WHAT’S A BRAQUE?
It’s a question that braque owners are frequently asked and most will tell you that it’s a type of French gundog, one of a group known in their native country as les chiens d’arrêt.
The word arrêt translates as stop, indicating that these are dogs that stop when they find game. They should then point their quarry until the chasseur (hunter) arrives with his gun. France has a number of different braques, of which the best known are the Français, the Ariège, the Auvergne, the Saint-Germain and the Bourbonnais. Curiously, especially compared with their German equivalents, few have ever been imported into the UK.
Of the quintet, only the braque d’Auvergne is established here, though it remains a rare breed. In the past couple of years, it has been joined by the braque du Bourbonnais.
Earlier this month, I encountered my first-ever member of the breed, a pretty two-year-old bitch called River, owned by Tracie Rickman. If you are active in the world of working HPRs Tracie’s name is likely to be familiar, for she is the field trial secretary of the Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla Club of Great Britain. Tracie, a professional gamekeeper, has no fewer than 12 wirehaired vizslas, so I was surprised when I heard that a French dog had joined her strictly Hungarian pack. Investigation was required.
Denne historien er fra April 28, 2021-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra April 28, 2021-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside