Sporting Gun

You think you’ve got it sussed. After years of pigeon shooting you reckon you know when and where in the woods and fields our grey-feathered adversaries will appear. So you put up your hide and wait. And wait. And ... No show. After a patchy start to

Just over a year after the shooting groups’ announcement about the move away from the use of lead shot, they have issued a joint update on the transition. The nine signatories reiterated their commitment to see an end to both the use of lead and sing

One of the biggest wildlife success stories of the past 30 years has to be the reintroduction of otters to the UK. When river quality started to improve after organochlorine farm chemicals were banned in the 1980s, the Otter Trust got to work releasi

When I was learning the dark art of pigeon decoying, I often read that woodies would not respond to decoys if their favoured ‘restaurant’ was covered with a layer of snow. Various theories were put forward as to why this should be so, the most popula

It has been an odd couple of years. We have had disruptions to our pest control duties due to the general licence debacle, then the pandemic. Throughout January and February, Charlie and I were under ‘house arrest’ like everyone else. However, we are

I have had two queries from colleagues of late and I will try to give my thoughts on both here. As we are about to enter the buck season, I was asked if individual bucks have different characters that produce more dominant males and others with trait

Finally, some pigeons have arrived in my area. I am pleased to see them, but the farmer is less impressed. I have been scanning social media and it’s clear from the pigeon forums that there are plenty around and some large bags are being shot, mainly

Things move with the times. Technology progresses. But has it helped rabbit control? Ferret locators, thermal-imaging equipment and improved telescopes are just some of the things that spring to mind when comparing with what was previously around. Wh

When I first took up foxing I used to set out on foot and hope that I would encounter a fox, either by creeping up on it, or by calling it in. These days, however, I prefer to find my quarry before I set out. That way two things happen: first, my suc

Our local clay club did not shoot at all last year. The traps, safety cages and all the gear never came out of storage. Our summer season runs from April to August but COVID-19 made it impossible to operate. I managed three days on partridges and phe

The first thing we do on lesson two is a quick recap of lesson one, making sure all was clear and answer any questions before we start. Once we have gun, cartridges, hearing and eye protection sorted we can get straight out onto the ground. We begin

This may seem to be a strange subject to be covering in a shooting magazine, but over the past few months I have received a number of emails and messages asking how I film my rough shooting and dog training videos. Readers who follow social media or

Lessons involve a lot of physical effort and mental concentration, however, we can break this up by teaching the client how to take a gun out a gun rack and replace it later. This may seem straightforward but by not doing it the right way a novice ca

There are some commands your gundog can be taught from an early age and will stay with him for the rest of his career. Sit, stay, heel, come are a few of the more common ones. But the ‘leave it’ command is the one that if you can condition your dog t

I take every opportunity to condition my young dogs to certain commands. When they are out and about in the garden it is another good time to bring the ‘leave it’ command into play. When the puppy is sniffing about, call its name then add ‘leave it’.

I am lucky that I have good facilities to train my own and my client’s dogs, but even if you don’t have access to a pen with birds you could still use your local environs to further this part of your dog’s training. By now your dog should know exactl

Vet’s advice Neil McIntosh SG’s gundog health expert Ah, sighthounds and toes. If I had a pound for every swollen toe I have seen. Lurchers, greyhounds, salukis and all the crosses in between suffer toe injuries more often than any other type of dog

I was dismayed to find the word ‘woke’ appearing twice (once without inverted commas) in your article Sick As A Parrot [March issue]. ‘Woke’ is an often misused term that is used increasingly by certain commentators to deride the views and motives of

In the past few years there has been much correspondence over the way police forces apply the Home Office guidance when renewing Shotgun Certificates. Much of this has been critical of the police, though hitherto I have never had any issues with Surr

Where do rabbits disappear in wet weather? I occasionally see one or two about when it’s raining but I imagine the rest are underground or hiding in the hedgerow? Ed says: The same place as any person with sense – home! Rabbits will tolerate a cert

My young springer spaniel has started to chomp on her retrieves and though she hasn’t damaged any game yet, I am concerned that it may get worse. Is there anything I can do to prevent this? Fran says: It may be that you’ve introduced game too soon

When shooting do you use the maintained lead, swing through or pull away method when shooting at a crossing bird? I only ask because a friend says he uses maintained lead on fast birds and swing through on the slower ones. Is this right? Peter says

Have you ever tried decoying crows without a hide? Tom says: I have decoyed crows without a hide on multiple occasions. I will use the natural cover of a wall, hedge or other vegetation to give me the best chance at success. The 3D leaf suits are a

I’m looking for tips on how to have more eye contact with my year-old springer. She listens but often doesn’t understand as she is facing away from me and can’t see my hand signals. How can I resolve this? Fran says: The key to good eye contact is

What do you find to be the best camouflage netting when decoying? Tom says: There are many options when it comes to netting but I am not a fan of a lot of the modern-day nets. I used a trusty old Realtree net and a typical ex-Army net for a long ti

PREPARATION TIME: 35 MINUTES COOKING TIME: VARIES MAKES TWO BURGERS ● 2 pheasant breasts● 1 tomato, sliced● Handful of iceberg lettuce● 1 onion, fried● Some sliced cucumber● Bottle of Mrs Ball’s chutney● 2 brioche buns, split 1 Place the pheasant

I love deerstalking but on a cold wet day that love can be put to the test. One of the best things you can do to make a fresh morning in a high seat or a stalk in the rain more bearable is to invest in a decent hunting suit. The Pro Hunter Endure sui

I have a simple philosophy with regard keeping our dogs warm and dry: we expect a lot from our gundogs, so treat them as the canine athletes they undoubtedly are. Some gundog breeds such as labradors have a thick double (waterproof) coat whereas othe

Make and Model Axis Calibre 20-bore Barrel 28in Choke Multi Price £425 CONTACT DETAILS Name Dave Tel 07982 321663 County Gloucs Make and Model Browning Lightweight Game B25/B7 Calibre 12-bore Barrel 28in Choke 3/8 and 7/8 Price £3,750 CONTACT DETAIL

COVID-19’s awful legacy has made me think long and hard about what a ‘new normal’ might mean for my shooting. Who would have imagined that we’d need a pass or phone app to drink coffee in the club canteen, board a beaters’ wagon or ride the Gun bus?