From time to time in the stalking world there comes along some advance or technical development that is a game changer. Usually it is roundly disapproved of until it becomes…
Graham Downing
Gun lending rules
Q: When a person lends a shotgun to a non-certificate holder on a private shoot, must the gun be on their certificate? Loans of shotguns and gun lending on private…
How to call muntjac deer
Learning how to call muntjac deer can be a deadly tactic but you need a strategy, stealth and a good call, writes Graham Downing
What’s the law on inheriting a shotgun?
Some months after my father passed away the police told my mother that because his shotgun certificate had lapsed she should hand his gun to the local gun shop.
Will my shotgun be safe with steel shot cartridges?
I would like to try steel shot for wildfowling in my 2.5in chambered gun, but I have been told by some of my friends that I cannot do so unless…
Can you use a thermal-imaging device to shoot deer?
If deer numbers are becoming such a problem in parts of England and Wales why can't we get easy permission to shoot them (as they do in Scotland) with a…
Shooting deer near houses. Is it legal?
Deer have moved into my area and are coming into the garden, damaging plants and vegetables. How high a fence will I need to keep the little ******* out?
What’s my best gun for shooting clays and game?
Q: Having just taken up the pastime of clayshooting (the skeet discipline), and having more than a passing interest in gameshooting, I find I am bamboozled by the choice of…
Cartridge safety rules
Reloading your shotgun cartridges is popular in places like America but nobody in the UK (with the possible exception of a few wildfowlers) seems to bother. Why is this?
Do I need white camouflage for stalking in snow?
Shooting consultant and sporting author
What’s the best first gun for a youngster? A .410 or a 28-bore?
Which is the best first gun? My son, who is 12, is keen to start shooting and I am considering buying a light side-by-side .410. However, one of my shooting…
Preparing game for the freezer – here’s what to do
Q: At this time of year I always end up with an abundance of game birds that I need to store until quieter periods in the year. How best should…
Should I buy these sporting rights?
When leasing a shoot find out your rights and where your legally stand
Can I take cartridges on a plane?
Can I take gun cartridges on a plane? Q: I have been invited to shoot in Northern Ireland and I will be travelling by air. What are the rules about…
Doing this will reduce the risk of Lyme disease
Q: I stalk frequently in a wood and heathland area where there is a lot of bracken and when I get home, I often find ticks both on the roe…
When you need written authority for gun loans
Q: I have noted with pleasure recent changes in the law over borrowing shotguns. I allow a local pigeon shooter to shoot over my farm, and he would like to…
Why can’t we shoot deer after dark?
As a wildfowler I am allowed to shoot duck and geese under the moon and I can also shoot rabbits, foxes and wild boar at night. Is there some reason…