Safety On ranges, carry your rifle barrel up – if a round is fired towards the ground, there is a danger of ricochet. Always check after firing that your chamber is…
Sporting Gun
Meet Matt Clark – Sporting Gun’s new Editor
Matt says: “I’m very lucky to have a job that combines my professional skills with my passion. Working on a magazine that I grew up reading is a tremendous privilege…
Pot roasted saddle of venison with mushrooms and asparagus
Ingredients 2½b (1.2kg) saddle of venison 450g mushrooms (any type available) ½ bottle red wine 300ml game stock or beef if game 30 asparagus spears 1 large leek 4 cloves…
How to use trapping and shooting techniques to control squirrels
Now is the time to get on top of all those pest control jobs. With much greater access to the woodland areas we can now make a serious dint in the…
What sort of deer stalking rifle should I buy?
Our expert at Sporting Gun advises: A: Well, your budget is decent. That’s good news because a suitable rifle with quality optics is usually about £1,500 for each piece of…
Stick to it
Marc Cotterill used to be a mechanic, working on lorries, but three years ago he turned his hand to stick making. “My grandfather had always made sticks and carved the heads,…
Tips for shooting vermin
Here we look at how a variety of vermin species can be simulated with clay targets. All you've got to do is practice hitting them!
One gun fits all
The telephone at shooting schools invariably starts to ring more frequently once the first pheasant shoots of the season are behind us. Right now mine is busy with shooters trying…
The dog training hand signals you need to know
Depending on the kind of dog work you intend to do, you may know that it needs to be trained to take hand signals and to be able to be…
Can dogs read body language?
Body language is also key for communication, not only person-to-person and dog-to-dog, but across species as well. People have learned to ignore body language and posture. How many times have…
Supplementary feeding the birds
Winter and spring are difficult times for game and wildlife. Habitat is in short supply having been beaten down by strong winds and sharp frosts, and the climate is cold,…
Recipe: Pigeon ciabatta
WHAT YOU NEED – 3 pigeon breasts – 4 asparagus spears – 1 small round goats’ cheese – 4 slices salami – 6 cherry tomatoes – salt and pepper –…
Franchi Affinity
Although not one of the names you might first think of when considering mass-market gunmakers, Franchi has had a presence in the UK market for many years. The company was…
Havens in our hedges
Hedges define farmed landscapes and are important habitats for many birds and other wildlife. Gamekeepers and shooting folk have long recognised the importance of hedges for gamebirds, both in the…
Rutland’s “squirrel” wood shoot
The first day on the Pickworth Wood Shoot in Rutland is well known for being a tough yomp! The wood covers 260 acres and the brambles and ground cover are…
Huglu 103DE
The Turkish invasion carries on unabated with the Huglu 103DE. Huglu have been involved in gun manufacture for around 100 years, but ASI, historically famous for distributing AYA and more…
Recipe: Goose breast with tartiflette
WHAT YOU NEED – 1 goose breast – 4 slices streaky bacon – 1 large shallot – 30g feta cheese – 6 sliced cooked new potatoes – salt and pepper…
Gundog pack mentality
In the past, man used dogs to help him hunt for food and pelts for clothing, shelters and storage, whereas now, most hunting is done as a sport or enjoyable…
Recipe: Game terrine with blackberry jam
WHAT YOU NEED – 1 venison fillet – 6 partridge breasts – 4 duck breasts – 8 slices Parma ham – 2 cloves garlic – chopped parsley – 15 cooked…
Perazzi MXS shotgun review
Perazzi MXS shotgun review The latest entry-level gun from Perazzi is the MXS, though at £5,500, this makes for a relatively expensive level to enter. Fortunately, Perazzi makes excellent quality…