CATEGORIES

Rural mental health support 'never been more needed'

Rural mental health across England is an area of “considerable concern”, according to a report by the cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Scottish deer cull targets are 'nonsense', say stalkers

A long-standing intention by the Scottish government to implement a limit of 10 red deer per square kilometre across parts of Scotland has come under fire from estate managers and stalkers

Sharpshooter

The shooting community is often threatened with new legislation, but how potent such threats turn out to be may well depend on timing

Beaten by the heat

Thanks to an incredibly dry May, Arthur Oglesby reveals that he is struggling to find much fishing to offer to his incoming customers

Gunroom

Introduced in 1896, the semi-automatic Mauser 96 became a favourite of officers across Europe and dominated the market for nearly 40 years

Keep up with these creatures of habit

Don't leave fox control until it's too late - learn their behaviour and use it to your advantage to gain the upper hand

Is 'cocker rage' real?

New research on the health of cocker spaniels resulted in a flurry of headlines, but David Tomlinson looks deeper into the science

Pulling in the birds

After running out of luck with whirlers and flappers, Blue Zulu goes back to decoying basics and ponders on recycling his claret bottles

Conservation is a three-legged stool

The 'balance of nature' isn't always as it seems, says David Whitby, and predator control must work alongside habitat and food supply

Serious matters

A simple bird call crystallises the problems of the countryside

A taste of what we do

Intrigue often leads to understanding, says Will Pocklington, who finds that food is just the way to get the conversation started

Birds in the back garden

There's nothing as quintessentially English as the woodpigeon, says Graham Lorne, but their behaviour has changed markedly

My first deer

For Charlie Blance, two species in one day was enough to push her to pursue a stalking career

Of ticks and men

Al Gabriel looks at the correlation between deer and tick numbers in the UK and how we can manage these arachnids

The true cost of a part-trained puppy

As more owners seek to buy a dog with the basics already in place, Ellena Swift investigates the work that goes in behind the scenes

The ruffians of the avian world

An impressive pattern of decoys is just the ticket to lure in those wily crows feasting on maize seeds

Racecourse rabbiting

With the crafty coney damaging turf and crops, a change of tactics is needed to keep reducing the local population over the warmer months

Non-lead shot for the small but mighty

They might be lacking clout in the marketplace, says Simon Reinhold, but fans of the 16-bore are a committed group and there is a demand

JOTTINGS FOR WILDFOWLERS

A blank fishing excursion is a reminder of other outings that didn't quite go to plan, including a four-hour round trip to the estuary

Stalking Diary

The quarry is the only familiar sight and sound during a stalking trip in South America, as a red stag leads the group on a three-day epic

Gamekeeper

Many landowners are once again taking a more regenerative approach to farming, and there are great lessons to be learned from the past

Country Diary

A visit to Finland, where black grouse and capercaillie are plentiful, highlights just how shooting and conservation can go hand in hand

Reinhold beside-by-side himself

Over 1,130 competitors took part in the English Open Sporting Clays Championship at the end of May, at Eriswell Lodge, Suffolk

Bird flu concerns stay mostly in background

Avian influenza is still present but there seems to be little effect so far on chick and poult prices, though there is not a surplus in availability

Wildfire could be UK's largest

A wildfire warning was extended across many parts of Scotland last week as a major fire near Cannich, south of Inverness, blazed. Forestry and Land Scotland suspects the fire, measuring approximately 8km by 8km, was started by wild campers

Red grouse on the decline, while red kites are booming

The newly released 2022 Breeding Birds Survey gives an accurate insight into the UK bird population, with some interesting figures

Hunting the bunnies

An overabundant rabbit population up in Orkney catches the attention of Barry Lilley, and he sets out with a keen group to thin the numbers

The all-round crop for the passionate shooter

Tom Payne heads out on to his much-loved peas this month, but tough conditions keep him working hard to build up the final bag

When a charity stalk leaves you in the red

On his quest to find the most cost-effective way to fill his freezer, Will Martin eyes up some prime red meat in the form of venison

The Secret Land Agent

The estate's departments must learn to work together for their long-term future