Leafing through my father’s game book, I particularly enjoy the early pages. The first entry, in a schoolboy’s overly large handwriting, simply reads, “I crept up on the pit. My…
Shooting Times
Do Labradors really originate from Canada?
Spend a day out in the field on a shoot and the chances are that somebody, somewhere will have a Labrador. But despite being such a popular gundog, some think…
Which is the best hunt, point and retrieve gundog?
Rory Major of Bryantscroft Gundogs has probably trained and competed with more breeds of gundog than anyone else in the business. He has trialled everything from retrievers and spaniels to…
Should I buy a spring-powered airgun or a PCP?
Choosing the right airgun isn’t an easy decision. Once you’ve decided on your budget you will have to think about the power source and it’s this that most buyers usually…
Is gundog boarding school worth it?
Q: A friend recently sent away his young springer bitch for some basic training at a gundog boarding school. It was the first time he has done this —previously he…
Giving the very high birds your best shot
High bird shooting is a specialist subject. Some devote themselves to nothing else, but is there an optimum barrel length for it? It might surprise you to learn that the…
How to shoot high pheasants
There aren’t many shortcuts in this game — shooting high pheasants takes practice. The only way to become really good at taking on those tall birds is to spend hours…
The pros and cons of lead-free bullets
There is a growing push towards lead-free bullets. But what are the pros and cons of lead-free bullets? These are the advantages and disadvantages as I see them and of…
All about puppies and their teeth
Q: Why are puppy teeth so sharp? A: Puppies are born without teeth but then develop two sets. A temporary, deciduous set of puppy teeth erupt around three to four…
Why you shouldn’t tackle rural crime by yourself
As sure as day follows night, hare coursing and the poaching of gamebirds and deer become more prevalent after harvest. The seasonal increase in poaching and rural crime generally isn’t…
Roasted partridge with moutabal, watercress and white cabbage salad
Partridges can present an especially awkward grapple. So seam the breast meat off the ‘crown’ of this roast partridge recipe and joint the legs so they can be picked up.…
Do chocolate Labradors deserve a bad reputation?
So how does the colour of a chocolate Labrador happen? A variety of different Labrador matings, including black to black, can produce a brown, or chocolate Labrador. If you mate…
Should shooting organisations merge?
We are always complaining about shooting organisations. Shooters bemoan a lack of effective representation, saying our various bodies seem to settle for managing the decline of our sport. Over a…
Keeping a young gundog steady on a shoot day
A suitable shooting companion should be many things. They should be hard hunting, patient on peg, calm to heel and have reliable recall. These are only a few of the…
A recipe for venison biltong
Venison is the perfect ingredient for making this field snack of venison biltong from South Africa. The lean, long grain strands of haunch lend themselves to the cured, bendy brittleness…
How to find affordable rough shooting
Robin Scott investigates how to find affordable roughshooting and what it costs
How do I keep my dogs warm in kennels in winter?
I have two labradors kenneled outside and want to sort out the best type of bedding for them for the coming winter.
Training a golden retriever
A question about golden retriever training Q: After many years of having Labradors, I have bought a working-bred golden retriever puppy. I know this breed has a reputation for being…
What’s the accuracy of lead-free bullets?
Lead-free ammunition is definitely making its presence felt and I am increasingly hearing from readers who have concerns about lead-free bullets and accuracy. Here’s an example of just one such…
A recipe for salt baked rabbit
A very good way of cooking rabbit This was an experiment that surprisingly turned out to be a very good way of cooking rabbit. Traditionally, salt-baking is used for meat…