IN THIS ISSUEIntroducing…Charles Rangeley-Wilson One has to go back to 1997 to find the first feature Charles Rangeley-Wilson wrote for The Field – reporting on an almost fishless trip to South Uist and his week in a boat with a scatological gillie. Charles has written countless more over the years, notching up a PPA Feature Writer of the Year award in the process. Nowadays he spends most of his time restoring chalkstreams or campaigning for them, for which work he was given an OBE in the late Queen’s final birthday honours. What does April hold? “April is a fickle thing but on those blue and sun-blessed days one gets sometimes, when the hawthorn blossom is out and hawthorn flies are on the wing, I’ll be looking forward to a midday foray hunting…1 minOPENING SHOTSFarmers need a helping handFARMING practice is always a reflection of the political and social priorities of the age. In the middle of the 20th century, food production and the security it brought was a major national concern. Government policy was bent around encouraging farmers to farm more land, harder, to ensure that recently experienced shortages would never occur again. Mechanical horsepower replaced the flesh-and-blood variety; fields became larger and rapid scientific advances led to the ever-increasing use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. We were massively successful in our endeavours, and by the 1980s British farmers were producing some 80% of domestic food requirements. In recent decades, our national primary concerns have shifted. We now have legally binding targets to increase biodiversity, improve water and air quality and reduce carbon emissions. With farmed land…4 minOPENING SHOTSFIELD IN FOCUSIs greater gun control on the horizon? Countryside groups have warned that the Government’s response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation is a cause for concern, especially for shotgun owners. Great weight appears to have been given to the view of the 0.07% of respondents that called for tighter restrictions. Furthermore, the Government has asked for the consultation to be reopened to examine how there could be closer ‘alignment’ of shotgun and firearm controls: in essence treating shotguns more like Section 1 firearms. This would consider issues such as whether there are ‘risks associated with shotguns being kept in certificate owners’ own homes’. “The Government’s statement is a worry for the countryside. Its machinations would cause gargantuan damage to farmers, keepers, recreational shots and all the good they bring,” believes…1 min
OPENING SHOTSCountryside digs deep for good causesThe annual Winter Appeal of The Country Food Trust successfully raised £63,898, which will go towards extending the charity’s work in supporting individuals and families in the UK facing food insecurity. Not only will these funds help provide high-quality protein to those who may not have access to it but also gives some of those helped by the Trust a first experience of foods such as venison and pheasant. “We were delighted with the response and humbled by the support of the countryside community in our mission to help feed people in need with these wonderful proteins,” said SJ Hunt of The Country Food Trust. Meanwhile, a new fundraising initiative from Eat Wild and the GWCT saw donations top £3,000. The ‘Fiver for the Future’ campaign asked shooting school guests…1 minOPENING SHOTSOne good deed…The White Bridge syndicate on the Caledon estate in County Tyrone always tries to do the right thing, be that in serving only game shot on the estate or in looking after members like family. And so when syndicate stalwart Simon Dougan was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last summer, all involved rallied around. “Although I couldn’t shoot because of a PICC line, I attended every shoot day even when I had a chemo bottle attached,” says Dougan. “Our amazing gamekeeper, Alan Lutton, provided me with a buggy so I could get around all the drives. Being outside and taking part in the banter was so important to me.” When the syndicate held a charity shoot, NIPANC (the Northern Irish pancreatic cancer charity) alongside Macmillan and the Lough Neagh Rescue lifeboat…1 minOPENING SHOTSNews in briefGTA announces new CEO Stephen Jolly has been named as the new head of the Gun Trade Association (GTA). Jolly, a former Army reservist and keen sporting shot, said: “Despite its international reputation for excellence, Britain’s gun trade faces many challenges. I look forward to continuing the outstanding work of my predecessor Simon West in defending and promoting this small but vital sector of the British economy.” Scottish Game Fair returns Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 GWCT Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace from 4 to 6 July. To find out more and to buy tickets in advance, visit: scottishfair.com Cost of grey squirrels The European Squirrel Initiative (ESI) has revealed that damage caused by grey squirrels is not limited to trees, after receiving evidence from a…1 min
