Shooting Times & Country - May 24, 2023

In this issue

Boots that are up to the challenge
Richard Negus tests four of the best high lace-up boots on the market.

The power of the internet
Guy Maddocks looks at ‘hooking up’ with other shooting folk online.

High on the hill with feral goats
Stalking in Mallorca in order to conserve the Balearean boc..

Is farming to blame for Europe-wide bird decline?

There are 550 million fewer birds on the continent than there were 40 years ago, with research suggesting that agriculture is the main culprit

1 min

'Catastrophic decline' in foxes following ban

More than 100 vets are calling for a scientific review to address the current situation, as fox populations continue to fall across the UK

1 min

Country Diary

Spring is in full swing, and it’s a good time to contemplate the state of the natural world just before the turn of the season is upon us all

3 mins

Gamekeeper

Foxing gives ample opportunity to keep an eye on wildlife at large, and an experiment with jackdaws produces some interesting results

3 mins

Stalking Diary

An impressive stag taken during the 2022 rut leads to some interesting thoughts and conversations about not being too hasty with culling

3 mins

JOTTINGS FOR WILDFOWLERS

Lots of us have different guns for differents occasions, a gun for geese on the mud and a gun for duck flighting, but is best to stick with one?

3 mins

Dropping in for some spring sport

The weather doesn’t dampen any spirits — or the action — as a last-minute visit results in a successful woodland stalk for roebuck and muntjac in the gloom

6 mins

We need to look at the bigger picture

Game shooting is under close scrutiny, so it’s vital that management decisions consider the broader environment, writes Mike Swan

6 mins

Boots for big adventurers

A high lace-up boot is just the ticket for crossing country while shooting says Richard Negus, who rounds up four of the best on the market

6 mins

Conserving an iconic indigenous species

Nathan Little takes on the heat and mountainous terrain of Mallorca as he learns the story of the Balearean boc and a new hunting culture

6 mins

Serious matters

Why has Britain’s humble coney seemingly disappeared from our countryside?

3 mins

Online dating, but with a difference

The internet is a hugely powerful tool, not only for meeting folk across the world but also for promoting our sport, writes Guy Maddocks

6 mins

Waging war on these parasites

In the first of a two-parter, Al Gabriel investigates the rise in our tick population and the risks they carry

4 mins

Be careful what you wish for

Simon Whitehead looks at the nature of ferrets and worries that we might be breeding out their hunting instinct

6 mins

One handler, one dog?

Professionals may well raise trialling standards, but David Tomlinson asks if it is fairer for handlers to be restricted to one dog per person

5 mins

When it's time to say goodbye

It’s never an easy decision to make, but there’s peace to be had in remembering the good times, says Solider Palmer

5 mins

How the keeper's kennel has evolved

Man’s best friend has always been at our side over the years, but Lindsay Waddell investigates how breeding priorities have changed

4 mins

It's not such a 'lousy' nut after all

The perennial pignut is a culinary delight, says John Wright, although acquiring one can be a rather tedious task in truth

4 mins

The new recruits

A meeting to open up the organisation to new candidates leaves some handlers disappointed, but three hopefuls progress to the next stage

4 mins

Game Cookery

Offal can often be tricky to use up, so Tim Maddams shares a recipe for miso pheasant hearts that can be ready as a snack in just 45 minutes

2 mins

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Shooting Times & Country Magazine Description:

Since its launch in 1882, Shooting Times & Country Magazine has been at the forefront of the shooting scene. The magazine is the clear first choice for shooting sportsmen, with editorial covering all disciplines, including gameshooting, rough shooting, pigeon shooting, wildfowling and deer stalking. Additionally the magazine has a strong focus on the training and use of gundogs in the field and, because it is a weekly publication, the magazine keeps readers firmly up-to-date with the latest news in their world.