CATEGORIES

Man of modest means seeks small shoot

Everyone has thought about what it would be like to own a sporting patch and Patrick Laurie thinks it’s possible if you look hard enough

Targeting perfection

A switch to handmade ammunition is an eye-opener for Soldier Palmer

Spectacular samphire

The crisp asparagus flavour of the marsh samphire now wins favour ahead of rock samphire, but it wasn’t always so, says John Wright

Marvel at the mayfly

It has been around for millions of years, yet we are still fascinated by the brief but brilliant life of the mayfly

RSPB claims big lockdown rise in raptor persecution

Shooting groups hit back hard as charity highlights 56 alleged incidents, most of which it claims were near sporting estates

Irish muntjac – myth or menace?

The tiny muntjac has an outsized environmental impact and sightings on the island of Ireland are causing alarm, explains Barry Stoffell

Opening up a can of worms

Social distinctions in fishing are relatively new and most regrettable, says Tom Fort

Ferreting fact or fable?

An old wives’ tale says that if you don’t breed from a female ferret she will die, but is this true? It’s a thorny subject, admits Simon Whitehead

Enjoying shooting's Golden Age

But when exactly was it? Did the Edwardians experience our sport’s finest hour or did it occur between the wars?

A murderous siege from above

Booming corvid numbers were causing a farmer to be anxious about his young lambs, so Mat Manning went over to put his mind at rest

When garden birds were fare game

From house sparrow to blackbird and even fieldfare, our cherished birds were once used to supplement bare larders, says Graham Lorne

White knuckles and wide eyes

As we learn there is to be little let-up on lockdown, we need a bit of escapism so Patrick Laurie shares some of his top reads

Jump at the chance

Some dogs are keener to jump than others but a cautious approach may well be the best and safest option, suggests David Tomlinson

By hook or by rook

How easy is it to shoot the famous ‘four and 20 blackbirds’ and is rook pie a ‘dainty dish’? Jamie Tusting is determined to find out

Country Diary

Now we are into late spring it is all systems go in the farming world, keeping one eye on the weather and the other on the new dairy herd

Where can you find a pigeon paradise?

You need lots of arable, plenty of woodland and an abundance of birds but which is the best pigeon shooting county, wonders Tom Payne

Beauty to make you cry

As lockdown continues, there is plenty of delight to be found outside and much birdsong to be savoured

A captive audience

The sanctuary at Peakirk provides an education in wildfowl, says Petrel, while the Borough Fen duck decoy is a nostalgic reminder of times past

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

Foxes are threatening to wipe out nesting waders so an ambush is set up — and techniques learned in the Royal Marines prove invaluable as Reynard takes his time

Holland & Holland's side-by-side-by-sides

Nearly two decades after it was challenged to do so, the gunmaker has produced a magnificent pair of 20-bore triple-barrelled guns

In pursuit of a large slab of silver

We do not need to venture abroad to land a leviathan; some British rivers carry the genetics for double-figure sea-trout

Treehouses, living the high life

With timeless appeal, whether balanced on branches or supported by stilts, treehouses enable visitors to look down on the world

Browning 725 Sporter

The changes to this version of the popular over-and-under are both cosmetic and functional, says Michael Yardley; it is a gun he would consider buying

The perfect playground

What makes the ideal sporting estate? Situation? Range of sport available? Luxury accommodation? Leading sporting land agents offer their opinions

Play at crystal palace

Was The Field of Cloth of Gold, the meeting between Henry VIII and Francis I 500 years ago this month, the greatest party ever thrown?

Calling on Dr Carrot and Potato Pete

During wartime rationing the British became both inventive and green-fingered. Culinary skills we are, perhaps, appreciating today

Art in the field

Argentinian sculptor Hernán Álvarez Forn tells Janet Menzies how a childhood among horses and the discovery of raku has shaped his work

A farewell to hounds

The role of huntsman or Master is a huge commitment for small remuneration. But handing back the horn isn’t easy, as several former incumbents explai

Shooting Clays Can Improve Your Game

Whilst a clay day will not exactly replicate time on the peg it is good practice – and could become an enjoyable activity in its own right

Tackling a tide of rats

Early morning flighting on the marsh reveals unwelcome companions —rats destroy nests, eggs and ducklings, so Tower-Bird goes on the attack