FAC, Shotgun Certificate, Doctors and Depression

Having read with interest over the last few weeks in the shooting press about the Police Firearms Department possibly being given full access to our medical records, i do wonder what all the fuss is about????

My shotgun certificate renewal has recently arrived, so as not to hold things up, i dually completed the form, approached my chosen countersignatory and asked if he would kindly endorse my application, which he obliged, at No cost i might add. However that was as far as i could go, as there was one major stumbling block...............i do not have a doctor!!!!

Anyway, i rang the firearms department and asked what the implications are with me not having a doctor? i was very politely informed that they could not necessarily refuse my application for not having one, however in the light of previous sad events during 2010 and what is likely to happen it would be in my interest to register...which i dually have...Now fingers crossed i get my new licence..

Which brings me onto the subject of "Depression & Gun Licences" i have the opinion that Doctors and Accountants are much the same breed...they know a lot about everything but nothing specific, which i do not feel is good for anyone. Doctors are to quick to give out pills and send you on your way, they have no time to get to know you as a patient and therefore can not give you best advice.

If you are feeling somewhat fed up, depressed, on the edge call it what you may the last place i would go, or even recommend anyone going would be there doctor.....firstly talk to your wife, family, friends and then go and see a councillor, they are professional people and are extremely good at what they do and to top it all off this will not be shown on your Doctors records and the Police will be none the wiser and you will have had proper help and guidance. I can't see how the police will ever find out unless a law is passed in Parliament to say that councillors legally have to inform the police that they are treating a gun licence holder!!! but the how will they know if we don't tell them, as i am sure it is not the shooting that makes us feel depressed it is other factors and shooting possibly helps anyway.

I know several councillors who work in differing fields and when i have mentioned about doctors, police and depression they are totally gobsmacked!!!

So if everyone can please stop moaning about this possible invasion of privacy and just do as we are required and if you need help go to the professionals and let them sort you out everyone will be happy.

Look forward to your comments

Phil
Field and Moor

Windy days in the Hide

Going shooting is always fun, however sometimes when the wind is blowing and the birds are flying well the one thing that gets very annoying is when your hide starts to fall in on you because of the wind.

The trouble with shooting in the winter is getting the hide fixed down well, the ground is wet so your hide poles will move with the weight of the nest and the wind blowing in. So what is the solutioin??

Here at Field and Moor we have made "Hide Guyropes" made from wooden 9" pegs, 1.5mtr green para cord and a aluminium guyline runner for better adjustments. They come in packs of 2 and will give the extra stability to your hide on a windy day.

2 x Hide Guyropes

 Hide Guyropes





Just another usefull addition to your pigeon / duck / geese hide kit.

Buy online here

Just a little extra something that you will find usefull on your outings.

Many thanks

Phil
Field and Moor

Warming up for your shoot day.

Having recently been one of the many who suffer from a bad back and have regular visits to the osteopaths, i have noticed how none or very few people you see warm up before going out to shoot. You can very often see our golfing counterparts with a club across there shoulders doing some gentle exercises prior to the tee off, so why is it the shooters don't seem to bother???

As mentioned i am a sufferer of back pain in my lower back which when "Locks out" results in days in agony, laid up and visits to the Osteopaths to get fixed. Let's look at a typical shoot day and hopefully you will see why it is a good idea to prepare properly like many other sportsmen and women.

The day usually starts early in the morning, we get up get ready in a warm house then outside in the cold into our vehicle where the heater is put on to get us warm and relaxed for the drive to the shoot. At arrival we will possibly go into a warm house or shooting lodge for breakfast. Then off outside again into the cold to get ready before departing in a shoot vehicle or walk to the first drive for a fun day of shooting......

As you will note we will be going from warm to cold environments 2 or 3 times which will have an effect on the muscles particularly the back especially when we start shooting. Shooting driven birds are usually taken in at height with you bent over backwards and with the recoil of the gun forcing downwards putting even greater forces on our shoulders and back, even worse it is concentrated on one side of the body.

So how can we all minimise these effects??
Well firstly start with some gentle stretching of the back and legs when you first get up and again when you arrive at the shoot, especially if you have had a long drive, no matter how comfortable you consider your vehicle. After breakfast, when you are getting your gun ready do the same again. By now your back will be in a far better way to absorb the rough road to the first drive and be more flexible when you start to shoot.

Is it worth it?
Yes definitely, you will be able to move around better and enjoy your shooting so much more, who knows you may just be able to get a few more left & rights due to being more relaxed, flexible and comfortable. Also these days are not cheap so make the most of them and enjoy them more.

In addition to making your day better one of the other areas which can cause great fatigue is having to stand holding your gun all day, so why not invest in our New Shooting product Stock Aid, this will take the full weight if the gun in a upright position, so being safe, and in the correct position to bring the gun into your shoulder to shoot thus making your last shot of the day as fresh as your first.

Stock Aid is made from high quality leather here in the UK and will give you many years of service. See our website www.fieldandmoor.co.uk for more information and the review form Shooting Times.

Thank you for reading this and feel free to leave your comments.

Phil
Field and Moor

FUD Pigeon Decoys

Now with a break in the weather and most farmers getting the cutting done, this should be a good time to get out and onto the Pigeons.

Pigeon decoy shooting is propably the best form of shooting there is, Why? because it is generally free and the birds can be very testing, differing angles and speed and of course the dark art of getting the decoy's just right to coax the brids in.

So what can give us the edge, well there are several products on the market to help us, flock decoy's, whirley's, motion decoy's etc, but one all new decoy to hit the market is the FUD Folding Decoy and again here at Field and Moor we have the opportunity to test them out from a totally independant point of view.

So Thursday afternoon i arrange to meet up with Tony a good friend of mine and someone who has been shooting Pigeons for nearly 40 years and believe me what he doesn't know about decoy shooting isn't worth writing about.
I told him that we needed to try these New FUD Decoy's to see what happens which he was looking forward to trying. With a break in the weather we set off to a recently cut field of wheat as Tony had seen many birds flighting in over the past few days. He set up the hide and i placed the decoy pattern using just the FUD's to see how we got on.

Within in minutes the birds started to flight in, some straight in to the pattern and others came close enough to shoot, result. After 20 mins we went out at picked up the shot birds and added them to the pattern. We noticed some birds landing some 300yds away down the field so we put up the whirley which made all the difference and pulled the birds in from that distance away, wow what a sight.

FUD Pigeon Decoys




After about 4 hours we packed up with over 50 birds in the bag.

Phil with some of the birds shot, including 2 FUD's











So, the question is, Do FUD Decoys work???
Oh YES Without a doubt!!

If you have a view or comment please add below, all comments are welcome and good for discussion.

Look forward to hearing from you

Phil
Field and Moor

Accucover in your sight

Here at Field and Moor we often come across new shooting products, some good some bad and some excellent. Ever since we launched Stock Aid we have been shown some of these unique ideas from people all over the country and like many new things only a hand full are successful and i can assure you Accucover is one of them that deserves to succeed.

I met the man behind Accucover approx 2 years ago and have to say i thought this product, even back then, was a superb idea. We kept in touch and only this week (August 2010) i got the phone call from Nic to say that all had gone live and he had released Accucover to the masses which was excellent news. Two days later a parcel arrived in the post and as promised where 2 Accucover's for me to test and to put on our online store for sale. Thank you Nic.

So what do we think?
Well firstly, with more haste than is good for you i tried to fit the wrong size onto my rifle scope and thought RTFM........(Read The Flipping Manual) Phil and dually fitted the correct one. this task took only seconds and once lined up correctly I put the gun into my shoulder and immediately noticed a difference in aligning the gun correctly to give me a more straight viewing through the scope and thought......This really works, not that i was doubting it in any way.

Viewing through the scope you really do notice the high visibility arrows but not in a way that puts you off on the task in hand and only enhances the operation.

This product is unique and really works, it is like our Stock Aid you don't realise you need it until you do the "Touch, Feel, Smell" Bit then you wondered how you managed with out it. Whether your a master or a novice this Accucover could make your shooting better, quicker and more enjoyable due to hitting more targets and spending less on ammunition.

To buy yours now click here and go straight to our online shop.

Hope you find this use full and what better way to have confidence in a product than from someone independent.

Well done Nic for bringing this to market.

Phil
Field and Moor

DSC Licence, Why Bother?

The other week i came across some pictures of 2 Deer that had recently been shot being butchered, well that's quite normal and do not have a problem with it, what was a complete shock was the where it was being done. Believe it or not the carcase was hanging on a makeshift hanger, that's fine, but it was in the middle of someones garage / store room!! and not a sight of Hygiene practice to be seen.

There are 2 dogs walking about, the guy doing the carcase was not wearing gloves or apron and god knows where he was putting his knife???

Well why not everyone has a cold store, which is fine if the meat is for you own consumption then it up to you and your own fault if you catch any virul infection but when, in this case, it was going for sale and into the human food chain i think this is disgusting and should be banned from today.

When you take your DSC (Deer Stalking Certificate) a large part of the course is, believe it or not, "HYGIENE" so i ask you what does the DSC Actually mean??

Well i wrote to the governing body and asked them if this sort of practice is ok and if the licence should be revoked as this is clearly a danger to human health.


This is their reply:

"While we are wholly sympathetic to the views you express, DMQ is a qualification awarding body not a licensing authority; DMQ cannot withdraw its qualifications any more than a school examining body can take away your GCSE because you subsequently forget nearly every word of French you ever knew. Furthermore, it is not a legal requirement that stalkers hold a DSC; the practical benefit of gaining the qualification takes the form of improved stalking standards and the ability to demonstrate to landowners that the stalker has met those standards.


Naturally DMQ would hope that all those who take the trouble to gain a DSC go on to consistently meet the standards set in terms both of their stalking and carcass handling techniques but, in the manner that the DVLA hopes that all qualified drivers will stick to the speed limit, we have to recognise that this will not always be the case.

With regard to the game meat hygiene element of the qualification, as you will be aware, they do contain exemptions for small operations and while it is to be hoped that best practice will be observed by everyone, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the photographs depict an operation that is able to rely on the exemptions. However, if the business is bound by the regulations, exactly in the manner of driving, responsibility for law enforcement does not fall to the qualification awarding body, necessarily it lies elsewhere; in the case of drivers, with the Police; in the case of game meat hygiene, with the various authorities responsible for food businesses.

Fortunately, anecdotal evidence indicates that game meat has a good record in terms of public health so while the operator photographed is clearly not following any of the guidelines, within the commercial sector he is very probably in the minority."

Yours sincerely,

Philippa Bursey
Company Secretary
Deer Management Qualifications

What a fantastic get out!!! in the case of someone breaking the law in a car you report them to the Police, in this case Who do we report them too?? they won't tell me. A case of here is you licence thanks for your money, no go do what you like!!!
 
So if a DSC is NOT a legal requirement why do the Police INSIST that those who wish to shoot deer HAVE to hold a DSC, how can in one hand be a legal requirement and in the other it is not????
 
If it is then the who is responsible for controlling it?? if it is not then would someone please tell every police force to stop insisting on it.
 
Look forward to your comments.
 
Here are the pics
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I look forward to your views and comments
 
Phil

Country Clothing for Children

With winter not far away you can never start looking for warm clothing soon enough, whether it be for walks in the country, shooting, beating of walking your dog, but what about the children and getting them all kitted out for the coming months??

Field and Moor have always supplied quality clothing for gents and then branched out to include the ladies with a superb quality range from Deerhunter and Hoggs of Fife, well we now offer a the same clothing as Mum & Dad for the children specially made from one of the leading country clothing manufactuers Deerhunter.

Whether you want just a jacket, trousers or a complete suit we can supply you, quality made, tough wearing and, Mum it's even Machine Washable.

Why, i think your wondering, do we need to buy these, cant we just send them out in a coat and jeans??............NOooooooooo!! jeans are the worst item of clothing for cold weather due to there "Open cell" material, ie big holes in the fabric, that lets water and cold air in making the wearer even colder, the best thing is a "Closed Cell" material which is used in the manufaturing of Deerhunter clothing, hence there quality and durability ideal for children.

Little Wolf Jacket

Little Wolf Trousers





The above is a complete suit from Deerhunter in Green, 100% ployester Micro Fibre with Deer-Tex Membrane and Machine Washable.

 Monaghan Jacket



 

Monaghan Trousers







Another superb Jacket and trousers from Deerhunter, sold as seperates finished in 100% Ployester Suede with Deer-Tex Membrane, Machine Washable

Little Oscar Jacket

Little Oscar Trousers





As with the Monoghan the Little Oscar is also sold as seperates, made from 100%Polyester Tricot with Deer-tex membrane, Machine Washable

Deerhunter has an excellent reputation for quality long lasting clothing whether for Men, Women or children you will be hard pushed to find this quality and price anywhere else.

Hope you find this useful and we await your orders here at Field and Moor

Thank you

Phil

Deer Hygiene..........What Hygiene

Sorry to have a rant about this but i couldn't resist, Now i don't know either way if the butchered meat in the following pic's is for the food chain or for personal consumption? but where the hell is the Hygiene process which all DSC holder adhere too when they pass the exam?????

I find this totally crazy, to butcher and animal in a garage on a makeshift hoist with all the other stuff around and dogs and from the pic it's a warm sunny day!!!

Now i am not fussy about food and sell by dates are there so we buy more food, but there ain't a hope in hell that i would eat any of that meat.....

the thing that scares me more is knowing this sort of thing goes on, Not wearing gloves, apron and where does he put the knife??? On the floor possibly.

Ok enough from me

Leave a comment, i would so like to hear your views

Phil

Glorious Twelth

Where has this year gone?? It does not seem 6 months since we finished the last season and with all this good weather we have been having, well down in the south anyway, all the snow earlier in the year seems a distant memory!!!

In only 9 days (at time of posting) we will see the start of the game season once again with the Grouse and it will soon be the Partridge then shortly followed by the Pheasant. Am sure they will be on the Moor's in short sleeves for the first part of the Grouse season.

Having spoken to a keeper on a large Grouse moor a few weeks back it is looking like it will be a excellent season but of course the keeper didnt say that as he wouldnt want to put his neck on the line!!! However there have been birds this year on parts of the moor not seen before as well as vast broods where expected, which is good news taking into account that the Moor's where snow covered in to March. Just goes to show what good Keepering and land management does.

We at Field and Moor wish them all a great season and hopefully i will get up there at sometime for a walk around.

Will try and keep you all informed as to the progress and the number of birds bagged.

Phil

Tweeds for your Shoot Day

With the warm weather still with us and the farmers still getting the combine ready for cutting it does not seem possible that the official start to the shooting season is only a couple of weeks away. So now is the time to start getting your tweeds out and ready. Even if your not planning to go Grouse shooting it won't be long before the Pheasant and Partridge season will upon us.

Here at Field and Moor we are proud to bring you the latest clothing for the 2010 season from two well known and respected cloting companies, Deerhunter and Hoggs who have both launched new Tweeds for this year.

Firstly Deerhunter, Launched their DXO Range, consisting of both a colourful and a more traditional range of tweeds for both ladies (Lady Marion Tweed) and gentleman (Sir Henry Tweed). Available in Mustard, Moss All with DEERTEX Supreme membrane, Double water repellent and best of all Machine washable, so no added cost with running to the dry cleaners. All tweeds are available in full suits, Jackets, Waist Coats, Breeks and Hats.

Gents Mustard Tweed Jacket

Gents Moss Tweed Jacket

Ladies Moss Tweed Jacket

Ladies Mustard Tweed Jacket

Hoggs of Fife Ladies Isla Tweed Jacket

Hoggs of Fife Ladies Mey Tweed shooting Jacket

Hoggs of Fife Lady Isla Handbag

Hoggs of Fife Lady Mey Handbag




Other accessories are available to finish of your shoot suit with hats, shirts, jumpers and ties.

Why wait till the start of the season before treating yourself?? All available from your online store at great prices from http://www.fieldandmoor.co.uk/

We look forward to be of service.

Phil

Pigeon Shooting Season

What a great summer we have had so far, plenty of sun and little rain, well down south anyway. All this has meant good crops for the farmers and on time cutting of barley, wheat, rape seed and of course peas all of which are excellent food for the whiley wood pigeon.

So now is the time to get your pigeon shooting kit out and checked over to make sure all is working well. What if you dont have all the required gear and you still want and good day out? What will you need?

Field and Moor suggest the following:

1) Gun, a bit obvious but certainly helps, 12g or 20g is ideal and dont forget your cartridges, 250 will be a good start with possibly another 250 back in the vehicle just in case. Afterall nothing worse than running out when your have a "Red Letter Day" and early days after cutting can certainly produce these.

2) Camo Nets, yes having more that one will add to the realistic look of your hide. Also take a look at the field of choice and make sure you have the correct colours in your netting. Take into account if you are shooting by a heage row or in the middle of a stubble field.

3) Hide Poles, well you need something to hold the net's in place. Make sure you have the extendable ones to give you the best cover.

4) Decoys, needed to bring the pigeons in. You have choices of, Flock & Standard Shell, Flock & Standard Full bodied, all of which can be supported on either fixed or spring pegs for added movement and realism. The all new and very popular FUD Decoys are becoming all the rage, very realistic, easy to carry due to there light weight.

5) The Essential Pigeon Magnet/Whirley. An excellent piece of kit to add to your armoury for those days when you need that bit extra. Situated just outside your chosen decoy pattern the whirley will pull birds in from as far as 500 yards away (my personal experience)

6) A Small Chair, for no other reason than for your personal comfort, afterall better than sitting on the floor.

7) A Good Strong Kit Bag, to carry all your gear to minimise the walking to and from the vehicle.

8) Camo Clothing, Hat, Face mask, Camo shirt unless your concealment is good could mean the difference between a ok day and an excellent day and good summer boots.

9) Dont forget lunch and drinks, it can be a long and hot day hopefully.

If you are likely to have a good day, try prior to going out to find a game dealer to take the pigeons of your hands, while you may only get 20p - 50p each for them it will contribute to cartridge cost and the birds going to a good cause.

So now you have all you kit ready and a place to shoot you can enjoy one of the best shooting sports for little or no extra cost. Have had the pleasure of shooting pheasants, partridge, wildfowl and on a grouse more, whilst all very exciting but costly, a day's pigeon shooting is exceptional and you will be hard pushed to find anything better.

One further point, whilst it is not a legal requirement, just give your local police controll room a call and let them know where and when you will be, just incase someone reports you, then all being well you will be covered. 2 minutes on the phone could save hours talking to the police at the field or even worse "Down at the Station" and putting an end to your day.

Enjoy your day or days out.

Please feel free to comment or ask any questions.

Phil

E.Coli at Open Farms

Having just read a report on the E-Coli out break at an open farm in Godstone, Surrey last year it does make me really angry how governing bodies such as the HPA and DEFRA dont talk to each other on hygiene when it comes to open farms.

The transfer of diseases is rife in our countryside and especially farms and unfortunately childrens immune systems are weaker than an adults to deal with such infections.

I have been promoting good hygiene for the past 3 years, in the press, at high profile shows such as the CLA Game Fair and others, yet everyone seems to see it as "Not Required" with comments like "I never get ill from being out side" or "A bit of dirt never hurt anybody" well just goes to prove how wrong they are.

We supply a full range of high level disinfectant as approved by DEFRA which is suitable for use by children and safe around animals and is very cost effective due to it woking long after application.

Our products WILL fight against E.coli, Bovine TB, Avian Influenza H5N1, Norovirus, TB, Hepatitis B, C.Diff. MRSA and even blood contaminated with HIV (AIDS virus).

Perhaps now places will start taking notice that there is a concern that needs addressing, just a shame HPA and DEFRA didnt talk sooner.

Find out more here at field and moor or call me 01234 870545

Thanks

Phil
Field and Moor

Badger Cull Bovine TB

The Badger Cull in Wales has been delayed due to an fresh legal appeal later this month (June 2010) I fell this is a good thing as i would like to hear what other measures have been tried prior to allow a mass cull.

What i find strange is that Pigeons and rabbits cause many thousands of pounds worth of damage to land and the loss in crops and therfore income to the farmers, it has to be proved that other measures have been tried prior to allow vermin control with guns is allowed, which is a very effective way of controlling this problem.

With this in mind i would like to know how many cattle farmers have looked at there Bio-Security ie using high level disinfectants which have been designed to controll Bovine TB, Foot and Mouth and Bird Flu to name a few and these products are DEFRA Approved.

Agrigene from field and moor

The TB virus is spread via urine and saliva from the infected animal so using an approved long lasting product such as Agrigene will certainly help against the spread of this awfull disease.

All the farmers need to do is to self mix the disinfectant into a sprayer and spray over feeders and around cattle sheds to kill of the virus.

Agrigene is a long lasting product even when mixed and will remain active upto 6 months outside (subject to weather conditions) and can be used as boot and vehicle dips if ramers are worried about outside people coming in to there farms.

I wonder how many cattle farmers have been informed about this alternative method?? none i feel.

Vermin control is an important part of farming and the countryside but am still not convinced about a mass cull of Badgers.

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment.

Phil
Field and Moor
Farmers weekly Blog

Lead Shot Ban Another story

Have to say the lead shot ban is set to continue for some time yet.

The other week i was up at a friends house who owns a large Grouse shoot and one day i went to meet up with the game keeper to find out how things where going.

As with most keepers they always think the worse for the season ahead, guess they do this to cover there arses if it is a bad one then they can say " I told you so" however i think they are in for a good season again this year as the keeper has found birds in area's not seen before as well as all the normal breeding spots so fingers crossed for them.

Anyway that was not the reason for this blog.
We got talking about the lead shot ban controversy and we wondered why if they have been shooting over the moors for...lets say...100 years, just how many tons of lead have been deposited over the ground???

A very important part of Grouse moor management is the correct movement of sheep to keep the tick numbers down. The sheep certainly eat a vast amount of food on the moor. Also why? with all the lead shot up there is the water so pure, clean and refreshing?? after all water companies adverts they always say about the benefits of mountain water being so good!!

Surely if there is any truth to lead contamination, this water would be infected too! and we would be finding dead sheep, rabbits and grouse laying around everywhere?? but guess what i have never seen any yet.

Have your say!!

Phil
Field and Moor

Dont Wear Jeans in the Cold Weather

Having attended many business meeting and done talks on country clothing, Deerhunter, Jack Pyke and Hoggs and there design, warmth, waterproof effectiveness it always amazes me that people seem to think that "Jeans" are a suitable item of clothing to wear out on a cold wintery day.....Wrong!!! but Why?

Jeans are made from what is classed as an "open cell material" which if looked at closely you can see that there are spaces between the weave which on a cold day fill with water molicules which then freeze making you feel colder, therefore encasing your legs in an ice blanket! so while Jeans are a excellent fashion item they are no use in keeping you warm on a cold day / evening. Hence you can wear jeans in the middle of the summer and still feel cool, not ideal!

This is why cold weather clothing does not have to be thick and heavy but made of many thin tightly woven material to keep the wind and cold from penetrating the material, its hardly rocket science.......

It is much the same as wearing the right boots and socks, if your boots are too tight and you wear 2 pairs of socks there is a higher chance of having cold feet, due to the lack of circulation of air around your feet, so wear a good quality boot and just one pair of socks so as the warmth from your feet warm the air circulating around the inside of your boot.

With the start shooting season only weeks away, 4 at time of writing this, now is the time to start looking for those all important warm clothing especially if you are going to venture out on the Grouse Moors.

Here at Field and Moor we have a vast range clothing to suit all budgets from the cost effective Jack Pyke to the other end quality Deerhunter products all designed for both ladies and gents especially with the all new 2010 season of Deerhunter DXO Shooting Tweeds.

Take at look at our site for more details on all our shooting related products.

Look forward to hearing from you all soon.

Reagrds

Phil
Field and Moor

DEFRA Priority, Lead or Disease Prevention?

Well the Lead Shot saga is now in full swing, with post after post and they said this and they will do that arguments!!

It does however really annoy me what DEFRA decides it will and wont get involved with and does make me somewhat think that this must be a money making excercise for them! although not sure how, but will have to give it more thought, ha ha! perhaps they are holding mountains of steel!??

I am convinced that there are far more inportant issues that DEFRA could get involved with, like the way Game and Deer are treated after they are shot then transported and stored at the shoot and more importantly the way they are collected by the game dealer / restaurant!! and the potential threats of transfering of Diseases such as Bird Flu, Wiel's Disease TB etc etc.

Both BASC and DEFRA only seem to be interested in the "Hatch and Despatch" and are not bothered what happens to the animal after that, hence they will not promote good hygiene practice was the animal has left the shoot and make ALL Deerstalkers and vermin controllers abide by a common Hygiene Practice and Bio-Security instead of them just paying lip service just to obtain there certificates!!!.

Yes i do feel very strongly about this areaespecially having spoken to many deerstalkers and they all seem not to give a damn about it and say there is nothing to worry about! and seem to think it is very macho to get covered in blood!

Think i better stop now as will get on my soap box, but i do wish the likes of DEFRA and BASC would take this on board.

Leave a comment, or if your a magazine editor contact me and use this articel in your magazine.

Regards

Phil

Stock Aid get high praise from Shooting Times

We recently took the plunge and decided to give Shooting Times magazine one of our All New Stock Aid's for them to review. After approximately 6 weeks, well am guessing they are busy, a call came into the Field and Moor office asking for hi resolution pictures as it was being featured the following week!!! Pictures supplied and now the nervous wait for the outcome, especially as they are totally independant in their views and yes they will give a low score and review if the product is not upto scratch.

The next week i was away in Cumbria in a very bad phone signal area. While out walking the dogs in the middle of a 100acre woodland, much to my surprise my phone rang!! it was a very good shooting friend of mine in West Sussex who had just picked up his copy and read the article, all i mamaged to hear from him was;

"Score of 9/10 and Pick of the Week! hope you have got lots of".......................and the phone went dead, now Paul, to say the least is quite a joker! so was not sure if he was telling the truth so had to wait till i could get to the shop and see for myself.

Well as you may be aware he wasn't joking, a fantastic review by Alalstair Balmain, Editor with comments like:

• "A well-made and clever solution to a tiring problem"
• "Field and Moor has come up with this ingenious and simple device"
• "Beautifully made using high-quality leather"

When you get this type of review it does make all the hard work and expense that much more worth while.

Need to know more and see better pictures look at Field and Moor

Many thanks and please feel free to leave a comment.

 Phil 

New Handybar product

At Field and Moor we are always looking for new and exciting products which we feel will be of use to the shooting world, even if the product is not made directly for shooting people. With this in mind we have obtained the "Handybar" tool.

Designed to help those less agile folk who find it difficult to get out of there vehicle anywhere. This is a 3 in 1 product with:

• Emergency side window breaker
• Stainless steel seatbelt cutter
• Non-slip handle with strong alloy subframe
• Large rubber handle for ease of grip

The pointed end fits into the dooor striker which gives you leaverage to get out of your vehicle.

Handybar

Handybar instructions








This is just something you may find of use, see website Field and Moor for further information and to buy.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Phil

Stock Aid gun rest for Rifle shooters

You may or may not seen the all NEW Stock Aid designed by us at Field and Moor. We designed this with the driven shooter in mind, however, as with most things, we have been selling the Stock Aid for those of you who go rifle shooting. Using a Stock Aid while out with your rifle helps to get onto your quarry far quicker then if you where to carry the rifle over your shoulder on a sling which is a big advantage.

Using the Stock Aid enables you to be always ready, easier to carry and safe too as the barrell of your rifle is pointed up above head height.

Author Standing with rifle in stock aid with shooting sticks.

Author standing with rifle on sticks.




The action from Stock Aid onto sticks and into your shoulder is very smooth, quick and easy.

This product is made from high grade leather sourced and manufactured here in England by our chosen leather company based Northampton, the home of leather manufacturing. Therefore giving you many years of use and making it very cost effective.
See our latest advert in this months Sporting Shooter Magazine out shortly and soon in the review section of Shooting Times

Your comments are always appreciated.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Phil

Stuck in the English Countryside

Well Field and Moor are stuck in West Sussex countryside due the the volcanic ash storm and cant think of anywhere better.

I am house sitting in a 6 bedroom house set in 14 acres of grounds which again is surrounded by 100's of acres of woodland. So have plenty of shooting to do for the owners who are stuck out in Tenerief.

Have shot approx 20 rabbits and a fox coutesy of the awsome combination of 17HMR Ballistic Tip rounds and the ever impressive PS22 night vision scope. Shots ranging from 30 to 80 yards and have had some very good kills. The fox was taken at about 70 yards and the bullet going straight through the engine room and dropped. Who says a 17HMR is not suitable for fox's, well i can prove from 1st hand experience it works perfectly. Dont think i would go much past 80 - 90yrds but then dont have to as will use the .22 Hornet which will do the job at longer range.

One Shot -One Kill




So the weather is looking to change this week which will still be good for shooting.

Just a short blog today and will be back with another one soon, happy shooting and or shopping

Phil

Lead Shot Ban

Well this is a very hot topic at pesent and no wonder why, due to the fact it could ruin our sport and make it only available to the rich once again, and am sure even they will curb the amount of shooting due to a possible increase in cartridges from approx 15p to £1 per bang. This would mean to shoot 100 cartridges on a days shoot would cost you potentially and extra £85!! and with the increase in fuel prices even a small 150 bird day needs more thinking about. Let alone the game and related industries which is worth millions of £'s a year.
It is a shame they dont put this amount effort into promoting health and hygiene on our shoots to protect us from more prevelant virul infections such as Bird Flu, Weils's Disease etc.

Reading articles on the web, it seems most lead poisoning dangers come from:

• lead smelting plants,
• construction work,
• steel welding,
• bridge reconstruction,
• firing range instructors and cleaners,
• remodelling and refinishing,
• foundry work,
• scrap metal and battery recycling,
• auto repair work,
• cable splicing, and
• battery, glass and ceramic ware manufacture

or Hobbies such as

• casting bullets, lead shot or fishing sinkers,
• home remodelling,
• target shooting at firing ranges,
• lead soldering,
• auto repair work,
• stained glass work, and
• glazed pottery work.

 While it has highlighted areas such as "Bullet Casting" "Firing Ranges" for example these are places where there is a high concentrated area of lead and you would be expected to take precautions just as you would for the removal of aspestos. The amount of lead your normal game, pigeon, vermin shooter comes into contact with must be minimal and even less so when it comes to eating game.
 
Just who are this governing body protecting, the wildlife? Farm animals? The consumer? hopefully one day we will find out.
 
We must ALL do our bit to protest against this action for the good of shooting.
 
Phil
Field and Moor

Tick awarness week / year

Tick awarness week is bought to you by Lymes Disease Charity BADA-UK (Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness-UK) to warn people to be aware of the Tick Borne disease. This menace will and can effect anyone and everyone young and old including your favoured pet. If you enjoy the countryside, as many thousands of us do whether it be going for a walk, picnic, playing golf or shooting you stand the risk picking up a Tick.

Wendy Fox, Chair of BADA-UK, and a Lyme disease sufferer says "Many areas with good ground cover and diverse wildlife (such as squirrels, hedgehogs and deer) can pose a potential risk"

Most people think that this awfull Tick is only to be found in the highlands of Scotland, but you would so very wrong, we in the Central part of the UK have just as many if not more than the north as more and more infections are being seen and treated by doctors due to the awareness bought by BADA and the internet.

So what should we do? well firstly if you are going out in the countryside for any reason make sure you are dressed well, keep legs covered, wear good footwear, use a insect repellent one that will be effective for Ticks as most aren't such as Life Systems 50+

Once you get home check yourself all over and dare i say even your intimate area's as i have been told a story by a very prolific deer stalker of him finding one.......erm......yes down there!!!! Ouch! If one is found how is best to remove it?? Many people will tell you "just pinch it off", "Pull it off with a pair of tweezers" or even "Burn it off with a cigarette" NO, NO, NO!!!

Not removing a Tick correctly is where the Lyme disease can and will be transfered into your blood stream causing the infection. What you need to do is use the correct tool the O'Tom Tick Remover as this will get right around the neck of the tick and as your twist and pull gently it will remove the whole tick without leaving the head of the Tick still in you where the Lyme's disease is.

O'Tom Tick Remover
What is the results of Lyme's disease? Lyme disease is transmitted via the bite of an infected tick and can lead to serious complications including damage to the nervous system, joints, heart and other tissues.

So take care out there but still have fun and enjoy our wonderfull countryside we have.

We look forward to hearing your comments

Phil
Field and Moor

Pigeon Days

With pigoen shooting, some say the best type of shotgun shooting you can have and mainly we at Field and Moor agree, however I am yet to have a day shooting on the excellent Grouse Moor, we all live in hope!!. Whilst having a good day out on a driven shoot is a fabulous time, especially if you spend most of the season beating, having a good day out shooting over early rape and other newly planted fields is one of the best forms of sport with a shotgun.

Here in Bedfordshire we are very fortunate to have a huge amount of crops attracting many hundreds if not thousands of the wiley woody. Having shot pigeons for nearly thirty years it is amazing how you never stop learning about this wonderful quarry, it is such excellent sport that it does not seem to pay justice to call them "Vermin"! I had the pleasure in meeting a local man Tony at a business meeting who, as i found out, has shot many thousands of pigoens during his time.

When he invited me out for a day decoying over stubble this was a real eye opener for me and made me realise just how little I knew about the finer art of decoying pigeons, when we arrived at the edge of the field we sat opened the coffe and just watched where the flight line was and the amount of pigeons floating about, which is something i would have done over the previous days! When we had decide where was a good spot to set up we moved off. I was amazed the amount of kit we unloaded from the back of his MK1 Defender 90, a true shoot vehicle, 6 hide nets and poles, a selection mix of approx 50 decoys, shell, full bodied, some on springs. Once we got all the kit out a he put out the decoy pattern and i set up the hide around the huge old Oak tree we had selected.

 

Low cost Pigeon Whirly 

FUD Folding Decoy

Using a mix of green and Beige nets, making sure we had enough room for two seats. By the time I had finished Tony was walking back having set the decoy pattern, incouding the well discussed "Whirly". I had never used one before so was excited to see how well it would work.

After only being sat down all ready to go for 5 minutes the pigeons started to come in, it was amazing to see the pattern working to sheer perfection. One particular sight will stay with me forever, I looked out over to the far right hand side of the field and watched a pigeon flighting high above the hedge row some 300 yards away. and watched it turn, i could not believe that he had seen the whirly and pattern from that distance, but sure enough he had. As i watched it come in, wings set, i felt quite bad at even the thought of shooting it, but thats what we where there for, having said that watching it fold up from a first barrel was some what pleasing.

the total bag for the day was approx 140 with only 212 shots between us. I learned alot from that day and many more afterwards and will answer that most discussed topic, "Should i use a Whirly, without hesitation or question the answer is a definate "YES" it is part of your decoying kit. not always can it be used and unfortunately the weather, time of year and lay of the land will determine if it works, but you must have one with you as it can be the different between a ok day and a "Red Letter day"

Me with just some of the pigeons from that day.

Hope you enjoyed and hers to the next time, very soon i hope

Phil

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To See or Not to see?? whats the answer

We are pleased here at Field and Moor that we have been approved as an Affilliate to the Easy Hit product. I have been using one of these for approx 2 years and whilst i dont have an eye dominance problem it certainly does help you mount the gun correctly time after time after time thus ensuring better and more kills whether it be clays, driven game or wildfowl.

I do think that it is pushed a lot for eye dominane only and therefore lots of people say they dont need it, but believe me it is the best £30 shooting product i have ever invested in. If you do suffer from an eye dominance problem then you should not be reading any further and clicking the link here and placing your order. Especially seeing that we are offering a free delivery special offer, providing that you enter the code of E00717 at time of ordering via the Easy Hit website ONLY

Just a short one today, but one i think will benefit hundreds and hundreds of shooters, men, ladies and youngsters.

Let me know your thoughts

Phil

First Aid on a Shoot

Having just read an article in a shooting magazine there was a very interesting comment made about the health of some of the shooters and that on a shoot one person had passed away and one had to have CPR!!

This brings me to a subject which i feel needs to be thought of far more on all shoots throughout the country. Whilst none of us want to ever experience a fatality on a days shoot but what should we do if it every happens??

How many shoots do you know that are able to re-act quickly and effectively should the situation arise? well from my own experience none! which i feel is quite concerning when you think of where you can be at anyone time, 2,500 feet up on the Grouse Moors or 2 miles away from a main road across acres and acres of fields, which will be either snow covered or very wet.

Now, some shoots i am sure will carry a First Aid kit, wont they? no your possibly right (if they do it would be in a vehicle parked 100 of yards away!), they wont, however any first aid kit is not going to help a broken limb or even worse heart attack. Now many of us wont be trained in what to do, but what we can do?

Well, ideally having 1 or 2 people on the shoot First Aid trained, but i cant see that happening, but think it should, possibly someone from the beaters would be good. They should carry minor first aid kit to include:

Latex free gloves (Nitril)
Bandages
Plasters
Disinfectant hand gel
Disinfectant wipes
Foil blanket
2 way radio (poss already have one)
Mobile phone (poss already will have one)
Night Stick

None of the above would be to much to carry as could easily packed into a pouch and put on a belt.

Now, the next question, if you had to call the emergency services, how many people on your shoot would know exactly where you are to be able to give precise location?? i doubt no one!! so the dedicated personell would make there business to know these details to minimise the delay in the arrival time and to give vital information as to your accessibilty as you could expect paramedics to arrive in a vehicle not suited for off road and if you are out on the highlands or Grouse Moor the chances of the Air Ambulance arriving is very high.

Why not make a note of the GPS Co-Ordinates for the drives you do either via your mobile phone or Google Earth and keep these with you, at least you will be giving someone a chance.

Hope this breeds food for thought, however doubt anything will change (oohh Controversial) well tell me it will.

Look forward to hearing from you

Phil

Something for the Ladies

Hi all, when starting Field and Moor like many projects you end up doing what you want and think is what others want! However when talking to people in business, shooting colleagues and friends you start gettting lots of feed back, some good, some bad, some interesting but all worth an ear to there views and comments. One such area was mentioned to me three times in one week and it was something i had very little knowledge, only a brief outline when my parents had a clothes fashion shop in the Cotswolds, and this idea was to offer good quality proper cut Ladies Shooting Clothing i had been asked for this on a driven day by a lady who was tired of wearing small mens / large boys breeks and wanted know if i would start selling ladies shooting clothing As it happened Hoggs of Fife launched a ladies shooting jacket, the Lady Mey which has proved to be a big success. One thing that was very strange is to why there was no breeks to match?? well 12 months on we are stillwaiting for them...........

Now with the latest 2010 catalogue from the very well known and respected outdoor clothing manufacturer Deerhunter it looks as this has now been resolved. Launching in the spring 2010 is the a range of shooting clothing for ladies to match any mens outfits and without doubt the ladies will look far better than us men, sorry chaps but don't think i am wrong!! whilst also not wishing to be sexist either, Hey this has been a big learning curve for us here at Field and Moor but one which we think is very worthwhile.

This particular range comes in two colours Moss Green and Mustard (and yes they look fab) and in a fours piece consisting of Jacket, Waist Coat, Breeks and a Cape, although this is only available in Moss Green, dont ask me why?? and a selection of hats and caps,  they are made from 100% wool with the DeerTex Supreme membrane, Double water repellent material for which Deerhunter are renown for and this bit is the best, ALL are Machine washable even being 100% wool which would normallly mean a costly trip to the Dry Cleaners each week but not with this clothing. (I was advised on the washing machine bit by the lady of the house!!)

Hope you enjoyed this article and please feel free to leave a comment.

Phil

The cutting edge

Whilst the law seems to be doing everything in it's power to prevent the carrying and use of knives, which I hasten to add there is no room in society or anywhere else for a knife in the high street of our towns and cities, however the need to have a good knife with you when out in the field day or night is part of your essential kit. As from 1st June 2010 any company selling non domestic knives will have to apply for a KDL (Knife Dealer Licence) from there local council licensing sub-commitee, fortunatley this as yet ONLY applies to Scotland, but how long before this law is passed here in the England and Wales? How this will stop any one using a knife for an unlawful act, we can only guess, as this law does not cover anyone purchasing a standard kitchen knife!! and there will be a cost for the licence of £110 valid for three years. I am sure this will effect online sales as the responsability will be with the seller to make sure they have taken all precautions to ensure the purchaser is over 18! So I ask, is a credit card purchase proof enough? I am not sure it will be! This licence will cover items such as the "Leatherman Tool" which many people class as a work tool, But it has a blade, which makes it come under this new sale of goods act.  we will have to wait and see what comes next...............

So what type of knife do you choose? low cost, plastic handle and sheath or top of the range damascus blade with bone handle and full leather sheath? well that really depends on your own circumstances and size of your wallet as prices do range from £10 to £500 and am sure more if you look hard enough. Then do you go for a quality folding knife or a fixed blade? well I suppose that depends on what you need the item for, however the main point is that a quality blade and handle have to be the first consideration. Having an index finger stop is important to prevent your hand sliding down the handle onto a very sharp blade (well it should be sharp as what is the point in having a blunt knife??) I have shown some examples of medium priced knives which are suitable for field use and wont break the bank.

click for more information
As you can see in this knife has a stop at the end of the handle prior to the blade to prevent hand slipping during it's use.

click for more information

This knife however only has a very small stop and caution when using this item should be adhered to.

Both these knives are ideal for general use such as cleaning your shot quarry (Rabbits) etc. Should you be one of the many who partake in the fine art of Deer Stalking, without doubt a knife is an essential part of your kit and having a good knife for grollaching purposes is vital and one that will keep an edge for the duration of the preparation.

This is one of the popular style of knives people use for all round work.

Note the thumb hole for extra grip and how short the blade is so as not to go to far into the animal and damage any internal organs.

click for further information





Whatever type of knife you choose keeping it clean and free from virul bacteria, not just the blade and handle but what about the sheath? particularly leather ones, there is no point keeping the blade clean and placing in a dirty sheath, so what can we do?

Keeping a tub of High level disinfectant wipes handy should be as essential part of your kit as a scope is to your rifle, these can be used to clean your knife and hands, better still wear latex free gloves (Nitril) to prevent leaving blood staines on your equipment and vehicle, there is no shame in wearing gloves and will help stop the spread of diseases.

click for further information
 These wipes made by a UK based company will keep your hands and equipment virus free and as I am sure a lot of you will know it is very difficult to clean blood away, these will do this and kill any virus such as Rabbit Flu, Norovirus, Bird Flu TB to name a few.

 Leather Protector, which also kills bacteria that may come from your hands or the knife blade (well only if you don't use the wipes above?) Suitable for any leather product, rifle slings, cartridge belts and bags, gun slips, knife sheaths.





Thank you for your time reading this and look forward to reading your comments.
We are always looking for more products for our site so if there is anythning you would like to see please leave a message.

Phil

End of season

Now the the season has ended for another year, there is still the question about if the shooting season should be moved. With February always proving a cold, wet and snowy month (remember 1963, worst snow fall ever and yes the month i was born) is there a case for moving the shooting season on 1 month? therfore shooting from begining of November to end of February. One question no doubt will take years to answer let alone implement.

So now the seaon is over what next? Well for the land owners, game keepers etc they can have a rest before getting on with cleaning / disinfecting the rearing pens and feeders etc so can be stored cleaned and ready fior the start of the season. So what product should you use?

There are a few available but unfortunately they all need mixing and usually water with powder which gives of an awfull and possible dangerous aroma, well we have found a very good product which from there spec sheets is far better then anything else available (unless you know different!!?) this product is made in the UK and shipped worldwide to help in the prevention of notifiable diseases such as TB, Bird Flu and more, the best part is it is mixing a liquid to a liquid which make it far better for you. When mixed this product will last for upto 6 months thus reducing waste, can be used for boot washes, cleaning cattle troughs, barns and equipment. Safe to use around animals and is DEFRA Approved.

http://www.fieldandmoor.co.uk/Hygiene_and_First_Aid/c22/p121/DERFA_Approved_Agrigene_High_Level_Disinfectant/product_info.html

So, as a shooter, what do we do next?? well i am sure the farmers and land owners will be onlt to pleased for us to offer our services for vermin control ie rabbits, foxes, pigeons etc, whether you are a shotgun or rifle user they all need keeping under control. Lamping rabbits and foxes at night can be very enjoyable if you go out in pairs, not only for the company but one with the rifle one with the lamp. If you are going out alone the having the use of a night vision scope can be the most usefull piece of kit you can have next to a gun. I have used the ATN PS22 for nearly 12 months and is superb in every way, light, compact easy to take on and off and it works!

While the cost may be more than some what to spend, why not buy between a few friends and share the cost as it is fully flexible to fit all scope sizes as all you need to do is purchase the correct shims to fit individual scopes.

Look forward to hearing your views and comments.

Phil