IPC Shooting Industry Awards 2011

Ok, This is probably going to stir things up, but here goes anyway!!!

I recently attended the IPC Shooting Industry Awards Ceremony in Beaconsfield and have to say that it was a most enjoyable evening, with excellent food, wine and met with some very high profile people.

However, i had sent in my New Shooting product "Stock Aid" to be entered into the "Shooting Accessory" category. Seeing as though i had received a invitation i hoped i might be in with a shout!! but alas i didn't get anywhere..

What really got to me was the winner of this category which was the "FUD Folding Pigeon Decoy"!!!! Which while this is indeed a good product and worthy of a mention i can not see how it was allowed to win??? For example,

1) The product was submitted by GMK one of the two approved importers / wholesalers by FUD
2) It is a foreign product from America
3) Not submitted by the owners
4) Is only a variation on existing products ie any pigeon decoy

So, the winner of this category has the right to use the "IPC Awards Logo" which is fine, so surely then all of us in the UK, Myself, Sportsman Gun Centre (the other approved wholesaler) and every retailer in the country should have the logo to use as well??? or am i just being stupid and very short sighted and lack of understanding???

Don't get me wrong, i am not conceited enough to think that my Stock Aid product should win, although it was very highly praised by Shooting Times!! but at least Stock Aid is all New, Innovative, Excellent Quality, Made here in the UK (Northampton) and is Safety Related!!!

Ok, i am now hiding under my desk awaiting the flack!!! It's been nice knowing you all!!! ha ha ha

Look forward to hearing from all

Phil
Field and Moor

Pigeon Shooting

Welcome to another Field and Moor Blog. This time we are bringing you information on some new products and highlighting some existing ones.

So what's new out there?
Jack Pyke have launched a new range of hide poles, made the same as your traditional ones except these have an additional spike and large foot plate making it easier to get into hard ground, also gives better stability on windy days. What an excellent idea, simple and effective. Still has the nylon hook end for attaching your netting and complete with carry bag.

Jack Pyke Hide Poles

Next we have the Hypa Flap pigeon decoy, this is possibly the most realistic flighting decoy on the market. Being used in the USA to great acclaim. This is best used on a Whirley / Pigeon Magnet as you get the realistic flighting of the bird coming into land when the bird come head on into the wind. When it as travelling away from the wind, the decoy gives the impression of it floating into the pattern, available in singles or as a pair. Link these with the FUD Decoys and this could be your "Red Letter Day" View the video below which shows them in action.

Hypa Flap Decoy with Full Optional Head

This next item has been out for a while and am still not sure why more pigeon shooters don't use it. Light weight, easy to carry and doesn't take up much room. It's only downside is you have to have a good hedge row in the back ground. I wonder if they will do a Summer version for shooting over stubble??

Jack Pyke Clearview Hide Net

Last but not least for the time being is the very popular and effective, must have Pigeon Decoy of them all the...FUD Pigeon Decoy. What more can i say that has not already been said? well they do work, i have used them and our local Shefford & District Pigeon Shooting Club tried them to great success, so what more can be said.

FUD Pigeon Decoys 

Well that's all for now and i will be sure to bring you more products soon. Don't forget all the above and more are available online from Field and Moor.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Phil

Field and Moor

London 2012 Olympics Shooting time table

Hi all.
Details of the shooting competitions for the 2012 London Olympics are now available.
Shooting takes place at the Olympics between the 28th July & 6th August 2012 at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, London. (Still confused as to why it is not at Bisley)
Seating will be in place for around 7,500 by temporary grandstand at each range.
A total of 10 disciplines will be taking place, 7 for Pistols & Rifles and 3 for Shotguns.
Ticket costs will be between £20 & £40
Ticket types will be for the "Finals hall & Ground Pass" which will give spectators access to all events. the "Ground Pass" will not give access to the Rifle & Pistol finals, only the Shotgun.
Tickets will be on sale from 15th March to 26th April.
Should the sessions be over subscribed then the tickets will be allocated on a "Ballot" basis. at least you will not have to rush in early.
For more information on how to apply for tickets and more go to http://www.tickets.london2012.com/

Hope this all helps anyone looking to attend.

Many thanks

Phil
Field and Moor

Safari Shooting, Africa, New Zealand and More

Over the years i have been fortunate enough to meet many people from all walks of life in the shooting world and over the past few years many of those who go shooting in far off countries such as Africa, New Zealand etc. As i am sure you will all know that these countries are somewhat different to ours especially the climate so having the correct gear is i would imagine essential.

So what is out there to choose from? I have put together some suggestions for you to consider before your next trip.

Boots

Dessert Boots




These boots are from Jack Pyke and are excellent for safari, good colour, light weight, breathable, supportive due to high leg and excellent sole for long walking over rough terrain.

Waistcoat

Safari Waistcoat





A very useful item to wear, lots of pockets for all essential items. Hard wearing 100% Cotton Canvas Teflon Treated. sleeveless for added comfort. Sizes Small - 3XL

Trousers

Safari Trousers





Made from the same 100% Cotton Canvas as the waistcoat, Teflon treated for additional hard wearing. front back and leg pockets and a small "D" ring for attaching a water bottle. Available in sizes from Small to 3XL

Shorts

Safari Shorts





To finish of the attire is the Shorts, ideal for very hot climates, Hard wearing 100% Canvass Teflon treated. As with the trousers, lots of pockets to keep all about you including a small "D" ring for attaching a water bottle.

The above are also available in Burnt Olive colour.

Hope you find this useful and consideration for your next trip abroad and please fell free to pass these details on to friends

We look forward to hearing from you.

Phil
Field and Moor

Shotgun Renewalls

Recently in the news there has been talk of how your local Police Firearms team are changing the way they conduct renewals for Shotgun Certificates.

Bedfordshire Police in particular and other forces have been criticised for not doing home visits for renewals. I have recently had my renewal come through, without any problems i might add and in good time, i did however have the phone call from them to discuss my application, security, any illnesses etc, which took approximately 10 - 15 minutes, so i have to ask how much longer would the officer have been had they done a home visit?? after all he would have only asked the same questions and then done a visual check on security.
As i am sure the police are aware that legitimate gun holders are NOT likely to say or do anything that will jepordise their licence, so why do they need to waste time, money (which they have little of) driving around making visits.

Another side of this is that Bedforshire Firearms team is moving from the headquarters in Bedford to Hertfordshire Police headquarters, now with this move and the cost of fuel etc are they, other than for first applications, going to be able to afford the time and costs involved driving greater distances to do what can be done over the phone??

I think as long as your circumstances have not change then this is fine, however if you are moving address and especially to another county then yes they should do a home visit.

Interesting times ahead.

Phil
Field and Moor

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