Shooting Times Article:

[NatureBoy]

Did many folk still read shooting times? It seems not. Did anyone read the article by David Whitby in May 18ths copy titled "We must win public hearts and minds"? Interesting article, but i am not sure why? And why now? Is there some kind of new collective money making group, agenda going on in shooting to prompt such an article?? Some of it proper having a go at certain areas, people and practices in shooting. Calling for limits, training and yet more regulation. Really!? It could of been written by and reads like a kind of piece you would find on WJ or Anti's site. Just when WJ and a lot of the mob have gone quiet to. I think the public don't feel strongly one way or anther. When given facts and info many are in support of. Would they have published an article with these views from our side 2 years ago? I think not! So why are people within sport wanting to cause division? Now! They were expecting backlash but the only reference in lasts weeks copy were two letters they printed in support of, and one of those a regular contributor. . . . It can't be because the editor, contributor's have new books to flog. Can it? 😉

Is this the way to build bridges?   NB

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, I don't buy the mag so a link would help 👍

[PeterHenry]

I agree with the title, but as I haven't read the article, my insight must end there

[harkom]

22 hours ago, NatureBoy said:

Some of it proper having a go at certain areas, people and practices in shooting. Calling for limits, training and yet more regulation.

I have not read ST in a number of years for obvious reasons, however as Nature Boy points out above - this is pretty much along the lines of BSAC's attempt to impose restrictions on certain parts of the shooting "industry" ( ie commercial).

[ehb102]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oi6N9oq3qgNUofZF6

The site has a very small size limit for attachments so I have linked out to photographs of the article. Let me know if any problems. It's ordered them incorrectly I'm afraid. 

The article has a point, but most shooters don't want to pay the price of change. They would rather the shooting world shrinks slowly but their bit of it stays the same. They don't want to change what they do or how they interact with people who aren't exactly like them. 

"Winning hearts and minds" is an emotive and annoying phrase. We need education and visibility, which we can't have with the Police's demands to pretend shooting doesn't exist. 

 

[Fellside]

This isn’t the first time the Shooting Times have misjudged the Zeitgeist. They are constantly scoring own goals with this type of ‘attention grabber’. I stopped buying their comic a long time ago. Shame, it used to be a good read. 

[Penelope]

On 31/05/2022 at 11:56, Fellside said:

This isn’t the first time the Shooting Times have misjudged the Zeitgeist. They are constantly scoring own goals with this type of ‘attention grabber’. I stopped buying their comic a long time ago. Shame, it used to be a good read. 

Yes, but Willock, Humphreys, BB et al, have all passed on.

[Fellside]

51 minutes ago, Penelope said:

Yes, but Willock, Humphreys, BB et al, have all passed on.

Yes I used to enjoy BBs contributions particularly.

[Westley]

2 hours ago, Penelope said:

Yes, but Willock, Humphreys, BB et al, have all passed on.

And been replaced with...............??

[enfieldspares]

On 31/05/2022 at 11:56, Fellside said:

This isn’t the first time the Shooting Times have misjudged the Zeitgeist. They are constantly scoring own goals with this type of ‘attention grabber’. I stopped buying their comic a long time ago. Shame, it used to be a good read. 

It ought to come with a single perforated hole in the top left corner. As it's little all else purpose I fear. Lost its way long ago.

[Fellside]

15 minutes ago, enfieldspares said:

It ought to come with a single perforated hole in the top left corner. As it's little all else purpose I fear. Lost its way long ago.

😄 👍

[wymberley]

On 31/05/2022 at 11:22, ehb102 said:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oi6N9oq3qgNUofZF6

The site has a very small size limit for attachments so I have linked out to photographs of the article. Let me know if any problems. It's ordered them incorrectly I'm afraid. 

The article has a point, but most shooters don't want to pay the price of change. They would rather the shooting world shrinks slowly but their bit of it stays the same. They don't want to change what they do or how they interact with people who aren't exactly like them. 

"Winning hearts and minds" is an emotive and annoying phrase. We need education and visibility, which we can't have with the Police's demands to pretend shooting doesn't exist. 

 

Many thanks for the link.

If the ST has a point - which it does, several, then you most certainly do also

[wisdom]

On 09/06/2022 at 13:03, Penelope said:

Yes, but Willock, Humphreys, BB et al, have all passed on.

They were certainly the best writers.I stopped getting it shortly after John Humphreys died.Loved his articles on roaring Emma.Sorry not highjacking the thread.Just commenting on Penelopes contribution.

[enfieldspares]

I read this dismal piece of diatribe. It can be summed up in these words, "Nobody should be allowed to do anything that I myself don't do and the only under the strictest of regulation." The usual "guff" about being time served, compulsory certificates of having undergone training (see there's always an angle for someone to appoint themselves as self promoted coterie to make money out of this aka DSC 1 and DSC 2) and the banning of lead shot. What do they say? Oh yes, "With so called friends like this who needs enemies." Still a bit of a snip here and a snip there, a hole in the top corner and a piece of string and it'll save me buying a fresh roll of toilet paper for the outside lavatory this week. 

Edited June 11, 2022 by enfieldspares

[NatureBoy]

Well summed up! I still don't get why they write proposing such stuff for more regulation. Now! I think many do realise change is coming. The challenges affecting a lot of shoots this year will probably change shooting and a lot of how things are done going forward. That will have a knock on effect on farmland birds, wildlife and conservation to. Including pigeon shooting and pest control. Bird flu will still be a big driver of that! Because sadly it is still with us in June. Not good! Lot of dead and dying seabirds being found in Suffolk and Norfolk Including breeding terns and gulls on the Minsmere reserve scrape. Reports of a lot of deaths from other sea bird breeding sites all around the country. Cases of scavenging predators getting it to. Packham trying to blame and say it came from the poultry industry. I have always stood up for shooting, angling, conservation and tried to educate others. Even when been told i shouldn't. We all can and should! Change comes from knowledge and education. It's a way of life that is ours to loose! Last thing we need is pressure/division from within! Possibly for others commercial agender? As the old school are giving up(some because of more regs) or dying are they being replaced by new/younger shooters?

Anyone read another article in last weeks ST, 8th June " Lets put aside our differences"?

R.S.P.B Turtle Dove experts/advisors for Essex &Suffolk? Really? Two fieldworkers only 2hr site visit boxes ticked. Is that it? No wonder so much goes unrecorded.

As some will know i have a big passion for turtle doves and the conserving of. Along with grey partridge's. Doing OK to. So following The Flea Barn Project is one of the reasons i still get ST. Also interested as this project is very local to me and what i do and where i carry out pest control. I am just not sure what's to be gained by by having an org/experts involved that is/are hypocritically opposed to shooting and pest control. So why give them a platform in a shooting mag? If shooting and pest control is not recorded or mentioned in anything they publish surly it's just yet more flawed science? Data to make them look good and get funding, But it's off the back of shoot conservation. A lot of us spend many hours doing for free what they get paid for. Is that recorded? I think not. I have asked many times to! Just get blanked/ignored. Why? Because we are not Farmers, landowners, managers, keepers or contractors that can help them get access and funding. Blind ignorance of our knowledge, local knowledge and skills. When the successes and evidence that it works and what they want the data from is there in front of them. Can prove this to. As they are on/advising/getting funding another farm near by. Their signage everywhere. Covers are actually laid out and it looks like a shoot. But in the wrong places, near foot paths, to exposed and there's nothing in them come January. Limited habitat management and control of human disturbance. No pest control! In their 4th year but only have a 10th of the bird numbers on twice the acreage with same type of farm cropping and some of this is spill over from our ground and others. Only 2 visits/counts a year. Not prepared to show data or share info. Boxes ticked, more funding got. That's not conservation! Nor is blind bidding to get funding for turtle dove conservation from them. Regardless of what we do for wildlife and conservation and proving targeted pest control works. We don't want nothing from them. But they want rid of us!  NB

 

 

[Old Boggy]

On 11/06/2022 at 18:42, wisdom said:

They were certainly the best writers.I stopped getting it shortly after John Humphreys died.Loved his articles on roaring Emma.Sorry not highjacking the thread.Just commenting on Penelopes contribution.

I had the absolute privilege of handling and firing Roaring Emma, not with 8 bore cartridges, but John had some 8 to 12 adaptors made so that it could be used on occasions at the clays at Sam Grice’s ground in Cambridgeshire. 
 

It was sold I believe to a wildfowling club just prior to John’s death.

OB

[Pushandpull]

The gun is in the care of the Hull and East Riding WA. It was possible to go for a guided flight and take Roaring Emma along, and this may still be the case.

[Old Boggy]

1 hour ago, Pushandpull said:

The gun is in the care of the Hull and East Riding WA. It was possible to go for a guided flight and take Roaring Emma along, and this may still be the case.

It`s great that the gun went to a good home and can still be used for its intended purpose. I recall that it had a hole cut into the stock for use as a punt gun.

OB

[Pushandpull]

It does indeed, as have a number of these big guns including the late Douglas McDougall's Tolley. I do wonder if they were used much like this though as the barrels are a bit short for punt use. I have seen one "super-magnum" eight with very long (5 foot ?) barrels and a double discharge trigger for punt use. The owner had had a standard pair of barrels made for normal shooting.