We are in the thick of the doe season as I write and trying to catch up the numbers on one estate. Parts of this ground can be quite disturbed…
Sporting Gun
Hawke Vantage Scope 3-12×44 SF
Not everyone can afford top-end optics, and even those who can may still struggle to justify shelling out big money for a scope that’s seldom used or that’s going to…
Why is my dog so thirsty? Is she ill?
Excessive thirst (referred to as polydipsia or PD on veterinary case notes) is not in itself a diagnosis, but it may be indicative of disease. There are, of course, some…
Buying your first gundog – what you need to know
Q: “I’m about to embark on acquiring my first gundog and I would like some advice as to what breed to buy and whether to get a puppy or a…
My Hungarian vizsla won’t hold a point. What can I do?
“I have a two-year-old Hungarian vizsla that I have been training for rough shooting and although she hunts really well she will not hold a point and will run in…
How to start clay pigeon shooting
When clay pigeon shooting as a beginner, being prepared is essential for getting good scores.
Secrets of successful clayshooting
Learn how to hit more targets by understanding the physics of clay pigeon shooting
What you need to know about buying a gun second-hand
Last year I was on the BASC stand at the Game Fair at Hatfield House. A young chap came up to me and said that he had been given my…
Second-hand small-bore shotguns – what to buy?
A second-hand 28-bore or a .410? With more than £1,000 to spend on a small-bore shotgun, either a 28-bore or a .410, our reader has plenty of scope. In fact,…
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…
Yildiz Wildfowler Extreme reviewed by Sporting Gun
I have to say I’ve been looking forward to reviewing the Yildiz Wildfower Extreme for quite a while. I first met Mike Mogilnicki and the Entwistle gun team at the…
High pheasant shooting – how to master it
High driven pheasant shooting lesson: It’s getting to that time of the year when the birds are really beginning to fly well.
The best second-hand semi-autos for under £850
“I wish to buy a semi-auto, mainly for clays but also for a little pigeon shooting. I don’t really want to spend more than £850, and I want one made…
All-round gundogs – do they exist?
Most of my friends have more than one dog, they may have a spaniel or two for beating, a retriever for shooting at a peg or picking-up and a few…
ATA Sporter
As my search continues for a sensibly priced over-and-under for me to use at the end of the season, as well as into the spring “clay season”, I have been…
Teaching a gundog to go left and right. Should you?
This is not an uncommon question and, in my humble view, gundog handling is an important aspect of a gundog’s training and should not be discounted as simply being a…
Hypothyroidism in dogs. What owners need to know
Underactive thyroid – known as hypothyroidism Let me list your dog’s clinical signs: Lethargy Weight gain Bilaterally symmetrical alopecia Skin changes Itchy skin It would seem most likely that your…
What you should know about dog bloat
Risk and factors of bloat in dogs A recent study by the Royal Veterinary College’s Veterinary Companion Animal Surveillance System, which looked into the frequency, risk factors and survival of…
Is the rimfire .22 long rifle cartridge the top seller in the UK?
However an intelligent guess is that the rimfire .22 Long Rifle is leading the way. And, to do a bit more guessing, subsonic variations on the Long Rifle theme must…
Gundog training – marking a dummy
The causes for problems marking a dummy Some young dogs can develop this quirk and, although it tends to disappear as time passes and they get experience of the real…