CATEGORIES

How to get your ‘back-sight' right

It’s almost impossible to shoot consistently well unless your gun fits and accommodates your eye dominance. So how do we ensure that all is correct?

10 mins |

Forging ahead

Few village forges exist outside racing country or the shires; however, the fires are still burning bright for blacksmithing and farriery

8 mins |

A vet is for life

Or, at least, this used to be the case. Today, many private practices are being bought up by corporate ventures. David Tomlinson bemoans the loss of the personal touch

Planting trees for profit and posterity

We all want more trees, that’s agreed; however, we must balance the competing interests of rewilding schemes and commercial forestry

7 mins |

Arthur's eight-bore returns to the marshes

Having inherited an old R Scott behemoth, there’s no better place to use it than on a wild day on the foreshore – its rightful home

The toughest part of the Macnab Challenge?

Grassing a salmon and bagging a brace require considerable fieldcraft but that third component of a Macnab, the stag, requires, in addition, physical fitness for the hill and rifle skills to satisfy a professional stalker

Why you should eat your greens

And so much more, for the wild cabbage – and its many descendants – is associated with health, wealth, romance and more

William Powell Viscount

So, the side-by-side has had its day, has it? Not if this bespoke model is anything to go by. Michael Yardley is happy to find a traditional gun that dares to be a bit different

A dazzling partridge day on Exmoor

The landscape at Molland would still be familiar to Lorna Doone, though now lively partridges soar over its V-shaped valleys

7 mins |

Hunting Boots To Last A Lifetime

Bespoke boots are a significant investment, however, they offer protection, comfort and unsurpassable style

10+ mins |

Trials and tribulation

The Kennel Club has issued extensive guidance for staging field trials during the pandemic. David Tomlinson wades through the protocol

An everlasting call

Wildfowlers yearn for 1 September, even though they know they’ll likely blank, but heading out is a fine tradition worth upholding

The past is a grey area

The wild English partridge was once abundant and had a complex relationship with man that remains to this day, says Patrick Laurie

Meet the Euro stars

Europe is home to a mind-boggling number of gundog breeds. Here David Tomlinson sorts the braque d’Auvergne from the pudelpointer

Greys' anatomy

Perdix perdix provided great sport but the redleg has taken over — it’s a different quarry and should be treated as such, believes Alex Keeble

The Royal revolution

Holland & Holland is renowned for its classically elegant Royal guns, which are much coveted and much copied, reveals Diggory Hadoke

Not a walk in the park

Whether you’re a young Shot or much older, for safety’s sake, strict etiquette must be adhered to when walking-up partridge, says Petrel

Flat out with Lizzie

With Sika returning to her owner, Ellena Swift has a new recruit — a flatcoat retriever, a breed that takes patience but can be well worth it

Four Steps To Shooting Partridges Like A Pro

When faced with a sporting challenge that demands sound technique and the right attitude, preparation is everything, says Simon Reinhold

Looking good

Shoots are responding well to the COVID challenge, says vet Dr Kenny Nutting

3 mins |

The paths to conflict

Peter Theobald talks about his increased number of encounters with the public, who do not always understand what goes on in the countryside

The right gun for you

Tony Bracci looks at some things to consider when choosing a gun, be it new or second-hand, expensive or cheap

The attraction of decoys

Geoff Garrod rediscovers the joys of some useful aids to help him with his job

Family business

Tom Sykes reminisces about a 1 September fowling trip with his father and brother as they looked to kick the new season off with a bang – and a full bag