Deer stalking: My game dealer insists on head or neck shooting and pays a lot less per-pound for a carcass that has been shot through the heart and lungs.
Paul Rawlings
Will my Labrador make a good wildfowling dog?
Wildfowling dog: My two-year old Labrador is enjoying his first season in the field and doing okay – he has picked a variety of game, but one thing he hasn’t…
Will dogs get an A+ mark for completing an eye-wipe?
Gundog training: Will a Labrador always get an A+ mark for completing an eye-wipe?
Will a 20-bore and a 12-bore shotgun throw the same patterns?
Is it true that, choke for choke and at the same distance, a 20-bore and a 12-bore shotgun will throw the same patterns?
Could a friend take over my gundog to finish a test or trial?
I would like to enter into some gundog tests and trials, but if I can’t manage the full day can my friend take over to finish the trial?
Is it illegal to use guineafowl to protect our poults?
We have been told that we are breaking the law by releasing a few guineafowl with our pheasant poults. Is this correct? We don’t shoot them, but use them as…
Could you possibly tell me about this VS2000 air rifle?
VS2000 air rifle: I recently bought a bundle of old air rifle magazines at a carboot sale. In the August 1985 edition of Airgun World, there was an editorial about…
Is there a minimum number of retrieves in a gundog test?
Gundog tests: Is there a minimum number of retrieves for each dog in a novice retriever trial?
Will attempting to retrieve a bird which flies get a mark?
Will a dog be awarded a mark for an attempt to retrieve a bird which flies away before being picked-up?
Can I use voice commands when handling my gundog?
Can I use voice commands when handling my dog out to retrieve, or would that be noisy handling?
Can I still compete in a retriever trial if i’m a bit late?
I have drawn number 23 in a retriever trial. If I telephone the secretary to say I may be a bit late, will I still be able to run if…
A ‘puppy parties’ a good idea when gundog training?
I have acquired my first gundog — a lively German shorthaired pointer puppy — and intend to train the dog myself.
Do I always have to wait for the judge in working tests?
Do I always have to wait for the judge to send me for each retrieve in working tests?
Should I let my puppy chase game to get it hunting?
Gundog training: I am soon getting my first spaniel puppy, having previously owned Labradors. I have read several books, all written some time ago, but they all contradict each other…
Could a Boxer become a decent gundog?
I have been told by a breeder that some of her boxers are trained as gundogs, something I find hard to believe.
Can I send my gundog after the shot for blind retrieves?
In gundog tests, I have called my cocker in after the shot to send for blind retrieves. Can I do this in a gundog trial?
Gundog training – Pulling on the lead
I have been using a choke chain to try to stop my gundog pulling on the lead. He was fine as a puppy, but now pulls like mad when I…
I always have trouble getting on to the second clay!
When clay shooting I usually miss the second target of a pair on report. It seems to always be more difficult for me to get on to the second clay.…
Have rotary decoyers made pigeon shooting more difficult?
Some people knock rotary pigeon decoy machines but I’ve found they add lots more variety to the shooting.
How do I service my BSA .22 Airsporter air rifle?
I recently resurrected my old BSA .22 Airsporter air rifle, given to me on my 16th birthday in 1963. Stored in an attic, it is now very low in power,…