evolution and where humans are heading
Start with two foxes: one is bold, the other is cautious. They both exhibit ‘foxiness’. What happens to foxiness if you shoot one of them? And what happens to the world if we continue to exhibit ‘humanness’? Charlie Jacoby’s dad Martin Jacoby has his say on the evolution of both genes and ideas. More from […]
Win a £500 custom rifle stock – Fieldsports Extra #224
This week’s prize draw is for a Woox custom rifle stock priced at more than £500. Plus Andy Crow is trying to shoot running boar, there’s superb footage of a barn owl coming in to a fox call, a newly qualified woman gamekeeper talks about the difficulty finding work, James Marchington is spotting turtle doves […]
Scramble for pheasant eggs – Fieldsports News, 8 June 2022
youtu.be/IOYmk24k-eE Here are the links: Pheasant and partridge poults in price war – Facebook + Facebook Police tackle Animal Rebellion nutters – YouTube OM for New Zealand duck hunter – NZHerald Shops ignore UK ivory ban – Fieldsports News Game meat 60th on European lead list – EFSA research Birds of prey numbers up 22% […]
Wiltshire double roe buck fever
youtu.be/MZ0aUAwooTQ Cai Ap Bryn is out after a roebuck or two for the freezer. He is catering for lots of weddings this summer. And those lucky brides and grooms – it’s a perfect evening to find a buck in Wiltshire. He is out with local guide and taxidermist Tom Douglas. For more about the […]
Fieldsports Britain – summer stalking
youtu.be/wo-YnpJ4kmQ Cai Ap Bryn is out after meat for his catering business, stalking roebucks in Wiltshire. His host is local taxidermist Tom Douglas. It’s a blissful English summer evening as they find an abundance of animals and talk about buck fever. From roe to rhinos and Charlie tells the story of a baby rhino that’s […]
How to save rhinos
by Charlie Jacoby It’s dark. The baby rhino is in the South African savannah with her mother. Dawn is coming. She has survived the night – but the mother senses there is something wrong. She moves away from her daughter. The little rhino makes frantic peeping noises and tries to follow. It’s hopeless. The mother […]
