Sir Nicholas Soames reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box of matches. I wait for the cigar to follow. It would suit him, sitting there, statesmanlike in a…
Shooting Times
Beware the mangy fox
Q: We have foxes in our garden and one has a lot of bald, sore-looking patches, especially over its head. A friend suggested that the foxes have mange, which could…
Ratting with terriers
I’ve been to a meet or two in my time: beagle packs on village greens; minkhounds on crumbling stone bridges that look as old as the river which winds beneath…
Should I choose a spaniel or a Labrador?
I go rabbit and pigeon shooting, and now intend to get a gundog. I am not sure which breed to go for. A friend says Labradors are born half-trained and…
Help! My young springer ‘freezes’ on a shoot
Q: I have a problem which seems difficult to solve. My young springer has just turned two and started going shooting in January, which was fine, she hunted well. We…
What’s wrong with your pigeon shooting?
Where do you go wrong with woodies and what can you do to put things right? Build your hide right Over the years, I have come across countless people who…
Browning 725 Pro Sport Adjustable
An evolution rather than an all-new design, the 725 moves on from its 1970s development with tweaks and improvements bringing it right up to date. For more than 40 years,…
3 things pigeon shooters get wrong (and how to make them right)
If you’re a keen pigeon shooter, you’ll know that these birds are canny and not that easy to outwit. Obviously much of the success you’ll enjoy lies in your shooting…
Elbow dysplasia in gundogs
Q: I have just retired my Labrador after he went lame with elbow dysplasia (ED). I want to get another dog and was planning on buying a puppy from a…
The lurcher – a designer cross-breed dog
A gamekeeper once said to me that a lurcher was “any calibre of gun you require”. The lean, light “silent assassin” is a most versatile field dog and probably the…
Should you insure your gundog?
It all comes down to your ability to pay vet bills if you don't insure your gundog
Do I need a qualification to stalk?
A: The straightforward answer is that you do not require a formal qualification to go stalking. While many people who stalk have undertaken training and successfully completed the DSC at level 1 and level 2, there…
UK other species review 2016
There is often debate among the UK hunting fraternity about the status of introduced species and the application of the CIC formulae to them. This comes from the concern as…
What makes a gun a magnum?
A: With regard to the proofing of shotguns, “magnum” is a legacy term that is no longer current. Under the 1954 Rules of Proof, 3in 12-bore shotguns were proofed at either 3½ton or 4ton per…
The woodcock – so elusive
As both a challenge of shooting skill and a delicacy for the table, the woodcock is regarded by many shooters as an elusive and highly prized trophy. It is certainly one of the most mysterious birds…
A useful day out with some Plummer terriers
By their very name, terriers are dogs of the earth. In the past, before certain legislation was implemented, this varied and extremely valiant family of dogs did exactly that, going to…
The size of the bag is not the point
As shooters we are often guilty of making sweeping assertions as to what the wider public love or hate about what we do. We base our beliefs on what we or our friends think,…
Who shoots geese with a Remington .45?
“I spent most of my childhood shooting geese with a Remington .45” announced the moustachioed Texan. I took another sip of my damson gin, which a jolly girl selling tweed…
Why the nuthatch is a sight to behold
One of the distinguishing features of nuthatches is that they can climb down trees — the only British bird that can do this. Woodpeckers and treecreepers work their way up the trunk, hunting for insects under…
Can woodcock tell the time?
Fascinated by the woodcock’s punctuality, Leri takes the time to observe and record the accuracy of these birds’ inner clocks