Just down the road from me lies the pretty little village of Mendlesham. It has a pub, a school and a few streets of ancient timber-framed houses, so commonplace in my part of Suffolk. Not a lot goes on in Mendlesham. However in 1943, the peaceful idyll was transformed into…
Shooting
What do Guns really want?
In a West Country inn on a crisp autumnal evening, Tim Maddams, whom regular readers will recognise from our cookery pages, tells me that he thinks we need to kick the habit. “One thing I’m really trying hard with is to sell my days on an experience, rather than on…
Why thermal-imaging binoculars will change stalking forever
From time to time in the stalking world there comes along some advance or technical development that is a game changer. Usually it is roundly disapproved of until it becomes clear that it brings real advantage to the stalker, at which point everybody starts using it. When rifle scopes started…
Can you shoot muntjac with air rifles and shotguns?
Ignore photographs of foreigners using air rifles to shoot Mubtjac rifles because this is illegal in Britain, George advises
What are the best guns and ammo for shooting grey squirrels?
Squirrels offer the opportunity to match a variety of guns and techiques — it all depends on the squirrelling, says Bruce Potts
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…
11 golden rules for beating on a shoot
What is expected from a beater? Our man at NOBs lists the essential requirements.
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
Can I go deer stalking with a .22 for the smaller species?
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…
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…