Driven shooting in December and January is arguably the cream of a season’s sport. The birds are strong, the cover has died down, there is hopefully some cold weather and, of course, there should still be…
Liam Bell
Insurance for shooters – is it necessary?
A: It isn’t, but it would be foolish of you to go shooting without insurance. Accidents when out shooting are more common than you might think and can happen to anyone. It is common practice for…
How to deal with wet weather when you put your birds out
If the weather is on your side when you put your birds out it makes such a difference. A nice run of dry days — when the birds can sit out, dust and sun…
How to care for your gamecover crops
Planting gamecover crops is one thing. Getting them to grow to their full potential is another. We nurture ours through the first few important weeks after planting and, providing the…
It’s time for fox control
No matter how hard you try, and no matter how many foxes you kill, litters of cubs will always appear — usually where you least expect them. Keeping fox numbers…
How to deal with poorly poults
The only real way of finding out what’s wrong with your birds – if you are picking up dead ones or they look off-colour – is to take them to…
Why gamekeepers should keep detailed records of a shoot
For gamekeepers, record keeping is so much more than five columns in a gamebook. Records, which can be as complicated or uncomplicated as you like, are key to the long-term management…
Beaters’ days at the end of the season
The end of the season brings the long-awaited beaters’ days. Traditionally, it was the day that the estate owner gave to his gamekeeper to invite his friends along to shoot. It…
How to look after birds left at the season’s end
Regardless of the number of birds you shot on your last day, it is probable that you saw or flushed three or four times as many. What happens to the birds that survive…
Drawing birds into drives – and keeping them there
We shoot a few boundary days in October, but to me, October is more about getting ready for the shooting season proper — when the weather is cold and the…
How can shoots keep their birds safe from predators?
It would be a mistake to think that shoots that don’t hatch and rear their own birds have nothing to do from early February until mid- July, when their poults…
How to stop poachers
Liam Bell suggests ways you can stop poachers, such as putting equipment out of sight, locking gates, recording as much information as possible and reporting everything to the police
On your shoot: Wandering birds
Making cover-crops pheasant friendly
How to keep your birds close
Making sure your pheasants don't stray
The importance of building the perfect pen
What you need to consider when constructing a release pen for your poults
Farm payments
Q) Our DIY shoot has done its best to stay on the right side of the farm manager by always keeping to the edges of the fields and avoiding standing…
Guarding your gamecrops
How to tackle wildlife that threatens gamecrops
Sporting answer: Fitting bits to poults
Q) Do we need to fit “bits” to our poults? They have a new brooder house and shelter pen, together with a run that is more than 40ft square, with…
Fox control: Take control this spring
How to keep on top of foxes in nesting season
Providing grit
Q) Do we need grit in our laying-pen? I have been told that modern feeds have enough calcium in them already and that putting extra grit down is a waste…