Game Shooting Research Articles

Impact of a Ball Regulation Change on Game Performance and Shooting Play in Japanese U-15 Girls' Handball.

We aimed to investigate how a ball regulation change, implemented in U15 girls' handball games, now affects game performance and shooting plays. Over 14 matches (28 observations), we included all the attacks (n = 813) and shooting plays (n = 589) with the conventional ball and all the attacks (n = 821) and shooting plays (n = 618) with the new ball performed by both teams. We used notational analysis to compare the game performance and shooting plays in these two conditions. Our main results were as follows: (i) the attack efficacy was higher with the new ball (41.9%) than with the conventional ball (36.1%); and (ii) the prevalence of the three-line defensive system was higher with the new ball (10.5%) than with the conventional ball (2.7%). It can be inferred that the new ball enabled backcourt players to execute more powerful middle- and long-range shots, leading to their adoption of deeper defensive tactics that were effective in halting advancing backcourt players. Moreover, implementing new ball regulations resulted in a significantly higher frequency of shots targeted at the upper third of the goal frame (44.4%) compared to those observed with the conventional ball (35.8%). This implies that the introduction of the new ball enhanced precision control over shot placements, resulting in an increased player preference for targeting the upper course. Lastly, goalkeepers' saving rates decreased under the new ball, highlighting the need for technical and tactical coaching, tailored to goalkeepers. In summary, implementing the new ball regulations had a positive impact on Japanese U15 girls' handball performance.

Annual extent of prescribed burning on moorland in Great Britain and overlap with ecosystem services

AbstractIn the UK uplands, prescribed burning of unenclosed heath, grass and blanket bog (‘moorland’) is used to support game shooting and grazing. Burning on moorland is contentious due to its impact on peat soils, hydrology and habitat condition. There is little information on spatial and temporal patterns of burning, the overlap with soil carbon and sensitive habitats and, importantly, whether these patterns are changing. This information is required to assess the sustainability of burning and the effectiveness of new legislation. We developed a method for semi‐automated detection of burning using satellite imagery – our best performing model has a balanced accuracy of 84.9%. We identified annual burn areas in Great Britain in five burning seasons from 2017/18 to 2021/22 of 8333 to 20 974 ha (average 15 250 ha year−1). Annual extent in England in 2021/22 was 73% lower than the average of the four previous seasons. Burning was identified over carbon‐rich soils (mean 5150 ha or 34% by area of all burning annually) and on steep slopes – 915 ha across the five seasons (1.3%), contravening guidance. Burning (>1 ha) was recorded in 14% of UK protected areas (PAs) and, within these, the percentage area of moorland burned varied from 2 to 31%. In England in some years, the percentage area of moorland burned inside PAs was higher than outside, while this was not the case in Scotland. Burning in sensitive alpine habitats totalled 158 ha across the five seasons. The reduction in burned area in England in 2021/22 could relate to England‐specific legislation, introduced in May 2021, to prohibit burning on deep peat in PAs. This suggests that regulation can be effective. However, the continued overlap with sensitive features suggests that burning falls short of sustainable practices. Our method will enable repeatable re‐assessment of burning extents and overlap with ecosystem services.

Understanding stakeholder perceptions on the impacts of gamebird releasing on or near UK protected sites

Conservation of protected sites involves stakeholders with a variety of perspectives and values of how land should be managed. Understanding the perceptions of different stakeholders are key to considering changes to conservation practises and to inform conflict strategies. Non-native gamebird release for recreational shooting in the UK includes associated land management which can have positive and negative impacts on species and habitats. We aimed to understand land manger perceptions of the effects from non-native gamebird release and associated management on native biodiversity within or adjacent to protected sites across the UK. We designed an online questionnaire which was completed by 104 managers of protected sites, including nature reserve staff, farmers and gamekeepers. Overall, respondents reported more positive effects related to estate management, and more negative effects related to the impacts of gamebirds on species and habitats, matching the conclusions of recent ecological evidence reviews. However, there was a marked difference in how the perceptions of different stakeholders matched the available ecological evidence: respondents employed by conservation NGOs, consultancy, government, and non-departmental bodies were more likely to perceive negative impacts, whereas respondents from farming and game shooting estates were more likely to perceive positive impacts. Despite pronounced differences in perceptions between stakeholder groups, there was broad cross-group agreement on the overall positive effect of hedgerow creation and management, and the overall negative impact of increases in generalist predator abundance and predation pressure on native wildlife linked to gamebird releases. Although our findings highlight differences between stakeholders in perceptions of the impacts of gamebird release and management, we use our results to highlight possible social mechanisms surrounding the perceptions of non-native gamebird releasing, opportunities for conflict management and potential needs for collaboration to further explore perceptions and help influence conservation action.

Research on the Model of Shooting Probability in Basketball Sports Competition

Abstract This paper combines the regression model based on nonlinear least partial squares and the decision tree model to more comprehensively excavate the influencing factors of the shooting percentage of basketball games from the perspective of both basic data and higher-order data. It also calculates the weight coefficients and comprehensive scores of the indicators of the four teams’ shooting techniques in the restricted area through the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method and studies the hitting rate of different shooting methods. After analysis, the regression coefficients of core strength training and core strength training time are 1.325 and 1.086 in the basic data and high-order data, respectively, which have a significant positive influence on the winning and losing of the tournament, and the decision tree intuitively demonstrates that the core strength training is a key factor in the hitting rate of the game shooting. The weight coefficient of “rebound” is the highest, with a weight coefficient of 20.0271, which has the greatest influence on the shooting percentage, and “traveling backhand shot” has the least influence on the shooting percentage.

Level of Shooting Ability in Football Games at the Long Gathering Club, Padang Guci Hilir, Kaur Regency

This study aims to determine the ability to shoot in a soccer game at Padang Guci Hilir Long Gathering, Kaur Kaur District. This type of research is a qualitative descriptive research. The research sample is 25 people. The instrument used in this study was the Football shooting test. Where the results of the level of shooting ability in soccer games at the Padang Guci Hilir Gathering in Padang Guci Hilir Regency in this study show the classification of "good" to "very poor". Then where are the results of the final shooting ability test in the soccer game at the Padang Guci Hilir Long Gathering, Kaur Kaur Regency, as follows: that of the 25 players at the Padang Guci Hilir Gathering, Kaur Regency. As many as 3 people (12%) have very less category. As many as 5 people (20%) have less category. As many as 12 people (48%) have sufficient category. As many as 4 people (16%) have a good category and as many as 1 person (4%) have a very good category. Then it can be concluded that the Football Game Shooting Ability Test at the Padang Guci Hilir Club Arisan Panjang, Kaur Kaur Regency, is in the Enough category, namely 12 athletes or with a percentage of (48%).

Обґрунтування параметрів хибних теплових цілей для захисту літальних апаратів від керованих ракет з інфрачервоним самонаведенням

Стаття присвячена обґрунтуванню вимог до сучасних хибних теплових цілей для захисту літальних апаратів від керованих ракет з інфрачервоним самонаведенням. Так, для імітування просторових, енергетичних та траєкторних ознак повітряної цілі відстрілювання хибних теплових цілей виконується у вигляді комбінованих залпів, у яких хибні теплові цілі мають різну потужність інфрачервоного випромінювання, різні коефіцієнти лобового опору, завдяки чому швидкість гальмування зустрічним повітряним потоком у них різна, а часові інтервали відстрілювання окремих хибних теплових цілей у залпі підбираються таким чином, щоб амплітудні, спектральні та траєкторні селектори сучасних інфрачервоних головок самонаведення не змогли однозначно виконати селекцію. Підтверджено, що однією з основних характеристик хибних теплових цілей, яка визначає її ефективне застосування для захисту літальних апаратів від керованих ракет з інфрачервоним самонаведенням, є максимальна або пікова сила випромінювання у заданому діапазоні довжин хвиль. Також в статті розглянуто один з нових способів застосування хибних теплових цілей та вимоги до них. Зокрема, обґрунтовані вимоги до закону зміни інфрачервоного випромінювання у часі, необхідної сили інфрачервоного випромінювання, часу виходу на режим та досягнення ефективного рівня випромінювання, а також повного часу випромінювання.

Characterizing Impacts In Girls’ High School Lacrosse Using Video Analysis

Participation in high school girls’ lacrosse is increasing, commensurate with concerns of risks for head impacts. Wearable sensors coupled with video analysis have characterized the incidence of head impacts in girls’ lacrosse. However, due to high sensor measurement error, the true incidence of game-related impacts remains unclear. PURPOSE: Characterize the incidence of impacts in girls’ high school lacrosse using video analysis. METHODS: Forty participants volunteered in 16 games during the 2019 lacrosse season. All games were filmed using a digital camera affixed to a tripod to capture impacts. Descriptive statistics were reported for all video-identified game-related impacts (VIGI), including impact rates (IR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: There were 208 VIGI, for 297 player-games (IR=.70 impacts/player-game, CI: 0.61, 0.80). Overall, midfielders had the most impacts (n=88, 42.3%) followed by attackers (n=79, 38%) and defenders (n=41, 19.7%). The most common impact mechanisms were player (n=105, 50.5%), stick (n=88, 42.3%), and ground (n=13, 6.3%) contact. Most impacts occurred during offense-defense transitions (n=44, 21.2%) and settled game play (n=39, 18.8%), defending (n=33, 15.9%) and shooting (n= 34, 16.3%). Of all impacts, 29 (13.9%) were direct head impacts (IR=.10, CI: 0.06, 0.13). The most common head impact mechanisms were contact with stick (n=24, 82.8%), ground (n=4, 13.8%), and ball (n=1, 3.4%). The most common game play impact characteristics were shooting (n=7, 24.1%), settled game play (n=7, 24.1%), offense-defense transitions (n=4, 13.8%) and defending (n=4, 13.8%). A penalty was called by the referee for 17 (58.6%) head impacts. CONCLUSION: The incidence of overall VIGI was considerably greater than previously reported studies using a sensor driven approach to identify and subsequently verify impacts using video. However, the rate of head impacts was lower, but similarly stick and ground contact remained the most common mechanisms despite their prohibition in the sport. Our findings reinforce the need for rule enforcement of prohibited game play behaviors. Prospective video analysis of head impacts in girls’ lacrosse may assist with characterizing impacts and their incidence, especially as the sport shifts toward the intervention of headgear.

Quantifying the importance of multi‐scale management and environmental variables on moorland bird abundance

UK moorlands are semi‐natural habitats managed for a mix of livestock, game shooting and forestry, among other activities. An assessment of the importance of characteristics that correlate with moorland bird populations of high conservation importance can inform appropriate management at appropriate locations. We use hierarchical partitioning to assess the absolute and relative importance of climate, topography, soil, landscape management (wider scale habitat configuration of forestry and agriculture) and site‐based management (indices of predator control, and vegetation characteristics) in determining the abundance of a suite of upland birds in four regions of the UK. Unmeasured region‐specific effects often made the largest contribution to models. Physical characteristics (climate, topography, soil) were important and on average explained a similar amount of variation to site‐based management. However, there was considerable interspecific variation in the importance of both. Landscape‐scale variables were generally of low importance. An index of predator control was positively correlated with the abundance of Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus scotica and two waders. Vegetation characteristics (composition and structure) were, together, strong correlates of the abundance of passerine species. Vegetation characteristics were as important as indices of predator control for waders and grouse. The importance of regional effects, physical characteristics and variables relating to management suggest targeting site‐based management (such as predator control or vegetation management) to the areas where physical characteristics are most favourable. The most beneficial management will vary between species, necessitating a mosaic of management options across upland areas to benefit all species.

Bullshot: Sporting shooting, alcohol and the two cultures

This paper discusses the role and function of alcohol in sporting shooting in the UK. It seeks to understand and critically comment upon alcohol consumption relating to this sport, to widen empirical knowledge of sporting shooting and to use the lens of alcohol to enhance our theoretical understanding of changes taking place in the global countryside. The paper contextualises the activity of sporting shooting by discussing the characteristics of game shooting participants and also the nature of sporting shooting in Britain and Ireland using examples from the pro-shooting press and shooting memoirs. The paper then unpacks the role alcohol fulfils during the sporting day and questions whether it is problematic in this sport on three grounds: the health and safety of participants; for the policing and regulation of legal gun ownership; and for the sustainability and viability of sporting shooting in a changing global countryside. The paper enhances knowledge and understanding in the sociology of sport by broadening the notion of sporting conduct within the sport–alcohol nexus, examining the sport–alcohol nexus in the context of sporting shooting and by demarking changes taking place in the British countryside itself. Two cultures participate in game shooting: for its intrinsic reward (the ‘true countryman’) and those perceiving the countryside and its elite activities in more instrumental terms (the networker). The long-term implications of this trend are unknown, but it may indicate a threat to the sustainability and long-term viability of sporting shooting if it becomes a purely commercial venture.

David John Christopher Felton

David John Christopher Felton died while shaping up to return one of his cross court forehands for which he was respected by his fellow tennis players. It was the way...

The Transformation of Lowland Game Shooting in England and Wales in the Twentieth Century: The Neglected Metamorphosis

Scant attention has been devoted to game shooting, an activity regarded neither as a mainstream sporting nor an agricultural activity. This article seeks to address this omission by undertaking a detailed critique of the main changes which have taken place in the organisation of lowland game shooting since the iconic era of the great shoots in the Edwardian period (1901–1910). In particular, it will investigate how a minority sport, which was traditionally regarded as the exclusive preserve of the leisured classes, has been transformed into an important rural activity catering for a wide spectrum of society.

The Transformation of Lowland Game Shooting in England and Wales since the Second World War: The Supply Side Revolution

AbstractThe history of game shooting since the Second World War might be seen as an enigma. In spite of unprecedented changes to the countryside resulting from the intensification of farming which contributed to a rapid decline in the partridge population, the size of the national game bag increased due to the enhanced popularity of the pheasant as a sporting quarry. This article evaluates the reasons for the expansion of the sport in this period, focusing on the management of the countryside, the evolution of game keeping, the growth of artificial game rearing, and the increasing popularity of game shooting.

British Game Shooting in Transition, 1900-1945

This article explores the transformation of lowland game shooting from its heyday in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods to state-imposed rationalization during the Second World War. It evaluates the extent to which the interwar years constituted a period of depression or regeneration in the way the activity was organized and pursued, followed by an in-depth analysis of the impact of the Second World War. The study shows that the prevailing wisdom about the reasons for the decline of game shooting merits reappraisal, particularly in view of the unprecedented changes to the sport that resulted from the government's control and direction of food production during World War II.

Source-pathway-receptor investigation of the fate of trace elements derived from shotgun pellets discharged in terrestrial ecosystems managed for game shooting

Spent shotgun pellets may contaminate terrestrial ecosystems. We examined the fate of elements originating from shotgun pellets in pasture and woodland ecosystems. Two source–receptor pathways: i) soil–soil pore water–plant and ii) whole earthworm/worm gut contents – washed and unwashed small mammal hair were investigated. Concentrations of Pb and associated contaminants were higher in soils from shot areas than controls. Arsenic and lead concentrations were positively correlated in soils, soil pore water and associated biota. Element concentrations in biota were below statutory levels in all locations. Bioavailability of lead to small mammals, based on concentrations in washed body hair was low. Lead movement from soil water to higher trophic levels was minor compared to lead adsorbed onto body surfaces. Lead was concentrated in earthworm gut and some plants. Results indicate that managed game shooting presents minimal risk in terms of element transfer to soils and their associated biota.

Game Shooting: An Elite Sport c.1870–1980

For the titled and moneyed male in Victorian and Edwardian Britain, game shooting was a sport in which many participated and a few excelled. Possession of a good pheasant shoot or partridge manor or grouse moor confirmed high social standing or offered a way into the elite. The adoption of the shotgun rather than the muzzle-loader, and driving birds up to the guns as against walking up with a gun, meant that the quality of hospitality was measured only in the quantity of birds shot. In the fifty years leading up to the First World War there were set records, both for individual ‘big shots’ and for teams of guns, that have never been reached since. This article examines how such large bags were achieved pre-1914. It reviews the impact of the First World War, and the economic, political and environmental factors that reshaped game shooting in the inter-war years, and the accelerated moves towards a commercial rather than class approach to shooting by landowners. It reflects on the situation post-1945 when the very existence of the sport has come under pressure, not least EC regulation, VAT, farming practice and land use, the anti-field sports campaigns and the protection of hawks.

When successful conservation breeds conflict: an economic perspective on wild goose management

AbstractWild bird conservation in the UK is a widely regarded as a success story. The populations of many endangered species have grown or at least stabilised, birds that were last seen in the UK over 100 years ago have been successfully re-introduced, and bird watching makes an increasingly important contribution to the rural economy in terms of employment and income. Nevertheless, some wild birds also generate costs and some deep rooted conflicts persist with other rural activities such as farming and game shooting. This paper describes a conceptual framework for understanding the costs and benefits of wild birds and, using wild goose conservation in the island of Islay as a case study, explores whether continued public investment in wild goose conservation is worthwhile from an economic perspective. The paper concludes with a discussion about future options for integrating wild bird conservation with sustainable rural development.

A survey of gundog lameness and injuries in Great Britain in the shooting seasons 2005/2006 and 2006/2007

The aim of this paper was to record the types of injuries and causes of lameness exhibited by dogs involved in game shooting. The study investigated gundogs that worked in the seasons 2005/2006 and 2006/2007. Information was acquired by owner questionnaires. The dogs were classified as working in the beating line, as peg dogs or as picking up dogs. A further group comprised Setters and Pointers that worked the grouse moors. A secondary objective was to assess the incidence of injuries that were treated by owners without seeking the assistance of their veterinarian, and to identify those that may have been underestimated. Depending on whether a dog was injured or went lame, and, if so, the nature of the injury, was correlated with the number of days worked, where it worked, its breed and the type of work it did. A mildly positive association between the Spaniel breed group and injuries was seen in 2005/2006 but not in 2006/2007. However, the relationship between the type of work and injuries was very significant for both seasons with dogs working in the beating line being at greatest risk and Setters and Pointers having the least number of injuries. The dogs in the beating line were also at a significantly greater risk of injury in both years when the type of injury was investigated. Fifty-three percent of all injuries were deemed to be sufficiently minor, that veterinary attention was not sought. However, those dogs with proximal thoracic limb lameness may have been under-investigated. There was a highly significant association between tail injuries and undocked Springer and Cocker Spaniels.

Effects of pheasant management on vegetation and birds in lowland woodlands

Summary Releasing pheasants in woodlands for game shooting is a widespread practice in the British countryside. Apart from changes to ground flora in woodland release pens, the effects of pheasant releasing on woodland biodiversity are poorly understood. We surveyed 159 lowland broad‐leaved woods in southern and eastern England during spring–summer 2004 to determine the impact of pheasant management on vegetation structure and composition and on bird populations. Eighty‐one of the woods contained pheasant release pens with annual releases of pheasants and associated gamebird management such as supplementary feeding in winter. In the remaining 78 woods there had been no pheasant management for at least 25 years. We found that the pheasant‐managed woods had a more open structure, with between 2% and 7% less canopy cover and a denser field layer with between 5% and 58% more ground vegetation cover, including grasses and bramble Rubus fruticosus. We recorded approximately 40% more birds in woods in southern England and between 22% and 32% more birds were observed in pheasant‐managed woods than control woods. Woodpigeons and warblers were more abundant in pheasant‐managed woods. Synthesis and applications: We conclude that the impacts of pheasant releasing on vegetation structure and bird communities in woodlands are benign or positive. This study demonstrates that some aspects of woodland management for pheasants, including reducing the extent of canopy cover can encourage growth of understorey vegetation which helps create favourable conditions for some woodland bird species.

Changes in Land Cover and Parcel Size of British Lowland Woodlands over the Last Century in Relation to Game Management

The area and number of woodlands within landscapes managed for shooting pheasants and other lowland game birds are contrasted with those not managed for game. The study locations were sample 1-km squares from the Countryside Survey (CS), a survey of the land cover of Great Britain. Two-hundred-and-thirty-two appropriate CS squares were divided into game and non-game squares on the basis of evidence of management for game. No significant differences were found in changes in woodland area or parcel number during the periods 1984-90 and 1990-98. Twelve matched pairs of game and non-game squares were selected, and the disposition of woodland was taken from maps of the 1870s, 1940s, 1960s and 1980s, recording total area, number of woodland parcels and parcel sizes. The number of parcels of woodland in game squares increased more than that in non-game squares during the period 1960s-1980s, but mean parcel size changed little. Landscapes where management for game has taken place have retained a greater proportion of the woodland present in the 1870s. It seems that game shooting has encouraged landowners to retain existing woodlands, and to plant new ones, during the period 1960s-1980s.

An assessment of British farmers’ and gamekeepers’ experiences, attitudes and practices in relation to the European Polecat Mustela putorius

AbstractPostal questionnaires were distributed to farmers and gamekeepers within the Polecat’s Mustela putorius main range in Britain. Only 11% of responding farmers had ever experienced damage by Polecats; 28% regarded the species as a threat to livestock. Conversely 53% of farmers believed Polecats control Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus, and 39% believed they control rodents on the farm. Two‐thirds of responding gamekeepers had experienced Polecat predation of penned game, with the commonest access routes via ‘pop‐holes’ and beneath the perimeter wire. Most gamekeepers (68%) regarded the Polecat as a minor pest, but ranked it as a less serious threat to game than predators such as the Fox Vulpes vulpes, Feral Cat Felis catus, Stoat Mustela erminea, corvids and Mink Mustela vison.Majorities of both farmers and gamekeepers would be concerned about an increase in the numbers of Polecats, and most wished to be free to control the species. Trapping was regarded as the main defence against Polecat predation of game; 91% of gamekeepers had trapped Polecats over the preceding 5 years. A minority of farmers carried out Polecat control; this activity was more prevalent on farms near the fringe of the species’ range. Pest‐control practices likely to impact accidentally or indirectly upon Polecats, such as rodenticide use, fumigation (‘gassing’) of Rabbit burrows and ferreting, were also more prevalent on farms towards the fringe of the species’ range.These findings are discussed in the light of the Polecat’s status as a Scheduled species recovering its range in Britain. In anticipation of the species’ further spread into areas where game shooting is prevalent, recommendations are made regarding the need to improve game husbandry and to modify trapping practice. In particular, the night‐time closure of pop‐holes and the effective exclusion of Polecats from tunnel traps are suggested as a means of promoting greater tolerance of Polecats and compliance with the law.