We all know the price paid by game dealers for shot birds has been historically low for many seasons, and maybe it always has been. Back in Victorian times the…
Sporting Gun
Winchester SXP reviewed by Sporting Gun
Fowling gun I have been sent a Winchester SXP to look at. Not a new gun to the market by any news, but definitely one worth revisiting. I was sent…
Four of the best duck calls
I don’t often leave the house during the wildfowling season without my trusty duck calls around my neck. I am a great believer in the use of calls on the…
Why has my young sprocker lost form?
Q: My three year old sprocker spaniel had a good summer, even though she failed to conceive after two matings. Since the season started she has been beating with me…
How shooters can protect the woodcock
Sportsmen and women are being asked to refrain from shooting woodcock until 1st December, in new guidelines issued by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT). This is due to…
Does gun fit matter?
Gun fit does matter a great deal. With poor gun fit the gun is less likely to be pointing at the target or where the shooter is intending. This in…
Is this the most exciting indoor shooting range ever?
A buffalo is staring straight at me. I hear my heart pounding in my ears and then the recoil hits me as I pull the trigger on my Holland &…
Fausti Italyco tested by Sporting Gun
When I received the email from Tony Laughton from Stag Country Sports, importers of Fausti guns here in the UK, I was quite excited because I hadn’t seen much of…
An invitation to a driven day – a female Gun reports back
I have been fortunate enough to be involved in the wonderful world of fieldsports for most of my life. From rough shooting with my father to great times on the…
A deerstalker was doing something completely legal. So why were the police called?
There will be exceptions, but most countryside and wildlife police officers that I’ve come across have gained the trust of many shooters. The best appreciate that the support of the…
What exactly goes on in a police firearms licensing department?
With about 23,000 certificate holders, Hampshire is a middling size force as far as firearms licensing is concerned. Its performance in recent years has left much to be desired. At…
Which are the best prestigious English guns to choose when buying second-hand?
Frankly, even if I won several million I don’t think I would buy a new Purdey, Boss or Holland & Holland. It’s not that I don’t hugely admire the finest…
How do you hit low incomers when clay pigeon shooting?
When clay pigeon shooting, one target I really hate is a low incomer that drops to the ground about 25 yards in front of the shooting stand - and it's…
Take it easy – training tips for young gundog puppies
So that’s it, you’ve finally got your new puppy. It’s fully vaccinated, raring to go and ready to start its exercise and training. You’ve got all your new equipment and…
What is the difference between a Sporter and a trap gun?
Q: I’m new to shooting, and about to buy my first gun. However I don’t understand the main differences between a Sporter and a trap gun. Could you explain please?…
How to read a clay target successfully
Last month we looked at a few 'firsts' in the shooting world, safety first, first gun, first targets and the like. Carrying on from this I'd like to reconsider how…
How to get wildfowling camouflage right
SHOOTING TIPS: Wildfowling camouflage: Jack Sykes looks at ways of keeping out of sight when wildfowling.
Three questions about eye dominance
I have to close my left eye because of eye dominance, so sometimes I lose sight of high driven birds – what can I do to stop this?
How to choose a second-hand gun for £1000
Mike George’s buying advice for a second-hand gun for £1,000 The most common request I get from readers is advice on buying a first gun. It’s also one of the…
How to get into game shooting
Have you ever wanted to get into game shooting and wondered where to begin? Well, that’s just what Johnathan Cox, head keeper at the Buckhurst Estate in East Sussex, is…