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
Friday, 5 November 2010
Friday, 10 September 2010
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
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
Thursday, 26 August 2010
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
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
Monday, 23 August 2010
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
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
Thursday, 5 August 2010
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
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
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
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
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
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
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
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
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