I have just completed the DSC Level 1 and was told during the course that I am only allowed to have a rifle in my car while going to and from my stalking ground.
Advice
Our magazines – Shooting Times, Sporting Gun and Shooting Gazette answer your fieldsports questions with advice from experts at the very top of their field.
Our tips include help with gundog training, gun maintenance, shooting skills, legal issues, licensing, technical gun information, ammunition advice, cooking tips, shooting etiquette.
New to shooting?
If you’ve just started shooting you’ll find answers to questions like what is the best first gun or how to buy a gun second-hand. Also what to wear shooting and the legalities you need to know about.
Or do you have a good few seasons under your belt?
If you’re a more seasoned shooter you might have questions about your shooting technique and how to improve it. Or queries about the legalities of gun cabinets and shotgun licences.
Beating and picking-up | Gundog queries | Starting shooting | Shooting etiquette | Shooting clothing | Shotgun certificates and firearms licences | Gun cabinets | Legal answers | Shooting answers|
Deactivated guns – just how has the law changed?
Q: I have a number of deactivated guns that I am told that I will now have to register. Does this mean I need to get a firearm or shotgun certificate? The latest deactivated guns law A: No, but the new rules, which came into force on 12 December 2019…
Our guide to the bird species on general licences in England
The changes to general licences in the last year resulted in a lot of confusion. To make matters simpler, we thought we would provide a visual reference to bird species on general licences in England that can be culled. Remember that the law is different in Wales. Mike Swan, Head of…
12 New Year resolutions for shooters
Have a shooting lesson. In fact, why not book a few. If you feel your shooting has been below par this season then it might be time to go back to basics, book some sessions with an instructor and see what is going wrong. It’s simple to slip into bad…
How far do shotgun pellets travel?
We did a risk assessment on our syndicate shoot last season and highlighted a slippery stream crossing (two planks of wood) as a potential problem.
What you need to do to get a clear view along your gun
In this article we take a closer look at the importance of comb height. In particular, how to assess a newcomer’s requirements and understand the relevance of the combination of correct comb height and stock length. Both will help a Gun shoot to a higher standard. What is comb height?…
My shotgun certificate renewal has been refused!
The police have refused to renew my shotgun certificate on the grounds that I pose a threat to public safety or the peace, citing my domestic circumstances, and the fact that I had a shotgun in the boot of my car when the FEO visited - I was about to…
What women Guns really, really want for Christmas
Need to get a Christmas gift for a female Gun? We asked some women who shoot what they’d love to receive. The ultimate Christmas gifts for female Guns “Even though the season has just finished – I would love a pair of Vision chest waders for Christmas. Mine are shared…
How to make sure your game arrives on the plate in perfect condition
Keeping game in perfect condition Game as a meat is no different from any other product — if you want to increase its value and demand for it, it needs to be a quality product to start with. Small, damaged and poorly handled birds — the bane of game dealers’…
Maximising shoot returns
It is all very well saying that shooting is about the day and the size of the bag is almost an irrelevance. I agree that the number of birds in the bag is rarely related directly to how much pleasure we get from being out with our friends. But at…
Why should you move the gun with your whole body?
Why do you and other instructors make a point of stressing the gun should be moved by the whole body, particularly when shooting crossers and quartering birds?
What do when faced with protestors on a shoot
As unverified rumours of antis disturbing a shoot in Cambridgeshire spread like wildfire online, Shooting Times has some advice on how to deal with protesters
Should I tell the police about my gun?
Q: My shotgun has to go back for some work under warranty. The registered firearms dealer (RFD) I bought it from is sending a courier to my house to pick it up. Do I have to tell the police that the gun won’t be in my possession for a bit?…
Does cold weather affect rifle velocity?
If I use a variable magnification scope zeroed on the highest setting and in good light, would the point of impact change when the scope is turned down for a poor light situation? This is assuming both targets are at the same distance.
What’s the secret to snipe shooting?
I had never come up against walked-up snipe until I took a shooting holiday to Ireland in December.
Mycoplasma or ‘bulgy-eye’ disease is on the increase in pheasants. Here’s what you need to know about it.
Game farmers are being advised by vets to be extra vigilant this year in the battle against mycoplasmosis, commonly known as bulgy-eye.
Where am I most likely to find deer antlers?
Everyone's expressing concern at increasing deer numbers, but why do I never find cast antlers during my walks through the woods?
What’s the law on carrying a knife for hunting?
My son and his friend recently returned home with some un-paunched rabbits. When I asked him why he said they were concerned about carrying a knife in case they were stopped by police.
Can I get a shotgun certificate after having a stroke?
Several years ago I had a stroke but I have made a pretty good recovery.