Moderators to be freed from licensing

After years of lobbying and more than 19,000 consultation responses, the Government has finally confirmed that sound moderators will be removed from firearms licensing controls.

Dame Diana Johnson MP announced the long‑awaited change, recognising what shooters have argued for decades – the current system places an unnecessary bureaucratic burden on both certificate holders and overstretched police firearms departments.

According to Bill Harriman, BASC’s director of firearms, the reform could reduce the police’s licensing workload by 32 percent – freeing up resources and cutting red tape.

The scale of the inefficiency is striking: around one‑third of the 600,000 ‘firearms’ currently licensed in England and Wales are in fact sound moderators – essentially metal tubes with baffles – rather than guns themselves. While there is no firm timeline yet, the Government says the change will come through primary legislation “when Parliamentary time allows”.

Fox control backed by 20 years of science

Meanwhile, new research underscores the conservation importance of fox and crow control – long understood by gamekeepers but now proven by science.

The GWCT’s Upland Predation Experiment, a 20‑year study across 3,000 acres of Northumberland moorland, revealed that ground‑nesting bird numbers collapsed without predator control. After management ended in 2008:

• Golden plover declined by 80%

• Snipe dropped by 76%

• Red grouse fell by 71%

• Half the lapwings disappeared, and black grouse and grey partridge were wiped out entirely

Fox numbers exploded by 78% and carrion crows surged 127 percent in the absence of control. When keepering resumed, ground‑nesting birds had three times better breeding success.

Lindsay Waddell, former NGO chairman, summed up the keepering community’s frustration: “No matter how robust the science is, those who don’t believe in controlling some species to save others will simply ignore it.”

Progress, but no timeline yet

BASC has published detailed FAQs explaining the proposed changes to sound moderator licensing. While no immediate timeline has been given, both the licensing reform and the predator control findings highlight how practical, science‑backed management benefits wildlife, shooters and overworked police forces alike.

For full guidance, visit BASC’s website or scan the QR code provided.

Did you enjoy this article? Read more news or subscribe to Rifle Shooter magazine.