When out stalking is it possible to tell the species and sex of a deer from its droppings?
Advice
How do I get a biting ferret off me?
What’s the best way to shake off a ferret that’s latched onto your finger?
When sharing a pigeon hide, what’s the shooting etiquette?
If there’s two shooters in a hide, what’s the best way to make sure you both don’t go for the same bird?
How old should a ferret be before putting it to work?
Is there an ideal age for a working ferret and how old does a ferret need to be before it starts working?
Do wood pigeon see your movement or outline first?
When you’re in a hide, what do you reckon the pigeon will see first - movement or an outline of a person?
Losing confidence with rifle shooting
I have suffered a series of misses and now lack confidence in my rifle shooting. I have tested the rifle and it appears to be entirely accurate. I don’t usually shoot so badly and wonder if the cause is psychological or some other reason?
Where do I stand if my gun dog has sired unwanted pups?
My neighbour’s chocolate labrador bitch is on heat and keeps trying to get into my garden to ‘meet’ my black lab dog – a BASC dog trial champion.
Can you recommend a good skinning knife?
I'm new to deer stalking and am looking to purchase my first gralloching knife.
How do I make a ferret liner?
Can you tell me what sort of cord I need to make a ferret liner, how long it needs to be and what sort of attachment do I put around the ferret’s neck?
For how long should a battery power a pigeon rotary?
How long should a battery last when it’s powering a rotary? Mine seems to run out of juice really quickly.
Which ‘crow’ clay target should I shoot first?
If I’m presented with a pair of ‘crows’ that appear simultaneously above the tree line, which one should I take first?
What’s an effective range for pigeon decoys?
What’s the furthest away you can place your decoys so that they’re still effective?
How useful is pigeon shooting when training a gun dog?
Peter Theobald in Sporting Gun says he doesn’t use a dog because they’re not needed for pigeon decoying. Is this true?
My shotgun misfire is due to inertia – how?
Recently my over-under Sporter started failing to fire the second barrel. My gunsmith fixed it quickly, and said the problem was something to do with inertia. Can you explain?
How far can a lost ferret go?
What’s the furthest you’ve ever known a ferret to stray after being lost in a burrow?
How often do you leave the hide to pick up shot pigeon?
I’ve got a feeling I ruined my chances of a really good day last Saturday by popping out to pick pricked birds too often.
How can I modify my semi-auto to hold 3 shots?
I hold a five-shot semi-auto, along with a couple of rifles, on a firearms certificate. Owing to a house move I no longer shoot my rifles, so I plan to give up my firearms certificate and hold my semi-auto on my shotgun certificate. How can it be modified to the…
How should I build a rabbit pen for gun dog training?
I am thinking of building a hen run and wondered if it might also double as a rabbit pen for gun dog training?
Can you train a gun dog to dive after ducks?
I have heard of dogs 'upending' after ducks and geese that dive when pricked. Can you train a dog to do this and, if so, how?
Will a trap gun be ok for shooting sporting layouts?
I've just got my first shotgun certificate and I've bought a 12-bore over-under Beretta trap gun. Will this be okay for shooting sporting layouts?