Shooting Times & Country

Since its launch in 1882, Shooting Times & Country Magazine has been at the forefront of the shooting scene. The magazine is the clear first choice for shooting sportsmen, with editorial covering all disciplines, including gameshooting, rough shooting, pigeon shooting, wildfowling and deer stalking. Additionally the magazine has a strong focus on the training and use of gundogs in the field and, because it is a weekly publication, the magazine keeps readers firmly up-to-date with the latest news in their world.

Public relations

BASC launches Act Now campaign to save shooting • A 12-week proposal from Natural Resources Wales has begun, over proposals to licence the release of gamebirds in the country

Could we be over the worst?

Six dogs per day stolen in UK

To do this week

New Firearms Bill set to close licensing loophole • Shooting galleries will now need a firearms certificate to possess guns, but an exemption remains in place for shooters at those rifle ranges

Holts auction throws up intriguing shirt and hat

Arrest made after red kite shot

NEWS IN BRIEF

LETTER OF THE WEEK

Shooting Times & Country

Country Diary • The barnacle goose is the subject of a new study as bird flu continues to rage, and rabbits will become more numerous due to a 2023 act

Gamekeeper • The importance of doing our bit for waterways, and a visit to a nature reserve to discover how the RSPB is managing precious bog and heath

Stalking Diary • A mission to protect young trees from deer finds a juvenile buck that has a leg injury from a misplaced bullet, a far too common scenario

JOTTINGS FOR WILDFOWLERS A CLASSIC SERIES REVISITED • Filling in bag returns gives a chance to reflect on the season past, though there’s always more to a foreshore foray than the fowl shot

Plagues, pests and regionalism • Our attitude towards individual deer species is greatly influenced by our location within the British countryside, writes Richard Negus

Stealing a March on a mini monster • Now is the ideal time to stalk our smallest deer species — it may be diminutive, but in ever-growing numbers muntjac can do a considerable amount of damage

Something a little bit different, sir? • Most of use a .243 or a .308 rifle but there’s no reason that more unusual calibres can’t make a good go-to, says Diggory Hadoke

Stalkers are simply pupils of the trail • An incident-filled morning spent guiding a stalker in pursuit of a muntjac buck reminds Miles Malone of what bonds man and beast

Odd dogs, new tricks — any breed can do it • From terriers to teckels — and even a miniature poodle — any breed can make a good deer dog with the right training, says Chris Dalton

Adventure is part of our caveman DNA • When stalking deer with a close friend, there’s often no need for discussion, says Will O’Meara, everything is a case of instinct

It’s a game of two halves • A pair of sika hinds are just the job to fill Barry Stoffell’s freezer as he traverses the South Kerry Mountains on the last day of the season

Taking stock: utility, tradition or beauty? • With more choice than ever when it comes to stocks, Graham Downing asks whether plastic, wood or laminate is best for a long day in the field

We should all eat more of the stuff • To add the perfect twist of seasoning to our stalking special, we’ve dug out some of our favourite venison dishes for you to have a go at

From the gunshop • The Editor’s pick of the latest and best shooting kit to hit the market

A fine Italian import • David Tomlinson investigates the unusual Crufts-winning gundog breed that is now better known for truffle hunting in its own country

The uplands, Wayre it’s all happening AL’S SPORTING...