The Field’s April issue is packed with exceptional gundog content. Alec Marsh asks the age-old question: how many dogs does a committed countryman really need? We look at the history of the Kennel Club as it marks its 150th anniversary, and David Tomlinson highlights the importance of having gundogs and pickers-up on the shooting field. Hugh van Cutsem explains why reducing the impact of muntjac on our woodlands is vital, Sam Carlisle explores Tweed’s historic beats from source to mouth and Marcus Armytage reveals how amateurs helped make the Grand National the race it is today. We discover how the father of modern foxhunting, Hugo Meynell, shaped the hounds we still see in the field today, while Ian Morton examines legendary storyteller Rudyard Kipling’s driving passion for motoring.  

Have you ever visited a ‘thin place’? We explore the most secluded places of worship and the fascinating stories behind the buildings, and sit down with the celebrated huntsman and Master, Captain Ian Farquhar, for this month’s Field Interview. The April issue also contains the unmissable Field wallplanner, our guide to the sporting year, sponsored by Dubarry.