Squirrels offer the opportunity to match a variety of guns and techiques — it all depends on the squirrelling, says Bruce Potts
Shooting
So what is lamping?
Lamping is a simple procedure of shining a light around an area until a rabbit (or rat) is spotted, and the dog is then sent to get it. Lamping with a dog is best done on foot, as it causes minimal disturbance and damage, and often allows a good chance…
Six of the best waterproof shooting jackets
The warmest days of the year are now behind us. When you’re heading out into the field you’re going to need something that protects you from the wet weather and the chill in the air. If it’s pouring out then any of these coats below will keep you dry. Tweed might…
Ducks and geese – not such a fine romance
Have you noticed how often ducks coming to a flight pond come in twos, especially later in the season? It’s no accident — by this time of year the breeding pairs have mostly formed. If you are a sentimental old fool like me, you could be distressed about this, and…
Going for a Macnab
Better luck next time,” the stalker said to me, patting my shoulder, as I watched the winded stags gallop away over the hill. That had been my second attempt at bagging a Macnab and I had failed. The previous occasion had seen me catch a fish before breakfast, grass a…
Rabbiting with a cocker spaniel
Cockers and long-netters may seem an unlikely pairing, but it works, says Simon whitehead
12 of the best socks for shooting, beating and picking-up
Best socks for shooting – some tips Whilst all the socks below are washable, make sure you look at the washing instructions carefully. If you wash and dry them too hot, they could well end up shrunken, tight and unwearable. When you’re buying socks, look for those which have a…
9 survival tips for the novice picker-up
Novice picker-up: Basics like manners and cunning are gold dust to the novice picker-up.
5 tips for lamping foxes
1. What’s the right time to go out lamping foxes? Foxes are generally nocturnal and see excellently at night. Wait until it is properly dark outside before setting off. During the night foxes will sleep for a while – usually from around midnight until 3am. 2. Know the ground Night…
Night vision versus the lamp
With nightvision shooting equipment becoming ever more popular, Ian Valentine asks the experts to weigh the latest green-tinted scopes against more traditional plug-in lamps
Deer stalking with smaller calibres
When deer stalking, I thought the smallest calibre rifle I could use was a .243? However, I’ve been hearing my .22 bunny gun is legally acceptable.
Wind, wigeon and heritage
At last, the wildfowling season has begun. My jacket steams in the shed, waders are caked in mud, a faint odour of samphire and salt lingers over the computer as I type. Best of all, truly wild birds hang in the garage. The wait has ended. Rain has arrived. A…
How to make sure a shoot day goes well
Whether it’s your first shoot day or the first one of the season, how can you best prepare for it and get the most out of the day? Shoot location Where the shoot is will give you a clue as to how the birds will be presented. Is it in…
Gameshooting in Wiltshire – sport as it’s meant to be
Say what you will but I don’t always wear a tie in the field, remember to fill out my game book, nor ever really use my side-by-side. I am not a traditionalist and yet, as I looked down the line at well-dressed Guns, silhouetted against the clear Wiltshire sky with…
What to expect on your first day pheasant shooting
Wondering how your first day pheasant shooting is going to turn out? We asked some experienced shooters what novices should expect on their first day. An exciting buzz “All shoot day mornings are exciting. There is a buzz as you arrive for coffee and to draw pegs. Keepers, beaters, pickers-up,…
Seven of the best quilted shooting jackets and gilets
1. Seeland Hawker quilt jacket £64.99 This lightweight quilted jacket gives versatile warmth even when wet. Designed as either an outer or mid-layer, it is packable and comfortable to wear all year round. 2. Aigle Crochy padded body warmer £105 This smart yet relaxed padded body warmer is inspired by…
How to dress for a day’s formal gameshooting
Essentially shooting dress has not changed for 150 years. Flick through Lancaster’s The Art of Shooting from 1889 and the chaps are wearing exactly the same kit as us. Or more accurately, we’re wearing theirs. The iron rule of these sceptred isles? Never, under any circumstances, be seen to be…
Will professional gun fitting help my shooting?
I would like to have the stock on my new Beretta Silver Pigeon professionally fitted because I don’t feel as though I am shooting as well with it as I should. I have never had a gun fitted before and wondered if you can you recommend a fitter with a…
Rifle shooting the .243 calibre
The .243 calibre is a user-friendly cartridge for shooting deer, mostly roe, and perhaps the occasional fox at ranges out to 200 yards...
For deer stalking, is .243 calibre too small?
Deer stalking: Is .243 calibre too small for anything other than roe deer and foxes?