The Sako A7 has been with us for a few years — it’s an entry- level rifle in terms of price, and one that does exactly what it says on…
Sporting Gun
Browning 725 Grade 5
The Browning 725 has been around for a year or more and has been well received. Now comes the Grade 5 — which, for those who are more used to…
Pest control on covercrops drillings
After a very early alarm call I was up and on the drillings setting the decoys up, in anticipation about what the morning pest control would bring. Shooting over the…
Charge of the air brigade
For discreet but deadly despatch of small pests you can’t beat pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air rifles. Almost silent and astonishingly accurate, these have become the favoured tool of many rural…
Crow Shooting
Putting it to the test Once again I have been out crow shooting, mopping up those troublesome pests that have started to cost the farmer money with their relentless attacks…
Beretta A400 Action 28-bore shotgun review
The semi-auto market is a major arena for most gunmakers. One of the leaders in this market is Beretta. They are constantly innovating and looking for a new angle. Semi-autos…
Gundog Training The Reluctant Retriever
The most common problem that people have when gundog training is delivery to hand. It can go wrong for so many reasons: inconsistent handling, allowing the dog to drop what’s in…
Sporting Gun July 2015
Just a selection of articles to enjoy in the July edition GAMEKEEPING Pamper your poults – Brian Mitchell shares his secrets for getting the best from your birds CLUB…
French forest boar drive
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…
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…