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