What are “high” pheasants? That’s a question often asked in the game-shooting world. Geographical position within the UK plays a massive part, as do weather conditions. In Scotland, Wales, Yorkshire and the West Country, the guns can be placed in valleys and the birds streamed over them. In that sense,…
There is a scene in AG Macdonell’s classic post-First World War comedy novel England, Their England when the protagonist, a Fleet Street journalist, is invited to a grand Kent house-party weekend. To impress his hosts, he primes a colleague to ring during dinner, pretending to be the Prime Minister and…
To think too much at the wrong moment and stop mid-swing or as you pull the trigger, may be noted as amongst the cardinal sins in shooting (breaches of safety apart). The Marquess of Ripon, arguably the greatest game shot of all (and a man who had despatched half-a million…
Early one evening in late July I found a struggling stag beetle in a bowl that had filled up with water, on an apron in front of our open woodshed. I was so excited that I photographed it in my hand, then carefully carried it to the nearest of our…
Rare plants, exotic trees, stunning sculptures – money can purchase all these things but it can’t buy wildlife. This is what makes creating your own private nature reserve so special. You don’t need a fortune to do it, nor do you require countless acres. What you do need is land…
We asked chef Philippa Davis for her top tip on freezing game. She said: “This applies to anything you freeze and was installed in me by my grandparents! It’s all in the wrapping. Make sure the game is tightly wrapped and there are no gaps, otherwise the meat is likely…
Shooting manners and shooting etiquette: tipping the gamekeeper when game shooting
How to make the most of shotgun choke...a how-to guide from The Field
Shooting from a high seat is not for everyone but it is an ideal way to control deer numbers and provides a sound base for a first shot with a rifle at live quarry. Purists will say that shooting deer from a high seat is not proper stalking and to…
For a dog, the finest perfume is eau de fox, essence of dung … anything is better than smelling clean. But having a dog smell lingering in your car isn’t the pleasantest way to enjoy a journey. So we’ve asked around those in the know and discovered some remedies to…
