Just how long the pheasant has been found in Britain is open to question but it is likely that, as with so many of our non-native species, the Romans had a major hand in bringing them to our shores. It is also likely that they were bred as table birds…
Shooting
Tips for the foxing first-timer
Foxing tips If you’ve been following my series on how to add rifle shooting to your skill list, with the specific intention of controlling foxes, you should be ready to hit the field by now. You would have selected a gun that is appropriate for your needs, the optics are…
Techniques for mastering a flightpond at dusk
Graham Brown’s student Giacomo Drax is lucky enough to have access to a flight pond that he occasionally shoots with his father Jeremy. Shooting ducks at dusk or in darkness that are responding to decoys around a pond requires a well-fitting gun and steady nerves. With an evening flight on…
A sure-fire way to improve your shooting skills
I have recommended Skeet before as a great discipline to help hone our shooting skills. It offers a wide variation of angles with predictable target speeds and trajectories, which are so important to help us learn and practice. After all, there is little point in using targets that vary and…
Why being a rabbit catcher is my perfect job
Rabbit control has been my job since 2000 and I can certainly say the past 18 years have gone quickly. People have said to me on numerous occasions, “That is my ideal job and you are very lucky.” True enough, and I do feel grateful to be doing what I…
Can you use a thermal-imaging device to shoot deer?
If deer numbers are becoming such a problem in parts of England and Wales why can't we get easy permission to shoot them (as they do in Scotland) with a lamp at night?
Tips on high-driven birds
A high driven target is quite straightforward, the shooter moving the gun on the same line as the target and giving the required lead and follow-through. But there are a few mistakes to watch out for. Easiest place to shoot high-driven birds The easiest place to shoot a high driven…
The bigger the shoot, the less respect?
Picking-up is about one thing — finding shot birds. The joy I get from finding one bird that would otherwise be lost gives me more pleasure than shooting even the highest of pheasants. Over the years I have managed to climb the picking-up tree, from a small syndicate with one…
How to position your pigeon hide
When pigeon shooting, there is nothing more important than the position of your hide.
Coloured safety glass lenses and targets for clayshooters
My wife bought me a set of clay shooting glasses with different coloured lenses as a birthday present recently.
Stalking gear for women – we test out Harkila’s Freja range
In Norse mythology, Freja was a warrior goddess. By naming its new woman’s stalking jacket and trousers after such a character, Härkila is making a very positive statement. Stalking kit designed for the female form isn’t always easy to find, so I was keen to review the latest Härkila offering.…
A guide to fox control
Lamping may be one of the most efficient ways to kill foxes but if you miss then, you'll have created a much fightier foe. Liam Bell outlines other options for fox control
How to nail shooting doubles
SHOOTING TIPS: Left & rights: Mark from Grimsthorpe Shooting Ground shows you how to tackle those elusive left and rights.
We asked some keen Shots how they stay warm on a bitter day out in the field. Here’s what they said.
John Sugden runs tweed outfitters Campbells of Beauly, is a keen stalker and goes out in all weathers. “I wear Musto thermal trousers as a base layer when it’s really cold in January and I’m stalking hinds and at the ducks. If it’s really wet I wear my John Field…
How to hit simultaneous pairs when clayshooting
Mark looks at some of the trickiest simultaneous pairs you're likely to encounter.
How to stay safe when you’re a picker-up on a shoot
Pickers-up: The job of pickers-up is not an easy one.
Is this the ultimate shooting coat? The Schoffel Ptarmigan Pro review
The Schöffel Oakham fleece gilet was once the uniform for a select few — mainly land agents and traders of fine wine. Today, however, the “Cirencester life jacket” — and other staples from the Bavarian brand’s range — have become de rigueur. Schöffel now graces the cloak and boot rooms…
Five of the best binoculars
What size of binoculars would you recommend for deer stalking? Is there a good compromise that can be used for both woodland and open hill work?
Shooting lessons: How to shoot a right and left!
In game shooting terms a right and left is where you successfully kill a bird with each barrel, in quick succession.
How to build a pigeon hide
Pigeon shooting: Is it okay to build a hide in the centre of a field or is it best to stick to the hedgerows and margins?