Malc

Email from Countryside Alliance today: Game-to-Eat's supermarket spy Game-to-Eat's unprecedented game sampling campaign is taking place in over 260 Tesco, Sainsbury and Waitrose stores nationwide. Thousands of game-newcomers have already participated in the tastings and some stores have sold out as a result. Game-to-Eat is the leading and official campaign dedicated to encouraging more people to eat wild game. This campaign is giving more than 78,000 shoppers in over 260 supermarkets England the opportunity to sample stir fried pheasant breast served with a yoghurt and mint dip. The aim of the activity is to show shoppers who would not normally include game on the shopping list how easy game is to cook and how good it tastes. On its website, Game-to-Eat has a "Supermarket Spy" saying, "We have been out and about checking game supplies in the retailers and were quite pleased with the results although some could do better! If you have seen any other cuts of game in store do let us know and we will update the info". Read more here. Rural campaigns have long stopped preaching to the choir, and Game-to-Eat is a prime example of taking our message to the widest possible audience. This year Game-to-Eat is supporting the industry with a committed expenditure of £1/4 million. This is the biggest ever support from the campaign, launched eight years ago, dedicated to increasing the domestic market for British game meat. Already we have had a hugely successful response with some Tesco stores selling out of game as a direct result of our sampling activity! Sampling is just one area of activity to promote game throughout the season. We have a comprehensive programme dedicated to raising game's profile throughout the year. This year-round campaign means game is fast becoming an obvious choice for consumers when the season starts. Gemma Fraser, Game Buyer of Sainsburys, said: "We are seeing a steady increase of interest in game by our shoppers and the Game-to-Eat sampling is a great way to encourage our shoppers to try pheasant and raise the profile of British game."

I've just paid £120 per thou for Eley First 28g plas, £129 per thou for Kent Velocity 28g fibre + £147 per thou for Eley Realtree 30g plas.

Most people these days don't have a local butcher and even if there is one they don't support them, hence they close down. If you are going to reach the masses, then supermarkets and www are a very effective way.

Good prices... for darn sarf! A little bit cheaper up here though.

I visited Sainsburys today and saw what they had on offer. The pheasants looked in pristine condition. No pellet marks visible anywhere. There were no pigeons or partridges available. Plenty of farmed venison and guinea fowl though. I agree that it is an excellent idea to have game for sale in our supermarkets and I also think Sainsburys are very wise not to have birds for sale with visible pellet damage. (As long as they are shot birds & not farmed). Bulking out the display with uncommon farmed meats makes sense too. I would have liked to see a few recipe leaflets provided on the display to encourage shoppers and give them the motivation to try cooking something which may be unfamiliar to them.

Just as I thought. I've had no reports (from our 61 club members) of birds shot on OSR yet, but, we've had a few frosty nights lately and more stubble fields are getting ploughed in each day, so I'm expecting a few calls to OSR fields any time now.... I just wondered what was happening elsewhere in the country. Wheat stubble is the mainstay around here lately, but not for long I suspect.

My lad has a set top ariel on the tv in his room, it receives Freeview but not HD and it cost about £8 from Wilkinsons.

Anyone shot any this month that were feeding on OSR or had OSR foliage in their crops?

You are quite correct David. I have telephoned Swiftcover/Thornside and they stated that they only do "Pet Insurance" and only cover animals that are used as pets. No working dogs, including gundogs, of any description.

Do you think it's necessary, David? I would have thought that the Policy or even the Terms and Conditions would either exclude or not exclude. Swiftcover does not exclude. If an insurance company just decided to invent some exclusions on receiving a claim... then I'm sure small claims court would not side with them.

It's not really a new thing for Sainsburys to sell game. I always assumed that it was wild, shot game except the farmed venison. Does anyone know if their pheasants are shot or from some bizarre farm somewhere???

I have my bitch insured through Swiftcover. Very cheap premiums and I've just read the policy and it only seems to exclude security guard dogs and racing dogs.

I wonder what sort of prices they will be charging for game.

You could make two and save me a job! LOL

What about exercise on a hard surface like Tarmac? Does that not wear them down gently and evenly?

Your experience is very different to mine. I have a W&S 812 black synthetic, right handed and I'm quite impressed with it. It cycles any & every cartridge that I put into it, admittedly I have only used 28g, 30g and 32g. I have fired 150 shells straight through without a hitch, on several occasions. The build quality is fine. Mechanically it's fine. It has killed lots of woodpigeons and broken lots of clays. It cost me £359 brand new with lifetime warranty. I've never cleaned it either, but I know I will have to soon.LOL Is yours is the Wildfowler version??? I've been told that model has trouble with normal loads.

I watched the TV program and was not surprised either. I think it is down to simple greed and stupidity. If you are breeding for money then, surely you make less money if your pups get a reputation for ailments. That woman with the champion Cavalier Spaniel will make seriously less stud fee revenue now, after being exposed on TV. The Kennel Club register seems to serve a purpose; but I think entry onto a KC register should only be allowed for pups bred from healthy parents. Of course, there are lots of fiddles that could be used by breeders anyway. If you tell the KC that you have 10 Labrador puppies in a litter bred from 2 FT champions, in your kennels, then they will believe you (as long as you pay the registration fee). If those 10 puppies actually came out of 2 different bitches, in your kennels, or 2 different parents all together, who would know where they came from except you? The pedigree would show the Sire and Dam are FTCh and any unsuspecting buyers might pay more for those 10 pups than they would pay for dogs with a lesser pedigree. Total rip off, although this type of fraudulent breeding activity could actually have a positive effect on the breed by allowing fresh bloodlines in without loss of profit by the greedy breeder. Not that any dog breeder would ever do anything dodgy to make money.

Managed to get 10k of Eley Realtree Pigeon 30gram plas for £1470.

I've got some alloy wheels to fit a TD5 in my garage taking up space. Tyres are fitted with more than legal tread depth. Collection only. If you want them, make me an offer.

If anyone is interested, I have a similar set to fit a TD5. £150 no offers.

Yes, the first few orders were dealt with OK, and I thought they were good until they let me down and took an order for 13,000 cartridges, didn't deliver for 6 weeks, then tried to charge me much more than the quoted price. If I order from them again it will be a last resort.

I'm looking for around 10,000 12bore, 30gram, no6 shot, plastic or fibre wad. Best price I've seen is Rio Classic Game @ £1465, delivered from justcartridges, but they let me down badly in the past and never delivered my order, so......... Anyone help?

£1.45 in Wilkinsons if memory serves me.

I like tick collars too. They work fine and keep the coat in tip-top condition. I've got some Frontline in the cupboard though, I might use it if things get really bad with the ticks.