I was always taught to greet a strange dog by offering it the back of my hand to sniff, but I did this recently and the dog growled at me. Is there a better way?
Advice
Harris’s hawk
(Q) The theft of Rufus, the Harris hawk at Wimbledon this year, was widely reported. However, shouldn’t the bird be known as a Harris’s hawk rather than a Harris hawk? D. THORPE By email
What does “Not For Ball” mean on my William Powell shotgun?
My William Powell shotgun has a strange mark on its barrels which reads “Not For Ball”.
How can I get the correct gunfit with my Browning Cynergy?
I am new to shooting and have just purchased an over-under Browning Cynergy Sporting Black Ice Edition. Can anybody give me an idiot's guide to obtaining the correct gun fit?
Are there any books on training a deer stalking dog?
Deer stalking: I would like to train a dog to find deer in woodland that have run off after the shot.
Can I show ‘good reason’ for my firearms certificate?
I would very much like to branch out into deer stalking but don’t know of any land I can put down under the ‘good reason’ requirement for my firearms certificate.
How do I NOT mess up my fully trained gundog?
Gundog training: Do I need to follow any procedure when I take delivery next month of a fully trained gundog?
Can I have a 10-bore taken off my shotgun certificate?
I have just bought a 10-bore J. W. Laird hammergun from someone who had held it on his shotgun certificate.
Is this ‘cutaway’ demo shotgun deactivated?
I have been offered a ‘cutaway’ shotgun, which would be a useful demonstration aid to the clients at my clay ground.
Do you use crow bangers when pigeon shooting?
When pigeon shooting, how effective are crow bangers at stopping pigeons landing in other parts of a field?
Are Sika deer tougher to kill than others?
Deer stalking: Friends who have stalked them say that the most difficult deer to cull, and kill, are Sika.
Do you use a Hushpower shotgun for lamping rabbits?
Do you use a Hushpower shotgun when lamping rabbits? Are they effective?
Bizarre feather rituals
Q) During some fine weather at the end of May, I was watching a starling in my garden. Its wings were spread and its tail was fanned out, and the bird was picking up ants and putting them in its feathers. Is this a known habit and, if so, what…
Can you use solid shotgun slugs for deer stalking?
Can you use solid (Brenneke) shotgun slugs on deer in the UK, like you can on the Continent?
Are dead birds better than plastic for pigeon shooting?
I have spent a small fortune on artificial decoys for pigeon shooting – only to be told by a couple of lads at the club that plastic is nowhere near as good as dead birds!
These days my 12-bore is too heavy for game shooting!
I find my 12-bore is getting a bit too heavy to carry game shooting all day, so I’ve changed to a lighter 20-bore.
I always have to chase the clay after mounting!
I have trouble mounting onto the target and always find myself trying to ‘catch-up’ to it when clay shooting.
Will homeloading black powder get me arrested?
I would like to start homeloading black powder cartridges so that I can shoot with two lovely old Damascus barreled game guns.
Do I need to have a licence for my Webley tin can launcher?
I have recently bought a Webley tin can launcher (though I am finding it difficult to use on today’s cans).