CATEGORIES

Retail therapy is a Fairtrade

When it comes to shopping, there is no substitute for the Game Fair, says Philip Moss

Building boundaries

Dogs need to know what they can do, where they can do it and for how long; Ellena Swift explains why she sets rules from day one

Somewhere between sporting and effective

The riflescope has come a long way since the mid-19th century, says Graham Downing, but people have always grumbled about change

Kennel Diary

With the Festival of Hunting due to start next week, the new season is gathering pace, says Harry Beeby

Can soft-roaders cut it?

The range of options in the crossover market is mind-boggling, but Ed Coles steers through the choices and offers up his five top picks

An old dog embraces a smart modern trick

Summer has arrived and the pre-season to-do list at High Park is ever-growing — but a 10-day fishing trip won’t just happen by itself

Squirrels go up in smoke

Charlie accounts for a few greys on his latest foray into fieldsports with his dad, who hadn’t bargained for a fiddly extra job at the end

Ways of a water polecat

The otter is indeed beautiful but, as a mustelid, it is far from harmless and is best controlled by hunting with hounds, argues J Ivester Lloyd

Gaining some ground

Finding somewhere to shoot may not be as easy as it used to be, but being smart, polite and professional is a start, suggests Mark Ripley

Gamekeeper

Moving to a minimum tillage system and drilling into a growing cover crop takes some getting used to, but that has got to be the way to go

Volkswagen Touareg £61,540

The third generation of this German off-roader in hot-hatch clothing is capable of conquering anything that Ed Coles can throw at it

Sights to bring cheer

There are 49 species of pheasant and many of them are under threat of extinction, largely due to habitat loss, says David Tomlinson

Britain's top dog

Diggory Hadoke charts the labrador’s incredible journey all the way from Newfoundland to the forefront of the sporting scene

Bold buck amid a barking chorus

What could be more enjoyable than an evening stalk for a muntjac with a passionate countryman who knows all there is to know about the sport and the quarry?

Time's up for terriers

A host of once-tenacious working breeds are in dire straits due to pampering pet owners and the Hunting Act, warns Sir Johnny Scott

Stalking Diary

With the finer weather come the cursed midges, meaning it is the ideal time to do some DMQ training in the south, with a muntjac thrown in

No pictures, please

In a world dominated by social media, photos of quarry are stripped of context and used against us — it’s time to wise up, says Gethin Jones

Travelling hopefully

While we want to encourage the young in fieldsports, spoon-feeding them is selfish and unhelpul in the long run, warns John Humphreys

Vital kit that is a cut above

Every stalker should carry five key pieces of kit when out on the hill, says Chris Dalton

Primal drama in old starlight

Lamenting the loss of local angling expertise gleaned over the generations, Soldier Palmer ventures into the night in search of sea trout

Country Diary

Beavers can bring huge benefits in some areas but utter destruction in others, and any reintroductions must be considered at a local level

Danger on quail trail

E-collars are an invaluable safety device for hunters’ dogs in South Carolina, and David Tomlinson makes the case for their use here

Bosnia, bucks and bear hugs

A brace of resplendent roe in a majestic setting makes the moonshine taste even sweeter as Sam Carlisle toasts a fitting finale to a dream trip

A hell of a mesh

Simon Whitehead’s overworked long-nets need some TLC and who better to repair them than master net-maker Ian ‘Torchie’ Clayton?

What You Cannot Learn On The Peg

Many of the best Shots started young and had a rural upbringing, but there are other ways to become a good all-rounder, says Tom Payne

Small wins and endless pleasure

A vintage season may not be on the cards but, in these post-pandemic days, we must take nothing for granted

Long delays as breeders try to register new litters

The Kennel Club has struggled during the pandemic and gundog owners have had to wait weeks to get pedigree puppies registered

Wild game bounces back after late spring

Despite this year’s weather conditions, wild birds and ground game seem to have recovered well, raising hopes for a good season ahead

When the bag doesn't matter

A 4 am start in a fiery dawn to whittle down wily wheat eating rabbits is worth every moment, if only for being part of the countryside while the rest of the world sleeps

The return of the native

Most people don’t realise that many of the roe deer here in the UK were introduced, says Graham Downing