In this first article with Andy ‘Crowman’ Crow, we thought it would be nice to give you – our readers – the pleasure of getting to know him a little better. Many of you will have watched Andy’s exploits on YouTube over the years and read about him in

As the first rays of light streak from the east, a lone mallard calls way out in front, quickly followed by several of his companions as they swoop down from the heavens to dine. Lying still in the centre of a 70-acre stubble field I can feel the ant

I am getting my first cocker spaniel pup next week and the breeder has suggested that I should get two at the same time so they will keep each other company and make training easier. Is this the right thing to do? Fran Ardley says: Many professional

An article that caused some concern among shooters in my area of the south-west was recently published in The Telegraph. It claimed that since the Hunting Act 2004 came into effect, fox populations have been in catastrophic decline and that urgent ac

With so many rifles, calibres, and rifle configurations on offer these days, for the novice buying a rifle, the options can be mind-boggling. Whether you’re buying a custom rifle, factory rifle or simply wanting to get the most from the rifle you alr

Most serious decoyers will tell you that they have favourite times of year when it comes to shooting pigeons. It may be the start of the spring drillings, or the emergence of the early pea shoots, and is usually connected to the fact that there will

Gun collecting can be an expensive business. We all read the auction reports of some 1920 Woodward over-and-under selling for £35,000 or the King of Italy’s unique Holland & Holland rifle exceeding its estimate by thousands. All we can do is watch an

Last month we looked at building on the stop whistle while your dog was at a distance from you. I showed a technique where the dog was called off a retrieve that was placed directly behind it and it was then stopped while coming back towards the hand

The birds were definitely coming. They were going to be late but at least we were going to get the birds we ordered. This was great news but it did have a knock-on effect; the birds would normally come mid-July and be ready to shoot mid-October, but

I read your article about moving to the Highlands and gathering new permissions. I have also recently moved and am going through the same process and wonder if you have any further tips as you seem to have been successful? Tom Sykes says: It can be f

When cataloguing some items for auction, a fair amount of detective work is required. Take these pistols pictured here. They are signed ‘M Smith’ and cased, but the case appears to be for a much longer-barrelled pair. These guns are of the so-called

You hear a lot about gun-mount, and for good reason. It’s vital that you mount a shotgun correctly, otherwise a miss is almost guaranteed – the gun won’t be pointing where you’re looking. Not only that, you need to mount the gun consistently every ti

Gamekeepers today must be familiar with the various growing options that qualify for stewardship funding. The range of schemes – denoted by an array of names and numbers – can even appear intimidating, especially to the uninitiated. Yet, whatever the

The phrase “he’s got a good nose!” regularly punctuates conversations at shoots, often uttered with a degree of pride by dog owners recounting tales of exceptional retrieves. Stories might involve their dogs scaling trees or swimming great distances

Most shooters will have fond memories of their first gun. It’s one of those milestones you don’t forget, like your first car; or first love! Buying your first gun is an exciting time, but it can be worrying too. You’re making a big investment, and yo

When I embarked on my fox-shooting career, things were markedly different from today. Initially, very few of us specialised in fox shooting, and those who did were largely motivated by the financial rewards the skins brought. The same was true for ra

The innovative prowess of Sako and Tikka is widely acknowledged in the shooting community, offering not only cost-effective firearms but also rifles that deliver precise shooting straight out of the box. The legacy of the Model 75 action range, which

The Welsh government has been criticised for being in thrall to ‘greenwashing’ initiatives that have seen large tracts of agricultural land in Wales sold off to large companies looking to offset their carbon emissions. Many such companies, often base

By the time you read this, the roebuck rutting season will be starting to heat up. It is always an exciting time and certainly the one time of the deer manager’s yearly cycle that can be full of surprises. So, get out there and enjoy the myriad of th

Vet’s advice: Neil McIntosh SG’s gundog health expert The good news is, his chances are good. SRMA, or steroid responsive meningitis-arteritis, is an immune mediated (or auto-immune) condition involving inflammation of the meninges (the membrane that

The Game Fair is set to host four top-tier gundog competitions this year, including two Home Internationals (one for HPRs and one for spaniels/retrievers), the Euro Challenge, and a new minority breeds competition. Taking the lead is Francesca Prenti