Archives

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 […]

Shotgun chamber lengths – why it’s important to use the right shotgun cartridge sizes

  Once or twice in your shooting life, you will have a shotgun cartridge that’s the right bore/gauge, but it won’t fit in the gun you are using. The cartridge is too long. More often in your shooting life, you will have a shotgun cartridge that will fit in the gun – but it’s still […]

Best night vision rifle scope for under £1,000

  Robbie Sheddon of Cluny Country Guns takes us through a selection of night vision and thermal scopes for less than a grand. They are: Yukon Photon RT, £599 Yukon Sightline N450, £759 Yukon Sightline N470, £819 Pulsar Axion Key XM22, £869 Starting off with the Yukon Photon RT: “This scope really is best for […]

Savage 110 High Country rifle – review

  The Savage Model 110 is the oldest continuously-manufactured bolt-action rifle in the USA. Call something a ‘High Country’ and it means this is a the version that breaks new borders, that’s used by pioneers and true outdoorsmen. North Carolinans have a western part of their state they call the High Country, and it’s the […]

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 […]

Prosecutors drop Barry Swain assault case

  There’s been another blow for Leeds pest controller Barry Swain, whose troubles we have highlighted. An animal rights extremist who was due in court accused of assaulting Barry is off the hook. At Leeds Magistrates Court on 17 November 2020, Crown Prosecution Services decided not to go ahead with a criminal case against the […]

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 […]

Fieldsports Britain – a gameshooting day to remember

  Paul Childerley is shooting on the Mountgarret Shoot in North Yorkshire. There’s a good wind and pheasants are flying beautifully. Paul is there with his friend Scott Shuckford, and enjoying a day put on by Ripley Sporting. Plus they are both using guns that suit the grandeur of the day: Rizzini Regal Deluxe shotguns. […]

On test: Rizzini Regal Deluxe shotguns

  Paul Childerley puts the Rizzini Regal Deluxe shotgun through its paces on a driven pheasant shoot at the Mountgarret Shoot in North Yorkshire. Rizzini shotguns suit the birds, which are flying well, and Frank Boddy of Ripley Sporting puts on a lovely, relaxed day. Click here for Rizzini’s UK importer For Ripley Sporting, go […]

Prosecutors don’t allow shooters to smile or frown – Fieldsports News, 18 November 2020

Here are the links: CPS stops Barry Swain assault case – Fieldsports News Beefy Botham batters bumbling bird charity – C4PMC Battery sets off bullet in pocket – Fieldsports News Sabs claim illegal hunting video success – Fieldsports News Scottish wildlife crime reports on the rise, say police – Herald Scotland Will pinko Packham pack […]

Battery sets off bullet in pocket

A rabbit-shooter in Essex had a shock when a rifle cartridge went off in his pocket. Gareth Jones from South Norfolk was shooting rabbits at night on a golf course when the spare battery for his night vision short-circuited through a .17HMR round, and set it off. It gave him a minor burn on his […]

Buzzard shot in Kent

  A group of walkers have filmed what could be a buzzard being shot in Kent. On 10 October 2020, members of the public out walking stopped to watch the bird in flight, on land adjoining the south-west boundary of the RSPB’s Northward Hill reserve near High Halstow. One of them started filming it on […]

GSG Firefly 22 Rimfire Long Barrel Pistol – review

  The closest thing to a tactical handgun that you can buy in the UK, pistol-shooters will say the 22 Rimfire GSG Firefly looks familiar. That’s because it’s almost identical to the Sig Sauer Mosquito. GSG used to make the Mosquito for SIG, which dropped it a few years ago, allowing GSG to resurrect the […]

Savage 110 Precision Elite rifle – review

  The 110 Precision Elite from Savage Arms is “built from the bottom up for competition use”, says Ben Mcilwaine, a competition rifle shooter sponsored by Edgar Brothers, which imports Savage rifles into the UK. The rifle has an MDT ACC titanium nitride chassis, allowing complete customisation of weight and balance to minimise recoil and […]

Yildiz SPZ ME shotgun – review

  Lightweight but strong and steel-proofed sums up the SPZ ME range by Turkish gunmaker Yildiz. The SPZ ME range of Yildiz shotgun has a growing following among British shooters. In Fieldsports Channel’s research, viewer Paul from the UK rates his SPZ ME five stars for looks, reliability and value for money. He uses it […]

Bushnell Nitro 1800 Laser Rangefinder – review

  Bushnell’s Nitro Laser Range Finder works up to 2,000 yards (with all the upgrades) and is Bluetooth compatible, so you can link it to smartphone apps and ballistics calculators such as Kestrel. Even without upgrades it works to 800 yards. Accuracy is +/- 1 yard. It’s also got built-in arc technology for calculating angles […]

Zoli XL-Evo shotgun – review

  Rob Dunlea-Jones from Edgar Brothers shows us his customised XL-Evo Shotgun from Italian gunmaker Zoli. A lefty, Rob had his stock fitted for him in Italy, so it looks different to other models. But it’s got the same focus on balance. As well as owning his own XL-Evo, Rob’s employer Edgar Brothers imports Zoli […]

Savage B22 – review

  The Savage B22 Precision is the affordable match rimfire rifle for .22LR competitions. It will perform on the range, you can use it for plinking and it’s even an accurate choice for rabbits and other vermin. Its MDT chassis is built from a single piece of aluminium, to make it stable, and has M-LOK […]

Sabs’ hunt leak video scandal is fake news

Updated 26 November 2020 Sabs have been celebrating after claiming on 13 November 2020 to expose “a nationwide conspiracy” by hunters they insist are flouting the 2004 Hunting Act. They leaked two videos of webinars held by leading figures in trailhunting. ITV News featured the webinar on 24 November. The network said police are investigating […]

British Shooting Show announces 2021 dates

 The British Shooting Show is going ahead next spring. The NEC is still unable to hold shows because of the coronavirus so, for 2021 only, the British Shooting Show is moving to the East of England showground in Peterborough, starting on 23 April  2021 (St George’s day) and running for three days. You can […]

Python hunters: the daring duo who caught Florida’s biggest snake

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFywZRuptJ4 Ben O’Rourke Driving round in pick-up trucks shining powerful lights in bushes is not everybody’s idea of hunting. As different as it sounds, the same basic principles apply. “It’s very similar to other types of hunting or fishing,” says Kevin Pavlidis, a python hunter contracted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. “If you […]

What is the Nite Stalker package?

  The Nite Stalker package includes any Howa rifle (we show the 20in Varmint rifle with Lightning II stock in our film). It also comes with an ATN 4K day/night scope, Aimsport Triton 50 moderator, bipod and five-shot magazine. Ryan Charlton from distributor Highland Outdoors calls the Howa Nite Stalker package one of the company’s […]

Blowy Hampshire driven pheasants

  A fun, family shoot in Hampshire, Popham is keepered by Ben Christian. He talks about how he puts on days there, and how he keeps birds on one of Hampshire’s most exposed pieces of ground. John Roll Pickering from the family who owns the farm is holding a day there for friends and relations. […]

Fieldsports Britain – a pop at Popham

  Push pheasants over guns with a following wind and you are always in for a spectacular day. That’s all very well – but those birds can easily keep flying. Charlie visit the Popham Shoot in Hampshire for a windy driven game day to find out how they hold birds. We’re also looking at deerstalking […]

New general licences in England for 2021 – Fieldsports News, 11 November 2020

Here are the links: New general licences in England – Fieldsports News Did antis hit newspaper grouseshooting poll? – Fieldsports News SNP recognises benefits of grouseshooting – BASC Boris bungles lockdown end date – Fieldsports News Townies criticise countryside English government closes antique firearms loopholes to ‘protect public’ – press release Police nab possible egg […]

Will steel bust your barrels? – Fieldtester, episode 3

  Some shotguns are steel-proofed, others aren’t, but what happens to your barrels when you put a lot of steel shells through them? In this episode of Fieldtester, we have 10,000 Eley steel carriages to put through a brand new Yildiz SPZME Black Edition 12ga shotgun. Find out what we plan and how we will […]

Jackdaws don’t take songbird eggs, says government

Because government scientists can’t prove they cause harm, you are no longer allowed to protect your songbirds from jackdaws and rooks in England. A statement from DEFRA endorsed by DEFRA minister George Eustice reads: “Jackdaws and rooks will no longer be able to be controlled for conservation purposes because the evidence does not demonstrate that […]

How Barnes designs copper bullets for hunting

  With the shift away from lead, Barnes Ammo’s Tipped TSX has become “the bullet of the moment”, according to Raytrade’s Richard Ryan. It’s certainly popular with Fieldsports Channel viewers. The TTSX is the most popular Barnes bullet that Fieldsports Channel viewers buy, according to our rifle ammunition research. The VOR-TX, which is a TTSX […]

Härkila Pro Hunter Move hunting jacket – review

Setting your sights on a hunting jacket? Härkila got high marks in our apparel surveys. Most mentioned was the Pro Hunter Move jacket. James from the UK says in our survey that the Pro Hunter is a “pricey jacket but you get what you pay for”. Härkila could still make improvements. Another James from the […]

Härkila‘s Pro Hunter trousers – review

Pants, breeks, breeches, waterproofs – call them what you want but they’re all trousers. The standout brands in our survey are Deerhunter and Härkila. Deerhunter was the choice of most people, beating Härkila by one vote. But the single most popular design by far was Härkila‘s Pro Hunter. Ian from UK says they are “the […]

Vorn’s Lynx rucksack – review

Our Fieldtester surveys have produced some surprising results. In this case, if you want the best rucksack then you need to join the army. It’s army suruplus rucksacks that win the prize for most popular hunting rucksacks among Fieldsports Channel viewers.   If that’s not an option then don’t worry, we have another. Vorn’s Lynx […]

Deerhunter Ram vs Musto Highland Gore-Tex shooting jackets

Deerhunter scored high in our clothing survey, with its products vying for the top spot in several categories. Top manufacturer for jackets is Deerhunter, according to Fieldsports Channel viewers. For shooting, its Ram jackets are in first place, fitting the company’s description as “one of the most well known shooting jackets”. In our survey, Mark […]

Antis fake grouseshooting poll

Antis may have used internet ‘bots’ to change a newspaper grouse-shooting poll from overwhelming in favour of the sport, to appearing to show that Scotland is against it. After running at 76% in favour of grouseshooting, the poll in the Scottish Herald racked up 17,373 votes against in just four hours, ending 77% against it. […]

Lockdown stops driven game shoots – Fieldsports News, 4 November 2020

  Driven shooting to be banned during English lockdown – Fieldsports News Hunting Office falls in with lockdown measures but angling fights for exemption – Fieldsports News Government caves in to Wild Justice over pheasants – Fieldsports News Grouse shooters fund rural businesses – Facebook Scottish stalking hit hard by coronavirus – ADMG Bushing film […]

Ashcombe Shoot – review

  It’s one of the best shoots in the country. Ashcombe Estate in Devon provides superb pheasant and partridge drives up one of the county’s prettiest and most challenging valleys. Charlie Jacoby goes shooting there, and talks to owner Ralph Rayner and keeper Adam Eaton. To book a day, email ralph@ashcombe.co.uk Follow Ashcombe on GunsOnPegs

Fieldsports Britain – the gamekeeper’s badger

  Meet the badger, the raven, the fallow doe and the man who keeps them in his house: the headkeeper. David Whitby kicks off our new series, called ‘The Headkeeper’, about how he runs a Sussex estate. This week: dogging in using a goshawk. Meanwhile, Charlie is going shooting. He is on the fabulous Ashcombe […]

The Headkeeper

David Whitby manages a shooting estate in Sussex, looking after pheasants, partridges, deer – and he brings his work home with him. Living with him is a badger, a fallow doe, a raven and a long-suffering wife. His love of wildlife also extends to the game on the estate, which he manages alongside other wildlife. […]

Rules for shooters and deerstalkers during November lockdown

Bad news for shoots: driven game shooting should cease on Thursday 5 November and is expected to resume on Wednesday 2 December. England will return to a local and regional approach on 2 December. The government told BASC this during lobbying to ensure that Covid-19-safe driven game shooting can resume when lockdown ends. However, shooting […]

Will Boris shut shooting in England?

It’s hard to imagine being more socially-distanced in a sport than one gunshot away from the next shooter, riding your horse across the English shires, or setting up for a day’s angling. However, the worlds of hunting, shooting and fishing are on tenterhooks. Will Boris ban them under lockdown 2? Prime minister Boris Johnson’s new […]

Irish government lockdown coursing ban attempt

Ireland’s minister for heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has called on coursing clubs to release hares caught up for the forthcoming season. Coursing now starts on 1 December 2020 because of coronavirus lockdown. Showing a misunderstanding of coursing, O’Brien says that hares are “better off in the wild rather than being held in captivity in groups in […]

English government caves in to Packham over pheasants

The English government is to ban pheasant release on around 10% of the countryside unless under licence. The announcement by environment minister George Eustice came after BBC presenter Chris Packham’s Wild Justice group threatened to take the government to court over the issue. According to DEFRA, shoots won’t be able to release pheasants or red-legged […]

Irish greens use lockdown to ban shooting sports

The Irish government has banned game shooting and deerstalking due to ‘level 5 lockdown’ in the Republic of Ireland. The ban will come in just ahead of the Irish pheasant shooting season, which opens on 1 November. A statement on the Garda (police) website says that ‘sport shooting is prohibited’ because it is not organised […]