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Leader Magazine
Vol.3.No.3.                    November 1962
POSTBAG.
TO THE EDITOR,
Dear Sir,
On reading, your article "The Art of Poaching" in the October edition of "The Beetlecrusher" I would like to make the following points, firstly poaching may be an art but, is definitely not a sport owing to some of the diabolical and inhuman methods used by poachers, an example of this is the building of foot high wicker fence across the neck of a wood with gaps left in it just big enough for game to pass through. On the opposite side of these gaps a young springy sapling is bent and a wire snare is attached so that when the victims are flushed to it (pheasants will prefer to run than fly in wooded areas) they run through the gaps springing the snares and are left hanging until the poacher has time to release the bird and put an end to its agony. This is only one of the ways the poacher has of catching his game.
Now to deal with the Author's gun handling and killing of the game. The author states when seeing a target you should always swing onto the game; fire, and swing past to complete a semicircle. If we have to complete a full half a circle this will mean taking our eyes off the dropping game which means in a wooded area and dense undergrowth we are to lose all game plus money on cartridges. By all means swing onto the target and carry on swinging past the target but only to distance where you can still observe where the game has gone and so can direct your dog to near or the exact position. It is only one dog born in a hundred that will mark down game when dropping through trees into the undergrowth and find it on its own initiative relating to the vulnerable parts on quarry such as rabbits, hares and the bird variety. Every person should know these spots which are always the foreparts namely the head and neck. It is far easier to hit, in the latter than under the wing otherwise you are going to spoil the best parts of the flesh. There is a table of allowances specially made out for sportsmen for the purpose of assuring that they will hit their target in the foreparts for example for aiming in the foreparts of a bird crossing at 40 m.p.h. using standard shot size at 40 yard range, the allowance is 8 feet in front.
A poacher has no closed season, in fact his best pickings are when the season is closed: such as pheasants sitting in their nests, or partridges defending their young in open fields: these are easy to pick up as they are so defiant in attitude to danger: as for being greedy, a poacher will take all he can lay his hands on because to him it means the more pheasants in the bag - the more pints in the pub.
The author has stated that the closed season is from March 31st. until October 18th. I would like to know which game he is referring to, as all the game I know enjoy their own closed season varying from species to species and the last possible day to shoot any game is February, 20th. And the first day to shoot any game is 12th. August. As for his aiming at the slightest movement, one day he is going to be very surprised to find he has shot either the keeper or the local policeman; it is a foolish way to behave with loaded gun in his hand which is quite capable of killing any human being. The author should read the poem "A Father's Advice" by Mark Beaufoy M.P. written for his son on reaching the age of 13 years.
I also want to impress on any person thinking of taking up this so called 'sport' that it really does not pay, for if you are caught by the law they are liable to confiscate all your poaching implements including your precious gun, which if used properly and on the right side of the law can give you many hours of honest, enjoyable sportsmanship.

Dear Editor,
I was highly delighted to find that on reading your latest edition, you had broadened the scope of the "Beetlecrusher". I was especially delighted when I found that a crossword had been included in the edition and a promise of further crosswords in following editions, and although I did not win I spent quite an enjoyable time completing the crossword.
I also thought the personality and Andy Gunge cartoons were very well done, and both were very fine and true to life. I sincerely hope that you will continue the serial "The Fighting Angel" as it promises to be quite thriller.
Your sports coverage is quite complete and gives good accounts of matches to people who were not able to attend.
Well done the Beetlecrusher!
A Beetlecrusher fan.
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