The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) will be pushing for “meaningful improvements” within a Defra-published public consultation on a series of proposals to the dog microchipping regulations. The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations were introduced in 2015 to increase re-unification rates of lost and stolen dogs, benefiting dog welfare and saving local authorities and charities kennelling costs. The eight-week consultation follows on from recommendations made by the Pet Theft Taskforce last year. Proposals within the consultation include the creation of a single access point for those permitted to query the various databases; the enactment ...

The Game Fair, one of England’s most celebrated countryside events, has taken its seat alongside brands including Claridge’s, McLaren, Mulberry, Purdey and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars as a member of Walpole, the official sector body for UK luxury. The Game Fair, which already has established partnerships with the likes of LAPADA, Gleneagles and Bentley, will now strengthen its ties with the sector whilst maintaining its vital links with countryside stakeholder groups. The Game Fair is an annual gathering for people passionate about countryside pursuits, and the great British countryside in all its glory, and returns to Ragley ...

Dog owners need look no further when looking for a tasty, healthy way to keep their ‘furr babies’ hydrated at The Game Fair 2022 – Furr Boost is bringing its delicious dog drinks to the show this year, and there’ll be free samples for your pooch to try throughout the weekend. Designed especially for our canine counterparts, Furr Boost provides a junk-free complement to your dog’s daily water intake and is formulated using only human-grade, high-quality ingredients, so discerning dog owners can be sure that they’re giving their pet a treat which is both delicious and ...

Fairfax & Favor’s Verbier Mid-Calf is a sleek take on an après ski boot, inspired by country living and the need for hard wearing but comfortable footwear, whilst retaining an element of style. Features include the cosy faux fur trim - matching the trim on the Charlotte Padded range - full length back zips for ease of foot entry and finished with the interchangeable signature Fairfax & Favor tassels with antique brass shields. The Verbier Mid-Calf has a Sympatex lining, making it an exciting addition to the water-resistant range, and completed with branded traction rubber soles, ...

If you have ever fancied taking up fishing but aren‘t sure where to start then this summer’s Game Fair at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, is the perfect place to do so. As part of the launch of National Fishing Month – which will run hundreds of events up and down the country throughout the summer holidays – The Game Fair is giving you a chance to have a go at fishing and, hopefully, catch your very first fish. Expert coaches from the Canal & River Trust will be on hand throughout the weekend of July 29th to ...

This year’s Eat Game Award winners have been crowned at a glittering dinner and ceremony in London. The awards marked the culmination of a national search to find businesses and individuals championing the use of British wild game. More than 11,000 votes were cast by the public, with the shortlisted businesses and individuals in each category going forward to be reviewed by a panel of expert judges. The awards are organised and run by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation’s (BASC) Eat Game initiative, which promotes the nutritious, taste and sustainability benefits of British wild game. ...

Defra Minister Lord Benyon has said ‘every single shooting interest’ should sign up to British Game Assurance. This is the clearest and most public indication the Government has given on what it expects from the shooting community in order to fend off future regulation. Speaking for the Government in the House of Lords, Lord Benyon said: “I would say to any shoot that is not signed up to British Game Assurance, they are very stupid and they should, because they [BGA] are proving they are getting shooting’s act in order and I really do encourage every ...

When it comes to cooking with game, one type of meat is generating more interest than any others – venison – thanks to the fact it is sustainable, lean and healthy and in plentiful supply in the UK. That’s according to specialist supplier Wild and Game, which analysed Google Trend Data from the past 12 months to compare average search interest for different types of game recipes. Venison topped the list, followed by pheasant, with pigeon, partridge and wild boar following behind. Wild and Game co-founder Steven Frampton said: “It’s not surprising to see venison leading ...

The Game Fair is pleased to announce the appearance of Amanda Owen, the Yorkshire Shepherdess, at this year’s event. Amanda is a hill farmer, Sunday Times best-selling author, passionate photographer and inspiring public speaker living in the Yorkshire Dales with her family, and who shares the challenges and realities of her unique rural life with the world through her work. The Game Fair returns to Ragley Hall in Warwickshire from Friday 29 July to Sunday 31 July 2022 for 3 exciting days celebrating the best of the British countryside. Amanda will create a special Sunday Lunch ...

Entering its 40th anniversary, the French Game Fair is an annual event held at the Lamotte-Beuvron Federal Equestrian Park, in the heart of the Sologne, 17-19th June. In 2022, The Game Fair will take its first British Pavilion to the event and invites you to join.  With subsidised costs and possible grant funding, the event is perfect for businesses looking to test a new market with very low entry costs. The French Game Fair built in the tradition of great game fairs attracts an annual audience of over 86,000. The English Game Fair has negotiated amazing ...

The Country Girls UK brings together women from around the country with interests in shooting and country pursuits. Established in 2018, the group was started by Tania Coxon, a full-time arable farmer who started to share her farming and shooting journey through her Instagram page – @countrygirl_andlabradors – where she began to receive daily messages from women wanting to know more and wanting to get involved in the sports. With a passion for spreading awareness and educating others on why she does what she does, she started The Country Girls UK WhatsApp group, which rapidly grew ...

Top UK retailer M&S has said it will be the first major name to stock game that is both lead-free and British Game Assurance-certified. The news follows the recent annual Agents’ Symposium, which was attended by a senior member of M&S’ agriculture team. M&S has stated its intention to lead the way in the sale of sustainable game, which is why the retailer has scrutinised and adopted the BGA’s standards. At the Agents’ Symposium at Royal Berkshire Shooting, it was made clear that all meats have in-country, independently certified standards and, from now on, M&S would ...

Rodenticide effectiveness could be “hit or miss” in large swathes of the UK due to the unknown resistance status of rat and mouse populations, which is why gamekeepers, pest controllers and farmers are being invited to join a special project to investigate. Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use chairman Dr Alan Buckle explained: “Unknown resistance status covers much of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and central England. “Elsewhere, we know that an area from Bristol to Dover west-east, and Oxford to Southampton north-south, has multiple locations where genes for resistance have been identified. “Less clustered pockets have been ...

Just launched, the Marsh Harrier is a 9in rugged hiking / walking boot from quality footwear expert Field & Moor. Featuring British design by Hannah Stiles and handcrafted in an artisan factory, the Marsh Harrier comes with all the bells and whistles” you would expect of a product built and offer the utmost functionality while having a character of its own in a crowded marketplace. Key features include a thick, hydrophobic chestnut grain leather, Sympatex waterproof and breathable lining, storm-welted construction to offer additional water proofing and repairability to the sole unit while enhancing its sustainability credentials and it’s treble-stitched ...

The conservation efforts of wildfowling clubs has been showcased to the Natural England during a special visit organised to detail the vital work these groups do. Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England, had the opportunity to see this first-hand during a visit to the Lytham & District Wildfowling Association (LDWA). Accompanied by staff from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), Tony took part in a conservation walk around the club’s land at the mouth of the Ribble Estuary in Lancashire. Topics discussed over the visit included the importance of wildfowling clubs and their role ...

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, wild game specialist Wild and Game has created a recipe box containing seven romantic recipes for two and all the game you need to cook them. Wild and Game was founded in 2017 with a mission to champion game consumption in the UK. Wild game is in plentiful supply here, has great sustainability credentials and is leaner, higher in protein and higher in key nutrients than farmed meats. By substituting meats such as chicken, beef or pork for meats such as pheasant, venison and wild boar, consumers can reduce their ...

Changes required by Health and Safety Executive to legally binding instructions on rodenticide product labels have significant implications for users in gamekeeping, pest control and farming. Updated text is now appearing on labels, according to chairman of the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use, Dr Alan Buckle. “In practice, the changes are about users being responsible for bait stations being sufficiently robust rather than how, where or when they are used. “As co-ordinator of UK rodenticide stewardship, CRRU supports any and all measures designed for the protection of non-target wild species, pets and people.” HSE requires that ...

Publisher: Countryside Alliance A petition calling for an end to trail hunting on land owned by Cornwall Council has been dubbed ‘anti-rural’ by countryside campaigners. Photo credit: Four Burrow Hunt by Lisa Wood Photography  The online petition, which has appeared on the Change.org website for over a year, is to be presented at the next full council meeting, on 18th January 2022. The organisers of the petition, ‘AAF Cornwall’, call on the council to ‘ban all meets of Trail Hunts on public space and Council owned land’. An agenda item ahead of the meeting of the full ...