Jess Burgess

The Olympic Skeet hotshot on navigating the fine balance between the bustle of a City career and the pursuit of competitive shooting

Planning for failure?

Another day, another strategic housing plan - but the Government will never make headway in meeting its minimum new homes target if the left hand isn't talking to the right.

Health and happy homes first

Choosing whether to breed a litter from your working bitch is a big decision with many factors to consider, the least of which should be the potential profit, says David Tomlinson

Arrizabalaga sidelock

Bold yet attractive, this eye-catching and exquisitely crafted Spanish best 32in side-by-side pigeon gun performs flawlessly in the field, finds Michael Yardley

Coming of age: the rise of English whisky

Once seen as a novelty, whisky made south of the border is finally getting the recognition it deserves thanks to a growing band of dedicated distillers

Top of the props

Crafting everything from willow baskets and pots to intricate military regalia for Stage and screen, Britain’s artisans are playing their supporting role to perfection

Courts of appeal

The ancient pastime of real tennis is enjoying a renaissance, with devotees drawn not only by the sport itself but also by the distinctive buildings that house it

Running up that hill

Hillclimbing may be one of the simplest forms of motorsport but it is also among the most thrilling, delivering daring feats of speed in spectacular rural settings

Going underground

Heading up to town? Our guide to the Fieldiest destinations on the London tube map and their natural inhabitants

HT SHERINGHAM: 'The angler might travel very much farther and fare very much worse'

Tracing the footsteps of fishing writer and Field angling editor HT Sheringham, whose works capture the moments of sunshine and shadow in a fisherman's life

The hunt for inspiration

There has been, and always will be, something about hunting, the horses, the hounds and the landscapes that inspires great art and great artists

A gundog for the 21st century

Graceful, intelligent and with incredible sporting instinct, the English setter is the perfect field companion in the age of sustainability

A load off your mind

Good loaders can make all the difference to a day in the field and many are pursuing a professional qualification to deepen their knowledge

Clay shooting for game shots

Everything the fieldsportsman needs to know about clay shooting, from gun choice, technique and stance to how to tackle specific targets

170 YEARS OF THE FIELD

A look back over the history of The Field, from its origins as a weekly newspaper to the monthly countryside must-read it has become

Why The Game Fair is beyond compare

Since 1958, The Game Fair has been a stirring annual celebration of fieldsports and country life, and this year the event is marking its 65th anniversary

Delicacies from the deep

Whether it is a bumper bag of prawns foraged from a summer rock pool or a hard-fighting bass played to perfection, the fruits of the ocean never fail to delight Neil and Serena Cross

The Countess Bathurst

The indomitable chatelaine of Cirencester Park in Gloucestershire talks about pensions for police dogs and her deep love of shooting and the countryside

RSPB lays blame for raptor deaths

The RSPB believes illegal killing is the major cause of death in hen harriers, and grouse shooting is the main reason for the majority of these deaths.

Packham role will alienate RSPCA supporters, says CA

\"The organisation has done so much to rebuild its reputation over recent years,\" he pointed out.

Curlew to be extinct in Wales as snare ban heads for assent

The Welsh government has now passed the Agriculture (Wales) Bill prohibiting the use of any snare - including licensed use or other humane cable restraint (HCR).

Smolt project on track

The West Coast Tracking Project, started by the Atlantic Salmon Trust in partnership with Fisheries Management Scotland and Marine Scotland Science, has entered its third year.

The Field's 170th anniversary

Generations have passed since this magazine was founded in 1853 but its ethos remains the same, keeping sport at its soul and country life at its heart, says Editor Alexandra Henton

Given the cold shoulder

Smart motorways were designed to ease congestion but significant safety concerns prompted the Government to apply the brakes a move that has now been made permanent

Things are looking rosy

For those cursed with clay soil, roses are the perfect garden addition. Colourful, richly fragrant, adaptable and almost endless in variety, they define the word summer’

Art in the field

David Williams-Ellis’ sculptures of fish and fishing celebrate the past but he hopes they will also help change the future

Minority report

A sensible approach to outcrossing is essential if our vulnerable native spaniel breeds are to have a future. But it appears that, for some, purity is more important than survival

Knights of the long knives

The mock battles that kept men at arms amused during a siege or quiet period morphed into extravagant festivals with often deadly outcomes

Deserving of a bigger buzz

Solitary bees are often ignored in favour of their honey-producing brethren, but their incredible importance as pollinators cannot be overestimated

Welcome to picnic season

Eat your way through the summer months with panache as only the British can