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.
Shooting
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…
Seven of the best tweed shooting coats
Top tips for buying tweed shooting coats Tweed is naturally water repellent due to its lanolin content and it is also hard wearing. A good quality tweed shooting coat will last you years without getting shabby. But despite being water repellent, no tweed is fully waterproof in a deluge. The…
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,…
9 of the best wellies for the field
Jack Pyke Ashcombe Part of Jack Pyke’s recently launched Ashcombe range, which includes neoprene topped and gusseted versions, this zipped boot features a 3mm neoprene lining and a high-grip rubber sole. Buy Jack Pyke Ashcombe now at Amazon £70 Seeland All Round Our tester said: “These boots from Seeland have…
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…
Game shooting seasons
The pheasant, partridge and grouse shooting seasons are now open and it's not long until the season opens for some deer in Scotland. Find out when the seasons open with this guide to game shooting seasons
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…
14 popular rifles for deerstalking
Our experts have reviewed 14 rifles for deer stalking that have proven popular and ranked highly with our reviewers. 1. Steyr Mannlicher Pro Hunter Our reviewer notes that you don’t see many of these on the shelves of second-hand gun dealers. Is that because it’s an unpopular model or because owners…
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?
The best gaiters for walked-up shooting
Gaiters are a key part of your shooting kit, particularly if you’re roughshooting on moorland. If you’re wearing breeks and your smartest shooting socks, they’ll protect your lower legs from ticks, mud, heather scratches and allow you to splosh through streams without getting your feet wet. Never be tempted to…
Eight of the best shooting breeks
Getting a pair of stylish shooting breeks on your bottom half doesn't necessarily have to break the bank. You just have to know where to look.
What are the legal calibres for foxes and rabbits?
After many years shotgun shooting my partner and I have been looking into culling foxes and rabbits by rifle at the various farms where we shoot.
10 of the best smocks for shooting and stalking
There are times when only a smock will fit the bill. Here are ten to consider, picked out by Sporting Gun, Shooting Gazette and Shooting Times. Prices correct at time of writing. 1. Hoggs of Fife Struther Waterproof Smock Field Jacket £69.95 A waterproof and breathable 3/4 length field smock…
Lamping rabbits – what happens when they get lamp shy?
Lamping rabbits: The rabbits around here are definitely getting lamp shy and bolt as soon as I switch on. Have you come across this, and is there any way around the problem?
10 of the best boots for shooting
1. Meindl Glockner Boots RRP 294.99 Very hard-wearing. Robust nubuck leather uppers, with a GORE-TEX lining for waterproofing and breathability allow you to use these in complete comfort in any environment. 2. Le Chameau Men’s Chameau-Lite LCX 10″ Stalking Boot RRP £299 Better known for its leather-lined rubber boots,…