Gundog training: Do I need to follow any procedure when I take delivery next month of a fully trained gundog?
Advice
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.
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!
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.
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).
When buying a gun how can I tell if it’s in proof?
When buying a gun in a private sale, how can I tell if it's in proof and safe?
What’s the best way to shoot ‘crow’ type clay targets?
Clay shooting: I’m never sure if I should take them on the way up, or the way down. Any help you can give would be much appreciated.
Should I worry about the Coriolis Effect, what is it?
I see that on a shooting website a chap has been extolling the virtues of an I-Phone app for ballistic calculations. He says it even compensates for the Coriolis Effect. What on earth is that?
Will low, driven clays help with my game shooting?
Clay and game shooting: I read your reply to a game shooter about getting ready for the season and you recommended regular practice on clays thrown from a high tower.
My gundog has a dry, bleeding nose!
We have a two-year old working Cocker spaniel that’s extremely fit and full of energy. However he has always had a dry nose that has got worse recently: it bleeds a little and he sometimes sniffs and sneezes.
Is a dummy launcher classed as a firearm?
The only space where I can go gundog training is in a large park on the edge of town. So far it has proved ideal because it’s quiet with a good mix of trees and grass.
How can I prevent my rifle from getting rusty?
Earlier this year my rifle was soaked by rain when I was stalking and, on returning home, I discovered the first signs of rust.
Ferret at large
Q) Recently my hob ferret escaped from his hutch and remains missing. Where are the best places to enquire or advertise the fact that he has gone astray? And are there any other avenues that I should explore to try to find him? T. GOLDRICK By email
Will I need a firearms licence for a ‘Paradox Gun?’
A chap in the village is selling his old English gun, one that also has a bit of rifling in the end of the barrels - I think it's a Paradox Gun.