CATEGORIES

Newton Mulgrave North Yorkshire

Before Covid confined us all to barracks last December, one lucky group of Guns enjoyed a testing partridge day near Whitby

Changing beats on Lower Spey

A once-in-a-generation change is happening to seven beats in time for the 2022 season. Is now the time to net a spot on the bank?

Boxing clever

The Christmas box is more than just a gift, which is why everyone should give as generously as they can this festive season – or risk going down in hunting history for all the wrong reasons

A Yule log to bring light

Many of Britain’s favourite Christmas traditions, from burning a yule log to kissing under the mistletoe, date back to ancient history

Subaru Outback

Having silenced the maddeningly intrusive warning beeps and bongs, Charlie Flindt finds himself out and about with an old friend once more

In praise of smaller dogs

They eat less, live longer, won’t knock you over when the postman calls and will take on most the tasks of their larger brethren. What’s not to like, asks David Tomlinson?

Ground rules

Where it is safe to do so, should shooting ground game be permitted on a driven day, upholding the tradition of rabbit pie once more?

A stately hut

Whether folly or functional, ornate or ordinary, these idiosyncratic structures are indispensable to our sporting lives

Bet on your hedges

There’s a renewed energy for managing and planting hedgerows across Britain, but what makes a good hedge and why are they so important?

On the guest list

Visiting different hunt country is a surefire way to get the adrenaline racing and to see sport from a new perspective, just be sure to stay on the right side of the secretary

Lest we forget: 100 years of the RBL

The Royal British Legion, formed after World War I, still provides essential support for service personnel today

A noble mount

Pedal power is the perfect way to get around the estate – or even to Parliament

Guns line a track that winds through a steep valley and birds zip over the contours presenting spectacular driven and crossing shots Bereleigh Estate East Hampshire

A passion for fieldsports has inspired the Tyrwhitt-Drakes to create a top-quality shoot at their home near Petersfield, with conservation and bonhomie very much to the fore

He who hesitates is lost

Stopping the gun and thus missing the shot sounds an easy problem to fix, but it takes practice, trust and training to let instinct take over

His Master's wrath

A great deal goes into the planning of a day’s hunting so woe betide those who upset the Master in the field

Caring for Old Faithful

Buying sustainably is good for both planet and pocket – and it creates a bond with your clothing that fast-fashion aficionados could never understand

Double standards

There has been a much-needed overhaul of breed standards, says David Tomlinson, although show and working animals are often still worlds apart. A Slumber spaniel, anyone?

Seeing red

Would modernising our attire help buttress fieldsports – or does it simply risk losing an important tradition for no real gain?

Staring down the barrel of a gun

Don’t be distracted by the decoration – when choosing a new shotgun, barrel construction should be a top priority, too

The Flyfishers' founding fathers

Founded in 1884, the club was created for gentlemen with an interest in the art and study of fly-fishing – many of whom had ink in their veins

The state of farming

Brexit, while posing challenges, could open doors for British farmers. However, a changing philosophy around our relationship with the natural world is unleashing more powerful forces

Wine and sport came together as the beaters carefully blanked in the vineyard slopes, pushing the birds forward into a broad, grassy valley Tuffon Hall Halstead, Essex

A mosaic of carefully planned cover crops has created a testing partridge shoot as well as garnering a conservation award – and the birds here are not the only thing to fizz

To have and to hold – safely

No one enjoys staring down the barrels of a gun, so adopt best practice when it comes to carrying yours, whether or not it is loaded

Within their scenic and spacious grounds, resilience is built, pupils are equipped for life's realities and love and respect for the countryside are instilled

A curriculum that emphasises rural traditions and time outdoors better equips pupils to deal with what lies ahead – as these prep schools demonstrate

Turning heritage fruit into eau-de-vie

HRH The Prince of Wales’s private orchard offers sanctuary to many heirloom fruit trees – which can now be enjoyed as a heritage brandy

The last of the English

It is 950 years since Hereward the Wake’s last stand against the Norman invasion, turning this Anglo-Saxon leader into a lowland hero

The changing years of J K Stanford

Ornithologist, sportsman and Field correspondent, he was also a conservationist, whose pragmatic approach is still relevant today

The perfect dog for partridges

For wild greys and redlegs, you need a worker that’s keen, thorough and won’t mind the brambles. So which to go for?

The dawning of a new season

Autumn hunting’s smaller fields provide the perfect chance to get close to hounds – if you can stand the early starts

Taking a shine to stock finishing

Stock-finisher Shane Scase has built a reputation for his oil finishes that belies his years – though his ‘recipe’ is a closely guarded secret