CATEGORIES

Let the devil take the hind most

Sometimes, the hardest part of selecting a cull beast is separating the stag from his harem of hinds, especially when he’s busy showing off to a young pretender

Gamekeeper

Conservation of wildlife and the environment is often overlooked in the blind pursuit of profit, but surely there is a way to achieve both

Spirits in the snow

Arctic weather brought with it the duck and other fowl, but too much of it and the smaller birds and waders starved to death, recalls Alan Savory

Doing it differently

Covid has seen walked-up days being offered on the Burghley estate, says Jamie Tusting

Turn up for the books

Gamebooks are a fascinating insight into an estate’s shooting past or a Gun’s sporting life. Richard Negus delves into the pages of history

Bigger picture of a mosaic

Focusing on habitat can ensure our countryside is a haven for snipe, lapwing, curlew and redshank

A moveable feast

To keep the drives full of birds, they must have food and water or they will wander — and they might not come back, warns Liam Bell

Get Ready For Winter

Dave Barham reveals his tips and tricks for hunting rabbits during the colder months

Covering every inch

Shooting rabbits over spaniels is exciting but efficiency is key, says Nick Ridley

Hear the roar of the 4-bore

A 150-year-old piece of history is taken out to the saltmarshes for a dawn flight — but it proves too hot to handle for Simon Garnham

The cult of October

The early part of the season is the perfect time for hunting along thick old-fashioned hedgerows and all you need is a dog and a gun, says WC

Stamina is a Given trait

Restoring the working springer’s reputation for staying power is a labour of love for a couple in Ireland, as David Tomlinson discovers

Don't rock the boat...

An evening spent in the wake of 18th-century duck shooters highlights the timeless nature of our sport and serves as a reminder of the precariousness of small boats

Slow down and savour

Modern living is at hectic pace; we should take the example of our forebears and make the most of our leisure time, says Sam Carlisle

It'll come out in the wash

The alien landscape of the Cambridgeshire Fens nurtures all kinds of duck and Richard Negus falls in love with the wild west

Adventure on the school run

Pigeon will feed wherever they like — which is all part of the challenge, says Tom Payne

Add crows for luck

With maize stubbles attracting all kinds of avian pests and a shotgun ambush out of the question, Mat Manning opts for a subtle approach

Right To Roam Keeps Deer On The Move

As if the financial hit from coronavirus isn’t enough to contend with, ramblers and sea eagles are posing a challenge, says Megan Rowland

Joining the Dots and planning a Budget

Tawny takes a back seat as her off spring are taken out for their first lesson — but sometimes you need experience, says Simon Whitehead

Giving the very high birds your best shot

Barrel length has changed over the years, and preferences differ but is longer always better for reaching tall birds, asks Simon Reinhold

Forget rats and eels, this is the creel thing

Various DIY efforts have brought ridicule but not much else, so the next project seems doomed to fail — but Soldier Palmer strikes gold

Food for thought on shooting day feasts

Feeding hungry Guns and beaters is a central part of the shoot day ritual. Rose Prince explains how to make lunch a fitting celebration

Don't give antis ammo — follow COVID precautions

Shooting groups have stressed the importance of obeying virus control measures after a photo appeared to show fowlers not social distancing

Testing times for labs

The diminishing labrador gene pool means the UK’s favourite breed is open to a host of hereditary diseases, as David Tomlinson explains

The dale of plenty

Botanists from across the world descend on Teesdale to study a unique mix of plant species found only in this corner of England

Come one, come all

The small but friendly Highfield shoot in West Yorkshire prides itself on both its inclusivity and its ability to produce spectacular sport for visiting Guns

Where the land screams ‘snipe'

Assorted dogs and a shared passion makes a day spent on the marshes paradise for Richard Negus

Taste Of Fowling Fit For A King

Wildfowling by its nature is largely practised in dreadful conditions at ungodly hours and Richard Negus doesn’t want to put his son off

In tune with the moon

For the ancients, life revolved around lunar phases, which measured time, heralded the changing seasons – and even caused madness

Strong coffee and steelhead

With feisty fish and striking scenery, British Columbia’s Nass River has much to offer fl y-fishers – after that early-morning espresso