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.

Call us barbaric!

Lead shot could be banned in the autumn of this year • After much debate, and a voluntary move away from lead ammunition by shooters, an all-out ban could be in place by the close of 2023

Bird flu warning for shoots

Mears fears rewilding plans

To do this week

Trophy Bill in Lords — but a glimmer of hope • A three-year ‘impact report’ on trophy hunting may highlight the vital role it plays in nurturing some of the world’s most endangered species

Muirburn evidence heard

‘There is still desire to shoot’

NEWS IN BRIEF

LETTERS

Shooting Times & Country

Country Diary • Water quality is a top concern after a spike in E coli levels during the winter, and Willie Athill is determined to get to the bottom of it

Gamekeeper • Dry summer days may not suit the young broods, but they are an ideal opportunity to educate the general public about gamekeeping

Stalking Diary • Cleaning deer heads, ready to be mounted, isn’t the loveliest of jobs but it’s very rewarding and it’s a useful way to spend June days

BEAT PROFILE Lough Corrib • Lough Corrib is a fly-fisher’s dream and you can’t beat it for pure variety — if it’s not on your bucket list it should be, says Sam Carlisle

Living life on the edge • The steep-sided Himalayan uplands provide a spectacular backdrop for stalking Pakistan’s well-managed ibex population, but it’s not a journey to be undertaken lightly, recalls Thomas Nissen

Sporting feast on the river • After a morning controlling marauding pigeons on the allotment, a few trout are just the ticket for a top-notch barbecue banquet

Last call for the uplands? • Simon Reinhold attends a seminar on grouse moors, where the guests are varied, from well-known Shots to keen rewilders

Dependable airguns at the right price • Mat Manning rounds up a selection of sub-£600 air rifles that are up to the task of tackling live quarry

Is it looking up for rough shooting? • Richard Negus asks what the new Environmental Land Management schemes mean for wild game

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist • Though the easily identifiable perennial wall-rocket is simply superb, the same can’t be said for some of its relatives, writes John Wright

The new kid on the block • Simon Whitehead looks to the future and begins his training journey with Truffle, a slightly unusual addition to his slick team

ABC OF FERRETING • In this column, Simon outlines the essentials of good ferreting

Serious matters

The hair of the dog • While different breeds will require varying levels of maintenance, a groomer is certainly a boon for spaniel owners, says David Tomlinson

OF DOGS AND OTTERS • These powerful predators definitely aren’t wallflowers

Reignite that primal flame • Arthur Petherbridge has set up deerstalking courses for city dwellers and newbies, in a bid to bring new hunters into the fold

Game, sett and match • Soldier Palmer considers the conundrum that badgers pose for conservationists

Past versus present • Lindsay Waddell looks back at some of the greatest Shots through history and asks if they were any better than the top Guns of today

A rare breed...