It is, perhaps, the most disappointing two hours of my life. I am sitting in a cafe in Bedlington, the old Northumberland mining town after which the eponymous Bedlington terrier and scourge of the rat community is named. While the full English is excellent, I am actually waiting for what…
The Yildiz Pro 20-bore in depth This test looks at a type of gun that I have long used for much of my own game shooting: a 32in 20-bore over-and-under. This one is made by Yildiz, a Turkish firm best known in the UK for its well-priced, lightweight, alloy actioned…
The test gun is a 28-bore Purdey Trigger Plate, or PTP, over-and-under. It has 28in steel-proofed, Teague-choked barrels and a narrow, subtly tapered, solid sighting rib. The non-selective single trigger is detachable with a release catch to the rear of the trigger-guard. This PTP is a demonstrator with laser engraving;…
Ratting with terriers – which terrier is best for the job? The Border terrier holds sway in the north while Parson Jack Russell’s terrier has a loyal following in the West Country. According to David Hancock, in his authoritative Sporting Terriers: Their Form, Their Function and Their Future, Russell “favoured…
A dachshund is a teckel and a teckel is a dachshund Dachshunds are great characters. They are fun, they make great working and family companions, and are a joy to own. (Read: Teckels – the wire-haired dachshund is a sporting sausage dog.) They are headstrong and require firm training as…
I think of elevenses snacks for shooting as canapés’ slightly bigger, more boisterous cousin. Both need to look attractive, be packed full of flavour and must be easy to eat while standing up and with one hand, as the other is usually clutching a drink. Something fried and fatty, such…
Impressive, old fashioned and plentiful, Mary Berry’s raised game pie will feed 20 hungry guests and if there is any left over, it’s ideal for a cold buffet. Raised game pies look impressive but may daunt some potential cooks. Fear not, they are simpler to make than they seem, and…
I have researched Sir Winston Churchill’s guns – a remarkable and extensive personal armoury Sir Winston Churchill’s guns Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874-1965), one of the 20th century’s most important figures and one of Britain’s most influential national leaders, was also an enthusiastic shot and sportsman. He purchased, was given…
Once shunned in favour of the ubiquitous black, the fox-red labrador is now becoming increasingly popular, as Giles Catchpole relates
How to make the most of shotgun choke...a how-to guide from The Field
