Problem Solving

Lesson #1: Why does my dog run past me on its return from a retrieve?

Gearing Up For Game

In his latest update as he prepares to launch his new syndicate shoot, Paul talks us through the pen prep, stalking and foxing that he’s been undertaking in readiness for the new season.

Stand and deliver

With harvest just around the corner and pigeon numbers building, Andy Crow is called into action to protect a standing wheat crop

THE GLORY OF GROUSE

Whether simulated or the real thing, there’s nothing quite like a day’s grouse shooting to get the adrenaline going. Phil Moorsom recounts his opening day last season

Shooting capers

With lockdown having affected life in general and shooting sport reduced accordingly, Adam Smith goes back in time to find some of the funnier moments his sport has provided

Murder Buck

While he waits for the hay to be cut on his main permission, Deano is called out to deal with some problem deer and makes an interesting discovery...

Looking ahead

With the dawn of a new season on the horizon, Alan Jarrett is remembering the excitement of ‘First’ days gone by; with those spent on the foreshore holding particular appeal.

HIGHLAND GAME

Owen Beardsmore and pals enjoy some walked-up sport in Perthshire, in pursuit of red grouse. Little did Owen know, the mountain hare he shot would probably be his last...

Going the distance

A lack of consistency when it comes to judging a spaniel’s hunting pattern in field trials is making the sport tricky for newcomers to navigate and frustrating for competitors, says Ryan

Everything but the grouse

Whether you are lucky enough to be shooting the real thing, or just ‘making do’ with the simulated version, Simon explains how to read and shoot those super-fast targets.

Vaccines: Should We Avoid Them?

The question of vaccines crops up regularly nowadays, with an increasing number of people concerned about the practice. Vicky explains the importance of keeping your dog protected

Small Victories?

Could a new-found appreciation for the smaller, walked-up days be one of the positives to come out of the Covid-19 crisis? Phil Moorsom looks ahead to the coming season

10 Ways To Boost Your Shoot's Conservation Credentials

Ecologist and keen shot Alex Hatton presents some simple ways to make your shoot more attractive to a variety of flora and fauna

Young at heart

From the sublime to the ridiculous, Tony Jackson explores some of the more unusual fieldsports adopted by our ancestors when times were tough. Beetle fight, anyone?

The quest for sporting land

Persistence pays off when you’re a wildfowler and, in Alan’s case, it also helps secure new land, new challenges and much to look forward to for the coming season.

Super sim!

Simulated game may become a replacement for game shooting for some this year, so what’s it all about? Simon runs through what to expect from a day’s clay bashing in the countryside

Rewinding history

With a clever combination of drain blocking and grazing, James Mawle has reversed the fortunes of the river and heather moors on his family farm, writes Joe Dimbleby

Crossing obstacles

At some point, your dog will need to negotiate hedges, water and fences when retrieving in the field. Howard Kirby explains how to train him to do so correctly and carefully

EYES ON THE PRIZE

Don Brunt examines the part of our physical makeup that many of us take for granted when shooting, but which could make the task a lot easier on our bodies...

A break from the norm

With its unusual mechanics, reliability and solid performance, Mike Yardley finds the Fabarm 20-bore side-by-side to be a very interesting gun indeed

Where'd all the wabbits go?

Tony is disheartened by the lack of rabbits in the fields around his house, and makes a discovery on his daily lockdown stroll that gets him thinking about the good old days...

“If you can dream it, you can do it”

Walt Disney’s famous quote relates more to our competition prep than we might think. This month, Christian Schofield explores storyboards and visualisation

Where the Crow flies…

With current shooting outings limited, Andy Crow has been thinking about all of those sporting trips he wants to book in when international travel is once again possible

THE ROUGH ROVERS MACNAB

Phil Moorsom’s attempt to be the first to complete his syndicate’s newly-launched Macnab Challenge gets off to a promising start – but will Lady Luck stay with him?

The art and craft of pigeon shooting

Taking home schooling to the pigeon hide gives Simon a chance to teach his son about the ways of the countryside, with crop protection and safe shooting being two core subjects!

Spring passing

With only the fickle pigeons offering some light relief during lockdown, Alan’s thoughts turn to days gone by in the estuary, and to one prized quarry in particular – the elusive pintail.

SHOOTING AT A DISTANCE

Owen Beardsmore talks to game farmers and keepers from a range of shoots to find out how Covid-19 has affected their plans for the coming shooting season

Back in business

When the farmer calls to say piglets are being killed in the farrowing field, Deano is called in to deal with the cuprit – but not before getting police clearance first

Ask nicely, and I'll consider it!

Slender, athletic... and complex! Lurchers make great hunting dogs and loyal companions, but approach training as you would a gundog and you won’t get far, says Jackie Drakeford

Ace of Base

Diggory Hadoke looks at the mystery of the base-fire design and ponders why it never really caught on, despite being more robust and safer than its predecessor, the pin-fire.