Cornish clotted cream, Melton Mowbray pies...

How about Highland venison, Yorkshire grouse or Norfolk pheasant? The EU has a scheme to protect traditional and regional food specialities. The latest regional food to gain special protection in this way is Cornish sardines (also known as pilchards). They won their special status because of the traditional way they are caught, and Cornwall's historic link to sardine fishing.

The UK, with 40 products recognised by Brussels, lags a long way behind France and Italy, with around 300.

Are we missing a trick here? Are there regional game specialities that could win special status, recognising the traditional way they are harvested and prepared?

I'm all legal

Full marks to Surrey Police, who have processed my RFD, Firearms and Shotgun Certificate renewal with all the efficiency and courtesy one could wish - despite a photograph that makes me look like the sort of person who shouldn't be allowed within a mile of a gun! The certificates all arrived in the post yesterday, so there's no awkward gap between one certificate and the next. Silly really, but it's surprising how much worry the whole process causes, and it really helps when the police firearms dept handle it well.

And yes, I did remember to sign them both, in ink, on receipt. From my gunshop days, I recall it's surprising how many people don't!

Tug of war

This is not the recommended way of training a young gundog, but it's good to see the two of them playing together!

Young shot on the telly

The BBC's Inside Out South East programme has produced an excellent piece on young people and shotguns, featuring the West Kent Shooting School, and presented by a young shooter, 12-year-old Victoria. It's available on the BBC iPlayer until Monday 14 Dec - grab a look while you can.

UPDATE: There's a 'debate' piece on the BBC  Kent website about this, with BASC's Jenni Thompson making the case for youngsters being encouraged to learn shooting responsibly, and the League Against Cruel Sports' Douglas Batchelor frothing at the mouth (and showing a complete lack of knowledge of the law on young people and guns - or is he deliberately trying to frighten people?).

Two foxes snapped by the ProStalk

For the first time, the ProStalk camera has captured two foxes at once.

Also a magpie that visited the site during daylight. There are one or two 'blank' photos, day and night, which I guess are the result of something whizzing past the sensor and being out of shot by the time the shutter opens. It could easily happen with a small bird, or even a bat, flying close to the camera.

One thing I've learned from using the ProStalk is how unpredictable the foxes are. Some foxshooters have told me about foxes so predictable "you could set your watch by them". Not mine! Looking through the 'event log' on the machine, I've had foxes visit on different days at 17.00, 18.11, 20.40, 22.20, 01.35, 04.00, 05.40 and 06.15. There's really no pattern in that - so if I had to wait up for them it could be a long cold night, with no guarantee they'd show up at all.

It's a hard life

Look who's sitting outside the office window this morning

I opened the window quietly, poked the camera through, and snapped a few photos before the woodie flew off.