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…
DW
Beretta A400 Upland 12-bore
It seems to be the season to review semi-automatics, with the latest offering — a new A400 Upland 12-bore — coming from Beretta. This one is a little sexed up compared with our last two camouflaged offerings, with a wooden stock and nickel-plated action, complete with some pheasant and partridge…
The evolution of the shotgun cartridge
I am going to concentrate on shotgun cartridge history and how it got to be what it is today — the cheap, waterproof, reliable, effective, safe and consistent item on which we all rely to deliver success, whatever target we engage. After all, a gun, however expensive and sophisticated, is only…
Is it time to move away from lead shot to steel?
We were deep in a ditch on the Orkneys. There was a tumbling grey northern sky above us and an icy wind. The peninsula’s greylag goose population was not playing ball. They went to the right of us, they went to the left, they landed on the barley 100 yards…
Breda 3.5SM Kyrptek Mandrake
This month’s gun on test is a 12-bore with a pretty impressive name: Breda 3.5in Super Magnum in Kryptek Mandrake camouflage. Researching the camouflage pattern revealed it’s designed for hunting in dark timber or Georgia pines and excels in dark forest surroundings or the jungle. I’m not sure the average…
Lead shot shown to be major cause of bird deaths
Spent lead shot significantly weakens the immune systems of wild birds and is a major cause of death, according to a newly released scientific paper. The paper entitled Immunotoxic effects of lead on birds was published in Science of the Total Environment. The harmful effect of spent lead shot on…
How to give your gundog puppy the best start in life
Over the coming months, many gundog bitches will cast off the lissom figures they acquired during the shooting season. They will take on a more matronly demeanour of pregnancy as they are given the important job of producing a litter of spring or summer puppies. But how prepared are first-time…
When you first take your gundog out on a shoot what should you expect?
What is the right age to take a dog on its first day shooting? You have decided you are ready to take your young dog on its first day shooting. This is a big deal for any dog and handler, particularly if you are new to training. I often get…
5 tips for airgunners
Mat Manning offers five key tips for airgunners to improve their fieldcraft 1. Go on a reconnaissance mission Reconnaissance around your shooting permissions will help you to target the right places at the right time but all wildlife observation is beneficial — whether in the field, car, park or garden. Observing…
Is the Nova Scotia duck-tolling retriever a good gundog?
They’re intelligent, they hunt well and they make superb retrievers. So why aren’t tollers more in demand as working gundogs
Isuzu D-Max Utah Huntsman Plus reviewed out in the field
I was waiting eagerly for the Isuzu Huntsman to turn up, and at first glance it has the air of a stealth fighter about it, particularly in this colour with black wheels. If Bruce Wayne had a 4×4 in the cave, it would probably have been the Huntsman. The D-Max…
The EU is moving towards an outright ban on lead shot
The European Union has taken a major step towards a full ban on lead shot. Wetlands The EU has been in the process of implementing a ban on the use of lead over wetlands for some time and a move to restrict the use of lead in other environments has…
Sticky Asian wild boar ribs
If by some turn of unfortunate events, I were to eat my last meal tomorrow and I had a choice of what to have, I would most likely go for sticky Asian wild boar ribs. Notoriously destructive, wild boar have always fascinated me. In recent years, their numbers have dropped slightly in…
How to tackle common species when walked-up shooting
Successfully walking-up any quarry and making the most of your opportunities is not as as straightforward as people often think. Here I will go into specific details about how to tackle commonly encountered species. The most frequently made mistake among would-be rough Shots is to head to the local clay…
What happens when a gamekeeper loses his job?
I would hazard a guess that many a captain of industry who also runs a shoot listens as carefully to his gamekeeper as he does to his finance director. Not that he pays them the same. Gamekeepers are an iconic species. An ancient and highly respected profession, keepering is small…
How to choose the wood for your gun stock
When deciding to re-stock a gun with a new piece of walnut, a lot of thought needs to be applied before gun stock (known in the gun trade as a blank) is chosen and any wood gets cut. As with many aspects of gunmaking and repair, a little knowledge can…
What happens when you try to train a spaniel as a peg dog?
My new cocker spaniel puppy is eventually going to replace my 10-year-old springer spaniel. I have spoken to several people and have received different views on training a cocker spaniels. I would appreciate some advice.
How it took a day’s hunting for me to understand ethical meat
I am languishing on my patio, riding out the horror of a three-day, post-music-festival hangover, when the phone rings. It’s Patrick Galbraith, an old friend and the Editor of Shooting Times. “Hi pal, I’ve been thinking about cooking up some squirrels and a deer and I was wondering if you…