This January, I was thrilled to be asked back to France by my old deerstalking guest Thomas and his father, Gilles, to take part in two driven shoots on boar…
Sporting Gun
Can dogs read body language?
Body language is also key for communication, not only person-to-person and dog-to-dog, but across species as well. People have learned to ignore body language and posture. How many times have…
Picking-up with a Sealyham terrier
I get a real buzz out of watching any kind of “working” dog do what it was bred for, whether that is a hard-going spaniel tearing apart a bramble bush…
Pinkfoot pursuit
The dictionary states that a ‘Wild Goose Chase’ is a “foolish and hopeless search for or pursuit of something unattainable,” which can sum up a lot of goose flights. However,…
Supplementary feeding the birds
Winter and spring are difficult times for game and wildlife. Habitat is in short supply having been beaten down by strong winds and sharp frosts, and the climate is cold,…
Crow shooting in the north of England
Here in the north of England, winter and spring can be a difficult time crow shooting to build a decent bags of corvids over decoys, as most of the crow…
Recipe: Pigeon ciabatta
WHAT YOU NEED – 3 pigeon breasts – 4 asparagus spears – 1 small round goats’ cheese – 4 slices salami – 6 cherry tomatoes – salt and pepper –…
Franchi Affinity
Although not one of the names you might first think of when considering mass-market gunmakers, Franchi has had a presence in the UK market for many years. The company was…
Which .22 centrefire is best?
The question of which is the best .22 centrefire often comes up often, but one can only really reply with another question: best for what? The main considerations are whether…
Continental pointers in action
It was over 25 years ago when I first saw an HPR (hunt, point, retrieve) pointer working. I was photographing a spring pointing test and the dog was a German…
Havens in our hedges
Hedges define farmed landscapes and are important habitats for many birds and other wildlife. Gamekeepers and shooting folk have long recognised the importance of hedges for gamebirds, both in the…
In search of Orkney greylag
Having shot geese in most of the iconic Scottish locations, there was still one area that I hadn’t yet explored – the Orkney Isles. So when the opportunity presented itself…
Pigeon shooting in the fog
The plan was to try a couple of hundred woodies feeding on high ground above my house, but under what were almost white-out conditions it would now surely be a…
Rutland’s “squirrel” wood shoot
The first day on the Pickworth Wood Shoot in Rutland is well known for being a tough yomp! The wood covers 260 acres and the brambles and ground cover are…
Huglu 103DE
The Turkish invasion carries on unabated with the Huglu 103DE. Huglu have been involved in gun manufacture for around 100 years, but ASI, historically famous for distributing AYA and more…
Recipe: Goose breast with tartiflette
WHAT YOU NEED – 1 goose breast – 4 slices streaky bacon – 1 large shallot – 30g feta cheese – 6 sliced cooked new potatoes – salt and pepper…
Sporting Gun April 2015
What’s in this month’s issue Sporting Gun? Gun care guide + free Napier VP90 field patch with every issue Crow shooting Save the brown hare A dogs body language and…
Gundog pack mentality
In the past, man used dogs to help him hunt for food and pelts for clothing, shelters and storage, whereas now, most hunting is done as a sport or enjoyable…
Swedish shooting support
Did you know that 94 per cent of Green voters support hunting? Needless to say that is not in the UK, but rather in Sweden. Even their Liberal Party shows…
Decoy rigging
There are many ways to rig up decoys. Over the years, I have used a variety of cords and techniques on a range of decoys, until I found what I…