How to use traps for predators
Advice
A keen Gun discusses the practicalities of shooting with mobility issues
Jean-Paul Gaudin, age 46, spent a great deal of his childhood in France and, as he puts it, was “always surrounded by game shooting” thanks to a French grandfather who enjoyed everything from pheasant to wild boar. He shot clays and game sporadically as a teenager, but motorbikes overtook shooting…
Can I shoot a muntjac with my air rifle?
What can I use for shooting muntjac? Q: There are loads of muntjac around where I live and I know you can shoot them all year round. My neighbours have asked me to do some culling because the muntjac are eating everything in their garden. I have recently bought a…
What is the closest to a footpath or public road you can legally use a shotgun?
Where a field is bordered by a public footpath, what is the minimum distance at which one can safely and legally shoot a shotgun?
Gundog puppies and Covid-19. Some guidance.
Here’s some guidance on gundog puppies and COVID-19 during lockdown. It is only guidance so depending on your situation, you should contact the Kennel Club or your local vet who will have definitive advice. Viewing of a potential puppy and its litter mates should be done electronically. If you have…
How game managers can get the best financial and environmental rewards from their land
It is very easy for game and land managers to get sucked into the minutiae of detail involved in day-to-day jobs and chores. It is these important details that make a season work and allow you to adapt to changes in the weather or the demands of the shooting programme.…
I live in the city. Am I allowed to shoot pests in my garden?
Shooting pests on the patio in the city A reader wants to make short work of squirrels and rats. Can he? Q: The only wildlife I see in my city garden are grey squirrels and the odd visiting rat. There are a few parks nearby which are also home to…
When I am out shooting should I always carry my certificate with me?
Is it law that we should carry our shotgun/firearm certificates with us every time we go out with the gun?
A guide to shotgun choke
What is a shotgun choke and what does it do? A shotgun choke narrows or constricts the barrel muzzles. This reduces the width of the shot charge or pattern, so that bullets are expelled more densely to give a more effective result. The more open chokes are, the larger the…
What does the law say about carrying a shotgun in public?
I'm a student living in the centre of Cambridge and quite regularly cycle to shoot on land on the outskirts of the city where I have rights, or to our local clay ground.
Keeping your guns secure and safe – some police advice
When you’re the owner of a gun you need to be vigilant about firearms security. Which means being safe out in the field, when you’re transporting the gun and when you’re storing your gun. The last thing you want to happen is for your gun to fall into the wrong…
A handy A-Z guide to shooting terms
An A-Z guide to shooting terminology with the jargon and vocabulary you're likely to come across
How to deal with Guns who are after bag quantity, not quality
Be discreet, says Steve Nutall of Border Fieldsports Why are some Guns still after shooting big bags? I’m not just talking driven pheasants and partridge, here. Even some so-called wildfowlers and rough shooters seem to play the numbers game these days. If you see plenty of wild geese on a…
How to line up your cast (to make sure your gun fits properly)
Here I outline some of the most important aspects of gun fit and explain how to line up cast to check gun fit. The aim is to help newcomers have a clear understanding of how important it is and the implications of the wrong fit and how to make clear…
Want to import a gun from the EU? Here’s what you need to know
Q: I am considering buying a shotgun from a friend who is based in France. I hold a European firearms pass and understand the process of travelling with a shotgun but don’t understand the process of buying one from the EU. What I want to know is what I have…
Can you leave rifles and shotguns unattended in cars? Am I breaking the law?
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.