Calligraphy: pictures in words

The good news is neat handwriting isn’t a prerequisite of success with a calligraphy pen, as several leading artists in ink explain

Art in the field

As an en plein air artist, Wiltshire-based Oliver Akers Douglas has a deep connection with the landscape, as he explains to Janet Menzies

A break with tradition

We are creatures of habit, says David Tomlinson, often sticking with the same breed of canine companion throughout our lives. Would you dare to be different?

Laying Down The Law Is Barking

Should walking your dog every day be compulsory? At least one German politician thinks so but while he sympathises, David Tomlinson says it would be impractical and impossible to enforce

A Good Game Deal

The market for game meat, once profitable, is now dysfunctional – and that was before the pandemic struck. What lies behind this collapse?

In tune with the moon

For the ancients, life revolved around lunar phases, which measured time, heralded the changing seasons – and even caused madness

Strong coffee and steelhead

With feisty fish and striking scenery, British Columbia’s Nass River has much to offer fl y-fishers – after that early-morning espresso

Lord Ripon The greatest shot of all t ime

Some personal reminiscences of a giant of the shooting field who was chiefly proud of his billiards

Land Rover Defender 110S

The iconic Land Rover Defender is a tough act to follow but Charlie Flindt seeks the original’s soul in the brilliant, all-new, high-tech version

Looking for aliens on Orkney

In the decade since its arrival, the stoat has wreaked havoc on the islands. Huge expense is now being incurred to remove it

Le weekend present, but not correct

You have been invited to the country. Should you take a thank-you gift for your host? And, if so, what?

Cocking Shoot West Sussex

We clatter along the road in the back of the shoot trailer, chains clanking loudly. Ahead, lies a day of high birds and good humour.

Beagling about

Minimal kit and maximum fresh air and entertainment are the order of the day when you follow beagles – on foot

Hunting Boots To Last A Lifetime

Bespoke boots are a significant investment, however, they offer protection, comfort and unsurpassable style

How to get your ‘back-sight' right

It’s almost impossible to shoot consistently well unless your gun fits and accommodates your eye dominance. So how do we ensure that all is correct?

Forging ahead

Few village forges exist outside racing country or the shires; however, the fires are still burning bright for blacksmithing and farriery

A vet is for life

Or, at least, this used to be the case. Today, many private practices are being bought up by corporate ventures. David Tomlinson bemoans the loss of the personal touch

Planting trees for profit and posterity

We all want more trees, that’s agreed; however, we must balance the competing interests of rewilding schemes and commercial forestry

Arthur's eight-bore returns to the marshes

Having inherited an old R Scott behemoth, there’s no better place to use it than on a wild day on the foreshore – its rightful home

The toughest part of the Macnab Challenge?

Grassing a salmon and bagging a brace require considerable fieldcraft but that third component of a Macnab, the stag, requires, in addition, physical fitness for the hill and rifle skills to satisfy a professional stalker

Why you should eat your greens

And so much more, for the wild cabbage – and its many descendants – is associated with health, wealth, romance and more

William Powell Viscount

So, the side-by-side has had its day, has it? Not if this bespoke model is anything to go by. Michael Yardley is happy to find a traditional gun that dares to be a bit different

A dazzling partridge day on Exmoor

The landscape at Molland would still be familiar to Lorna Doone, though now lively partridges soar over its V-shaped valleys

Watch this space

The ultimate face mask was bound to tempt post-lockdown buyers but will other luxury items fare as well without the events at which to flash them, wonders Roger Field

WHIPPING-IN THE RIGHT WORDS

A top hunting correspondent must master a strange horse, unknown country, and capture the colour of the day – while staying in the saddle

Manors fit for an Englishman

Restoring our grey partridges and the farmland ecology they depend on reaps conservation rewards far beyond just a shootable surplus of the gamebird, as work on four pioneering partridge manors proves

Grimsthorpe: new season, new shoot

The team who took on the Park Syndicate used the first day of the season to test its potential on friends and family

Rizzini BR550 side-by-side

Michael Yardley shoots a 16-bore in competitions, so is interested to see how this round bar side-by-side compares. Would it prove to be a sweet 16?

Art in the field

Theodore Gillick used lockdown to build his own foundry, providing him with new opportunities, as he explains to Janet Menzies

Building a fit and healthy working dog

All dogs need the correct nutrition, however, this is even more vital for a gundog, its needs changing with the season. Fortunately, help is at hand