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Following on from the news about United Utilities announcing that there will be no new grouse shooting leases on its land (a move that they now seem to be backpedaling on), Scottish Water, Scotland’s publicly-owned water supplier, has announced that it is going to review grouse shooting on its land too. It should be noted that there is just one active grouse shooting lease on its ground, which is on a relatively small area in the Angus Glens. Scottish Water, in a statement sent to Revive, an anti-grouse shooting group, has said that the lease is set to expire in 2027 and they will review their options at that point. Scottish Water has noted that any changes will be subject to a formal decision-making process. However, they have said it is likely that their considerations will lead to a change of permitted land use. At the same time, they have said there will be no new grouse shooting leases created across their catchment estate. Dee Ward, a grouse Shot, grousemoor owner, and the
I looked back through the haphazard filing system on my PC, searching for the first article I penned for Shooting Times on the subject of non-toxic shot and biodegradable wads. I eventually found the thing tucked away in a file dating back to early 2019. Since then, I have revisited the subject repeatedly, trialling new loads and wad variants. I have put my money where my mouth is, and not one ounce of lead has passed through my barrels against live quarry since that date. In that time, among many memorable days, I’ve shot Essex partridges with cardboard wads and steel, towering Broadland pinks with composite shot borne on cups made from lettuce and (my cheeks still flush with shame) I remember one notably ham-fisted duck flight in the Stour valley using bismuth, which cost me the best part of a week’s wages for a paltry brace in the bag. The shift away from lead shot has caused no little debate, some level of rancour and even downright anger. Many have argued that the timescale fo
Following a remarkable stretch of pigeon sport throughout June and the early part of July, set against the expansive backdrop of flat wheat and corn fields, the tally of harvested birds has taken a noticeable dip. This decline in bag numbers could be largely attributed to the persistent dampness and unseasonable cold that characterized the latter days of July and extended into the month of August, particularly in the Home Counties. A prominent figure in the pigeon shooting community, Will Beasley, who boasts a storied past as a former columnist for Shooting Times and as the mastermind behind Thames Valley Pigeon Shooting, offered his insightful perspective. He pointed out a conspicuous trend: the wood pigeons, often eager targets for decoy setups, seemed to exhibit a stark reduction in their visits. Moreover, when confronted with any hint of pressure, they exhibited a swift and scattered departure from the scene. (Read our advice on pigeon decoying.) Will’s observations extended