Best airgun scopes 2020
Back in March 2020, 3,500 of you filled out our survey on what kit you use. Nearly 300 of you told us about your airgun optics, and here are the results. There’s one brand that has half the market. In third place, it’s MTC, and the model you are most likely to own is […]
Difficult questions for the RSPB before ‘virtual’ AGM
How come the RSPB gets to accept government and National Lottery grants for conservation work in 2020, and then furlough half its staff. Ben O’Rourke wants RSPB members to put that and other questions to the bird organisation at its AGM on Saturday 10 October 2020. It’s that time of year when the RSPB […]
Hunting battling red stags in Scotland
Charlie Jacoby is above Helmsdale in the North Highlands of Scotland with professional stalker John Dodd. John is guiding Charlie on to a red stag at the start of the 2020 red rut. To go stalking with John, visit ProHuntLtd.co.uk What’s Charlie shooting with? John Dodd and his team of stalkers wear […]
On test: Sako Powerhead Blade
How does Sako’s new Powerhead Blade bullet work on deer? The non-toxic load is a winner on the range and in ballistic gel. Roy Lupton takes it out in the fallow rut in the South of England to try it out on a fallow buck. Find out how he gets on. For Sako’s Powerhead Blade, […]
Fieldsports Britain – deer ruts are underway
The fallow rut is starting in the south of England, the red rut in Scotland, two deerstalkers go out in each to bag a buck and a stag. Roy Lupton is our fallow-antler clatterer, hunting down the perfect cull buck in Sussex. Meanwhile, in the North Highlands of Scotland, Charlie is on the […]
Grouse shooting biased report – Fieldsports News, 7 October 2020
Here are the links: Channel 4 steps up anti-shooting campaign with mindless muirburn ‘scoop’ – Channel 4 MI5 Creates New Left-Wing Terrorism Unit – The Point Queen to announce end of trophy hunting imports, antis claim – Independent African people make YouTube appeal: keep hunting – YouTube Gamebirds a threat to snakes – Guardian […]
Will Boris’s biodiversity boost work?
Ben O’Rourke The UK’s wildlife is in danger and needs protecting, says Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He doesn’t say from what, but says the government will designate another 4,000 square kilometres of land as protected, taking the total up to 30% of the devolved kingdoms’ land. Some wildlife groups have welcomed the move, […]
The fight for Welsh rook-shooting – Fieldsports News, 30 September 2020
Here are the links: High Court allows BASC to join general licences review – Fieldsports News Capgen 1: Petition to make trespass criminal could subvert sabs – Change.org Cumbria police alter ‘illegal hunting’ poster after complaints – Facebook Gamekeepers targeted after golden eagle tracker find – Guardian Grantham man guilty of possessing goshawks – […]
Best hunting knives 2020
Everyone has an opinion about their knife – not always good. Fieldsports Channel viewers are often critical of their own blades. Perhaps the perfect knife is yet to be made. Lockdown saw you the Fieldsports Channel viewers filling out our survey: 3,500 responses of which 528 were on the subject of knives. The most […]
Catapult pest control with thermal imagers
Squirrel shooting with thermal, feral pigeons and even bigger birds. That’s the challenge facing ace catapult shot Wayne Martin. He proves the rule that if you can make the shot, you can take the shot – if you can’t, don’t. For Cattyshack, visit CattyShack.co.uk For Pulsar’s Helion2 thermal spotter, go to ThomasJacks.co.uk/pulsar/product.asp?ref=4147
Fieldsports Britain – Wayne’s thermal catty hunt
Top catapult shot Wayne Martin is out after pests on Andy Crow’s farm – and he has a thermal spotter to help him do it. In his sights are squirrels, feral pigeons and even a goose – because he’s good enough. We also look at perruque deer. The Fieldsports Channel viewers tell us about […]
The big ‘green’ shotgun shell test – Fieldtester, episode 2
This month we go green and test the shotgun shells with the best eco credentials. Presented by David Wright, Jason Doyle and Tim Pilbeam with help from Jack Clutterbuck from Raytrade they examine the top products the manufacturers and distributors have to offer. Is it about steel is it about lead, is it […]
How much is my gun worth? Value my shotgun!
You want to get a fair price for your gun or sell guns? If you’re thinking of selling your guns, how can you find out how accurate used gun values are? Gunshop owner Dan Pool from Braces of Bristol answers the question, ‘How to value my shotgun’ and explains what you need to consider. Follow […]
Why you need to clean your rifle sound moderator
You should clean your rifle moderator every time you shoot your gun, says Robbie Sheddon at Cluny Country Guns. Robbie shows us the results of what happens if you don’t give your gun suppressor or ‘silencer’ a little bit of care and attention. Cluny Country Guns stock lots of different moderators and they also […]
How does steel shot affect shotgun barrels?
How much does steel shot affect your barrels? We speak to Jack Clutterbuck from Raytrade, UK, importer of Turkish shotgun make Yildiz, about how we need to rethink our relationship with our shotguns. For more, visit: RaytradeUK.co.uk YildizShotgunsUK.co.uk
Best value springer air rifle 2020
Johnny Muston from gunshop R&K Stockcraft puts his reputation on the line by explaining what he thinks is – pound for pound – the best springer air rifle on the market. Using his years of experience, he chooses the rifle that is the most accurate for under £300. He puts the Weihrauch HW99 S […]
Is vegan dogfood good for dogs?
High-profile dog-owners including F1 driver Lewis Hamilton endorse and feed their pet dogs a vegan diet. So can our domesticated ‘wolves’ do well as herbivores? We ask animal physiologist Dr David Marlin about the nutritional value of vegan dog food. Plus we do a simple taste test between meat, a meat and vegetable mix […]
Channel 4 News attacks grousemoors
If you watched Channel 4 News on the evening of Monday 21 September 2020, you may have been outraged by coverage of the apparent killing in May of a goshawk on a grousemoor in North Yorkshire. If not, you can watch the video embedded below. If you feel like complaining about it, there are details […]
How to make your shoot covid safe
One thing that the sport of shooting knows all about and that’s safety. Like thousands of shoots up and down the UK, the Steventon Shoot in Hampshire has come up with superb coronavirus-safety measures. Roy Lupton has a day’s partridge shooting there with guns including Shooting Times editor Patrick Galbraith and Olympic medallist Steve […]
Fieldsports Britain – win a day’s pheasant shooting
Lots of firsts this season: driven gameshooting is covid-safe, there’s the new Beretta Silver Pigeon III to try, and Olympic medallist Steve Scott has taken up gameshooting. Roy Lupton enjoys a day at the Steventon Shoot in Hampshire, where you can win a peg. Every month throughout the 2020/21 season, Sporting Game Services is […]
Councils pay to get rid of ‘rare’ seagulls
Ben O’Rourke In the ancient ballad Scarborough Fair, a man tells his ex-girlfriend, who lives in the North Yorkshire town, to complete some impossible tasks if she wants to win him back. A contemporary version of the song might include ridding the town of herring gulls, something people have been trying to do […]
Best rifle moderators for 2021
Moderators, suppressors, silencers – they are becoming more and more popular worldwide as countries relax their restrictions on them. So which ones are the Fieldsports Channel viewers buying? A massive 3,500 of you responded to our March 2020 survey about kit and 10% of those answered the section on rifle moderators. We asked you to […]
TV News grouseshooting contempt – Fieldsports News, 23 September 2020
Here are the links: Channel 4 News targets moor managers in rule-breaking report – YouTube Channel 4 complaints: Ofcom and Channel 4 – we want to complain that (1) Channel 4 News is prejudging the goshawk case before it comes to court (contempt of court?) and (2) it is ‘jumping’ the shoot, similar to this […]
Giant London fox shot
Vermin controllers have shot an unusually large fox on a south London golf course. Ross Vanner sends in this picture of the 27lb animal next to a smaller fox. He was lamping for his friend Graeme. Meanwhile, BBC TV presenter Chris Packham has accused the fieldsports community of spreading fear with giant fox stories. […]
Northern Irish council signs off red squirrel death warrant
Councillors at Ards North Down Borough Council are to let grey squirrels breed, even though that will lead to the extinction of local red squirrels. They turned down a cull and, instead, are looking at ‘alternatives to enhancing numbers of red squirrels,’ reports Belfast Live. Squeamish councillor Nick Mathison tells the newspaper: “We are being […]
Packham and sabs step up action as badger culls begin
BBC TV host Chris Packham is criticising the government for extending its badger culling. The celebrity describes the decision as “devastating”, insisting it “makes very little sense”. DEFRA has added 11 areas to the badger cull zones around England, and up to 60,000 animals will be killed. Packham, who is vice-president of RSPCA and RSPB, […]
Torches on test
As tech hits the lamping market, the fox and rabbitshooters who prefer lamping to night vision and thermal now attach torches to their scopes. You find your animal with a handheld torch, and you quickly acquire it in your scope with your rifle-mounted torch. While handheld lamps are still narrow in beam compared to ordinary […]
Foxshooter protects sheep and pheasants
Dorset foxshooter David Pomeroy has two jobs tonight. There’s a farm on the Dorset downs that milks sheep, and he is out token the foxes down there, and there is another landowner nearby with pheasant pens to protect from foxes. He takes his Blaser R8 Professional Success and Thermion XM38 riflescope out to find […]
On test: Pulsar Digex N450 night vision scope on foxes
In a world of thermal, Roy Lupton tries out a night vision scope. He takes the Pulsar Digex N450 night vision scope out after foxes. Find out how he gets on. Click here for more about the Digex night vision
What does ‘ballistic tip’ mean?
Ballistic is a much over-used word. You may associate it with nuclear weapons. The word is pointlessly used to describe long-range missiles with nuclear warheads. It has nothing to do with the power of the payload. When you use it with the word ‘missile’, ‘ballistic’ means there is a guidance system on board. Otherwise […]
Fieldsports Britain – Foxshooting like a Minion
We’re all about fox shooting this week. Roy Lupton is out to test new night vision on foxes in Kent, filmed by David. Meanwhile, Charlie joins one of our supporters, David Pomeroy, to go fox shooting in Dorset with a thermal scope. Plus news editor Ben O’Rourke brings us the story of how Natural […]
Why are target bullets longer than hunting bullets?
What’s the difference between target and hunting rounds? Sako Cartridges’ Aki Suvilahti says the biggest difference is in the manufacturing process. The hollowpoint boat-tail bullets that Sako makes for its hunting cartidges have to be manufactured more precisely than solid target ammunition. “Production consistency is all about accuracy,” he says. Sako makes boat-tail match […]
A simple guide to rifle calibres
To a non-shooter, all bullets seem the same, but there are hundreds of different calibres out there. ‘Calibre’ is based on (but not always the same as) the diameter of the bullet in millimetres. Are you choosing the right calibre for your shooting? You’ll probably get different answers from everyone you ask. Sako Cartridges’ […]
What happens when a rifle cartridge goes bang?
You pull the trigger – and a lot of chemistry and physics takes place in a split second. Aki Suvilahti from cartridge manufacturer Sako says there are, generally, three different types of primer. For calibres such as .222 and .223, there is ‘small rifle’ primer, which has low energy. Next up is what Aki […]
Do you choose slow bullets or ‘hot rounds’?
Hot or not? That’s the question Paul Childerley puts to Aki Suvilahti of Sako Cartridges. Paul likes hot rounds in his chosen calibres of .22-50, 70-grain .243 – but like all shooters, he has doubts. “So,” he asks: “lighter bullets, faster charge, is it good or is it bad?” Aki says that the carcase […]
What is bullet head space?
If you’re still finding your way around your rifle, you may want to know what ‘head space’ is. Aki Suvilahti from Sako Cartridges explains. “Head space is a measure, in the rifle, from bolt face to chamber. It is in the part of the chamber that stops the cartridge’s forward movement,” he says. […]
Best shooting jackets 2020
In March 2020, more than 500 of you filled out our shooting and hunting clothing survey, telling us which jackets and trousers you wear and why you like them. The big prizes are your favourite jackets and trousers. And here are the winners. Top manufacturer for jackets is Deerhunter but its Montana, Muflon and Ram […]
Bream wars in the Norfolk Broads
Ben O’Rourke “The whole project about Hoveton Great Broad is about restoring clear water, using things like biomanipulation,” says Duncan Holmes, who has lived on the Norfolk Broads all his life. “There’s some debate about whether this is actually a clear water habitat in the first instance. Where the issue comes from is taking […]
What are bonded bullets?
Deer manager Paul Childerley describes what a bonded bullet is good for: “More weight behind it, more stopping power.” Sako’s Aki Suvilahti perfers a more technical definition. “Bonding means that as there is lead core in the bullet, it is chemically fixed to this copper jacket,” he says, referring to his company’s Super Hammerhead […]
Newspapers give shooting a kicking – Fieldsports News, 16 September 2020
Here are the links: Media targets grouse shooters – Mirror Packham promotes fieldsports magazine – Facebook ‘Experts’ call on Westminster to protect nature Saboteur accused of lying about attack – Leicester Mercury Cumbria cops criticised over time-wasting tweet – Facebook Highland keepers join national call for muirburn promotion – Strathspey Herald Dogs nabbed across […]
Exmoor pigeons
UK gun licence medical-check scandal
Ben O’Rourke Five years ago, Tim Newcombe was working for three farmers and a school, clearing their land of pests. Now he has no licence to shoot. Things turned sour when Tim was paid a visit by the local firearms officer. “She was in a bad mood,” he says. “She tried to rip the [gun] […]
Deer photographer at work
Cameraman Carlos Carubia is out in the New Forest after deer. He enlists the help of local deer hunter Elliot Pidgley who calls in the animals and, together, they capture images of roe, fallow and muntjac deer. Find New Forest Stalking on Facebook Carlos’s camera kit Canon 7D MkII, costs around £800 on Amazon […]
High flying crow shoot on Exmoor
It’s Exmoor high-bird shooting but without the expense. Matt Turley and Nigel White are decoying corvids and pigeons on the edge off one of the country’s most famous shoots – and their birds are just as high as the birds that people travel from all over the world to shoot. Plus they cover the […]
New anglers flock to UK fishing festivals
Fishing events in the UK report great turnouts as the sport welcomes 100,000 new anglers (government figures). Organisers of two fishing events in September say they were packed out with both new and experienced anglers. Thames Tidefest hosted 40 top anglers competing in the annual Tidefest Championship in London. Now in its seventh year, supported […]
Fieldsports Britain – long, tall pest control
Enjoy spectacular crow and pigeon shooting on Exmoor on the same ground that the world’s greatest guns come to shoot pheasants. Matt Turley and Nigel White are out decoying on Exmoor. You can win a day’s pheasant and partridge shooting in Bedfordshire in company with Andy Crow thanks to Jack Pyke’s new competition. News editor […]
Best semi-autos 2020
Which semi-autos do the Fieldsports Channel audience prefer? We sent out surveys in March 2020 and more than 3,500 of you filled out the questionnaires (it’s as if you had nothing better to do). Of those nearly 500 semi-auto owners responded. The most popular semi-auto among our viewers is, from Turkey, the Hatsan Escort, […]
Sab says hunt uses horses ‘as weapons’ – Fieldsports News, 9 September 2020
Here are the links: Sab says hunt horse put him in hospital – Facebook Anti-badger cull group’s website shut down BBC bias backlash sparks social media warning – Daily Mail Endangered birds thrive on Scotland’s grouse moors – Press & Journal Hen harriers have ‘fantastic year’, with record-breaking fledglings – Fieldsports News Fieldsports exempt from […]
Charlie’s dad – FieldsportsChannel Podcast, episode 38
Charlie Jacoby talks to his father, Martin Jacoby about Martin’s life as a natural historian, his views on how natural history and species work, the history of humankind, and why shooting butterflies is a good idea. He puts forward his ideas about DNA, why we hunt, and why hunting is an essential part of humanity. […]
Hen harriers having ‘fantastic year’, with record-breaking fledglings
In the north of England, 60 hen harrier chicks fledged this year – the most since 2002. Natural England say the chicks came from 19 nests in Northumberland, the Yorkshire Dales, Cumbria and Lancashire, in early summer 2020. The government agency puts the success down to good weather and cooperation from Moorland Association, RSPB, Forestry […]
