Now here’s a dilemma. Over the years I have worked hard to try to reduce the rate at which rats and grey squirrels can pinch the grub that I put out for my pheasants and partridges. Using 25-litre metal drums with narrow slots in the base, and hanging them from low branches or a tripod of upside-down fence posts, has all but eliminated their scavenging.
This is great. It saves food, means we have fewer squirrels to damage our growing trees and, most importantly, there are far fewer rats. I hardly need point out why having fewer rats is a good thing but, aside from reduced predation on nesting game, it also means we use less rat poison. This again saves money, and it also reduces the amount of rodenticide that goes up the food chain to other wildlife.
These days, when I watch a pheasant at the feeder, I see very little grain being spilt. The birds peck what they want out of the slots and, if a grain does drop, they usually bend down and peck it up straight away. This is all wonderful, except for one thing — there is precious little for the finches and buntings. I still often see a yellowhammer or two under the feeders, as well as a few chaffinches, but I rarely see much else.
At this time of year I’m not too worried about this. Our many little strips of unharvested barley, combined with wild bird seed crops such as Pheasant & Finch from Bright Seeds, give a great food resource for a wide range of farmland birds.
Denne historien er fra November 27, 2019-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra November 27, 2019-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside