Shooting Times & Country
It's game on for BGA this season
The past three years have been a rollercoaster ride for the British Game Alliance, but Matt Cross learns of its big plans for the future
6 min |
September 15, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Would I call this proper wildfowling? Foreshore
On his pilgrimage beyond the sea wall on opening day, Gethin Jones reflects on whether wildfowling in September is worthy of the name
6 min |
September 15, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Stalking Diary
After a quiet morning on the hill watching the roe, a chance to educate visitors about deer management provides a small win and a PR coup
3 min |
September 15, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
It's all about the seductive wobble
Heading for the aptly named Pike Bay, Julian Schmechel sets out to tempt the fish to his line with the use of handmade copper spoons
6 min |
September 15, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
The uphill struggle for Ireland's red grouse
The cackling of the ‘heather hen’ has become a rare sound on Irish moors, but people are battling for its survival, says Barry Stoffell
6 min |
September 15, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Autumn's no time to be sloe on the uptake
John Wright reveals that the fruit of the spiky blackthorn is only good for a single recipe, but it’s a one-hit wonder that foragers rate
4 min |
September 15, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Dawn of the season at dusk
Wildfowler and conservationist Richard Negus explains the reasons behind his alternative plans for the opening day of season this year
6 min |
September 15, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Freshwater molluscs flexing their mussels
Pollution and overharvesting are a major threat to our mussels, but Kielder’s hatchery is working to boost numbers on the North Tyne
4 min |
September 15, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
A small taste of things to come
A foreshore foray on 1 September may not be every fowler’s idea of time well spent, but early-season flights certainly whet the appetite for the months of sport ahead
6 min |
September 15, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Quelling an attack of the munties
Greedy muntjac are raiding feeders and disturbing fragile flushing points, so it’s time for a little pre-season troubleshooting
6 min |
September 22, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Diamond dogs are on point
Richard Negus is a spellbound spectator as the Pointer Club marks its birthday in style
5 min |
September 22, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Out of sight and out of mind
Forget camouflage clothing and expensive equipment, follow Mike Swan’s tips on keeping a low profile when wildfowling
5 min |
September 22, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Can't buy fieldcraft
Mat Manning swaps hi-tech hardware for a basic break-barrel and fieldcraft during a refreshingly uncluttered walk through the woods
5 min |
September 22, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
You're not going to need a bigger boat
The cool waters around the UK are increasingly populated by sharks, so Nick Fisher sets out with a trusted team to try to catch one. Just don’t mention Jaws…
7 min |
September 22, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
A trailer for a Heston special
With the harvest spaced out like in years past, shooting over stubbles from a hide disguised as a bale helps Tom Payne build a decent bag
5 min |
September 22, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
A long wait, then Stan's the man
It’s the first duck flight of the season and a young springer shows his mettle, to Jack Bell’s delight
6 min |
September 22, 2021
The Field
Turning heritage fruit into eau-de-vie
HRH The Prince of Wales’s private orchard offers sanctuary to many heirloom fruit trees – which can now be enjoyed as a heritage brandy
6 min |
September 2021
The Field
The last of the English
It is 950 years since Hereward the Wake’s last stand against the Norman invasion, turning this Anglo-Saxon leader into a lowland hero
9 min |
September 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Early stags: a dead red redemption
With the roe rut over, Chris Dalton switches focus to the reds and sets out to cull a few young male deer — if he can find them
5 min |
August 25, 2021
The Field
The changing years of J K Stanford
Ornithologist, sportsman and Field correspondent, he was also a conservationist, whose pragmatic approach is still relevant today
7 min |
September 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Lockdown leads to a few unlikely recruits
COVID-19 resulted in renewed interest in the countryside and lots of mess but it might not have all been a total disaster, says Gethin Jones
5 min |
August 25, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
How the sport of trap shooting really took off
Diggory Hadoke charts the history of trapshooting from the days of top hats to the era of sophisticated machines
6 min |
August 25, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Choosing the right trainer
Ellena Swift explains how owners can ensure their aspiring gundogs learn the right skills
6 min |
August 25, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
For love, not money
When a stubble comes under siege, Tom Payne jumps at the chance to do what he is passionate about, rather than simply what pays the bills
7 min |
August 25, 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Scout's honour in the battlefield
A new permission offers Simon Garnham the perfect chance to hone his keen young labrador’s skills while protecting a farmer’s livelihood
7 min |
August 25, 2021
The Field
The perfect dog for partridges
For wild greys and redlegs, you need a worker that’s keen, thorough and won’t mind the brambles. So which to go for?
9 min |
September 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Heading for higher ground
A traditional walk-about on the hill to mark the Glorious Twelfth yields little in the way of grouse but offers time and space to reflect on seasons past, present and future
6 min |
August 25, 2021
The Field
The dawning of a new season
Autumn hunting’s smaller fields provide the perfect chance to get close to hounds – if you can stand the early starts
7 min |
September 2021
Shooting Times & Country
Marsh rite of passage
For the novice fowler, learning about tides and maintaining your kit can be the difference between life and death, warns Barry Lawson
5 min |
August 25, 2021
The Field
Taking a shine to stock finishing
Stock-finisher Shane Scase has built a reputation for his oil finishes that belies his years – though his ‘recipe’ is a closely guarded secret
8 min |