Survey shows increases in costs are leading to losses for majority of let shoots, but bookings are up this season
Lucy King
Licence numbers up despite increase in refusals
The number of people issued with a Shot Gun Certificate or Fire Arms Certificate is up, despite refusals at the highest levels for some time
Gamekeeper convicted of poisoning 10 buzzards and a sparrowhawk
A retired gamekeeper has been convicted of poisoning 10 buzzards and a sparrowhawk, unlawful possession of nine dead buzzards and illegal storage of banned pesticides
Licence fees to rise under Labour
Shooters would have to pay “cost” price for their shotgun and firearms certificates if a Labour government is elected next year, according to shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper. The shooting…
Rare Purdey shotguns stolen from farmhouse
A pair of rare Purdey hammerguns worth £10,000 were stolen from a farmhouse on the border between Shropshire and Worcestershire
Gamekeepers and police join forces to fight poachers
Gamekeepers joined wildlife crime officers from around the country to pool their experience and expertise at the UK’s first national anti-poaching conference on 11 September at JCB’s world headquarters in…
Tesco scraps plans to shoot a wagtail
Natural England has granted the supermarket giant Tesco a special licence to kill a single wagtail trapped in one of its stores in Great Yarmouth — but, following an outcry,…
Golden eagle report welcomed
Scotland could support up to 16 breeding pairs of golden eagles but habitat loss and climate change have caused populations to decline
Marks & Spencer grouse sales on hold
Marks & Spencer has announced that it will not be stocking red grouse this season. The retailer told The Times that it will resume stocking the bird once it has…
UK hopes for Commonwealth Games shooting glory
It’s traditional for sporting interests to shift to Scotland in the summer. Think of an image of fine-weather fieldsports in Britain and chances are it’ll be something Scottish – red…
BBC condemned for urban bias
The BBC is letting down many of its 12million rural viewers and relies too heavily on a small number of charities and NGOs for countryside stories, a BBC Trust review…
CAP reforms could mean more peas for pigeon
Reforms to farm funding announced by environment secretary Owen Paterson could mean a boost for pollinators and pigeon shooters, but have been greeted with dismay by a number of wildlife…
Ladies-only shooting: Girls with guns want more than fun
The outlook for women in the shooting world is looking reasonably rosy these days. It’s not merely a matter of there being more patronisingly pink skeet vests, fuschia-trimmed tweeds and…
Scottish airgun bill under fire
A bill for the licensing of airguns in Scotland has met with fierce criticism from shooting and countryside organisations and its effectiveness and enforceability questioned by the Law Society of…
A tick-ing time bomb
Turnstone writes: Two days ago I set about skinning and dressing a roebuck, a two-year-old, shot the previous evening. I have a suitable beam in a general tool-shed from which I…
Royal backing for red squirrel strategy
A new plan promoting action to protect red squirrels has received the personal approval of Prince Charles, his office has confirmed. The Accord on Squirrels in the United Kingdom sets…
BASC: licence fee increases will be fair
Director of communications Christopher Graffius, who sits on the working group looking into licensing costs, told Shooting Times that BASC was working to ensure that the shooting community was not…
Police raid farms as raptor death toll rises
Police Scotland has carried out searches on the Black Isle, where the number of dead birds of prey found had increased to 19 as Shooting Times went to press. Police…
HS2 rail line risks conservation catastrophe, says study
Cross-party committee warns that 40% of the land earmarked for the high-speed rail line hasn't been surveyed for environmental impact
Government admits grey squirrels are here to stay
The eradication of grey squirrels is "no longer considered feasible" by the Government