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Calling roe deer

Q)With the roe rut approaching, can you advise me on the best calls? I have had conflicting advice from alleged experts. P. GABRIEL By email

A poacher's 12-bore

Q) Can you provide any background on my late fathers Midland Gun Company single-barrelled 12-bore? The gun is serial number 9,374 and was bought at auction in 1938. It has a 36in barrel and 3in chamber, and is magnum-proofed for a 1½oz load. Though the ejector no longer functions correctly, it is still effective against the grey squirrels and pigeon that raid my orchard and garden. My father was Lijah James, the notorious poacher, as featured in More Tales of the Old Poachers, by John Humphreys. O. JAMES Norfolk

Keeping the hutch cool

Q) Now that summer is upon us and the weather is warming up, I am concerned that my ferrets will overheat. What is the best way to keep their hutch cool? J. COWLEAZE By email

Are egrets a threat to our fish?

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Snow camoufage

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Gamekeeping

Q) Several of the woods on our shoot have little, or no, cover at ground level and are almost completely bare. I realise that groundcover is essential, but what plants and shrubs should we try to establish in order to warm up the woods and make them more attractive to pheasants? Our returns are below 40 per cent, and birds tend to flush at the end of every drive. M. HARGREAVES Oxfordshire

Ferreting

Q) I have kept back a couple of hob ferrets from last year’s breeding, and though they have been housed together since they were born, they are now starting to become a little aggressive towards each other. Is this something to do with spring being in the air and thoughts turning to females? J. WARWICK Leicestershire

Rats around feed

Q) I have had lots of problems with rats around my feed bins. Can I use rat poison without harming my birds? T. TRANTER Cheshire

Sporting Answers

I recently bought an old BSA air rifle for my collection. It is a full-length Lincoln Jeffries-type underlever in .177 calibre. It is marked The BSA Air Rifle, with the number 6235. It is not blued but has a nice brown patina finish, except for the butt- plate, which is rusted. Would it increase its value to have it refinished? Also, can you tell me its age, and whether it is safe to use?

Long-living crows

I live in south-east London, where carrion crows have an easy life. For the past five or six years I've seen what I believe to be the same individual, recognisable by pale bases to its flight feathers. It is often to be found feeding in the local park where I walk my dogs. How long can carrion crows live in the wild?

Rat infestation

Q) We appear to have a plague of rats, and there are runways to all our hoppers in certain drives. Is this due to the fact that we are hopper feeding, and am I right in thinking we will be unable to deal with the rats until we have finished feeding at the end of the season? F. HARPER By email

Fascinating Phantams

Q) I can recall once seeing a photograph of a “phantam” — a cross between a bantam hen and a cock pheasant — on the letters page of Shooting Times. How unusual is this cross-breed, and are the offspring fertile? P. ACTON By email

Sporting Answers

Q) I recently bought a double hammerless non-ejector shotgun at auction for £250. It is listed as a BSA Special Sporting gun in 12-bore and suitable for 23⁄4in cartridges. The number is 41746. Is it worth the price I paid and can I use modern cartridges in it? J. TREVELLION By email

KEEPING TRACK

Q) I ferret some large warrens and am often alone when doing so. The problem with this is that I am afraid of losing a ferret if it wanders off while I am busy. How can I avoid this?

Pigeon disease

Q) We are noticing a large number of sick and dead pigeon on our shoot. I have been told they are suffering from acorn poisoning as a result of the extra large fall this autumn. Could this be the case or do they have a virus that might affect pheasants? T. BUTLER By email

A motor matter

Q) I have bought a dory with an outboard motor which I want to use for wildfowling. I know it is illegal to shoot with the motor running, but do I have to remove it from the transom before I start to shoot? It is very heavy and takes up a lot of room in the boat. M. THOMPSON By email

Lack of pigeon

Q) Normally at this time of year we have plenty of pigeon. We have an abundance of acorns and beechmast, and normally the pigeon would be attracted to this feast, but this year we have only a fraction of the number on our shoot. Where are all the pigeon? T. SYMES By email

Duck Disturbance

Q) A few friends and I rent an area of woodland and have a small pheasant shoot there. We usually have no problems with our neighbours and make every effort to minimise any disturbance. Now an area of ground has begun to flood and attract numbers of duck. We want to develop this pond and have explained to our neighbours what we are trying to achieve. One neighbour with whom we get on quite well, and who is happy to accept a few pheasants during the season, has been seen at the pond chasing duck away, presumably to stop them flighting and so making the pond worthless as a facet of the shoot. Is there anything we can do to stop his actions? (Name and address supplied)

W.J. Jeffrey & Co

Q) I have just acquired a 12-bore side-by-side non-ejector in fair condition. The maker is W. J. Jeffery & Co Ltd, 9 Golden Square, Regent St, London W1. It is nitro proofed and the serial No. is 38319. Can you tell me anything about the maker? A. WARD Hampshire

Not so good neighbours

Q) Our rather bad shoot neighbours have dumped large mounds of wheat tailings on their land close to our boundary. Some of my poults have already found it and I am dogging them back, but as a part-time keeper I feel I am fighting a losing battle. Do you have any suggestions? The neighbours do not release any birds but are only too happy to shoot ours! (Name and address supplied)

Refrigerated units

Q) I have been advised that to sell our dead game we have to buy a refrigerated unit to store birds until the gamedealer arrives, but our gamedealer always arrives on the evening that we have shot. Is this not just another case of regulations gone mad? We do not start shooting until November, spread our birds out and use a game room that has served us well for years. Do we have to comply with this? F. HARPER By email

A Verney Carron Helice

Q) I have been given a Verney Carron side-by-side 16-bore Helice 33 shotgun,No. 0441. It appears to have a “fixed” foreend so I am unable to remove it to see any proof markings etc. Can you tell me about this gun and the fore-end also? A. COOPER By email

Cartridge cabinets

Q) As I have been shooting for many years, I have collected a large variety of shotgun cartridges and would now like to mount them in a display case. How do you mount cartridges, allowing for the fact that the lip does not allow it to lie flat? C. SAUNDERS West Midlands

Hybrid Blackgrouse?

Q) While walking-up grouse in Perthshire, one member of our party shot a bird with almost entirely black plumage. I would be extremely grateful whether you could tell me if it could have been a hybrid with a blackgrouse? G. MILLER By email

Lead shot replacement

Q) As we now have lead-free toy soldiers and lead-free pewter why cannot these substitute materials be used to replace lead shot? S. WILSON By email

Laird background

Q) When I began wildfowling, my grandfather gave me a 10-bore side-by-side, made by J.W. Laird & Co. The rib is stamped: 6 Bishopsgate Street, Without London. The gun’s number is 30881. Do you have information on the gun and its maker? A. DOBSON By email

Complete Ferret Foods

Q) Though I have always been an advocate of feeding flesh, fur and feather to my ferrets, I am well aware that the modern complete ferret foods are claimed to be a good substitute. What is your opinion? T. WARHAM By email

MYSTERY EGG THIEF?

Q) While out walking I found several undamaged pheasant eggs removed from a nest. Two were lying in short grass and one was not far from a feeder. What animal or bird is removing these eggs and leaving them without so much as a crack? J. KINGSWELL Surrey

CANADA GEESE PROBLEM

Q) Each year we have a pair of Canada geese nesting on our pond and, much as I like to see them, they make such a mess. I am also concerned that they could create a problem for my grandchildren who occasionally wade and swim in the pond. I am told that I can now legally remove the eggs as they are classified as a pest species and can also be destroyed out of season. I enjoy eating goose, so is this correct? B. FARLEY By email

COLLECTIVE NOUN FOR ROE

Q) My stalking partner recently queried the collective name for a group of roe. Personally, I would apply the term “herd”. As they are not herd animals, he wonders what the correct collective noun is. Can you help resolve this? G. PROWSE By email

Phantom pregnancy

Q)I have put my hob ferret to a jill but, though she looks pregnant, the date for her to give birth has now passed and there is no sign of any kits arriving. I am very concerned but am not sure what I should do. J. HAMPTON By email

Henley Park Survey

Q)I am writing an article on Norden’s Survey of Henley Park, 1607. He writes as follows: The park hath about 120 deer; of antler about 70, of bucks (as informed) about 40, very many in respect of the general sum. I don’t understand the distinction or whether there were any females. I would appreciate advice. P. ASHWORTH By email

Fallow deer colouring

Q) Are the separate colours on fallow deer distinct strains that breed true or is it natural for them to become multicoloured? M. DERBY Surrey

Proofed for steel shot

Q)I would like to try steel shot for wildfowling in my 2 3⁄4in chambered gun, but I have been told by some of my friends that I cannot do so unless the gun has been especially proofed to take it. Is this correct? J. CAMBORNE By email

A lincoln Shotgun

(Q) I own a Lincoln 12-bore shotgun, with double triggers and fixed choke, serial no 48361. Despite hours spent searching the Internet I cannot find out anything about this gun or its maker. Can you help me? C. MELVILLE By email

Corkscrew antlers

Q)There are several small bucks on my ground that have miserable curly antlers. Apart from their size, though, they appear to be in good order. What is causing this condition? Is it genetic? Should I weed them all out and hope for improvement? This is quite good terrain, for Inverness-shire, with scrub woodland and damp low ground as well as hill. R. FRASER By email

Anting Behaviour

Q) During the hot weather in June I watched a blackbird in my back garden apparently picking up ants and putting them among its feathers. The bird was all puffed up, with its wings and tail spread. What on earth was it doing? T. HALLETT By email