A fine first day in the beating line

Seven-year-old Harry Sparkes (pictured right) enjoyed his first day beating at his grandfather’s local syndicate shoot in south-west Oxfordshire. Keen to get out in the beating line this season, Harry’s excellent flagging skills helped the bag reach 19. He’s now looking forward to when he can join his father and grandfather with a gun under his arm.

Luke Sparkes, by email

Right:

has always championed the science and accurate data to promote shooting. I am surprised that one of its senior advisers is throwing his arms in the air at the thought of any attempt to try to gauge accurate wildfowl numbers for sustainable shooting.

Prejudging the shooting community in any way will not improve nor provide accurate data in the future. This is neither a pragmatic nor a sensible approach.

Robert Findlay, by email

‘‘The wildlife of today is not ours to dispose of as we please. We have it in trust. We must account for it to those who come after.’’ King George VI

Mike Swan has concerns about the amount of red tape wildfowlers have to deal with