Shooting Scotland Magazine (August - September 2018)

SHOOTING SCOTLANDmagazine Scotland’s national country sports & rural living magazine

and FISHING

For fox sake!

Balbirnie Estate, Fife Scottish Firearms Licensing Wildfowling in Orkney The Laxford Sea Trout Project Topic Affordable fieldsports Classic Gun The Westley Richards hand detachable Interview With clay shooter Ranald Hutton

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Mind Our Business Phabulous Pheasant

September 2018

Articles Fighting a gun ban Working for waders Ten tips for shotgun shooting Artworks Art by Jade Cruickshank Cooking with Game Oven baked trout with dill hollandaise Country Woman Featuring Linn Anita-Larsen Plus Scottish Ladies Shooting s Fox Control Deer Management s Rural Training Scottish Country Life s Gundogs Falconry s The Ghillie and much more

contents editor's bit Game Fairs and all that One of my plans to increase the awareness of our magazine is to have our own stand at next years Game Fairs in Scotland.

Having recently bought a twenty two year old campervan, we are ready to go, as we will use our Mazda Bongo as our exhibition trailer and office.

We were very kindly supported at Scone Palace with our magazines being on display on a number of stands, and we also handed out an amazing 1,400 copies over the three days!

We are now also able to take subscriptions with card payments over the phone during office hours and at these events next year, so the profile and reach of Shooting Scotland Magazine is growing.

We are also expanding our bespoke Scottish National Network to country sports hotels, shooting and fishing shops, shooting ranges and gun clubs etc.

Like little beavers, we are a working away (when time from Farming Scotland Magazine allows) as much as we can to build.

Christina and I will visit the Drumlanrig Fair to introduce the new issue and to say hello to a few folks, again next year we hope to be there in a more ‘official’ manner.

Now to finish off my column.

If you are reading this and you have a new product that you want to promote in Scotland?... then you need to let me know, okay?

There, sales pitch over!

Hope you all enjoy this edition.

Slàinte, Athole.

EDITOR & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Athole Murray Fleming Tel. 01738 639747 E-mail: mail@shootingscotlandmagazine.com

MAIN FEATURES 7 For Fox Sake!

16 Balbirnie Estate, Fife 22 Firearms licensing in Scotland 34 Wildfowling in Orkney 54 The Laxford Sea Trout Tracking Project ARTICLES 38 Fighting a gun ban 40 Working for waders 42 Ten tips for shotgun shooting NEWS AREAS 4 News 66 What’s New TOPIC 12 Affordable fieldsports CLASSIC GUN 29 The Westley Richards hand detachable MIND OUR BUSINESS 50 Phabulous Pheasant THE INTERVIEW 52 With clay shooter Ranald Hutton ARTWORKS 53 Featuring the art of Jade Cruickshank FAVOURITE READS 57 ‘John McNab’ by John Buchan COOKING WITH GAME 65 Wendy Barry’s, ‘Oven baked trout with dill hollandaise’ REGULARS 20 Scottish Ladies Shooting 25 Fox Control 28 Deer Management 32 Rural Training 39 Scottish Country Life 46 Habitat & Species Protection 58 Country Woman 60 Gundogs 62 The Falconer 64 The Ghillie COLUMNS 9 Viewpoint 11 Scottish Gamekeepers Association 15 BASC Scotland 21 Air Guns 35 Gamekeepers Welfare Trust 41 The Deerstalker 49 Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group 55 Scottish Countryside Alliance 59 The World Pheasant Association PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Christina Fleming Email: christina@atholedesign.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Barry Tweed Tel. 01738 550157 Email: barry@shootingscotlandmagazine.com

september 2018

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56 FRONT COVER IMAGE: European Red Fox

ADVERTISING MANAGER Trevor Knights Tel. 01738 447378 Email: trevor@shootingscotlandmagazine.com

COPYRIGHT This publication has been produced and published by ATHOLE DESIGN & PUBLISHING LTD who are the copyright owners. No reproduction, copying, image scanning, storing or recording of any part of this publication without the permission of ATHOLE DESIGN & PUBLISHING LTD. Contents disclaimer: SHOOTING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE is not responsible for any factual inaccuracies within press information supplied to us. Any concerns regarding such matters should be directed to the supplier of the materials.

SHOOTING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE is designed, produced and published by Athole Design & Publishing Ltd., Tolastadh, 18 Corsie Drive, Kinnoull, Perth, Scotland PH2 7BU. Tel. 01738 639747

ISSN: 2399–2220

©ATHOLE DESIGN 2018

news Gamekeepers say grouse moors are nature reserves Gamekeepers and land managers throughout Scotland have launched a new moorland wildlife campaign on the eve of the UK’s first ever Bioblitz tour.

The #WeHaveWildlife campaign aims to raise awareness of the plethora of wildlife thriving on Scottish moorland and counter the misconceptions that nature reserves and wildlife centres are the only places to find wildlife.

Chris Packham’s ten-day Bioblitz tour (#WeWantWildlife) will kick off in the Scottish Highlands, visiting various sites throughout Scotland as part of the UK wide tour, recording every plant and wildlife species seen along the way to set a nature benchmark for future audits. All forms of wildlife will be investigated in this snapshot of the countryside from flies to fungi, mammals to moths and birds to butterflies.

Managed moorlands have wildlife in abundance, from craneflies to adders, lizards, mountain hares and red deer, to wild plants including orchids, juniper and heather, to groundnesting birds, owls and raptors.

A wide range of rare bird species including curlew, lapwing, black grouse and merlin are thriving on managed moors as a result of predator control and habitat managememt - not least the red grouse, the only species unique to the UK, found only on moorland.

Lianne MacLennan, coordinator of the Grampian and Angus Glens Moorland Groups, who is spearheading the #WeHaveWildlife campaign, said: “There is an abundance of wildlife throughout the whole of our countryside, with moorland in particular offering a rich biodiversity in which a wide variety of wildlife and habitat can flourish, thanks to the efforts of our gamekeepers and land managers.

“Disappointingly none of the Bioblitz sites being visited are on moorland, with the tour focusing around nature reserves and

wildlife centres. We support the Bioblitz exercise in establishing a benchmark for wildlife however, moorland sites should have been included as part of this audit to gain a true picture of the wildlife we actually have around us.”

GWCT’s guide to Conserving the Curlew (June 2017) showed that in areas where predator control existed, the curlew population increased by 14% per year.

A biodiversity audit conducted by the Game Conservancy Deutschland found 103 different bird species thriving on Glenogil Estate in the Angus Glens this year – an increase of 51% since 2015. The study also recorded a higher number of breeding pairs of golden plover found on Glenogil Estate than in the whole of Germany.

Gamekeepers across Scotland are also making concerted efforts to ensure the survival of the black grouse. In Strathbraan, Perthshire a 20year programme of woodland planting, grazing reduction, rotational heather burning, predator and bracken control has seen black grouse rise from very low numbers to around 50 male black grouse in 2018.

Wildlife Estates Scotland’s latest annual report also showed that eleven accredited estates reported the presence of golden eagles, with seven of these reporting 19 pairs. Eleven estates also recorded sightings of hen harriers with four reporting 18 breeding pairs. Buzzards were also reported on 20 estates, with a total estimated population of over 920 birds.

Gamekeeper, Garry MacLennan from the Angus Glens Moorland Group, said: “Bioblitz audits have become valuable tools for ecologists to get an overview of a site’s living species and we have been working hard with accredited scientists and research institutes to chart the array of species found on estates within our moorland group. We arecommitted in

our conservation efforts and given the recent studies, it is evident that keepered ground is notably more successful for bird conservation than other areas.

“Mr Packham believes that nature reserves throughout the country are the only places to see abundant wildlife however, this is simply not true. There are many conservation success stories across Scotland’s grouse moors, not least the breeding success of some moorland birds and waders, including species of conservation concern such as curlew and lapwing. We would be delighted to welcome Chris Packham and his Bioblitz

team onto our moorland to gain an understanding of the vast array of wildlife flourishing on Scotland’s moors.”

Estates and gamekeepers across the country have been stepping up efforts to educate the public on moorland biodiversity through their #WeHaveWildlife campaign and encouraging all to get outdoors, take a walk on the ‘wildlife’ side and document the array of wildlife species spotted en route.

To download and print off a ‘spot the species’ form, visit the Angus Glens Moorland Group or Grampian Moorland Group websites.

Curlew bouncing back in raven control area Land managers in Strathbraan are predicting an excellent year for endangered waders following the granting of measures to protect vulnerable chicks from predation.

Farmers and gamekeepers were granted a license from Scottish Natural Heritage to control juvenile flocks of predatory ravens in a bid to protect birds such as Curlew; now classed the UK’s most urgent conservation priority.

Breeding Curlew populations have crashed by half in the UK in 25 years and, across Europe, the estimated breeding success per pair is only 0.34 chicks per nest- not enough to prevent further declines.*

The management trial, which allowed up to 69 ravens to be taken this year, was controversial in some quarters, despite frequent and widely accepted observations of chick predation by marauding raven flocks.

Anecdotal reports on the ground suggest the additional protection afforded to the wader chicks has already paid dividends this year.

Strathbraan has seen the rare and welcome sight of nests fledging four Curlew chicks this year, leading to optimism that productivity counts will demonstrate much needed relief for the embattled birds. (continued on page 6)

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news Scottish rural industry hit by poor connectivity and high postal fees

Encouragingly, raven predation pressure seems to have been low this year, with fewer than half permitted under the license, having been taken.

“There is a definite upsurge this year in the waders,” said local gamekeeper Ronnie Kippen, whose ground falls within the licensed area. “We have barely seen a pair of Curlew without chicks.

“Oystercatchers are roughly the same as we observe but Curlew and Lapwing have made a big shift. The hens were in good breeding condition but the chicks have been much better protected.

“The ravens have got clever, which we anticipated, plus they have not been able to build up enough in numbers to cause the damage this time.

“That was the main problem last year; ravens coming in and

hammering the chicks on the floor of the glen.

“I think we would be very surprised, next year, if we did not see high numbers return from the wintering ground, given the sheer amount of chicks we have put away successfully this year.”

While wading bird numbers have plummeted in the UK, ravens have benefitted from full legal protection. Their numbers have doubled since 1994 while Curlew have declined 46 percent in 25 years.

Low breeding success is cited as the principal reason for Curlew population decline.

A recent Scottish Government funded multi-party report, Understanding Predation, concluded that ravens were predators of ground nesting birds and that bold and urgent conservation measures were required to save red-listed waders.

Bob Parratt announces his retirement Speaking to Shooting Scotland Magazine, Bob has told us, “After 30 Years of going to country fairs and Game shows I have decided to retire and spend more time with the dogs picking up. At 67 I want to spend more time suiting myself, so we are winding up the Mail Order Business. All the stock is reduced so you can pick up a two piece suit for £100 plus everything else is on offer. A good friend of mine passed away this year and he asked to take his black lab who has fitted in well with the other dogs so we are a happy team. “ Of course, everyone here at Shooting Scotland would like to wish Bob a long and enjoyable retirement.

You can see Bobs’ special offers advert on page 47.

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Scotland’s rural industries are being held back by poor broadband and high postal delivery charges – according to new research published by Citizens Advice Scotland.

A total of 47% of the businesses in the farming, hunting, fishing and forestry sector we contacted told us that broadband in their area is variable or poor. This contrasts with a figure of 32% across all sectors of the Scottish economy.

Meanwhile, 1 in 5 of all small and medium enterprises (SMEs) we contacted told us they ‘could not function’ without the postal service, with a further 72% saying the Post Office is very or fairly important to their business.

However, nearly a quarter have to pay additional surcharges due to their location and 21% experience delivery delays for the same reason.

These figures are published in a new CAS report, ‘Delivering for Business: Scottish SMEs use of postal services.’

Publishing the report, CAS Chief Executive Derek Mitchell says, “The success of small businesses is key to economic growth, particularly in rural areas where hospitality, agriculture and construction businesses contribute significantly to the financial health of their local community. “But to flourish in more remote areas requires good digital connectivity and an effective postal system. One third of Scotland’s SMEs have told us that broadband is poor or ‘variable’ in their area; with this figure rising to 47% in the agricultural sector. This simply isn’t good enough if we want all regions of Scotland to prosper.”

For fox sake!

Photographs by Linda Mellor

By Linda Mellor

Young fox on the prowl

Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are an adaptable and widespread species found in rural, remote and urban locations throughout the UK, and according to records, they are absent from the Scottish Islands apart from Harris and Skye. Foxes have settled into all habitats, from the lowlands to the mountain tops to busy city locations. The fox is an opportunistic hunter, and eats a diverse range of food including plants, fruit, fungi, worms, rodents, rabbits, birds and more. It is this adaptability often attributed to the species abundance. Bold and confident in towns and cities, they are seen in household gardens and are a familiar sight roaming the streets at dawn and dusk. Sometimes described as cat-like, foxes are a member of the dog family, known as Canids.

Their red coat is instantly recognisable, the fur is made up of a highly effective insulator with a waterproof top coat. The fox has a slender appearance with proportionally longer hind legs than other canids, which provide them with added thrust when pouncing. They have dew claws on their front paws, and are able to make a silent approach on prey due to having furry pads on all four paws. The fur also prevents heat loss and provides sensory information while hunting. Their top speed is about 30 mph, and they can leap as high as 6 ft.

Body dimensions do vary but most are small dog size: the average male measures 6772cm, 62-67cm for females with a 40cm tail. Males typically weight 6-7kg and 5-6kg for females. The life span of a fox

is usually between one and three years, although some have been recorded living up to fourteen years old in captivity.

In 2012, a fox, thought to be the biggest in the UK, was shot after attacking lambs on an Aberdeenshire farm, it made the news due to its size: it weighed 38lbs 1oz (17.2kg) and was 4ft 9in (1.4m) from nose to the tip of its tail. Alan Hepworth, from Rothiemay, shot the fox on a friend’s farm and said its size was ‘incredible’ and ‘was nearly as big as a roe deer.’ Experts suggest foxes are getting bigger due to a good quality diet stemming from urban areas. However, early newspaper records from in the 1900s reported on large foxes, and in London during 1963, there was an unverified report of a 44lb (20kg), 5ft 1in (155cm) fox shot in the Mill Hill area.

UK fox numbers reduced in the 1950s following the disappearance of rabbits due to myxomatosis. Rabbits are one of the main food sources for foxes so when numbers recovered this was reflected in fox numbers increasing from the early 1960s to the mid-1990s. The widespread sarcoptic mange, caused by a parasitic mite, kills large numbers of urban foxes. In the spring of 1995 the UK fox population was estimated to be 240,000 adults. GWCT website states, ‘to which a production of 425,000 cubs is added annually.

Therefore, for the population to remain stable, 425,000 foxes would have to die each year.

Some die naturally (including disease), and in the past there would have been less food, as well as their own predators – wolves, lynx, golden eagles 7

For fox sake! and eagle owls – reducing numbers. Today an estimated 100,000 per year are killed by cars. Gamekeepers probably kill 39,000, of which some 25% are estimated to have been trapped in snares.’

Foxes hold on to their established territories, and will guard them. If they are challenged, particularly in the mating season and when the young are maturing and moving out and trying to acquire their own territories, they will fight.

They guard their territories by scent marking and strategic placement of droppings and make warning calls at night. The size of their habitat does differ; as small as 0.1 square mile in urban areas or up to 25 square miles in the open countryside.

Fox scent marking leaves a lingering, pungent aroma that is easily detected by the human nose, and favoured by our canine friends as an ideal spot to have a roll!

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Each territory is usually occupied by a fox family group consisting of a pair (dog fox and vixen) and their cubs. If they go undisturbed and there is a plentiful supply of food, a family group may contain several adults. They are sexually mature at 10 months, and mate from December through to February, the Vixen has a gestation period of 52 days. Generally one vixen in a group produces cubs, once a year during spring. Litters average four to five cubs which are born blind and deaf in a den (called an earth). The earth may be dug by the foxes, or they may enlarge a rabbit burrow or use holes previously made by other animals. A vixen stays in the earth with her cubs for the first two weeks of their lives. At about four weeks old, usually in late April or early May, cubs begin to venture out. As they mature into juveniles they to start to disperse in random directions, between September and February. They

‘Relaxing on windowsill’ photo by Andrew Cooper-Knight

reach full grown mass during their first year of life.

Hearing, eyesight and smell are very well-developed fox senses. Their eyes are situated at the front of the skull, providing binocular vision and each possesses a protective membrane that moves only when the eye is closed. A fox depends on its hearing and sense of smell to locate prey. They are swift, dexterous hunters and can easily catch rabbits and mice or creep up and pounce on birds. They have a distinctive way of hunting mice: they stand stock-still, listening and watching intently then leap high to bring the forelimbs straight down, pinning the prey to the ground.

Their food supply is the principal natural factor influencing fox numbers in the UK. Peak concentrations are found in the lowlands where food is abundant. Adult foxes require between 350 and 550 grams of food per day to subsist.

They feed mainly at night but can be active during daylight, especially in quiet areas with little disturbance. Food items are often cached by burying, and then eaten later. A fox diet may also include fish and squirrel.

An Angler told me about a bold young vixen following anyone

fishing on a local river. She would sit patiently, waiting and watching for fish being caught.

Anglers would place a fish on the riverbank and the fox would calmly approach and take the fish away. In the New Forest the fox population regularly eats grey squirrels.

The countryside provides a vast fresh food source for alpha hunters but areas where animals are raised in big numbers attract foxes because they offer the generalist predator a food source requiring little expenditure of energy. On farms, fox numbers are managed to prevent predation of lambs, outdoor-reared piglets, free range and domestic poultry.

On shooting estates, wild ground-nesting gamebirds and reared game birds at release pens are particularly vulnerable and easy pickings for foxes.

The fox numbers are controlled by snaring and lamping. From 1st April 2013, it became an offence to set a snare in Scotland unless you have successfully completed a snaring training course run by an approved body as set out in the Snares (Training) (Scotland) (No. 2) Order 2012. http://www. gov.scot/Topics/Environment/ Wildlife-Habitats/management/ snaring-training

For fox sake!

If you set snares without completing the snaring course you will be committing a criminal offence.

Foxes, especially cubs, have two predators, golden eagles and badgers, although red deer are not predators of foxes, a group of hinds will intentionally kill a fox if it tries to take young. Highland ecologist Frank Fraser Darling said, ‘foxes regularly killed Red deer calves’, he described how a group of hinds surrounded a fox hiding in a clump of bracken, walked slowly inwards and “trampled that fox into a jelly”!’

Like the Deer, the Fox was often part of burial rituals found in excavations, and for centuries foxes have featured in folklore and myths full of tricky, cunning, clever, sly and with the ability to outfox its hunters. The fox was said to be able to foresee events including the weather and its barking was said to be a sure sign of rain. It is thought to be unlucky to meet a fox when setting out in the morning, especially if you were a fisherman. To cure infertility a woman had to sprinkle sugar on the testicles of a fox and roast them in an oven then eat them before her main meal for three days in succession. An ancient Irish cure for gallstones and kidney stones was to rub the affected area with fox’s blood.

For me, an early memory of foxes in literature was the ‘Ballad of the Belstone Fox’ written by David Rook, in 1970, it was then made into a film, ‘The Belstone Fox’ in 1973, starring a very young Dennis Waterman.

Another popular read is ‘Wild Lone: The Story of a Pytchley Fox’ by BB and illustrated by Denys Watkins-Pitchford (BB was the pseudonym Denys used when writing children’s books), originally published in 1938. In 1943, Antoine de SaintExupéry’s, The Little Prince, a fox shares the true value of friendship and responsibility with the prince. Tom McCaughren wrote a series of fox books, his ‘Run with the Wind’ paperback was published in 1997, followed by a further six. Many of the older books were read and enjoyed in childhood, planted in the memory

View Point

By Niall Rowantree

Scotland the big picture The Highlands have undoubtedly been a busy place over the last few weeks and many visitors have flocked to the remote corners of the country to enjoy somewhat more of a summer than the year past.

No doubt rural hotels and guest houses have benefited and the rise of the rental campervan cannot have gone un- noticed particularly on remote single track roads.

So by now you will be thinking were am I going with all this and what questions would all those involved in rural land like to ask of a government that seems to move further away from rural Scotland with every passing policy.

Well, if you cast your mind back you will remember in 2010 the announcement that Wildlife tourism was worth £65million to the Scottish economy and you would be drawn to the report titled ‘The Economic Impact of Wildlife Tourism in Scotland’ that was undertaken by Bournemouth University and commissioned by the Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage.

The headline figures shows that the net economic impact of wildlife tourism in Scotland is £65 million a year, with 2,763 FTE jobs. This equates to 1.12 million trips taken each year by wildlife watching enthusiasts alone.

I would hope that this figure will have swollen dramatically since then as those who seek to re-wild our rural land would have us believe it is the saviour

of us all and living with the reintroduced mega fauna will sufficiently fatten our wallets that we will hardly notice the disappearance of our sheep flocks and Red deer. Indeed recently the charity ‘Scotland -The Big Picture’ announced “A key element of our vision for a wilder Scotland is to see communities thriving by integrating their economic needs with the restoration of landscapes and wildlife.

We believe the two are inextricably linked.

To demonstrate and support this, we are pioneering Rewilding Retreats in the heart of Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park.

Based in our stunning Mountain Lodge, we will venture out in the company of expert local guides, in search of Scotland’s most spectacular wildlife - eagles, otters, beavers, pine martens, mountain hares and more - whilst learning about ground-breaking rewilding initiatives underway across the Highlands”.

I did however notice that the tours intend to visit a number of communities out with the location of the Cairngorms in fact high on the itinerary is a visit to the west coast to observe Sea eagles, which are neighbours of mine and the many crofters and farmers who frequently have the joy of watching them fly away with the lambs. It led me to question, not criticise, how the proposed economic benefit will be shared out?

We currently operate a wildlife tourism business on the West Coast and we have no fewer than 7 other tour companies using the peninsula travelling into the area and there is no mechanism to harvest an income from them to be invested in our local community. This seems odd you might think when the current government imposed sporting rates even on farmers who have done little more than discharge a firearm to deal with the odd predator or keep the deer number in check, yet the Government trumpet opportunity for all through wildlife tourism and land reform.

My question for us all is; Do we have confidence that the Scottish government and its agencies will explore taxation on all who use natural resources for their income and in so doing, direct the funds to support rural communities?

If so, would they adopt an effective compensation scheme(s) or will they stand by and watch additional illegal releases such as the beavers?

Unfortunately, I believe the reality is that it is financially more viable for the current political regime to meddle in the remote and rural parts of Scotland purely because of the value of the land.

Remember the old adage, ‘an acre of land by the forth is worth an earldom in the North’.

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For fox sake!

Fox with its kill Fox spots the camera!

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and re-read and enjoyed once more as adults.

Years ago I lived in a remote farmhouse, and each summer young foxes would come in close to the house at dusk for young rabbits. Although I never witnessed it, I wondered if an adult fox with local knowledge had shown them where to go? They came and went in the same manner of a human going to a take-away! In another rural home, I watched a local fox for years, he’d appear at the same time of day to sit on a high spot in a field, sunning himself and only bad weather would change his routine. On driven shoot days I’ve seen foxes disturbed and breaking for cover, and sometimes they’re left to run or they’re shot by one of the guns on a nearby peg. They have spooked me when out on dawn deer stalks, they appear on a whisper, move in silently, crossing my path and give me a look of sheer contempt as though I have no right to be there.

One aspect of the fox I find interesting is the variety of colour, recently out stalking in Perthshire I had a fleeting glimpse of a dark, almost chocolate brown fox, yet a few days later I watched a rich, reddish orange coloured fox carting off a rat.

‘How to help wildlife’ is a topic often promoted to urban dwellers, the concept is made appealing to townies because it will bring the wildlife into their garden. Tips to feed foxes include ‘putting out fruit as they have sweet tooth’. Town and city fox related attacks have made the headlines as their natural fear of humans is being eroded by modern life and people being encouraged to feed them in their gardens. Town gardens offer a rich and regular food source with no effort required to hunt because humans think its novel to leave food out in accessible places. Foxes do not recognise human boundaries and territories such a doors and windows, if an opportunity arises in semifamiliar territory: made familiar by humans creating feeding stations in their gardens, it should not be a surprise to find a fox hunting inside your house.

References: www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/ index.html www.bbc.co.uk/nature/22309931 www.gwct.org.uk/advisory/ briefings/fox-snaring/is-foxcontrol-important/

what’s new Scottish specialist dog drying coat company unveils new range

Talking up our game!

By Alex Hogg, Chariman

Scotland’s stunning hills and moors helped inspire a brand-new range of dog drying coat from award-winning Moray business Dogrobes. The dog drying coat company, based in Keith, has launched its own camouflage inspired range of Dogrobes, adding a distinctively different look to its popular collection.

But rather than dogs blending in with their surrounds, the stylish khaki collection is expected to prove a head-turning take on the popular Dogrobe.

The copyrighted pattern, exclusive to Dogrobes, comes in the full range of sizes, and study it closely and you’ll even spot some canines subtly included within the design.

Dogrobes are a favourite with pet owners who enjoy outdoors pursuits because of their practicality in offering the complete solution to drying wet dogs, and the introduction of this latest range brings a greater choice of styles to the company’s customer base which is expanding both at home and overseas.

Dogrobes managing director Margaret Reynolds said: “Modern camouflage has been used in clothing by some of the most famous designers, like Jean Paul Gaultier, but it was feedback from Scottish gamekeepers who already use Dogrobes for their working dogs that got us thinking about introducing a camouflage range.

“These have camouflage print on the outside, with our super-absorbent terry towelling material on the ties and inside, which goes next to the dog’s coat to dry it after outdoor swimming, training, bathing or working. “Like all Dogrobes, the camouflage collection comes in our full range of nine sizes – from mini to XXXL – and can be personalised with a dog’s name or a harness access opening. “We think dogs look great in them and we’re delighted to be able to offer our growing customer base a new and rather striking style option for their dogs.”

The Dogrobes range includes a bespoke tartan collection created to celebrate the company’s Scottish heritage, and eight self-coloured Dogrobes available in all sizes.

www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

After some uncertainty in the game market following the closure of some bigger game dealers, it is encouraging to see so much activity around marketing game.

Wild game from Scotland is nutritious and underutilised. It is sustainably reared in our fields, glens and straths yet we still must do more to try to make it a household staple.

Part of that is marketing, part is price and a lot of it is ensuring we all work to best practice and the highest food standards.

However, it is also about having game recognised as a potential growth market by decision-makers and I have been encouraged to see Scottish Government begin to take a more active approach to game and its undoubted potential.

Through the recent attempts to try to protect the Scottish venison name within Europe to beginning to discuss the provision of larders at community level, I feel there is a greater

awareness of the industry’s potential growth.

Assurance schemes such as British Game Alliance can also play a role in ensuring awareness turns to sales and by helping to reassure the public that what they are buying and eating is of sound providence.

The SGA has argued for some time that game should be seen as an asset within local communities and should be enjoyed by everyone. That continues to be an aspiration and we have spoken to government about how this may be achieved.

Estates also need to think more about how they use their own game and gain more value from it and we have seen some very good examples of quality game meat being used well at shoot level.

SGA members have been active in various schemes with charities to encourage game to be enjoyed by as wide a section of the population as possible. It is time to talk up our game!

www.scottishgamekeepers.co.uk Scottish Gamekeepers Association, Inveralmond Business Centre.

6 Auld Bond Road, South Inveralmond, Perth, PH1 3FX. Tel: 01738 587515 11

topic

Bang for the buck Alex Stoddart considers the affordability of fieldsports in Scotland When I was a young man, which my knees say was long ago, I used to be so keen to be out after rabbits, foxes, deer and crows that I would have kit boxes ready to go into the wee car as soon as a phone call came in. Mostly it was deer and foxes and, short of going to bed with outdoor clothes, cap and boots on, I was always ready to move within five minutes of a phone call, regardless of the hour and sometimes be gone for days at a time. For so many of us, the passion to be outdoors with rifle, gun and rod is overwhelming; my enthusiasm was endless as were the shooting opportunities.

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Back then I had no perception of the market value of shooting and took much for granted.

It never made any sense to me how I ended up working in distant lands and eventually the City, but adventure and ambition called and I took those opportunities for granted as well. Later, walking busy streets or sitting with my ‘piece’ in Finsbury Circus, my eye would be drawn to the pigeons and endless grey squirrels, wishing that human life would pause for a day so I could have the best shooting ever!

But in the South East I enjoyed more shooting and

stalking than back in Scotland; there seemed to be limitless opportunity. Down there land ownership is fragmented, farms often arable and privately owned, every field and hedgerow full of sport, rural pubs providing new shooting contacts for the cost of a gifted pint and, even in London, there were other country souls with a passion for rod, gun and rifle.

To cap it off, shooting down there could often be cheap as chips.

Fast forward to the present, and a regular gripe amongst SACS members is being priced out of shooting or stalking. New entrants are often willing to

spend more on leases than ‘old hands’ on lower incomes and, with heightened competition for shooting rights, sadly there is increasing greed and secrecy. So for many folk, it seems harder to find affordable shooting opportunities.

One member called the office to ask for help with a stalking lease and finding a lease partner. He did not get the lease, which went for a higher price than what he considered reasonable. Two years later that same lease came back on the market and, with our help, our member from before pulled together a small syndicate of three to put forward a cash

Photograph by Duncan Mackenzie

topic

Stalking rabbits

bid based on the previous price plus inflation. Yet again he didn’t get the lease, which went for three times the earlier inflated price and to another SACS member who offered an

extravagant bid due to being desperate for local stalking; no-one in the area would take him out on their ground.

After the surprise of winning the bid, this member

telephoned in panic for help to form a syndicate, but it was a difficult to persuade folk to pay more for a small share than for the total lease price of two years earlier. Having set a new market

value for that stalking, he will be doubtlessly priced out of the lease in the next tender round and the phone will probably ring again. To really muddy the issue, one of the group that owns

13

topic the land in question was only last year overheard complaining about being priced out of his roving grouse syndicate.

Another example: ‘Old George’ called the office last year to speak with me. He headed up a syndicate for years and I enjoy his sense of humour. George says he has been a member since the 1745 rebellion, but I take that with a pinch of salt as he looks about 70, is a bit short to waggle a claymore at red coats, too slow to run away and, in any case, SACS was set up in 1994. But this latest phone call was not about tall stories.

A year before, George had asked me if we could insure a young man to go out foxing with him. The lad was keen to learn and George was thinking about the next generation and someone local to take on his shooting after him. Not a problem, I said, happy to help let us know how he gets on.

14

In the latest call, it emerged that after George had taken him out for a year, shown him the ropes and helped him get his certificates, the young man approached two of George’s permission farmers and offered them silly money for the pigeon shooting despite George being on a small retirement income and shooting there for free. I hear shouts of “shameful!”, but that kind of short-sighted bad behaviour is increasingly common in our ‘community’.

The young man did not know that the farmers were loyal to Old George, so fortunately he was given marching orders and now has no local shooting at all.

But the threat is far bigger than just a few folk being forced out of shooting. If the politically and socially acceptable grassroots of the shooting community is priced out of their sport, then the foundation crumbles and the house falls down for those better-brogued

individuals upstairs, too. If shooting becomes the preserve of the landed or wealthy – and, to an increasingly naturedisconnected modern society, shooting becomes a symbol only of privilege and social inequity – the curtain will surely fall. To anyone with a grain of forethought, the political threat is obvious.

As a shooting advocate, I can stand on a stage at an urban political meeting, roll up sleeves and in an ordinary Highland accent champion the freedom and egalitarianism of hill, forest, loch and river for wild sports and for everyday folk.

Against deeply-held views, I can persuade many of those present that shooting in Scotland is not the preserve of the privileged, that our membership comprises people from every conceivable background and that not only should shooting not be banned, but they should give it a go for food and recreation.

However, if the reality of shooting in Scotland is stretched affordability and limited accessibility for the ordinary Tam, George or Mary, then where lies the future? In Scotland, so much land is held by so few, including forested public lands and vast tracts excluding our community in the twisted name of ‘conservation’, that what land remains is often fought over; money becomes weaponised, and deep pockets win.

One current solution to this crisis is social media groups dedicated to finding and offering more affordable shooting opportunities. Another solution may be in developing access to land in Scotland otherwise closed to shooting, even if just for necessary pest control such as grey squirrels, corvids and foxes. I defy anyone to not enjoy a few hours at a bait station shooting grey squirrels or decoying crows in a good

topic breeze; local pest control clubs could be a realistic way forward.

For many years I have been an enthusiastic advocate for community interest shooting groups managing local land for shooting and stalking, whilst encouraging visitors from outside the local area to share costs and sport. The key to such initiatives is to develop innovative solutions relevant to modern times by working within the current political system.

It must be realised that this is more than just a Scottish domestic problem; I recently asked a Belgian shooter why he was investing so much in a big Scottish shooting lease. He responded: “Ha, it is because you do not value your shooting enough to pay for it! Scotland has some of the best sport shooting in the world; if you don’t want to pay for it, then we will.”

This in turn reminded me of a conversation with a southern Scottish wildfowler

complaining about the long drive north to his favourite spot.

On being asked why he didn’t join his local wildfowling club instead, his reply was: “because you have to pay for membership and further north I can still wildfowl for free”. Looking at his thirsty old Defender, £2500 Labrador and £1500 gun, I patted the dog, scratched my head and left him to his decoys.

Somewhere within this polarity lies the way forward.

Local community shooting clubs, social media forums, opening up new land to pest control and more, sharing sport with friends and new entrants, and learning to properly value what we have. Like so many things in life affordability comes down to perception, but affordable and accessible shooting and stalking is essential for our future, whether grassroots or high end. If the bottom end crumbles, we will all fall with it.

Conservation. It’s in our name and integral to all the work we do at BASC Those who shoot regularly

early spring onwards to allow

carry out voluntary conservation

growth and establishment

work without fuss or support

of natural ground cover to

and

encourage the best habitat

this

needs

to

be

promoted and recognised.

for

Therefore it was with great

that return to the estate on

pleasure that we presented

a

our first Conservation Award

species

at the GWCT Scottish Game

Sandpipers, Curlews, Water

Fair.

Voles, Partridges, Pheasants,

This year it went to

regular

nesting basis.

include

birds

Notable Skylarks,

the very deserving Stephen

Meadow

Pipettes.

Oyster

Toft from Hoscote Estate

Catchers,

King

Fishers,

in

small

Barn Owls, Dippers, Cross

estate punching above its

Bills, Mallard, Teal and many

weight working tirelessly to

more. One of the biggest

encourage key species of

success stories is the return

national importance.

of the Lapwings that have

the

Borders,

a

The estate runs a family shoot

and

guests

on

hosts

invited

around

9-10

days per season, with bags of

200-250

on

average.

been absent in the valley for years. Hares, Woodcock and Pigeons are not shot.

The notable efforts by Hoscote are commendable

with

but not unique and we need

numerous trays full of game

to highlight the favourable

and nothing is wasted. They

habitats

are actively pioneering a

generated by those who

successful

shoot.

Beaters

often

leave

Red

Squirrel

and

biodiversity

If you are proud of

collaboration

your conservation credentials

with The Scottish Wildlife

or know someone who is

Trust and Saving Scotland’s

doing great things for the

Red

positively

environment we are inviting

contributes to the national

applications for next year’s

Red Squirrel Survey. Working

award. For more information

hand in hand with the farm

contact our Country Officer

allows for certain grazing

Jake

areas to be laid fallow from

org.uk

project

Waiting for the birds!

ground

in

Squirrels

jake.swindells@basc.

15

Balbirnie estate

Photographs by Linda Mellor

By Linda Mellor

Balbirnie estate

Balbirnie is an agricultural, residential, commercial and sporting estate, located to the north of Glenrothes in Fife and is spread over five thousand acres. The estate has been in the Balfour family since it was purchased in 1642 by George Balfour. Balbirnie was referred to as Balebrenin in c.1168 and is Gaelic for ‘wet or well-watered farm’ and is the only estate in Fife to have grouse. The estate is made up of rolling landscapes, a variety of woodlands, numerous duck ponds and a heather covered grouse moor on East Lomond, known locally as Falkland Hill. It offers country sports fans a range of options with driven, walked-up and rough shoot days and deer stalking. Many of the shooting parties return year after year to shoot partridge, pheasant, teal, widgeon, pigeon, mallard, snipe, woodcock, geese and the unique Fife grouse on East Lomond.

Balbirnie has a long history as a sporting estate, looking through the old game books shows that in the beginning of the twentieth century there was a variety of game shot on the estate: pheasants, partridges, grouse and many others. Flicking through the pages you can see the daily bag sizes were incredible by 16

today’s standards, they ranged from 300 to 1000. One of the entries from the 1895 shooting season shows there were seven guns out shooting 6 days in a row, shooting over 2000 pheasants. In 1932, the record bag of the hill was 92 brace of grouse.

Shooting has always featured in the Balfour family history.

Balbirnie’s owner Robert Balfour said, ‘my father, grandfather and great grandfather all liked their shooting. I started shooting when I was around 12 or 13. My brother David and I, we used to go shooting on the school holidays.

We always enjoyed a day at the grouse, we had effectively three drives, we would drive them one way in the morning, stop for lunch at the old hut built in 1890s then drive them back the other way in the afternoon. Even up to the late 1970’s we would shoot 20 brace of grouse.’

When Robert’s parents took over running the estate in 1950s there were six keepers. The major part of the gamekeeping role was controlling the rabbit population however by the late fifties rabbits ceased to be an issue due to myxomatosis and by the mid-sixties the estate had two keepers. Robert said, ‘When I was growing up one of our

keepers, Sloane, had taught Alex Douglas Hume to shoot.’

More than a hundred years later the managed habitat continues to thrive and offer the game shooter an unmatched variety of quarry in Fife and the land still lives up to its ancient name as well-watered with many snipe bogs and duck ponds.

Gamekeeper Cameron Storie joined the estate in 2000, with wife Mhari and their three girls to run five or six shoot days for the Balfour family. Single-handedly, Cameron gradually transformed the estate’s handful of family days into an excess of forty commercial days.

Cameron said, ‘people come back to us because we can give them variety. I don’t think many other estates around here can offer the same assortment we can. We have more than 20 drives over a wide and interesting range of landscapes on Balbirnie, the shooting is very sporting with plenty woodcock and snipe. We don’t focus on pheasant alone, in fact the classic Balbirnie bag from a walked-up day can be seven or more species.’

It is very much a family affair, Cameron and Mhari’s girls helped out on shoot days from an early age, everyone working

their spaniels or their Labradors.

Louissa beats and picks up when she can, while Lindsay never misses a day on the shoot.

Cameron has a core team of ten beaters and pickers-up working up to twenty five dogs between them.

The team expands on the bigger driven days. Cameron said, ‘the beating team hasn’t changed in years, most of the them have been at Balbirnie for decades and in some cases grandfathers, fathers and sons have worked supporting the shooting on Balbirnie.’ Adam Wallace in now in his mideighties and has clocked up more than fifty years, his son George Wallace has been helping with shoot days for more than thirty five years and his grandsons, James and William, have grown from children to adults and still work on the shoot. ‘A lot of the guns have been coming to us for years too so we all know one another well. It’s like meeting up with old friends and as you’d expect, there is always a healthy dose of banter flying around. My team all know what to do to make sure the shoot runs smoothly by ensuring the birds fly well and the guns are looked after and enjoy their day,’ said Cameron.

The grouse live on East Lomond which is part of the

Balbirnie estate

Pheasant shooting in the autumn

Lomond hills regional park. It is a very popular spot for dog walkers and at 448m it is also a regular visiting point for tourists as the car park gives substantial views over Fife, the firth of forth across to Edinburgh and to Perthshire in the North. On a clear day the Edinburgh sky line and the castle can be easily picked out.

Robert said, ‘the biggest change for the grouse is the fact the hill is now part of the Lomond hills regional park. There is a huge amount of public access to it, what disturbs the grouse the most are the dogs.’

There are lots of blae berries on the hill which makes good feeding for the wildlife. Cameron said, ‘we do very little for the grouse on the hill. We put down grit and kill the vermin and leave them to get on with it. They’re very hardy but it can’t be easy for them with as so many people walking up there and letting their dogs run about off lead, the birds have a lot to contend with.’

Robert Balfour’s 1957, series 1, 107 Land Rover is a regular on family shoot days to take everyone out across the estate onto the drives. ‘We still have 5 family days per year,’ said Johnnie, Robert’s eldest son. ‘I enjoy walked-up snipe on bogs, driven pheasants off the hill and ducks of all kinds on the ponds.

I think I started shooting when I was about 12 with our keeper at the time although I had been going out as a dog handler from the age of about 5 or 6. I specifically remember sitting in a butt on the hill with our dog,

Nell, while my father shot driven grouse and I tried to grapple with one of those sticks that turns into a seat. I started in the sandpit firing at targets and then graduated onto clays fired off the hill which at that point was just a bare sandy slope that you could drive a Land Rover to the top of. I remember firing our single barrel Purdey (made in 1895) 16 bore as a 10 year old at some thistles in a field and although the gun was the right size, it blew me off my feet. A year or 2 later, I had grown enough for the nonejecting 20 bore.’

Last season I joined a small group of guns from Ireland who visit Balbirnie each year and enjoy the variety the estate offers.

The weather was perfect, windy but not gale force and some cloud in between the sunshine.

We met the guns at the car park on Falkland hill. It was busy that morning, there were people walking on the hillside with dogs running loose. We headed north across the heather in a big swoop across hillside high above the village of Falkland, Cameron, the guns, beaters and dogs walked the hill in a curve. Someone shouted ‘Over!’ a grouse was flushed and it was up and away on the wind faster than the shooting guests could mount, aim and fire. As they swung back around the hillside two more grouse were flushed out and a shooting guest takes one. There was a cackle from the heather as another grouse was up and away. We spent the rest of the morning walking over sections of the hillside, stopping back at the

Balbirnie estate vehicles for some water. On the final drive three roe deer raised their heads above the heather to study the shooting party, then leapt effortlessly up hill, and, in doing so, they disturbed a large covey of grouse who took flight on the wind and disappeared downhill and out of range and sight.

The shotguns were put into the slips as everyone made their way back up the hill to the carpark with flushed faces. Guest gun Jim said, ‘we’ve been coming here for more than a decade and keep returning because Cameron looks after us; we always have great sporting days in good company and that is important to us. It’s not just about the shooting, it’s about the enjoying the day and craic.’

There was a volley of jokes and laughter as everyone complained about getting older and blaming age and achy joints for the misses.

After a brief rest the shooting party drove downhill, headed south on the A92 and into the centre of the estate to the ‘tennis court’ drive for a few pheasants before lunch at a local hotel.

After lunch the group were refreshed and ready to follow Cameron into another part of the estate. They formed a long line across flat stubble fields keeping a steady pace with guns at the ready, a covey of Partridge were

Robert Balfour, 1957 series 1 107 Land Rover

flushed and flew off at speed, one gun took two shots, but only his first barrel brought a bird down.

The final drive of the day was in an area towards the back of the estate beyond the village of Star to a snipe bog nestled in the corner of large wet, grassy field. The air had turned cooler and the light had started to fade as the group walked quietly across to the opposite side of the field towards to the bog but it

was hard going in places across the mud. The guns took up positions around the bog, communicating with hand signals. One shooting guest lost his footing and slipped into the water but didn’t make a sound. When everyone was ready, Cameron led the beaters through the bog to flush out the snipe.

Someone shouted ‘snipe!’ as three or four small agile birds darted over the guns and up high at lightning

speed. One snipe was shot, and two of the guest guns required assistance to remove themselves from the mud and enjoyed the laughter at their expense.

The well stoked log burner welcomed the shooting party back to the bothy, and after a rest, coffee, and a change of clothes for two of the group, they headed out for an evening’s duck flight.

Cameron is going into his 19th season on the estate, ‘we all enjoy welcoming shooting guests from all over the world for a day of fine sport on Balbirnie. Many rebook for the following year as they are walking off the last drive back to the bothy.’

Sport Offered Shooting - Red Grouse - Walked up (Aug 12th - Dec 10th) Shooting - Pheasant - Driven and walked up (Oct 1st - Feb 1st) Shooting - Partridge - Walked up (Sep 1st - Feb 1st) Shooting - Woodcock - Walked up (Sep 1st - Jan 31st) Shooting - Snipe - Walked up (Aug 12th - Jan 31st) Deer Stalking/Hunting - Roe Bucks - (April 1st - Oct 20th) Deer Stalking/Hunting - Roe Does - (Oct 21st - March 31st)

Family driven shoot day

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www.balbirnie.com/sport

Ladies Shooting Going From Strength to Strength It has never been easier to give shooting a go thanks to several dedicated ladies clubs based around Scotland. It was a very different story five years ago.

There was nothing to fill the gap after a lesson or two and the competitive shooting scene.

Scotland does not have the population density of England; so a ladies club in every county is unlikely, but we do have the Scottish Ladies Shooting Club (the first ladies club to start in Scotland in 2013) covering Perthshire, Fife, Angus and Central Scotland, Thistle Ladies (David Burgess) in Aberdeenshire, Glad Rags & Cartridge Bags (JOMM Events) in Aberdeenshire, Frock Stock & Barrels (Tracey Ferguson) at the Roxburghe Hotel in the Borders and regular ladies events at Bisley at Braidwood near Selkirk. The Femme Fatales and Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club

put on annual ladies day in April (National Shooting Centre, Falkirk) and June (Bisley at Braidwood) respectfully. It is fantastic to have gone from only three dedicated ladies event a year to several events a month.

The Scottish Ladies Shooting Club was started with a main aim of providing ladies with an opportunity to try out shooting in a friendly, relaxed and safe environment.

There is no need to have ‘all the gear’. All you need is outdoor clothing and a willingness to try something new. Our monthly events are generally held on the first Sunday of every month and rotate around a number of shooting schools - County Clays at Dunkeld, Auchterhouse near Dundee, Cluny Clays at Kirkcaldy, Gleneagles in Perthshire and the National Shooting Centre, Falkirk. The club is spoilt to have so many

great shooting ranges on our door step. Rotating round the grounds ensures we get the widest variety of targets and gently push our ladies to improve and progress. Our event fees range from £50 to £60 for 50 clays (beginners and novices shoot less clays as they get more tuition) and includes a light lunch, expert tuition, cartridges, loan of a gun and any safety equipment required Besides catering for complete beginners, the club is perfect for any novice, improver, intermediate or experienced lady who wants to improve her shooting and meet other ladies to shoot with. Ladies coming along for the first time are placed into groups depending on their skill level to ensure they get the right level of targets and coaching; nice and easy for the beginners moving up to more testing and challenging targets

for the experienced shots. We like to close our events with tea/ coffee, cake and chat as making friends and socializing is a big part of the club.

In addition to our monthly clay shoots we have an annual Ladies Charity Day in May, several simulated game days and a Ladies Driven Game Day. Anyone interested in a simulated day or game day can come along as a guest / loader to see the day in action. Ladies shooting simulated and / or game for the first time will be mentored by Lesley Fleming and Caroline Madden, who both have APSI Instructor qualifications. Club co-founder Cara Richardson, and BASC Council Member, is currently training to be a BASC Shooting Instructor. The club also lets ladies know about other opportunities to shoot such as fun events put on by other clubs or charity shoots looking

19

for teams to help raise funds.

We also have a couple of nonshooting events with our annual Christmas/Club birthday party night in December and a private shopping evening to check out the latest countryside clothing and accessories. The GWCT Scottish Game Fair is another

20

highlight of the year. It was great to see eight club members bring along their gun and shoot the line for the first time. Congratulation to Caroline Madden and Lesley Fleming for coming 3rd equal on Friday and Caroline for coming 2nd on Saturday in the ladies competition.

Another aim of the club is to keep our shooting as cost effective as possible, so we have negotiated some great prices from the shooting grounds for our monthly events. We also have club membership, which comes with a few benefits including bulk buying cartridges

at discount prices, discounted clay rates, discounted lessons and discount at selected retailers.

We are more than happy for new ladies to come along a few times before joining. The club is nonprofit making and the annual membership of ÂŁ30 helps covers our costs. We have a selection of

merchandise for members such as SLSC badge, baseball cap and jute shopper. The club now offers a shooting vest, which has been specifically designed for us to suit all the wonderful shapes and sizes of our ladies.

For ladies interested in buying their own gun we put on a gun demonstration stand twice a year where you can try out several of the main brands. It is great to see the gun manufacturers taking note of the increasing numbers of women shooting and producing guns designed to ‘fit’ us ladies.

The Caesar Guerini Syren was first on the scene with the Beretta Vittoria following a couple of years later. The latest lady ‘fit’ gun on the scene is the Browning Liberty Lite, which was very popular at our May demonstration day.

Beginners and novices use a 20 bore shotgun when starting out, but most of our ladies end up buying a 12 bore. The step up from 20 to 12 is surprising easy, plus there is a wider range of 12 bores to choose from and 12 bore cartridges cost a lot less than 20 bore. We actively encourage our ladies to take their time before buying a gun and try out as many as possible to get the best basic fit possible.

Buying a gun is a reasonable outlay, even second hand, so it pays to do your homework.

We are fortunate to have a wide selection of guns across our members, many of which have been ‘fitted’ (shortened stock length and raised stock height) to suit their lady owner.

You cannot under estimate the difference shooting with a well fitted gun.

The Scottish Ladies Shooting Club is ideal if you want to try shooting for the first time or want to take your shooting to the next level. We are a very friendly and welcoming bunch of ladies who love to shoot. Please have a look at our upcoming events below and get in touch.

To find out more :Website: www.scottishladiesshooting. co.uk Facebook group www.facebook. com/scottishladiesshooting.

Email: info@scottishladiesshooting. co.uk Telephone Lesley on 07971 547 826 or Cara on 07771 695 494 Upcoming Scottish Ladies Shooting Club events : Sunday 2nd September 2018 – Joint Ladies Improver Day with BASC - County Clays, Dunkeld - 11:30 Registration £50 for 50 clays inc instruction (less clays/more tuition for beginners/novices). Team Flush after coaching. Tea, Coffee, Cake and Chat after.

Autumn Simulated Game Day – September 2018 – Glamis Castle, Angus – Full and half gun options – Five drives of simulated game - Hot breakfast, light lunch and tea/coffee, cake and chat to finish the day.

Sunday 7th October 2018 - Gleneagles Shooting School, Nr Auchterarder - 11:30 Registration - £60 for 50 clays inc instruction.

SLSC Ladies Driven Game Day – Monday 8th October 2018 – Glenericht Estate, Blairgowrie – Partridge and pheasant – 10 x lady guns - £300 per gun including lunch.

Sunday 4th November 2018 - Cluny Clays, Nr Kirkcaldy – 11:00 Registration - £55 for 50 clays inc instruction.

BASC Ladies Driven Game Day – Saturday 24th November 2018 – Glen Ample, Perthshire – 10 x lady guns - £200 per gun including light lunch. This day is now fully booked.

Saturday 1st December 2018 – SLSC Fifth Birthday Party Night – Shoot at County Clays, Dunkeld with dinner at the Dunkeld House Hotel – 11:30 light lunch - £50 for 50 clays inc instruction. 7pm predinner cocktails. Party night only £49. Party night, bed & breakfast £99.

Want to try clay pigeon shooting or looking to improve; come join us!

Airguns The Social

By Davie “Barndoor” Scott

There are a dozen very good airgun clubs in Scotland and they can be a great place to meet new friends and socialise with like minded people. Many people new to airgun clubs are surprised at how friendly they are and form lifelong friendships.

The competition aspect of airgunning is also a place to meet new people especially in Hunter field target events where you are drawn randomly with other shooters who often become real friends outwith the sport.

Over the past few years their have even been a few marriages.

Many airgun clubs arrange nights out and fun days and there is always something you can get involved with. Scottish club facilities range from weekend only ranges right up to one which has it’s own cafe, golf range,, animal park and trout fishery so there is something for everyone and you are never ever far away from a place where you can and will meet new friends.

If you are a more competitive shooter clubs hold many competitions throughout the year and there are even international competitions held and there are even postal leagues between clubs.

Many Scottish airgunners travel abroad to international competitions and as these are open you take part and no matter what level of expertise you have reached you will always be made welcome.

Families and junior shooters are integral to every club and tuition and coaching by qualified instructors is usually available for free. Many people bring their friends to clubs for a day and those friends become members once they experience the friendliness, fun, and safety the clubs offer.

If you haven’t visited an air rifle club add it to your to do list. You won’t regret it.

You can find clubs on this handy clubfinder link. https:// goo.gl/agVVs8 21 45

Scottish Firearms Licensing Fraser Lamb, firearms advisor, SACS My earliest memory of going shooting was struggling through the side of a barley park, with my dad, who was going to flight ducks.

I would have been four or five and can remember distinctly following the line ploughed by our golden retriever through the undergrowth at the edge of the field. And so began my love affair with shooting and the countryside.

Flighting ducks is a particular love. The wilder the night, the more sporting the shooting with two sets of keen eyes seeking out the sight of flighting duck. It’s often been the case that when looking down at the dog by my side, I see her intently following mallards that I have neither seen nor heard. My understanding of wildlife began

in these early days; that the crows roost first, followed by the snipe and when the visible green goes out of the grass at last light, the ducks will begin. Only shoot at what you can kill and don’t shoot what’s not going to be used. All lessons that I intend to pass onto my grandchildren.

I applied for my first shotgun certificate on my seventeenth birthday and would never have imagined that many years later I would head up one of the largest firearms licensing departments in the UK. Moving forward about 47 years, I have just retired from the police after 30 years’ service.

A fabulous career, sometimes frustrating, always interesting;

the majority was spent in the CID and I have seen, learned and done things that they make television programmes about. No two days were the same.

My last four years were as the Chief Inspector in charge of Firearms Licensing in Scotland.

51 thousand certificate holders and about 150,000 guns to oversee and manage. I thought I knew about guns but, on reflection, I was like the vast majority of certificate holders: I realised the value and responsibility of being a certificate holder and went through the renewal process either at three years or now five years, but it was only when I began in Firearms and Explosives Licensing that I realised how little I actually knew. And so

began a steep learning curve in firearms and firearms licensing, which continues now beyond the police in my work for SACS. The Firearms Act 1968 (as amended) and its 37 or so legislative cousins all provide the law relating to the possession and use of firearms including shotguns and now in Scotland, air weapons.

Fundamentally, the legislation deals with public safety. It is a right in the UK to be granted a shotgun and/or a firearms certificate if you satisfy the Chief Officer of police in the area you reside that you aren’t a prohibited person, that you have a good reason and that you aren’t a danger to the public safety or the peace. Over and above this, for a firearms certificate you are also (continued on page24)

22

Scottish Firearms Licensing assessed as to whether you are a fit person to be entrusted to possess the specified firearm and relevant ammunition. The vast majority of applications are received from law abiding, reasonable people, whose applications are processed without a hitch.

I spent a considerable part my time in charge of firearms licensing looking at incidents where people granted certificate without an issue forgot the responsible position they held; thus, although being granted a certificate for those who pass the suitability tests is a right, keeping hold of a certificate is a privilege that can be so easily lost.

In essence society has tested you, you have passed the test and then, due to circumstances often self-inflicted, a certificate holder discovers that he or she no longer has the privilege of access to firearms via their own certificates.

A consequence that can affect a job as well as a hobby and way of life.

From my first day in firearms licensing, I understood that a close working relationship with the shooting organisations was essential. Firstly, they were an external barometer of how we, the police, were performing in delivering the firearms licensing service. I understood and accepted that you can’t please all the people all the time, however as long as we were delivering a service which was efficient and effective (professionally curious to ensure public safety) and was value for money for the tax payer, then we were on the right track.

In time, we achieved over 98% certificates being renewed prior to expiry and the near-elimination of inefficient Section 7 ‘temporary permits’. It is fair to say that this didn’t come without pain and during the complete reorganisation of the licensing function, change was not always welcome, neither by staff internally nor certificate holders externally. That was the second part of the engagement with the shooting organisations: everything we planned to do which affected certificate holders was shared with the shooting organisations, to ensure that we were on the right track and that they understood the improvements we were trying to make. If we went 24

‘off track’, the principal shooting organisations in Scotland quickly highlighted where we were wrong and it was rectified.

I set up the Scottish Firearms and Explosives Licensing Practitioners Group, where the shooting organisations, the Scottish Government, Police Scotland and other agencies come together and discuss firearms licensing in Scotland. Matters affecting only Scotland can be resolved there and should the challenges affect UK policy, then this is fed directly into the national firearms strategic group, the Firearms and Explosives Licensing Working Group (FELWG).

On leaving the police, I began working with the Scottish Association for Country Sports (SACS), assisting members across the UK with their firearms queries, the management committee with national firearms policy matters and acting as a representative on the British Shooting Sports Council and strategic firearms licensing meetings.

In resolving member difficulties and queries, I find myself talking to the same interesting people that I used to speak to daily in my previous work. Certificate holders with the same passionate love of shooting and who have weird and wonderful tales to tell of fantastic flights, of challenging drives where the birds

can rightfully be called sporting and of days digging out ferrets. I also speak to colleagues in sister shooting organisations to ensure that we are supportive and working collaboratively to protect the sport we love. And I also speak with my friends and colleagues in the police, to whom I am sure I can be a right, royal pain in the backside, however, they get what I am trying to do albeit it may differ from their position, which I respect. When I was the ‘gamekeeper’, I would have expected no less.

During the shooting season I can often be found in a beating line and regularly hear tales of unfairness in respect of firearms licensing. Some I agree with and on other occasions I know it’s an armchair expert speaking. My advice is always the same – “Have you asked or researched what the guidance or the legislation says?”

In the vast majority of occasions, the answer is “No”. And my pragmatic advice to everyone is join a shooting advocacy body that actually does firearms work and guidance and call them at the first sign of trouble. Shooting organisations work hard to help the shooter overcome hurdles and to keep them informed of the current trends and challenges.

It is important to keep context and perspective in respect of shooting and firearms licensing.

Shooting is extremely valuable

in ensuring the sustainability and viability of rural populations, natural habitat and wild species.

It provides economic drive and provides essential employment opportunities. At a time when the costs of shooting are rising, legitimate gun ownership continues to rise, which should hopefully give shooting a strong future.

Those entrusted with guns must understand that they have a role to play. No shooter should let our side down by bringing our sport and firearms ownership into disrepute, and our greatest strength lies in the power of good example to our own and others outside, something we should all strive to maintain.

The premise of firearms licensing is that bad or irresponsible people should not have guns: it starts and ends with public safety. Please think before you act recklessly, to avoid my question to you if you are a member: “So, at what point did you think that was a good idea?”

Remember, despite the forms, bureaucracy and firearms licensing oversight, shooting is a fantastic sport. Enjoy it, share it, build memories, pass it on. Act with forethought and keep your guns secure, and you have a sport for life. And if in any doubt, just give us a call. Helping members is what we do best.

Protecting game birds from raiding foxes

fox control

By Graeme Kelly

Fox frenzy Its the time of year, as all you gamekeepers and shooters will know, that everything on the shooting estates steps up a gear and the keepers need multiple pairs of hands. This is also a particularly busy time of the year for myself as a fox controller, as I help out on a couple of big estates and private family shoots. By now the keepers will have introduced their pheasants to the purpose built pens, and this is where the work begins - even after every picker, beater and gun walks (or staggers) away from the

cock shoot on Beaters Day, the keeper’s work continues.

Being prepared Preparation is everything if you want to gain the highest percentage of return from the pheasants. Preventing predator attacks needs to be part of the keeper’s preparation plan – sometimes even the best-made pens cannot stop a cunning predator. But covert spotting and shooting equipment can prevent poults from being decimated by a single fox.

The first weeks, when the pheasant poults are introduced

to the pens, are crucial as the poults take a few days to realise the safest place is off the ground and high in the trees.

Sometimes the older resident birds educate the young ones, which helps move things on a bit quicker. Until then they are very vulnerable.

The job can be made particularly difficult by predators, mainly foxes, who will find a way into the most protective of pens. But if they can’t find a way in, they will use scare tactics to panic the poults and flush them out of the pen, which is what

happened recently on an estate in Scotland. The next morning I received a phone call from the estate’s keeper who wanted advice on thermal imaging and night vision equipment to prevent it happening again. For his particular requirements, I recommended the Pulsar Helion XQ38 thermal spotter and the PVS-14 rear scope add-on – the combination that I use.

Waiting game The keeper requested a setup service to get him up-andrunning with the equipment as quickly as possible. So I drove

25

fox control

The mass destruction of one fox visitation

The pen where the fox pushed the birds out to

North to meet him. His estate had released the birds into three of the six pens, so that Friday night the keeper and I picked a pen to watch over into the night to try and get the troublesome fox. Through past experiences I know that you can have the best built pens with

pens and expected at some point one of us would be picking up a fox in our thermal spotters and by 23.30 that’s exactly what happened. It came around the side of the pen carrying a pheasant poult and ran down the hill towards me so I managed to get the shot,

the strongest electric fences, but if you are not sitting there in person with good thermal or night vision equipment, there is a high chance a fox will have worked out a plan that’s better than yours.

We started at around 20.00, watching over our designated

which was around 180 yds.

Unfortunately, you can’t stop the birds coming in and out the pen so the ones sitting outside have a low survival rate.

Watch and learn With the years of experience using the thermal spotter and

Y Summer Deal £160 +vat

26

fox control night vision equipment I have learned the habit of the fox and by watching their tricks you soon learn that they are more deviant than you think.

You really don’t learn anything from a dead fox, so it pays to watch and understand their habits first. As I said earlier, you can have the best prepared pens in the world but when a fox runs from side to side along the back of the pen pushing birds into a flush out the front of the pen into a grass field, then it gives the fox a chance at a killing frenzy where they can kill well over a hundred birds and release even more that won’t survive in the open ground.

If you have experienced a similar problem, or want to prevent it from happening, feel free to call me for night vision advice on 07990 954 973 or email graeme@nightmaster. co.uk

The job is done before any more birds are killed

27

deer management

Not taking sides… but just airing the latest in the lead vs non-lead debate

By Dick Playfair The lead /non-lead ammunition debate continues. The recently published Update Report from the Lead Ammunition Group contains new evidence about the risks to wildlife, the environment and human health from lead ammunition, and follows submission of the Group’s 400+ page report in 2015 to former Secretary of

State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs the Rt. Hon Elizabeth Truss. Her response to that was that “the risks did not merit a change in current policy.”

Defra took the view on the 2015 report that FSA advice was sufficient and that impacts were not significant enough for change. However, John Swift,

Chair of the Lead Ammunition Group, speaking at the Deer Management Round Table (DMRT) in April following publication of his Group’s Update Report was bullish that change was necessary and it was for the industry to take the lead.

He said that there was acknowledgement that lead was poisonous and that sub-

lethal effects were now being reported at lower levels than pre-2015. According to the gun trade some 6000 tonnes of lead were fired annually in the UK, and this was getting into wildlife through ingestion by birds, in scavenged dead animals, and in the prey of some raptors, with a major problem in wildfowl. (continued on page 30)

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CLASSIC GUN

The Westley Richards hand detachable

By Ross Haygarth

Here is an example of the ultimate boxlock ejector sporting shotgun – the Westley Richards hand detachable.

The hand detachable – or Drop Lock as its known in the USA & Canada, first came out in 1897.

The locks are attached to there own backplates & can easily be removed for cleaning & inspection by the owner via a hinged coverplate.

Early examples had a detachable coverplate but it was found that they could be easily

lost & the hinged version quickly replaced it.

The hand detachable action was the brainchild of Leslie Taylor & John Deeley, John along with William Anson had invented the original boxlock in 1875. It also features the classic Westley Dolls’ head extension on the barrels & patent sliding leverwork.

The gun was originally offered in 12, 16 & 20 bore & as a double rifle too. The clean lines of the action – there are no visible pins or screws- made it

popular & gives an in interrupted surface for engraving, especially game scene. All versions I have seen in shotgun form have been ejectors.

The gun went out of production for a time in the 60/70’s after the only man who knew how to make the locks retired!

It’s now back in Westley Richards range and is now offered in 28 & .410’’ bore, with prices starting at £54,500 + vat.

The particular gun illustrated is in the 18,000 series and is

part of the authors collection, it was bought by his father in 1970.

It features the Taylor single selective trigger of 1909 & the gun was built in 1923. It has 25’’ barrels, 2 ½” chambers and is in its leather case with a large paper label. It has a well figured French walnut stock with a large gold oval.

The Taylor single trigger is both reliable and fast in its action. Westley’s still use it today in identical form, a sure sign they got it right first time!

Ross Haygarth is the owner of CH Haygarth & Sons, Gun & Rifle Makers, in Dunnet, Caithness. They are Scotlands oldest family owned Gunmakers. Ross is the son of Colin Haygarth the famous Gunmaker, Trap shooter, sportsman & conservationist.

Ross is considered to be one of Scotland’s leading experts on British Guns & Rifles.

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deer management Also, that current restrictions on the use of lead over wetlands did not go far enough, and that lead was finding its way into the human food chain through other pathways including wild venison and wild venison products.

“There is no level below which lead does not cause harm,” said John Swift. “Lead in game meat is at levels harmful to adults, children, and pregnant women and there is new evidence from recent studies linking blood lead with game consumption.”

He said that the alternative, non-lead ammunition, was effective, and safer for the environment and human health although some non-lead alternatives still needed closer study with regard to fumes and toxicity in water.

Reducing the risk from lead by careful butchery had been assessed, and there was no doubt that such risks in leadshot game could be mitigated in this way, but they could not be removed entirely, and that there were impracticalities for both some large and small game.

“The next step,” says John Swift, “is the production of an action plan which should be industry led or failing that is led by Defra backed by the FSA. Failing that, LAG will call for statutory, regulatory measures for the restriction of lead ammunition.”

The conclusions remain the same as outlined in 2015 – the problems are most likely larger than extensive research has indicated, but there is now a much better understanding of the risks. Also, the sector should be more confident that there are benefits to be delivered by replacing lead with alternatives, and that this change should not threaten the game shooting and deer stalking sectors to any significant degree.

The LAG update also flagged up that dogs in particular could be at risk from being fed trimmings of lead30

shot game by hunters, and that trials by Forest Enterprise requiring use of non-lead ammunition for culling deer and wild boar were based on clear evidence that lead ammunition could contaminate carcases. This could undermine FE’s position in putting leadshot game into the food chain

when there were proven alternatives available. Similar extensive trials have been undertaken by FE in Scotland.

With the majority of deer shot entering the food chain, and a large volume of gralloch being left on the hill being scavenged and consumed by birds and other wildlife,

then the risk to human health, the environment, and other animals is readily understood.

Use of non-lead bullets could remove that risk completely and, as the price differential between lead and non-lead reduces, then that becomes an even harder proposition for the sector to ignore.

www.leadammunitiongroup.org.uk

The Clay Shoot

By Stuart Blair On the 8th of June, North Highland College UHI held their annual clay pigeon shoot at Rothiemurchus Estate Clay Pigeon ground.

The Clay Shoot is most certainly an established feature on the North Highland calendar now, as it allows everyone involved in the Gamekeeping Department; staff, students, Keepers, Managers and sponsors, to get together and catch up, as well as compete for the now coveted shooting cups. This year, perhaps helped by the glorious weather, there was a record turnout, with 96

entries and a few others opting not to shoot, but enjoying the day all the same.

Helen Benson [Gamekeepers Welfare Trust] was on hand to chat to people and spread word of the excellent work done by the Trust, as well as handing out their excellent “Gamekeeping 1st Aid Packs”.

As far as the shooting was concerned, scores were varied - it’s not every day Scottish keepers shoot into the sun but in the end there were clear winners. Greg Sinclair, an exStudent and now Beat Keeper at Invermark Estate won the

The annual clay pigeon shoot at Rothiemurchus Estate Clay Pigeon ground

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Keepers cup and Alasdair Davidson from Conaglen scooped the Student prize.

The 3 Person High Pheasant flush was won by student Sam Lyle [Garrogie Estate] Peter Ferguson [Keeper, Rothiemurchus Estate] and Alasdair Davidson [Student , Conaglen].

This year it was decided that we would have our annual prize giving at the clay shoot.

The prize giving provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate and reward the hard work of our students on both their workplace and at the

If interested, call us now on: 01847 889000, or look at our website: www.northhighland.uhi.ac.uk

Sam Lyle, Peter Fergusson, Alasdair Davidson getting ready to shoot flush

college. As well as the top student from each year group, there is a “Student’s Student” which is decided by the class [possibly using a different criteria than the top student prize!].

This year’s recipients were; Modern Apprentice – Top Student Jamie Renwick [Invermark Estate], Student’s Student Cameron Maclean National Certificate – Top Student Alasdair Davidson [Conaglen], Student’s Student Euan MacDonald Higher National Certificate - Top Student and Student’s Student Andy Oldham [Meggernie Estate] Many thanks for the continued support of our sponsors – Highland Game, Swarovski Optic, BASC, SGA, Rothiemurchus Estate and the Highland Shooting Centre.

Silverware waiting to be won

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Wildfowling in Orkney

Wildfowling in Orkney

Orkney is fortunate to be situated on the migration routes of birds from Iceland, Scandinavia and North West Russia.

The islands are also very fertile meaning that the farming of grass and cereals provides plentiful food sources for many bird species. The warming effect of the Atlantic ensures that there is rarely a “freeze up” so many birds, particularly wildfowl are able to find all their winter requirements on the islands. Greylag geese in particular, which used to winter further south in Scotland have tended to stay in Orkney in ever increasing numbers in the last two or three decades.

Wild ducks had traditionally provided sport and food for local sportsmen but the large increase in goose numbers caused problems for the farmers and it became clear that shooting by locals alone was not really going to be able to keep the population in check.

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This meant there was an opportunity for enterprising individuals to advertise outside Orkney for visiting sportsmen to come and shoot geese.

One of these individuals was Raymond Shearer, an Orcadian whose family have a shop and agricultural seeds business in Kirkwall. Raymond had been introduced to shooting by an uncle and knew the ways of wildfowl as well as anyone.

His family’s connection with the farming community meant a trusting relationship was already in place.

Raymond started his business in 2016 and quickly built up a loyal clientele who enjoy his renowned good humour, skill and dedication.

The popularity of his operation meant that he was able to take on an assistant, Shane Farquhar, in 2017.

His clients could appreciate too, his love of the birds and his insistence that on occasions when the birds were coming in

Wildfowling in Orkney

large numbers a halt should be called when a sensible bag had been reached. In addition he ensures that all the harvested birds are prepared and the guests must take them home.

A typical day’s wildfowling requires an early start as the geese move from roosts to feeding grounds at first light or shortly afterwards. In September one’s alarm may typically be set for 3.30 a.m. but later in the Winter one might get another couple of hours in bed.

Raymond will have done his reconnaissance the previous afternoon and will know the locations of the fields where the geese are feeding.

He has a trailer behind his 4 x 4 containing a quad bike, hide making materials and goose decoys. He gets his guests into the best available cover on the field whether that be a ditch, wall or fence-line and builds a hide round them. There is an art to this and success or

failure is very much dependent on his hide making skills.

Next the decoys must be set and again this is a skilful operation. Raymond spares no expense in buying plenty of the best decoys available.

Experience has taught him that those with the correct posture, don’t shine and have a little movement in the wind work best.

Geese are wary birds with extremely sharp eyesight and they always look for danger amongst cover. The guests must play their part too by wearing suitably coloured clothing and keeping well down and still as the birds circle overhead.

Other essential kit includes a suitable gun and cartridges.

Although geese are tough birds and require larger pellets than gamebirds for a clean kill, this does not mean one has to go to extremes as geese over decoys should never be beyond 45 yards from the gun. It is better to have a gun that one

“Working together to Raise the Game” has its origins in the tragedy earlier in the year when a young gamekeeper felt unable to carry on and took his own life. Since then his Mum and her family have worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the vulnerability of gamekeepers at points in their lives and that “It’s ok not to be ok”.

Through the launch of “Raising the Game” in July at GWCT Scottish Game Fair we have gained the support of all the main shooting organisations to help us change perceptions and ensure that everyone knows where to reach out and if someone is struggling they feel they can contact us directly without fuss and in confidence. There are a range of strategies through which we are tackling these issues however key to understanding and working together is the Stag Training Initiative.

The Stag Training Initiative was built and will be delivered by Ex Marine

Ian Clark and his team in IED Training who know on the ground what it is to be in a male dominated profession, in a team and depending on each other for a successful outcome in often extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

We feel that Ian Clark and his team are the ideal partners to explain in a practical interactive way how to build individual resilience, health and well being, coping strategies, leadership skills and individual career paths. This will be a half day course with a certificate to delegates and is relevant to factors, managers, headkeepers, stalkers, ghillies, beatkeepers, underkeepers and trainees as well as college students.

IED Training has its roots at Arbroath and can deliver this training course anywhere in Scotland.

Booking is through the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust website, email or telephone and further details will be available during the autumn.

www.thegamekeeperswelfaretrust.com enquiries@thegamekeeperswelfaretrust.com

Tel: 01677 470180 35

Wildfowling in Orkney is familiar with and fits than buy some heavy piece with full choke which is more difficult to shoot with. Many close range birds are missed with this type of gun for the odd one that may be brought down at long range. Raymond calls the shot when he considers the birds are properly in range so long range shots are not the order of the day. Generally number 2, 3 or 4 shot size is considered best for geese over decoys.

Raymond also runs the sporting goods department of the family shop and has the greatest selection of wildfowling cartridges in the country. His knowledge and expertise are second to none and should any of his clients need a gun he will be able to advise and supply them. Non toxic shot must be used over water so a good stock of these is kept. Lead shot may be used when geese are being shot over decoys on grass fields or barley stubbles.

Once everything is in place all that can be done is to wait for the geese. All being well the birds will arrive over the field as the light comes in and with a little skilful calling the birds will be induced to come to the part of the field where the decoys are. Once they spot the decoys they generally approach, so long as everyone stays down and keeps still, after a circuit or two. The noise and anticipation at this point raise the excitement level to fever pitch and it is amazing how often that excitement means that apparently easy birds fly off unscathed!

The morning flight normally lasts for up to three hours by which time the lure of bacon and eggs wins the day.

As in all forms of wild sport success cannot be guaranteed on any one flight but the combination of Raymond’s years of experience, having access to the best goose

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Wildfowling in Orkney farms in Orkney, top quality hides, decoys and calls and light shooting pressure on the ground ensure that each party of guests has as good a chance of success as possible.

Guests will have the middle of the day to themselves to see the many sights on offer in Orkney before Raymond collects them for their trip out for evening flight. Typically this will involve going to a flight pond for ducks with the

chance of geese occasionally too. Raymond has numerous good ponds with comfortable hides and he only takes a party to any one of them occasionally, ensuring they are lightly shot.

By the time guests return to their hotel they are ready for a visit to the bar before a bath and nice dinner, then to bed by good time ready to do it all again tomorrow!

For further information visit www.orkneyislandsgooseshooting.co.uk For booking contact Raymond Shearer at info@orkneyislandsgooseshooting.co.uk or 07747002106

37

Fighting a gun ban Alex Stoddart, Director, SACS In the last edition of Shooting Scotland our team listed some of the many areas in which SACS is working for its members, from firearms licensing, gun laws to wildlife licensing, shooting rates, conservation and industry initiatives. Every time one job finishes, it seems three more get added to the list as word gets around that we are doing a good job. The support from members is extraordinary and keeps us going strong. Thank you.

For this edition, I would like to focus on just one thing and something most readers will probably have no experience of: long range target shooting with .50” BMG and other 10,000 ft.lb.+ high muzzle energy (HME) rifles. What do those enormous, heavy and powerful target rifles have to do with shooting in Scotland and SACS? Hardly suitable for our deer. The answer is, everything for our way of life.

Last year our esteemed Westminster Government, which many assumed to be largely proshooting, came up with the grand idea of banning HME rifles due to the threat posed if they got into criminal hands. The Home Office cited intelligence concerns, but despite repeated forceful requests from SACS and some of our sister bodies, it has been unable to provide any evidence in support of a ban.

I previously described this as analogous to a National Crime Agency employee watching a Hollywood remake of Day of the Jackal on a Friday night, then coming up with the job-creative 38

idea of banning militaristic rifles on Monday morning. It turns out I was not far from the truth. But the reality is that, outside of the NI troubles, this sort of rifle has never been used in crime in the UK and is singularly unsuited to firearm theft and criminality.

Criminals want pistols and sawnoff shotguns. Terrorists seem to be content with kitchen knives, hardware store chemicals and rental vans.

And so an incompetentlyworded Home Office consultation was launched, which SACS and other British Shooting Sports Council members vigorously responded to. The Home Office and civil servants attempted to ignore our counter-evidence and ultimately tagged the proposed HME rifle ban onto the Offensive Weapons Bill, which was principally about restrictions on acids and online knife sales.

A bit like when Scottish airgun licensing was chucked into the sex entertainment venue licensing bill – an easy political win and nigh impossible to have the entire Bill thrown out.

And it isn’t just HME rifles in jeopardy; the Offensive Weapons Bill includes a proposed ban on ‘bump-firing’ stocks (a good idea) and so-called ‘rapid-firer’ rifles like the VZ-58 MARS, which is a quirky thing that oddly and scarily requires the trigger to be pulled to chamber a round, as well as a second pull to fire it.

Readers of an age and service background to remember the blowback Sterling sub-machine gun, would struggle to get heads around the MARS concept.

The problem with MARS is that persons in the gun trade have not helped matters by describing MARS as a “nonsemi-automatic semi-automatic” and “designed to get around the semi-auto rifle ban”, along with YouTube footage of firing the rifle as fast as you can to prove the bloody point. Given that many politicians have now seen the videos, it is unlikely that the proposed ban on ‘rapid-firers’ will be effectively challenged and shooting organisations should not be expected to dig the gun trade out of an entirely self-inflicted mess. To be clear, semi-auto rimfires and semi-auto shotguns are not directly affected by this legislation; the main issue for our sector is a ban on HME rifles: the thin end of the thick anti-firearms wedge, and gun bans based on zero evidence.

Going forward, the precedent this sets is a risk for all firearms and that is why the HME ban affects all of us who shoot; nothing will be safe.

SACS wrote to every single UK MP before the Commons Bill reading. We then sent targeted briefings to those MPs with an interest in the Bill or a role on committees. Comments made by SACS against a HME rifle ban were repeated in the Commons chamber and many MPs, regardless of whether they support or dislike shooting and firearms, supported our view that this ban is unjust, disproportionate and an attack on democracy.

And so, in defence of one limited-interest sport and the small but nails-tough Fifty

Calibre Shooters Association, shooting advocacy bodies are working together in mutual support. The proposed HME ban is not an example of the futility of UK shooting advocacy. On the contrary, it is an example of why everyone who shoots should join and support the handful of shooting advocacy bodies working at this higher level.

Without our investment and joint work, shooting faces a grim future – not for future generations, but right now. If shooting matters to you, then you need to take a stand as well: by standing together, we can survive and win.

If they can ban HME rifles without a shred of evidence, what next? Likely semi-auto shotguns or rimfires. And if your membership of a shooting organisation is just about cheap insurance, then you really need to wake up to reality. The work that we and our sister organisations on BSSC do does not happen by accident. We don’t have big corporate backers like the US NRA – all we have is you, our members, supporting us and our forceful defence of shooters, shooting and all fieldsports.

[At the time of writing end July 2018 - and after our collective lobbying, we hear of moves at the Home Office to step away from a ban for HME rifles or change the wording to a ban with an immediate exemption for target shooters. Though not confirmed and a long fight left to be had, either would be a result for us, the main shooting bodies working together as a unified voice for all shooting sports.]

2018 is moving so fast. I feel I’ve blinked and found myself half way through the year, it has flown at an alarming rate (is it an age thing?). I was out stalking with Kenneth from Venator in late May, we met just before 04:00 (I love the early mornings, thankfully!) for a trip to Abercairny to look at the roe deer through the camera lens and not the rifle scope. The light was poor, it was one of those dull mornings with low cloud and no visible sunrise, much to my disappointment, but it was a worthwhile outing to monitor a very active deer population. It’s a time when last year’s young are pushed out by the mothers to make way for the next generation. We saw lots of roe youngsters out and about, they were a joy to watch as they skipped and bucked around the fields, taking it in turns to chase one another in play. Further into the estate we spotted a solitary young fallow deer and watched it pronking (love that word!) back into the woodland cover. I love this part of my job, it is an honour to sit quietly and study the wildlife in their natural habitat, and a vital element of our ongoing outdoor education.

I photographed one of Scotland’s top clay shooters, Bob Purvis at Cluny Clays, Fife. He was coaching Ranald Hutton another highly successful sportsman from another target-based sport, Ranald said, “I had achieved everything I wanted to in Archery both Domestic and International and having been in the sport for over 50 years, and fancied a change. I felt inclined to start shooting again.

I’ve always loved shooting and have been fortunate enough to have experienced quality driven days, however I fancied clay shooting. My friends, Bob Purvis and Ian Hutchison have helped me reach a high standard in National Skeet and I continue to improve with Bob’s coaching. I am determined to shoot for Scotland in the Vet category this year and it’s looking more likely as the scores show. The advantage I have is the competition experience in Archery is applicable to shooting!”

by Linda Mellor

SCOTTISH COUNTRY LIFE Top clay shooter, 21-yearold David Mc Math from Castle Douglas hit the headlines in April with a landmark achievement in clay shooting when he won the gold medal in the men’s double trap at the Commonwealth Games, held at Gold Coast, Australia.

This was David’s debut at the Games and Scotland’s firstever individual gold medal in the men’s double trap, a discipline he has been shooting for less than three years. On winning the top prize, he said, “It was a surreal moment winning the gold medal, and for a couple of days I never really grasped what I’d done.”

David trained exclusively at the National Shooting Centre at Wester Jawcraig, Falkirk.

The ground went through a revamp last year and offers shooters a vast choice. “We want to be all things, for all shooters,” said Shoot Ground

Manager Stewart Cumming.

“We have 10 DTL ranges, 8 Skeet layouts, 3 Olympic Trap layouts, a Compak Sporting layout, 13 Sporting stands and another 6 on the way. We also offer Simulated game and have the facilities to customise the game species.” The NSC is also a National and International competition venue, some of the recent events they’ve held are: European Championships, Scottish Championships, British Opens, 3 Home Internationals, a GB Team Selection Shoot and several Commonwealth Team Selection Shoots. “During the European DTL championship, we had 400 entries over each of the four days and were stocking up the traps with 40,000 clays every night.”

Stewart is no stranger to the clay shooting leader boards, FITASC home international High gun 2016, FITASC Home

International Captains Cup Winner 2017, North Area sporting champion 2018, and South Area FITASC champion 2018.

In Scotland we have a great deal of shooting talent across all disciplines, and a choice of grounds. The sport openly welcomes newcomers and each ground offers expert clay shooting tuition from experienced coaches. If you want to give clay shooting a go you should consider booking a lesson with a professional.

You will be given the right advice, and taught the basics, a professional coach will get you hitting the targets correctly.

When I started shooting I worked with Iain MacGregor, he instilled safe shooting habits and importance of preparation and being ready to shoot. If I haven’t shot for a while I can pick up my gun and return to the core elements of shooting and be a safe shot because I worked with Iain.

I’m in the processing of renewing my shotgun certificate, the local GP charged me £50. What fee have you paid?

Iain MacGregor http://claycoach.co.uk/ Bob Purvis http://bobpurvisshotguncoach. co.uk/ Venator Pro Ltd http://venatorpro.com National Shooting Centre https://www.nsc92.com/ Cluny Clays http://www.clunyactivities. co.uk/clay-shooting/ 39

Working for Waders Julia Stoddart MRICS Head of Policy at SACS, a W4W Project Partner Working for Waders is a collaborative partnership project that aims to halt and reverse the decline in breeding wader populations across Scotland.

Current partners include SRUC, RSPB, BTO, SLE, SACS, BASC, GWCT, JHI, Heather Trust, SNH and individual estates and gamekeepers, as well as interested members of the public.

Are you aware of the serious decline in wading birds?

Breeding bird index figures published earlier this year state

Curlew

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that upland birds are the most ‘concerning group’, with 10 out of 17 species surveyed showing worrying declines since the 1990s. Over the survey period, curlew has declined by 62%, lapwing by 63%, golden plover by 43% and oystercatcher by 44%. SNH have said that curlew and lapwing populations in particular are collapsing, reaching crisis point. But this decline is not inevitable: the W4W partners believe that by working together, pooling

knowledge and expertise and finding innovative solutions, we can halt the decline and help these birds to recover. But we need to take action now, and active engagement with people across Scotland is essential.

The starting point in saving waders is to understand what is causing the declines. There are a number of factors including climate change, land use change and disturbance, but research to date indicates that the most important drivers of

Plover

decline are habitat management and predation. Waders need appropriate habitat for shelter, food and nesting; in general, this means moorland, rough grazing, pasture, marsh and other wet areas. In parallel to these requirements, there is a disproportionate impact on vulnerable wader populations by predators such as foxes and crows whose populations are abundant.

Within the W4W project, the partners aim to collate

Working for Waders existing research and material on waders, making current best practice management advice available to people who can effect change on the ground.

We will also adopt Adaptive Management, where successful and unsuccessful management actions are identified through trials; in this way, best practice evolves and is kept relevant and targeted to the problem. Quality scientific research is critical, and so is community evidence gained from practical experience.

Combining the two, a principle established by the previous Understanding Predation project run by Scotland’s Moorland Forum, is considered to be the most appropriate approach.

The project is still open to new partners joining, but what else can you do to help our wading birds? This depends on your stakeholder role in habitats where waders breed. If you are a land manager, consider how you can manage land to help waders survive and breed successfully;

Scotland’s fieldsports and agricultural communities are especially well placed to make a difference, and W4W can provide you with information on how to do this. If you are a recreational user of land, consider how you can minimise or avoid disturbance to breeding birds. W4W is also hosting a map of current wader conservation work: please consider adding your work to this map, so the project can understand who is doing what, and where.

Waders are intrinsically valuable, but a healthy environment would have robust biodiversity including stable populations of waders. Their decline is a clear warning sign that our environment is not in good health. Now is the time to help waders recover from damage driven by past and ongoing human actions, and to help improve our wider environment.

To find out more, visit www. workingforwaders.com or look for us on social media.

The Deerstalker

By Kenneth Larsen, Venator Pro deerstalker and MD I have had the pleasure of taking a few stalking guests out this summer, there were a lot of deer on my permissions but the high undergrowth made it challenging. The numbers of foreigners visiting Scotland to hunt for roe bucks are increasing and so is the expectation to shoot medal heads. I am not against taking the odd medal head but with a cull plan in place we need to be selective when choosing the right beast to take out.

Managing expectations is an important part of the stalking experience and can sometime be tough to handle. We are offering a service and want the client to experience a fantastic outing with a successful outcome. A few clients have refused to shoot a nominated buck because they don’t think the trophy is big enough, so clear terms and conditions become a necessity and must be presented before the start of the first outing.

Another issue I have experienced are poor shooting skills and shot placement.

We all want to promote

ethical hunting but taking time at the range to practise marksmanship is something we all should do before we go out stalking. A wounded deer is the worst outcome of poor shot placement. As deer stalkers, we have a responsibility to ensure the client can handle a firearm safely and hit where they aim.

We expect clients to have sufficient hunting experience to ethically kill a beast. At the practise range, if clients can’t group three shots at 100 yards we will not take you out stalking. Unfortunately, wounding a deer can happen so having a deer tracking dog available will increase the chances of finding a wounded deer so it may be despatched humanely.

My Bavarian Mountain Hound, Duke, has been a little too busy this season.

As a professional deer stalker, I seldom have time to stalk roe bucks myself but one morning out on Abercairny Estate I got the chance to take a once in a lifetime Roe buck with 16 points.

Lapwing

41 23

Ten Tips for Shotgun Shooting

By Ian McGregor I’ve been asked to do a quick 10 points for newcomers to the sport.

Read, ponder, question, debate, but seek knowledge and understanding.

Please, please, do not be afraid to ask.

2) The only safe gun is a gun which is visibly open and visibly empty.

Otherwise you, we, whoever, have no idea what’s going on inside it.

As you take your gun out of your slip (do you know what a slip is?) push the top lever (new words?)

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Before putting it back in the slip, check, check and check again that it’s empty.

Photographs by Linda Mellor

1) Read Mark Hanbury Beaufoy’s poem – “A Father’s Advice”. All of us should have this running through our heads all of the time.

The opening lines are very famous – “If a sportsman true you’d be, Listen carefully to me” A pleasant little ditty. If you are very new to shooting you may not even understand some of it. It assumes knowledge. If you don’t have that knowledge you must seek it.

over and make sure you withdraw the gun visibly open and visibly empty. Anyone, or everyone who

knows you are new to the game will be very happy to see this first manifestation of safe gun handling.

3) Make sure the cartridges you have are suitable for the gun.

This does not necessarily mean shot type and load, although it might (we have regulations regarding shooting over water), but regularly I have clients who are using incorrect – and therefore possibly dangerous – cartridges in their guns. This particularly applies to older side by side shotguns. It may have been grandpa’s pride and joy, but it may also have two inch chambers. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Get it checked.

Ten tips for shotgun shooting 4) Do not mix cartridges of different calibres. 12 bore and 20 bore are the two commonest no no’s but there are others. Be very aware that mixing cartridges of different calibres can result in very serious injury.

5) Lay off the sauce! There may be an inclination to partake in pre shoot hospitality. Plenty do. Stay away. Who cares if others think you are boring? If you are a novice, better keep your wits about you. Pol Roger may be your friend. He may not be!!!

6) Take advice from the keeper.

Where are we going? Where are the birds coming from? Where will the beaters, stops, pickers up be? If you don’t know what beaters, stops and pickers up do, my contention is that you shouldn’t be out there in the gun line. Serve your apprenticeship and you’ll enjoy your days even more.

7) Join a shooting organisation.

Learn as much as you can. Be insured. Know what’s in and what’s out of season. Be responsible. Can you identify your quarry, or are you a “if it flies it dies” type? Please don’t be.

8) A simple one, from the poem – “Never, never let your gun, pointed be at any one.” Barrel awareness is critical. If in doubt don’t shoot.

If you come from a clay shooting background, others decide what’s safe. In the field, you must make that decision – sometimes instantly.

Its easy for us all to say “BE SAFE” but that requires experience. It may

be common sense. I suggest its learned common sense.

9) Wear hearing protection. Every shot you fire and that you hear fired at close range damages your hearing permanently and irreparably.

Deafness is a hidden ailment and its no fun. Don’t let it happen to you.

10) To round up all of the above,

if you are not entirely comfortable with any of the above, you really should be considering getting some coaching sessions organised.

But then, of course, I would say that wouldn’t I? Everyone will be watching you. You can make or break your reputation very quickly.

Better be seen to be safe rather than anything else. Have fun.

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habitat and species protection

Future prosperity of the countryside rests with our youngsters too

By Iona Laing, Education and Events Officer, GWCT Scotland There was a time when, if you were a boy, you would have had a fishing rod thrust in your hand shortly after you could walk, and if not a fishing rod then a bamboo cane, a piece of string, a bent pin and a worm.

For many the connection with countryside from a young age seems largely to have been lost. We all have better access to the country. But countryside knowledge is at best scant and at worst non-existent.

The farming sector has grasped the nettle making the connections, forging links, taking schoolchildren to see where our food comes from – all credit to the Royal Highland

Education Trust (RHET), the Royal Northern Countryside Initiative, LEAF Open Farm Sunday and others. But we are rapidly approaching 2022 the most likely date for the next farm support regime to kick in. This will increasingly find farmers farming not mainly for food, but also for the environment, for nature, for the public interest. And we need to start telling our youngsters about this as it is their interest that farming will be fulfilling.

The importance of crops for wildlife, of beetle banks, of field margins, of hedges, of farm woodland, of ponds and bog, will all take on extra

Louise Rattrie SCSTG with eager youngsters

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significance in modern farming.

Neighbouring farmers working together may become more commonplace; this should enable scale and focus to deliver better results. Among the wildlife that can benefit, or that can trigger far wider benefits, are game. Farming for the success of game, species which in themselves can provide either an alternative income stream or a source of recreation, will bring benefits for a wider range of birds and animals – songbirds, small mammals, bees, insects and invertebrates.

Spreading this knowledge and spreading it an early age is

important. So, what is GWCT doing about it?

At the GWCT Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace our work with youngsters was expanded this year. Visitors to the Fair aged 8 to 21 were able to take part in the Junior Macnab challenge, a new event devised by the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group and GWCT involving virtually hunting rabbit, pigeon, and fishing for trout. The event, which attracted 200 entrants over three days, was designed to encourage youngsters to think about taking up shooting and fishing and being active and engaged with the

habitat and species protection countryside. It was sponsored by the Scottish Youth and Countryside Education Trust and supported by BASC Scotland and the Game Angling Instructors Association with prizes donated by Fly Fishing and Fly Tying and Decathlon Sports.

In The Covey, our new education area, there was hands-on science, storytelling, and arts and crafts all aimed at the next generation of budding young ecologists.

As well as a programme of activities and ‘have-a-go’ opportunities, there were exhibits featuring moths, hatching quail chicks and ferrets, microscopes to explore the farmland underworld, to encounter bugs and beasties, and a special display highlighting the habitat of the grey partridge. Artist Julian Jardine held ceramic workshops, there was also a scavenger hunt and the butterfly bog squad!

Redmyre

We also organise school visits to our PARTRIDGE demonstration sites at

Whitburgh and Balgonie. In Fife, children from Milton of Balgonie school planted

500 hedge plants two years ago to create new habitat for gamebirds and songbirds and

Angus Country Sports 256 High Street, Arbroath, Angus, DD11 1JE Tel: 01241 439988 Mob: 07958000669 Email: anguscountrysports@yahoo.co.uk

We stock Gamebore, Hull & Proper Cartridges, Hornady rifle ammunition with alternative brands available.

We supply most popular brands of fishing tackle & accessories, frozen bait, clothing, footwear, rods, shotguns, rifles, air weapons, ammunition, clays, home loading components, darts, gift vouchers & much more. We carry an extensive stock of pre-owned shotguns and rifles; new shotguns and rifles can be ordered, weapon storage and gun hire is also available.

We are Scottish agents for Patternmaster Chokes. We carry a varied stock of outdoor clothing, Daiwa, Hoggs, Deerstalker, Pinewood, Harkila, Grubbs, Jack Pyke, Meindl with others available.

Stockist of Rovince Tick Repellant Clothing.

Contact us for a price; if you have a quote we’ll do our best to match it, if we don’t carry it in stock we’ll try our best to source it for you.

Estate accounts catered for.

www.anguscountrysports.com anguscountrysports

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habitat and species protection have been visiting since then to see how the fruits of their labours are coming on. At Whitburgh Farms straddling the East Lothian/ Midlothian boundary visits have been organised for Tynewater Primary and Elphinstone Primary Schools to learn about the environment and to help teachers with their lessons in the classroom when it comes to explaining what goes on in the countryside round about.

We have held a children’s art competition for the last 14 years. Aimed at school pupils across the Perth and Kinross Region it runs in conjunction with Perth and Kinross Council’s Education and Children’s Services and RHET. Pupils are encouraged to create a piece of art depicting a game or wildlife species from anywhere in the UK relevant to the Trust’s conservation work, giving loads of choice in terms of subject matter.

Right at the top end of the young people spectrum, GWCT hosts a Young Shooters’ Day at our demonstration farm at

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Whitburgh

Auchnerran, Aberdeenshire for boys and girls aged 12 to 15.

The day covers shooting tuition and clay shooting; conservation skills and game management; and preparing game for the table – plucking, gutting, skinning and jointing! The course takes place on Wednesday 22 August,

with places still available for an all-inclusive cost of £50.

See www.gwct.org.uk/events/ calendar/ for more details.

The future prosperity of the countryside might rest now with our farmers, land, game and wildlife managers, foresters, politicians and others. But in a

much broader sense it rests with our youngsters who can learn from an early age to enjoy it, to want to work in it and with it, and to see it prosper. We all have responsibility to be a part of that process and the Trust is delighted to provide these opportunities and entry points.

news Gin firm recognises the gamekeepers’ role with new deal

Junior Macnab Challenge 2018 GWCT Scottish Game Fair

An award-winning Angus drinks firm has brokered an agreement marking their appreciation of the role the ‘guardians of the land’ play in shaping Scotland’s iconic countryside.

Kirriemuir-based company, Gin Bothy, has entered into partnership with Scottish Gamekeepers Association Charitable Trust for education and Angus Glens Moorland Group (AGMG).

The deal will see £1 from every bottle of its new Sloe Gin split between the groups to help highlight the benefits responsible gamekeeping bestows for conservation, cultural heritage and supporting rural communities.

Gin Bothy botanical gins, hand-crafted using seasonal Scottish ingredients, are already a staple on shoots with the firm’s signature gin, Gunshot, selling around 10 000 bottles a year.

The company also produces Speycast gin and Stirrup Cup as well as fruit gins and infusions.

Owner Kim Cameron grew up in a rural community herself and has fond memories of shoot-day beating in Glenisla as a child.

The company prides itself on producing ‘hip flask’ gins, perfect for the hill, river or the lunch bothy.

To celebrate the Year of Young People 2018, Scottish Youth & the Countryside Education Trust (SYCET) sponsored the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group (SCSTG) in association with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) to deliver the Junior Macnab Challenge at this year’s Scottish Game Fair. No one attending the fair could have missed the bright orange SYCET caps participants were wearing.

Over 200 youngsters between the ages of 8 and 21 took part in the challenge which included casting a ‘fly’ to catch a ‘trout’ under the guidance of coaches from the Game Angling Instructors

Association, followed by shooting of a ‘rabbit’ target overseen by the National Target Sports Association and clay ‘pigeon’ shooting with coaching and equipment supplied by BASC. All participants were also entered into a prize draw which saw winners receiving Decathlon vouchers, family passes to the 2019 Scottish Fair and subscription to Fly Fishing & Fly Tying magazine amongst other goodies.

Cara Richardson, Chair of SYCET said ‘’SYCET were thrilled to be involved in the first ever Junior Macnab Challenge. Many of the youngsters who participated had never held a fishing rod,

airgun or shotgun and it was great to see the smiles on their faces. This will be the first of many similar events which will help introduce children and young adults to country sports.’’

Mrs Fender, mother of Harry and Charlotte said ‘’Fabulous experience for young children and thank you very much for supporting it. All very friendly and encouraging.’’

Mrs Officer whose son Logan (11) completed the Junior Macnab Challenge said, “It is a great idea.’’

The Junior Macnab Challenge will be held again at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair in 2019.

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mind our business

Phabulous Pheasant Handmade Gifts & Accessories Based in Penicuik My love for the countryside gave me the inspiration to work with natural materials, I began saving pheasant feathers and started playing around with various designs. This was then start of the Phabulous Pheasant journey. In 2015 it began as a hobby and crafting was a fantastic way to relax, I found it very therapeutic. One of the very first items I made was a brooch using cock pheasant feathers. I snapped a pic on my phone, fired it onto facebook and it spiralled from there.

Friends and family started hounding me to make pins for them and later encouraged me to turn it into a business.

I am actually very lucky to live on Penicuik estate where my father is the gamekeeper.

Being heavily involved in organising shoot days for him it’s safe to say I get my pick of the birds. Nothing goes to waste, we pretty much incorporate game into all our meals over winter and share any excess meat with friends or family. I am then left with some really amazing feathers to work with.

As well as the feathers I also recycle used shotgun cartridges and rifle casing.

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To date my designs consists of brooches, fascinators, cufflinks, cards, bow ties and some home accessories including the popular feather wreaths. I don’t have any Art or Design degrees but did love drawing anything nature related as a kid and often sat for hours at the window sketching birds feeding in the garden. I am completely self

taught and the only courses I attended were Taxidermy and fascinator workshop, both helped me in different ways but the taxidermy was extremely interesting and one day I’d really love to revisit it.

I learnt that using social media was a powerful tool and a great way of connecting with the customers. I love interacting with new people,

they often give me ideas or inspire me to make new things.

With almost 5k followers it gives me lots of confidence and makes me feel its all been worthwhile.

As well as online, I started selling at local craft fairs but soon learnt that Agricultural shows and game fairs were my best audience. I knew for the business to grow a website was

mind our business

required, I managed to build my own using wix. People can look at my collections and give them a method of communicating or ordering from me. I love working on customised orders and where possible I tend to avoid bulk processing of items, this ensures that everyone is unique.

I was shocked to hear in 2016 the business made the finals in the Scottish Rural Awards and came high commended. This obviously had a really positive impact for the business.

I also enjoy teaching and working with people and after being approached by a local WRI I decide do launch my own workshops. So in 2016 I booked the local village hall and advertised a morning of crafting with feathers. I was blown away by the response and never imagined they would be so popular. I usually run groups of 6 and change the format depending on time of year, so at Christmas the focus is on feather wreaths where as summer we look at buttonholes, brooches and hair accessories.

They are fun, relaxing and a great way to meet new people.

The feedback I’ve had has been amazing!

The only gent that ever attended was a chap called Malcom and I soon found out he was also a fellow crafter but worked predominantly with antler and horn. This got me thing and we later had a chat. I asked if he could make cufflinks using antler, he said he would try and the rest if

history! Over the last year or so we have both generated new ideas and malcolms work has been well received. I now stock and sell a large collection which includes Sgian Dubhs, bottle openers and kilt pins.

I realised that adding to my collection increased my audience and I started to look at other local suppliers for country themed gifts. So as well as all my own handmade accessories I now sell mugs and candles .

I am now also working with a friend and hope to produce sets of country coasters, using my own shooting related images, so watch this space!

www.phabulouspheasant.com Contact Ali McManus 07899910689

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THE INTERVIEW up close & personal With clay shooter

Ranald Hutton When did you first start shotgun shooting?

I first started shotgun shooting about 15 years ago but only became a serious competitor earlier this year

there are differences within their Skeet layouts. I’ve noticed that it’s possible to learn the characteristics of a particular ground.

What shotgun, cartridges and chokes do you use?

I use Eley Olympic Blues, 28gr 8’s and 1/4 and 1/4 Teague chokes in my Perazzi MXS.

What do you enjoy when you are shooting and what disciplines?

I enjoy learning technique and enjoy seeing good target breaks. Shooting 25 straights followed by the customary “fist pump” congratulations by the other squad members gives encouragement! National Skeet is my only discipline for this year as you can “learn your trade” with these targets but occasionally shoot Sporting in practice.

What do you enjoy when you are shooting and what disciplines?

I have been a competing archer 52

Photograph by Linda Mellor

What made you take up shotgun shooting?

My interest in shooting began when I had the opportunity to shoot some simple targets at the Game Fair! I broke the first one and was “hooked!”

Ranald Hutton

at top International level and have experience which is helping me in clay shooting.

In competition, shooting a 25 straight was my first target and then build on that, shooting 2 of them within a round, the ultimate goal being a 100 straight! I relish the challenge of resolving a problem either of technique or psychological in nature if it develops during a competition.

I regularly work with my coach Bob Purvis (Editor: Shooting

Scotland’s previous Q&A clay shooter!), who can identity any flaws in my shooting.

How often do you shoot?

I shoot every Wednesday and at Weekends.

Do you have preferred shooting grounds?

My regular ground is Morton Clays but I enjoy shooting the other grounds. It is necessary to shoot at different grounds as

Who would you credit as helping you on your shooting journey?

Charlie Geddes, Ian Hutchison and especially Bob Purvis have all helped me on my shooting journey.

What do you have in mind for your shooting over the next year or two?

What do you have in mind for your shooting over the next year or two?

What good advice would you like to share?

For anyone aspiring to shoot competitively, I would advise good gun fit, a good coach and experiment with a cartridge/ choke combination which gives best results and maximum confidence!

ARTWORKS With

Jade Cruickshank Jade Cruickshank is a self taught Artist.

A keen lady gun herself, jade takes most of her inspiration from her surroundings when in the field.

Jade moved to a small hamlet nestled in the Aberdeenshire countryside four years ago, everyday there is something in view that provides a fresh perspective for the next piece.

Field sports plays a defining role in jade’s Art, before she prepares for a piece Jade researches the subject first to capture the true essence of the animal.

All of Jade Cruickshank Art illustrations are created using professional quality coloured pencils and using high quality paper ensuring the presentation is to the highest standard.

Whilst available for animal commissions there is a collection of originals and prints in various sizes to peruse.

For more information http://www.facebook.co.uk/ jadecruickshankart Jadecruickshankart@yahoo. co.uk for enquiries

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The Laxford Sea Trout Tracking Project “Solving a marine mystery - where do our sea trout go when at sea?”

By Adam Beynon-Jones, West Sutherland Fisheries Trust

The Project Using acoustic tracking, this project aims to answer the fundamental question about sea trout’s movements. Like the eel or the much vaunted salmon, there has long been a mystery about exactly where sea trout go whilst at sea. This iconic species loved by anglers all over the world has declined over the last 50 years. To help solve the mystery and hopefully to arrest or even reverse the decline we need to understand the behaviour of these wonderful fish at sea. This cutting edge project using the best available technology will be critical to understanding the behaviour

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and risk profile of this much loved species.

“We hope to influence management practices for the benefit of wild sea trout populations by gaining a more detailed understanding of their behaviour within the coastal environment”, said Adam Beynon-Jones, WSFT’s assistant biologist who instigated the project.

The Partners 4 organisations are teaming up for this project: - West Sutherland Fisheries Trust (WSFT), Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST), The Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, University of

Glasgow (SCENE), and Marine Scotland Science (MSS) - to track sea trout within Loch Laxford, a sea loch on the far north-west coast of Scotland, during the summer of 2018.

Dr Matthew Newton (AST/ SCENE) commented, “This is an incredibly exciting project to be part of and is testament to the WSFT team to be able to get a project of this scale off the ground. The Data, analysed by SCENE will provide WSFT with the results to implement new management and conservation strategies; something the AST is proud to support through their acoustic telemetry programme.”

The Sea Trout Sea trout are among Scotland’s most iconic angling species and their presence indicates clean and healthy aquatic ecosystems.

Sadly, they are under threat and are listed as a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species.

Some of the threats to sea trout survival include exploitation, predation, habitat degradation, pollution, and barriers to migration (preventing them from accessing spawning grounds). Additionally, natural sea lice populations can multiply within coastal salmon farms potentially leading to dangerous infestations on wild sea trout.

Loch Duart Ltd, (the local salmon farming company) has been instrumental in helping this project get off the ground through the provision of staff and boats.

They are fully committed to progressive aquaculture practices to ensure sustainable rearing of salmon.

Alban Denton, Managing Director, of Loch Duart Ltd said, “Loch Duart has helped fund and participated in the WSFT since its inception so obviously we are delighted to be assisting the WSFT with this project.”

The project has also attracted a massive amount of support from local businesses and estates, undoubtedly reflecting the fact that sea trout are of high importance to these remote rural economies through angling tourism.

West Sutherland Fisheries Trust wish to extend their thanks to all concerned,

Laxford Sea Trout Tracking Project

Game Fairs and Puppy Shows

By Jamie Stewart Director, Scottish Countryside Alliance

not least to their volunteers who ensure the ground work can happen.

Project detail The concept for this acoustic tracking project originally stemmed from estuary sweep netting surveys which provide

information on the status and health of sea trout populations.

These surveys have been ongoing since 1997, and are carried out by West Sutherland Fisheries Trust in liaison with local aquaculture companies, estates, and Marine Scotland

As long summer days, game fairs and puppy shows fill diaries, we could be forgiven for thinking all was well in our world. The truth is however a little starker. I cannot remember our being under such levels of parliamentary scrutiny as we are today.

With reviews on the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002, Grouse Moor Management, Upland and Lowland deer, Mountain Hares and Satellite tagged raptors as well as the ongoing debacle over the reintroduction of sporting rates, like most MSPs, we welcomed the summer recess. Not that our work stops, we are required to be ever vigilant.

While some MSPs use the parliamentary recess to carry out work in their constituencies or geographical region, others continue to campaign against many and varied practices within our sector. In the last few days of the session, Alison Johnstone MSP published her own AGM report outlining the work that she and fellow members of the Green party actively pursue inc the banning of foxhounds in pest control and banning the control of mountain hares.

The rhetoric drummed up by those supporting such campaigns that could see our lives and livelihoods changed, can often lead to debate on social media, and the inevitable online castigation and cyber bullying. A well-used tactic

of the antis. We believe that everyone should feel safe when using social media and appropriate protections should be in place to prevent attacks designed to intimidate and silence.

Over the last year we have alerted people to the online bullying that rural communities and supporters of country sports face on a daily basis. This campaign reached over 1.2 million people and called on social platforms to take the threats seriously and take action by standing up to those who incite hatred and violence.

While the government has a commitment to make the UK the “safest place in the world to be online�, it is clear that those who are passionate about the countryside are still experiencing online bullying for their beliefs and lawful activities.

We need your help to identify the true extent of online bullying of rural communities and ask that you help us by telling us about your experience by completing a short survey.

All responses will be treated in the strictest of confidences, but with your help we can understand how social media companies are responding to online abuse directed at those engaged in country sports and shine a light on the bullying and harassment that often goes unreported.

Log on to http://www. countryside-alliance.org to complete the survey.

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Laxford Sea Trout Tracking Project

Science. Routine visual implant tagging suggests sea trout do not stray far from their native river catchments. This means it is likely that habitats within sea lochs are of great importance to the marine phase of the sea trout lifecycle within this area of North West Scotland.

The project aims to discover how sea trout are behaving within Loch Laxford, if they are migrating to the open sea, coastal habitat types of importance, how they interact with aquaculture units, and if sea trout populations across the Scottish west coast are behaving in the same way. It is hoped this will lead to wider implementation of improved management strategies in order to improve conservation of sea trout populations.

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40 acoustic receivers have been strategically positioned throughout Loch Laxford in order to provide coverage of different habitat types, aquaculture facilities, and likely migratory routes. 99 sea trout have now been fitted with transmitter tags, meaning they will be detected by any receivers they swim near. The receivers will be recovered at the end of October 2018 and the data logged within them will be analysed.

West Sutherland Fisheries Trust are seeking support for the project through online donations, and are offering the chance to name and adopt your own sea trout for this study.

To find out more, visit www.wsft.co.uk

Favourite reads

John Macnab

by John Buchan (introduction by Andrew Greig) John Macnab is John Buchan’s second most famous novel ¬– close on the heels of The Thirty-Nine Steps – and of his thirty works of full-length fiction, this is the one that resonates loudest with readers who have a hunger for riskfilled adventure in the Scottish countryside. Full of mischief but also of understanding, it is a book to be cherished and reread ‘til the bindings break and the pages wear thin.

Written in the early 1920s by a son of the manse and a graduate of both Glasgow and Oxford universities, this book is a true celebration of adventure – and of friendship and experience shared. With un-common warmth, wit and intelligence, Buchan tells the tale of three well-placed men – a barrister, a high-ranking MP and a banker. Each has reached mid-life or just beyond what they anticipate that mid-point to be, and they are weary of life. Their jobs have become routine, humdrum even. They have each achieved a great deal in their respective careers but they no longer have a need to work. They have lost the drive to get up in the morning; work and holiday, both have lost their appeal. On examination of the first, a doctor draws a blank on physical ailment and as a friend, he suggests that his patient should walk away from life’s comforts for a while, challenging himself and rediscovering an appetite for the good life at the same time. In short he needs to

regain the fight and the hunger for life through a self-created challenge.

In a chance conversation, Sir Edward Leithen, John Palliser-Yeates and Lord Lamancha, discover that each is suffering from the same malaise. One mentions a daring challenge that a certain Jim Tarras had set in years past and in doing so a seed is sown. The aforementioned Jim Tarras had written to the owner of a deer forest, informing him that between certain dates he would kill one of his stags. He had also undertaken to deliver the dead beast to the owner – an opportunity for sport or poaching on a grand scale?

The three decide that they too could set a challenge. They come up with the collective name of John Macnab and set out to establish an HQ for their clandestine operations on a reluctant friend’s estate. Letters are sent to three local estate owners declaring in the politest terms that John Macnab will, between two given dates, kill a stag or a salmon and deliver it to the owner. The perpetrator will pay the owner £50 if he succeeds and £100 if he fails.

The owners of course set good patrols on their estates, watching out for strangers and preparing to repel any challengers.

And so the adventure begins.

The settings of the Highland estates become characters in their own right as Buchan – himself a diplomat, soldier, barrister, journalist, historian,

politican, publisher, poet and novelist – portrays the rumbling rivers, the deepest pools where

the best salmon might lie, and the hilltops and glens where the grandest stag might be found.

John Macnab by John Buchan (introduced by Andrew Grieg) is published by Polygon, £8.99 pbk.

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country woman

Linn-Anita Larsen

Photograph by Linda Mellor

By Linda Mellor

Country Woman Linn-Anita Larsen was born in Norway and moved to Scotland when she was seven years old. The Scottish countryside plays a valuable role her in family life and also her working life. Linn-Anita is an active mum with two boys, aged 3 and 6, and is customer service manager at Perth based Venator Pro Ltd, a company owned by her Father, Kenneth Larsen. Her countryside interests include family outings with picnics and going deer stalking with her father.

“I have lived in Perth since our move from Norway in 1995, I really enjoy Perth as it is a lovely city with plenty of culture and scenery. I get outdoors as often as possible and enjoy a busy life with my two boys and our mad dog Jess the spaniel.”

“The Scottish countryside is truly beautiful in all weather, as 58

a family we go for lovely walks around the county, and also enjoy cycling, picnics, camping and treks up the hills.” Linn-Anita’s favourite season is winter, “It has to be a real winter though, with lovely fluffy white snow, and so cold it makes your cheeks rosy and your nose drip. I love seeing snow fall and icicles hanging from the roof, something so magical about it. I think it must come from the Norwegian blood in me. I love layering up with hats, gloves, scarves and thick jackets. Building snowmen with my kids and having a snow ball fight in the garden.”

Linn-Anita started working as customer service manager at Venator Pro three years ago. Venator Pro are the UK stockist of the Hillman brand of outdoor clothing, they also offer guided deer stalking and have recently created a new range of

seasonings and rubs. “Working in the country sports sector is new to me but I do have the best teacher for the job, my dad! I do enjoy working alongside him.

Previously, I worked in male clothing retail for 11 years, and was able to transfer my retail experience and my dad taught me all about the uses of hunting clothing and accessories. I keep myself up-to-date which helps keep me in the game.”

Going deer stalking and shooting gives me a great insight into the world of shooting and deer management. I enjoy taking part in all the game fairs and meeting a lot of different people and hearing about their outdoor experiences. Game fairs always have a buzz about them and that makes them fun to work at.

“My partner, father in law and father are all passionate hunters, and with hunting in the

family this will be passed down to my children and hopefully will carry on for generations to come.

Keeping my boys interested in the outdoors means hopefully they will always have the urge to be out in the Scottish air and enjoy the benefits of a healthier lifestyle.”

“When I get a chance, I like to go out shooting with my partner or my father. Last year, I shot my first buck on an evening stalk with my father.

Before I went out on my live stalk, I spent a morning on the Venator deer stalking induction designed by my dad (of course!), followed by an afternoon at the rifle range. We were delighted with my rifle target shooting, and my dad was happy to take me out on a stalk.”

Within a few days of going target shooting, Linn-Anita accompanied her dad out on

country woman an evening roe buck stalk, on the Abercairny estate. “It was a lovely clear sunny night when we drove out to the estate. We parked up near the 90-acre field.

It was so peaceful, all you could hear were the sounds of the birds and the tree branches creaking in the light breeze. My father and I made our way through the thick overgrown vegetation until we came to the tree line to the high tower. We climbed up the very steep ladder and settled ourselves in. I could see in every direction very clearly. We sat for around 40 mins when some does appeared in the field straight ahead of me. We knew that a buck would not be far behind.

My adrenalin was starting to pulse at this point. I was sitting with the rifle perched on the ledge of the tower looking and listening when I heard a crunch and rustle from behind me in the trees and out came a buck about 50 yards from where I was sitting. I sat completely still

allowing him to come into the field a little more before I took my shot. He made his way over to the two does. He stood broad side, and my father gave me the signal to take the shot. I took the shot, and the buck fell to the ground. I caught my breath again from the excitement of shooting my first roe buck before I made my way back down the high tower. We located the buck and did a suspended gralloch from a nearby tree then I dragged the beast through the overgrown woods and back to the car. Everything was done with safety at the forefront.”

Linn-Anita hopes to further her training and development and complete the DSC1 and DSC2 in the not too distant future. “I will be going out stalking again soon and hope to shoot my first red deer. But it’s not all about the shooting because I also enjoy driving out to the ground and having a look around for deer and observe the other wildlife.

By Barbara Ingman, WPA Administrator

Winner of the Best Stand At the GWCT Scottish Game Fair July 2018

Permits available for local rivers 26 Allan Street, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, PH10 6AD Telephone 01250 873990 email: shop@kateflemings.co.uk

www.kateflemings.co.uk

The World Pheasant Association, now in its 43 year, is committed to the conservation of Galliformes and the habitats they depend upon. Galliformes are an order of heavy-formed groundfeeding birds that include pheasants, partridges, cracids, grouse and megapodes. WPA work around the world to conserve these birds both in captivity and in the wild to prevent their extinction.

WPA encourages new members and has a wide variety of forthcoming events which would be of interest to Cage & Aviary readers: 31 August-2 September, WPA Germany’s 40th Anniversary celebrations at Walsrode Bird Park. This is the largest bird park in the world and has breathtaking gardens. 8 September, WPA UK AGM & Convention at Chester Zoo. Guided tour of the Zoo and speakers including Dr Simon Dowell, Science Director at Chester Zoo & Co-Chair of the Galliformes Specialist

Group. 12-14 October, WPA Czech Republic hosts a meeting of the European Conservation Breeding Group in Brno and includes a visit to the International Exotic Birds Exhibition in Olomouc - 250 species of birds from around the world in one place. 3 November, Scottish Open Day at Fenton Barns, North Berwick hosted by our Chairman Keith ChalmersWatson. An opportunity to see one of the best collection of ornamental pheasants in the UK. 9 February, Conservation Breeding Group Annual meeting which will be held at Sudeley Castle & Gardens. Finally, 2019 sees our 7th International Symposium on Galliformes which will be held in Vietnam towards the end of September. Information on WPA and all the events can be found on our website: www.pheasant.org.uk or contact the Barbara Ingman, our administrator, office@pheasant. org.uk, 01434 345526.

Middle, Ninebanks, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 8DL 49 www.pheasant.org.uk

Training Gundogs

By Stuart Dunn Caledonian Retriever Club

GUNDOGS So you’ve spent time thinking about it, pondered about what type of breed it should be, will it need to hunt in the beating line, or will it need to retrieve in the picking up team, or will it be a bit of everything! Eventually the decision is made and with a bit of research and a good slice of luck, it arrives. Your much loved new gundog puppy is here, creating mayhem and havoc throughout the house. Now the hard part starts, how on earth do you train it!

Where do you start? Do you buy the DVD, or the book which always makes training look easier than it is, or do you make it up as you go, or find a kennel club approved trainer, or join a club which provide training classes as part of their existence. The choices are difficult, but sometimes the answers and solutions are even more so.

Dogs can be difficult to train at times and will take a lot of time, patience and consistent

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Gundogs hard work. My advice would be not to start to early with training, let the dog enjoy its early months before you start pressurising the pup with commands and instructions.

I see a lot of dogs that are only a few months into their lives and are bombarded with commands, whistles, shouts etc, most of which are not needed, and many of which are wrong anyway. Try to come up with a training plan for your new best friend, that creates a framework which the dog is allowed to work or play within and take the time to ensure that the basic training is installed within that framework. Almost everything the dog fails on later in it’s working life, can be attributed to poor basic training in early life.

Should you feel confident enough to proceed with training a dog yourself, then that’s fine but, even the best trainers and handlers can need help along the

way, so open up your own mind to people who offer constructive advice, and if you’re not so confident about training yourself and are new to the sport, it’s advisable to seek some help on how to go forward. Gundog club’s that offer training classes can be a great place to start, as they are usually full of like minded people, with dogs of the same age and ability, which will help you, and your dogs confidence.

Advice should be sought from trainers or handlers with a proven track history and solid background within our sport, unfortunately like a lot of other walks of life, some trainers appear to be off little practical help, and vastly over charge for the privilege. So choose carefully.

You should feel comfortable with your chosen training group, not feeling forced to over pressurise your dog or use harsh training techniques. It has to be

fun for you and your dog, and good trainers will help recognise the failings, and the positives with you and your dog, and help plan your training to achieve the best results.

Gundog ownership can be a 10-15 year commitment, investing the time and expense in the first 2-3 years of training will provide many memorable days

out in the field or competition circuit and remember good basic training can be the cornerstone to a magical relationship between you and your dog for years too come!

Good Luck!

For more advice or assistance visit – www. caledonianretrieverclub.org.uk

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The Falconer

This Scottish summer

By Stewart Robertson, Centre Director We have had an eventful few months at the bird of prey centre.

New arrivals, departures, and a major step forward in obtaining our flying arena.

I was contacted last year regarding a confiscated golden eagle which had been kept in a meat factory in Birmingham. She had been seized for being kept illegally as she had not been registered.

However, the RSPCA had visited three times and given the owner the all clear. She was kept in a shed on

a pile of pallets. This illustrates the level of knowledge within those organisations. I declined to take her as Orla, my golden eagle, would not have accepted another on site.

Then, I was approached again in March. After doing the selling job on me, I gave in. The prospective site had to be licensed, and have experience of golden eagles. I had to erect a fence between the two housings, to prevent them seeing each other. I picked her up at the end of April. “Scout” is two years

old, bred in the Czech Republic, imprinted, and a really big girl.

She has settled in well. Hopefully, she will be used on photography workshops and filming work, it all depends on whether her hunting instinct kicks in.

Our Steppe eagle shipped out in mid-July to the National Bird of Prey Centre at Helmsley. He has gone in with their female, and fingers crossed they will produce youngsters in the coming years. Steppe eagle numbers

have declined massively in recent years. They are now red-listed.

We hope the breeding project will at least provide a healthy captive population. It should also provide us with a chick to train next year.

I have tried for the last four years to obtain a lease for the land adjacent to the centre to provide us with an on-site flying ground and flying display area, In the last eighteen months in particular, the individual I have been dealing with at the National

SUBSCRIBE NOW Get your very own copy delivered to your door.

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The Falconer Park has been uncooperative at least, and obstructive at most.

Their stance, or his in particular, is to put the land on the market for open tender. The area of land has restrictions on development due to two oil pipelines passing through it. Almost impossible to rent out to anyone who has serious development plans. However, my plans are purely for landscaping and clearing, something the pipeline owners are delighted with.

After being frustrated for so long, and having read the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, I have exercised my right to access the land for commercial and education use. So, although disappointed the National Park hadn’t suggested I could do that, I am now in the process of initiating clearance of the site and implementing flight display training. I hope the displays will be up and running before the end of the season.

I suppose the term “Falconer” on this page is a misnomer.

Specifically, the art of falconry

Scout and Orla

is the hunting of native quarry in it’s natural state using a trained bird of prey. However, those that use “falcons” (traditionally female Peregrines), were classed

as falconers, although the term now applies to anyone who hunts using a “longwing” (falco species), and more widely, those that hunt using any species of

CONTACT DETAILS

Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre Loch Lomond Shores, Ben Lomond Way, Balloch www.lochlomondbirdofpreycentre.com Tel: 01389 729239

hawk. Those that hunt using a “hawk” (traditionally goshawks) were classed as “austringers”, a term seldom used in modern times. And to prove the tradition of hunting with hawks is part of our culture, the name of the “musket” firearm came from the term used for a male Sparrowhawk, a “Musket”.

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The Ghillie

It has been a long hot summer

By Bob White Ghillie on Catholes, Pitlochrie, Benchil and Luncarty on the River Tay

It is no surprise that all the rivers are down to their bones with the extraordinary summer that we have been enduring. Water temperatures are well up as well, and at times have been dangerous for salmon in shallower rivers and streams as if we did not have enough problems with lesser runs in recent times. Currently in late July the temperature has dropped back from soaring over 70F/21C every day to 67F/19.5 C due to cooler weather and a little rain to rescue the situation. Fortunately, being a guide on the Tay these problems have been minimised as the river boasts the largest flow of any river in the country. Other rivers simply dry up literally making life extremely difficult but there is always enough water in the Tay for salmon to run giving it an advantage over many others. That has been the case recently with a summer run of

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grilse and salmon developing, all be it in lesser numbers this year.

In these conditions what tactics should we employ to gain the best possible results or chances?

When water temperatures are above 48F/9C we use floating lines and probably a sink tip in a fast flowing river such as the Tay with conventional tied flies. The flow and temperature determine the size of fly and dare I say, “size is extremely important”! It is the difference between a successful hook up and a failure. The size thing is something you learn over time with experience so if you are unsure ask the ghillie. There have been many occasions when I have pulled fish and they haven’t taken properly or just plucked the fly, I have pulled the line in and immediately changed to the next fly down in size and cast to the same fish and then successfully hooked and landed it. The lower

the water the smaller the fly you use. On the Tay, because of its sheer size you tend to fish a much bigger fly than on most rivers.

In low water on the lower river you may get down to size 10’s but further up river and smaller streams you could be down to 14’s and lower.

Another summer tactic is at the opposite end of the scale and that is to strip a Sun Ray shadow across the pool. This can certainly provoke a sudden reaction when you think nothing is doing. It originates from Scandinavia and essentially means stripping a long winged fly over a pool very quickly to stir things up. If you don’t catch and then see fish jumping about it is then a good idea to go down the pool again with a conventional fly and often success follows.

Hitch flies are another option.

This is basically fishing a fly on the very top of the water and is a form of dry fly fishing. This can be extremely exciting as it is highly visible. This tactic is used a lot in foreign destinations but also works well in Scotland if you have the nerve to stray from the normal. The method is normally to use a plastic tube with a side entry in the tube wall to ensure the fly skates across the surface of the river to entice the salmon to rise and take it on the surface.

Hopefully I have inspired you to have a look at these methods and give them a try.

Summer low water can be an interesting time and offer many opportunities to experiment to surprise you. Tight lines.

cooking with game

Oven baked trout with dill hollandaise

By Wendy Barrie Dating from the 1850’s, the wee croft we decamp to in Smüland once had common grazing rights and although these are long gone, fishing rights in the adjacent lakes remain - I confess we haven’t caught anything ‌yet! We are also close to the MÜrrum River, Sweden’s most famous for salmon and trout (pictured).

If you wish to try your hand in Scotland there are Scottish Food Guide Members who will gladly arrange it for you including Killiecrankie Hotel, East Haugh Country House, The Torridon and Rothiemurchus northwards, and Cringletie, Burts Hotel, Craigadam, Knipoch Hotel and Knockinaam to the south. Good luck and happy cooking!

Ingredients: 2 x freshly caught trout or similar sized fish, whole but gutted Butter, Isle of Skye Sea Salt & freshly milled pepper For hollandaise‌.

125g melted butter 2 egg yolks Half a tsp of apple vinegar A good pinch of Isle of Skye Sea Salt A dash of cold water 1tbsp of chopped fresh dill The juice of half a lime Freshly milled white pepper Method: s 0RE HEAT OVEN # s ,AY A SHEET OF PARCHMENT ON A BAKING TRAY AND SMEAR WITH BUTTER ,AY ON gutted whole trout (also works for perch/similar sized fish). Season, butter and lay second sheet of parchment on top. Fold in the edges to create a roomy envelope for the fish. Bake for 25 minutes then remove from oven and allow to cool a little to enable handling. s -EANWHILE MAKE HOLLANDAISE USING A BALLOON WHISK TO FOAM YOLKS VINEGAR

salt and water in a metal bowl over a pan of hot water until thick and creamy.

Photos Š Wendy Barrie

s 2EMOVE FROM HEAT AND GRADUALLY DRIZZLE IN MELTED BUTTER WHISKING ALL THE time, until it is all absorbed in sauce. s !DD DILL LIME JUICE TASTE AND ADJUST SEASONING 5SE SAUCE IMMEDIATELY n DO not chill or reheat.

Serve whole and allow folk to help themselves. Delicious with new potatoes boiled in dill and a seasonal green salad.

One good sized fish can serve up to 2 persons, depending on appetites!

Scotland’s foodie, Wendy Barrie www.wendybarrie.co.uk is a highly respected campaigner for local sustainable food, popular cookery show presenter and food writer. Founder & Director of award-winning www.scottishfoodguide.scot & www. scottishcheesetrail.com . Wendy is Leader in Scotland for Slow Food Ark of Taste & Slow Food Chef Alliance Member.

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what’s new Purdey Trigger Plate

James Purdey and Sons is proud to introduce the new Purdey Trigger Plate. This new shotgun is made entirely in Purdey’s London workshop. Every part of this new gun is worked upon by Purdey’s gunmakers. It seamlessly combines the skills of the craftsmen with modern technology to create a beautiful, handmade London shotgun with classically elegant aesthetics and modern strength.

New Kawasaki MULE PRO-MX launched

More than just a gunsling!

The 3HGR slings were developed in Finland, in co-operation with experienced hunters, and now Viking Arms has brought them to the UK. Every detail has been carefully designed and tested. They challenge the traditional concept of the gun sling and the technology used to manufacture it. The mission was to provide premium slings for hunters, who dare to venture into the true wilderness.

Demanding conditions in the wilderness often require improvised shooting positions to get above the undergrowth. The 3HGR will enable you to use trees, poles, beams and other vertical objects for additional support. In rough terrain or challenging situations, you can use the 3HGR as a safety sling. Using it as a safety sling means that you gun will stay steady, and safe, on your back in all situations.

SRP from £36 For more information on Viking Arms products

New from Hull Cartridge, the High Pheasant Extreme

Delivering all the rugged, reliable and adaptable attributes that Kawasaki’s MULE utility vehicle brand is justifiably famous for, the new Kawasaki MULE PRO-MX range for 2019 relies not only on a torque laden 700cc CVT single-cylinder equipped engine but also benefits from the Shinari design philosophy.

Describing how the main frame of the MULE exhibits an elasticity that enables it to bend without breaking and return to its original shape, Shinari is similar to how a hunting bow or fishing pole behaves delivering, in the case of the MULE, pliant, responsive handling allied to a life-long work ethic.

Size-wise the PRO-MX offers a seductive balance between compact and full size UTV’s. Whilst the dimensions are conveniently small, the carrying and towing capacity is seriously impressive at 317kg and 680kg respectively.

This cartridge has a well-established pedigree for delivering drop dead performance, even on those real sky scraper birds. A 30gm has previously been designated to 65mm chamber High Pheasant and Imperial Game brands. Now by popular demand Hull are extending the ultimate performance.

Extreme range to include a 30gm 70mm for modern over and unders. With Hull’s signature smooth performance this latest addition is sure to be well received this Season.

12 Gauge 70mm 20mm nickel finish head black plastic case.

30gm xtrm 5, xtrm 6 spherical tolerance controlled hardened shot flies truer.

Biodegradable fibre over powder card and main driving wad. Retail price £348/1,000 (Just Cartridges)

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