I have been thinking of upgrading my binos. Why? Because I can, is the truthful answer. Not that I want to admit that to myself or anybody else, of course.…
Alasdair Mitchell
Why funding the GWCT is vital
Scientists are riding to the rescue of humankind. The UK’s scientific community is playing a globally recognised role in developing vaccines to combat the pandemic. Public and private money is…
Why you should never let snow get into your barrels
Dangers of obstructing gun barrels In the countryside, normal life goes on in wintry weather. And that includes shooting, which usually thrives in snowy conditions. A bit of old-fashioned hard…
How does the public perceive our sport?
Public perception of fieldsports At the age of 11, Robin Marshall-Ball was walking through a Welsh village with his Midland 20-bore under his arm when a police car drew up…
How will the new BBC guidelines on impartiality affect Chris Packham and Wild Justice?
Things are changing at the BBC. The new director-general, Tim Davie, recently issued strict guidelines about how ‘colleagues’ should avoid using social media in a manner that undermines the corporation’s…
Nothing tastes better than simple food eaten outdoors on a shoot day
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a person engaged in fieldsports must be in want of good sustenance. And it always seems to taste so much better when it…
Why doesn’t everyone pick up their plastic cartridge cases?
What do you do with your empty plastic cartridge cases? Plastic wads are already verboten on many game shoots. But plastic cartridge cases are another matter. They are still very…
Should shooting organisations merge?
We are always complaining about shooting organisations. Shooters bemoan a lack of effective representation, saying our various bodies seem to settle for managing the decline of our sport. Over a…
“How many of us would have heard of Chris Packham if he wasn’t on the BBC?”
The BBC’s new director-general, Tim Davie, has rattled the corporation’s cage. But will his stated priority of restoring BBC impartiality be achieved? In 2016 the corporation spent £139,260 on subscriptions…
When are bears more likely to attack hunters?
Fatal bear attacks are mercifully a rare occurrence, even in the US, but high-profile deaths in recent years underline the dangers for hunters. Sometimes, imagination is all you need. It…
Why ALL shooters should be members of a fieldsports organisation
If you shoot but are not a member of any fieldsports organisations, does that make you a freeloader? It’s a contentious question. In January 2017, I wrote: “To me, enjoying…
“People have sallied forth into whatever piece of the countryside they can access”
You’ve seen a poo tree, haven’t you? The poo tree is an increasingly common invasive species, typically found in the vicinity of car parks near public green spaces. The chief…
Why biodegradable shot cups are the way ahead for shooting
As we move inexorably towards a brave new world of shooting without lead or single-use plastic, I wonder how we will look back. I shall keep my powder dry on…
Interested in country pursuits? Now you’re working from home perhaps it’s time to get started
Shooting may be a country sport, but most shooters don’t live in the countryside. Depending on your definition, about 83 per cent of the UK population lives in built-up areas.…
Are copper bullets the way forward?
Using copper bullets for stalking? But isn’t copper toxic?” asked a friend. He is a staunch defender of lead ammunition. In a discussion about centrefire rifle ammunition, I suggested he…
Will our new government support shooting or bend with the breeze of public opinion?
At the start of 2020, let me make an observation about the way the main political parties have treated the shooting community. In the run up to the election, it…
Should gamekeepers be tipped … or be paid properly in the first place?
Once, after a rather informal and very enjoyable day’s shooting, I attempted to give the gamekeeper a tip, but botched the handover. My fingers were numb and, as a consequence,…
Why is the BBC forcing shooters to pay for the likes of Chris Packham?
The BBC is under fire for its plans to strip people aged 75 or older of their free TV licences from next year. The corporation claims it can no longer…
Why I’m finally giving steel ammunition a proper test this season
Biodegradable shotcups suitable for steel ammunition have been available for a while. Gamebore has some 76mm wildfowling loads with its Silver Steel Bio-Wad fibre shotcup, while Eley Hawk has recently…
What happens when a gamekeeper loses his job?
I would hazard a guess that many a captain of industry who also runs a shoot listens as carefully to his gamekeeper as he does to his finance director. Not…