Fieldsports Britain - Best of 2012 (episode 161)

[Music] Welcome to Fieldsports Britain. Coming up. It's Christmas and the Schools Challenge has given kids the chance to shoot their first pheasants. We have some of the silliness that goes on behind the scenes as we make Fieldsports Britain for you. It's the 2012 blooper reel First, I hope you have over indulged, sitting there on your new DFS sofa and watching this on your new iPad Tablet. Well we are going to self indulge now with our review of 2012. If you are watching this on Youtube you can click on the links on the screen to go straight through to the original films. For most UK fieldsports, January is a time to start winding down - and January 2012 was no exception. The wildfowling, hunting and gamebird seasons are in full swing but their ends are in sight. Not for us. 2012 was a time to wind up, starting with our story about Britain's biggest fox, which appeared in The Sun newspaper on 2nd January. It would turn out to be the year of the fox - but more of that later. Our next stop in January was Las Vegas for the biggest sporting gun show in the world, the Shot Show, where you get to see the latest kit available and I get to fire machine guns in the desert. We saw the American obsession with quite an unusual species. They have got Zomby ammunition, Zomby firearms. Throughout the whole show there are countless products from people we are working with who want to go round with us because because if you have the Zomby gun then you need something to shoot. I also got to try out some US hunting. I enjoyed duck, wild boar and whitetail deer in the bayous of Louisiana, and got terrified by an Armadillo My heart started racing and thank goodness it is an Armadillo. I really thought we were We also used our trip to the USA to launch a new YouTube star. Usually more comfortable shooting antelope in Africa, we took Ian Harford of Team Wild skimming over the swamps in search of rats. We got home just in time for the end of the pheasant season. Mark Gilchrist enjoyed a day out with the shooters at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester. And then there were more foxes. A viewer sent us this film of an experiment he conducted in his garden. Filmed from his front room, it shows a fox taking not a baby but a dead piglet dressed in a baby grow, stuck in a pram with the sound of a baby crying playing on speakersa round it. Ooh - it didn't make the antis happy at all. More on that later, too. Antis have never liked us. They put themselves through what must be the misery for them of watching our films and then, once they are properly frothed up, they leave death threats in the YouTube comments section. Duh. It's one of the most public forums in the world. It didn't take long to track one of them down, ring him up and confront him. Does he really want to kill Mark Gilchrist? His behaviour is primitive, backward and he belongs in the Neolithic era. Antis have sad lives. We have fun. The legend that is Roy Lupton invented a new way of testing his wild boar shooting skills in March. We run the Countryside Alliance film unit and we did lots of filming for them this year. Whether it was the Countryside Alliance awards, also known as the Rural Oscars, or whippets in the snow in the Yorkshire Dales with David Taylor, or a day out with Nicky Sadler and the Ledbury Hunt in Herefordshire, or welcoming the new chief executive, General Sir Barney White-Spunner, who has strong views on repealing the foxhunting and coursing ban. March also saw the European version of the ShotShow. Held in Nuremberg and called IWA, the talk this year was of the German who used a Sauer bolt action rifle to pull off this incredible shot. By April, the fly fishers are getting itchy fingers. We made a piece about reservoir fishing at a water that, because of the lack of rain, was only half full. The only fisherman catching that day was a professional. Lack of rain! Ha! Why do you think we are filming this indoors? Our next stop was truly dry. Zeiss Sports Optics held a week-long hunt to try out its new Conquest HD and Victory HT range of scopes and binoculars at the Blaser Safari Lodge in Namibia. Also on hand were experts from Norma ammunition. We learnt about oryx, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest, more oryx, how to use a dead giraffe as bait for jackals, we were just hanging out at the luxury lodge doing luxury stuff when I got a lesson in how to release a leopard that I didn't mean to trap. Back in the UK and we hooked up with some of the biggest stars of YouTube to try out various shooting sports. Our glamorous stars Roy Lupton, Mark Gilchrist and the incredible Andy Crow were all on hand to help out. But shooting is not always popular, though we still find that hard to believe. I appeared on a TV programme called Foxes Live, where I had a tough argument with foxlover, rock guitarist and national treasure Brian May. More about Bri (as I call him) later. Another star we have been doing a lot of work with this year is George Digweed. The twenty-times world champ shoots clays - of that there is no doubt - but he also runs pheasant shoots, designs clay grounds and clay competitions, shoots foxes and, to relax, he goes out after pigeons. We helped The Shooting Show get off the ground on YouTube in the summer and George kindly agreed to let us film him for one of their programmes. Now you might have missed it but Team GB found a new star in young shooter Peter Wilson, who won gold for Double Trap at London2012. We made a series of films for the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association with him and with fourth-in-the-world women's Olympic Trap shooter Abbey Burton. It's amazing that the weather held off for the Olympics. By the middle of the summer, reservoirs were filling up nicely. We were at lots of events this year, from Irish game fairs to all the Schools Challenge events, including the Universities Challenge, to the sad cancellation of the CLA Game Fair. This is the time of year to experience the extraordinary sight of roebucks rutting, and Roy delivered us to exactly the right place for that It's now August and gameshooting in the UK starts again with the Glorious Twelfth, the official beginning of the grouse season on the glorious 12th. We try both kinds of this fabulous sport - walked up with Lee Maycock, in order to show off the work of the Moorland Association and the Game-to-Eat campaign, and driven with Simon Ward, one of the country's best grouse shots, and Mark Osborne of grand old gunmaker William Powell. ....so where you have shot is not where the grouse are. Really amazing, amazing. Grouse shooting can be a rich man's sport. Pigeon shooting is the poor man's grouse and we were able to experiment this year with some new filming techniques that allow shooters to see exactly what shot does and where it goes. We did this with part-man, part pigeon Andy Crow. We took similar techniques out with Roy Lupton on an airgun safari, which allowed us to answer the question, can rabbits hear the pellet before it hits them? This super-ninja bunny could have had a part in the Matrix. I enjoyed one of my favourite summer sports - prawning in North Cornwall - and Sporting Shooter editor Dom Holtam went to Meanwhile, Roy gets to go shooting in a shopping centre. Now - he is not running amok with an assault rifle, but targeting pesky feral pigeons with an airgun. As summer turns to autumn, the wildfowling, partridge and then pheasant-shooting seasons begin. One of our longest-standing supporters is Browning, which has a super new shotgun this year in the 725, which we launched for them in the UK, before it was even launched in the US. We now go over to Paris with the guys from Browning for a partridge shoot to see it in action. We are also in Hungary with Euro-hunting star Max Hunt who talks us through bowhunting, putting us right in the idle of the fallow rut. Back in the UK, Dom Holtam gets a good gig and we go along for the ride. We become one of only a few British-based TV shows to try out the new Ferrari FF shooting break, so to celebrate, we set about the Ferrari Macnab - three days, 700 miles, a stag in Cornwall, a grouse in Yorkshire and a salmon in the north of Scotland. The badger cull debate is underway in the UK. The idea is to shoot 75% of badgers in a couple of areas and see if that has an effect on bovine tuberculosis, which badgers carry. Brian May wades in and so incenses country folk that one of them starts shooting badgers anyway and sends us the footage. We have a lot of fun with Brian this year. And finally, a deerstalker rings us up and tells us that Brian allowed deerstalking in woodland he owns in Dorset. Such shocking double standards - what can we do but telephone the Sunday Times. Brian is very cross. At the end of the year and we stay busy busy busy. Roy conducts a super airgun pellet test to see if the pointy ones, the flat ones or the domed ones are best for killing rabbits. Vinnie Jones sends us pictures of his Russian Macnabski: a fox, a raccoon dog and a salmon, all in one day. Andy Crow is out after crows. And Mark Gilchrist gets his kit off in our super test of different camouflage patterns. We could not have done this without them, so thank you so much to all our stars. Nor could we have made it without our sponsors. Contrary to some people's opinions, David and I are not eccentric millionaires devoted to bringing you weekly entertainment. And it's thanks to you, the viewer, too. We are the biggest hunting channel in Europe and among the biggest in the world. Thank you for watching. If you love reviews of years, you might like to click on the screen and go back and see our 2011 review, where I look about five years younger. I would tell you what we have got planned for 2013 but I have got no idea. Now, let's go to our 2012 for our blooper reel. Thank you David. Do you want a bit more animation. Here you go David, another beer you owe us. Wake up..... ......cut that bit..... .....and finally......... .....cut..... Yes.......[raspberry] What was that with the net? No, he is called Alistair. Cut.....cut......cut......*** I shouldn't have said that...... And that is a 745 725! What ever, I did my best. Hey Gilchrist you have got fleas mate. I am pretty fearful I may vomite before the end of the day. Can you get off the bucket Dave. I should be at home with a cup of tea. Grrrrrrrr....... Oooh........argh..........ahhh.........I mustn't argue with a cow. Ian taking no bull there. I am doing me bungs up so that we can get back across. There is a bridge Roy. Shut up! There is one for the Christmas blooper reel. I know a girl like this..... Go on......go on...... Come on........doesn't work. Bloody hell. We start with...... You can hear the bangs. Anybody who says fishing is idyllic needs their brains tested. It is not a competition. First, it is the next one......no I am going to be ten, five minutes Someone said I look like brains on holiday. To you.....grrrrrrr......grrrrr.....that ok. No like aggression. I am not an aggressive person am I. You are. Grrrrrr.............. Oh thank god for that. Did I look at you again. .........click.......click........click Thank you Ricky. Welcome to Fieldsports Britain coming to you this week from Namibia. Coming up.... That is my line......we have got..... It is our third birthday. There it is, it's coming...... There.......there....... Trawsgoed, Trawsgoed Estate ........ Shssss.........Ha.......get on........ Coming up...... For those of you wondering why we are whispering it is because we are f.......... hunting. Oh ***, oh ***. Mind your arm, yes....look at him. Because I am .......to you. Where do you get your belly from Dom? I want one like that, but I just can't afford it. I have done a lot of angry birds.. Is awesome......that is horrible. The price for perfection .........the price for perfection on the other hand, the price for perfection.......f......hell, the price for ferfection......I can't say it. Have we got an alternative. Going to see a man about a rod. Where are we? I have gone way past the door. When you stopped...... No I have had no trimming. I have not been to the salon. Can you put more of it up your *** so you have got more on your front. Ok I had it on wrong. It is alright. What relatively alright. Yes, that is alright. How alright out of ten? Justin doesn't know the chaps that shoot it so....just there we go.....Justin doesn't know the people that shoot it, Justin doesn't know the people that shoot it, but Does Justin know the people that shoot it? No, he doesn't. It is not me...... Andy go back to the car. Ok and eventually we got onto this fox ....... You just shot it really. I know...... Cut....... From grown ups making mistakes to kids getting it right. It is the end of the Schools Challenge series of events this year, the 2012 Game Day. Fed up with the kids hogging the sofa and emptying the fridge? Here's a great way to get them out in the fresh air doing something worthwhile. Send them game shooting. These under-21s have come to the Oxford Gun Company for the Schools Challenge two-day introduction to driven game. There are fifteen youngsters in all. Some of them are already old hands at game shooting. But for others, there's a lot to learn. I have shot with air rifles and stuff just at targets. I have done rabbit hunting a couple of times, but haven't been able to shoot anything because I haven't had a gun when there have been any rabbits around. That is basically all I have done. I shot a squirrel once with a shot gun and that is about it. And I am basically learning to shoot for the first time properly with a shot gun on this course. You have been banned from using mobile phones is that a problem. I was just wondering why you can't use them, but they made it clear that it is a bit of danger hazard I guess. No that is fine. I will just turn it off. Tattie is getting the hang of the shooting, and she's worked out there's more than one way to smash a clay pigeon. Let's hope the instructors explain that's not how we do it with pheasants. The standard of shooting is coming on in leaps and bounds and, of course our aspiring guns can't resist a bit of competition. They are all good really you can't really ..... We have all got our competition mind on in the back of our heads. At the end of the day we are all doing it for a bit of a laugh. It is really good fun. Obviously there are only two girls, so it is sort of girls versus boys, which is quite fun to see. Who is winning at the moment. I think it is the girls. As well as marksmanship, the youngsters learn about safety, etiquette, and how a game shoot works. There's even a demonstration of dog-training so they can appreciate the important work of the pickers-up. By the end of day one, everyone has had loads of fun and smashed plenty of clays, but do they feel confident enough to tackle the real thing tomorrow? They are all good shots they will have a good day. Because we had Robert teaching us. It's day two, before dawn, and our eager pheasant shooters are on parade, kitted out in full waterproofs. The forecast isn't good - it's supposed to rain for most of the day. We gather in front of the big house for a briefing and photo opportunity. Then we load up and set off - courtesy of sponsors Express Cartridges and Land Rover. For the first drive the guns are in a ploughed field, in front of a cover strip. Each of the young shots is accompanied by an instructor to give them advice and make sure the safety rules are followed. Looking after Laura is David Florent from The Oxford Gun Company, who's in charge of organising the day. It is going to be good. It is my first shoot so hopefully it will go well. There are three of us who haven't shot before so it will be really good. The experience to do all three things....yes, it is exciting. Laura is excited about the possibility of shooting her first ever pheasant - but nervous about actually handling a dead one. She is going to carry it in a minute. No I am not. Yes you are. You shot it so you are carrying it. Can I just go and get my gloves. I have to wear my gloves. No. God.....ooh. With the 15 youngsters split into three teams, they take it in turns to shoot, beat and pick-up. Eventually it's Tattie's turn to shoot - and she really wants to get her first pheasant before her brothers. Those two weren't easy were they? No they were really fast. By now everyone's worked up an appetite, and the youngsters pounce on the soup and hot sausages. As for the fudge fingers, we still don't know where the box ended up. Anyway, back to work, and the rain has arrived, which is going to put those waterproofs to the test. Still, we're too busy trying to keep in line to notice. A couple of drives later, Tattie gets her second chance - will she manage to bag her first bird? Concentrate.....concentrate...... No.....no... My hands are freezing. Ha I got two. Concentrate..... Shall I get that..... Yes......go on, in front, in front. He's got it. Break the gun, break the gun. Shut the gun, shut it. That guy took my bird. Well she's achieved her ambition, and learnt something about the neighbouring gun poaching your birds too. Meanwhile, Laura's shooting is going from strength to strength - she's had another pheasant and even shared a woodcock with her brother. But she's still struggling with actually picking up a dead bird. Still, at least everyone is being sensitive and understanding about it. No, I can't do it....oh...... You can't shoot them if you can't hold them. Slip it through your arm. I can't put it on my arm. Don't be a wimp, just hold it. It is just feathers. Can you hold it with me? Hold it......ok? Right, time for lunch, form an orderly queue... With storm clouds gathering, darkness is coming early, so there's no time to lose - we've one last drive to fit in. The keeper is showing huge confidence in our young guns by driving the birds right over the roof of his house. Let's hope they were paying attention in the safety briefing. No need to worry, these youngster are shooting like pro's. By the time the drive is over, the bag for the day is 51 plus the woodcock - and it looks like Laura has conquered her fear. We're finished just in time to hop into the vehicles before the rain really starts. Then it's back to The Oxford Gun Company for a debrief before the parents arrive and the youngsters head home bubbling with memories. So has their experience converted them into dedicated game shooters of tomorrow? You are a hero. Oh thanks Birdie. Well we are running a year's worth of programming for Schools Challenge in 2013 on their own dedicated Youtube page. Keep watching for more details. Now to the wider world of hunting and this time the third world, it is a tribal version of Hunting YouTube. This is Hunting YouTube, which aims to show the best hunting, shooting and fishing videos that YouTube has to offer, at this festive time, from all over the third world. In western Mongolia, an ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles is still alive, and it makes for popular films on YouTube. In this film, the Mongols are launching eagles at wolves. Heading to North America, I spent a happy summer in northern Labrador, based out of the mainly Inuit town of Nain. The Inuits are avid hunters. Here is a film showing a whale hunt with Native Iñupiaq hunters on the other side of the continent in northern Alaska. Like the Mongols and their eagles, the Iñupiaq people have been hunting whales for thousands of years. Earlier this year, I learnt to hunt dangerous African animals by throwing sticks at them. Next up, we're hunting with the Hadzabe tribe of Tanzania. Don't expect lions. They kill three birds and a squirrel, cook and eat them and then show how to use their bows and arrows. On the fishing front, as a serial prawner, I am struck by this simple shrimp fishing film from Thailand. Google translation into English from Thai is "Naturally fall under the coconut shrimp". Love it. Let's go spearfishing in the Amazon. This guy is incredible. We're in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve in Northern Peru. A local guide and fisherman spots a fish and kebabs it. What a shot. Staying in South America, a couple of National Geographic filmmakers made this short film for their YouTube channel with the Kaapor people of Brazil. It's subsistence stuff - they are after tortoises. Think Australia and you think roos. Here the aboriginal people in the Pilbara, Western Australia, are after kangaroos to feed kids at a local school. You can pick up kangaroo cooking tips from this film, too Finally, just to show that with most third-world hunting, a big calibre is better than a blowpipe or boomerang, here is Giant Crocodile Hunting, River Nile, Africa by Ezz El-Rifaie Well I hope that wasn't too tokenistic a romp. You can click on any of these films to watch them. If you have a Youtube film about any kind of hunting or fishing you would like us to pop into the weekly top eight then send it in via Youtube or email me the link at Charlie@fieldsportschannel.tv. Well we are back next week on the second of January with a whole host of new programming for 2013 as I say I have no idea what it is yet. If you are watching this on Youtube, please hit the subscribe button that is somewhere round the screen or go to our web page www.fieldsportschannel.tv click to like us on Facebook follow us on Twitter, or scroll down to the bottom, on the right you will see our constant contact box where you can pop your email address and we will contact you every week with news of our programme that is out Wednesday evening from seven o'clock. This has been Fieldsports Britain for 2012. It is a very happy new year.