It’s a conversation anyone who has travelled in a gun bus will be familiar with. “That’s a nice-looking bitch you’ve got there. Are you planning to breed from her?” “Funny you should ask. My wife and I were discussing when we should take a litter from her over breakfast this…
As a general rule, dogs are pretty robust and can eat most things in moderation without any issues. However, the list of foods that are toxic or poisonous to dogs is a long one. Chocolate (particularly top-quality dark chocolate) Grapes Raisins Currants Onions Garlic Leeks Chives Avocado Artificial sweeteners Caffeine…
Shotgun servicing is an essential part of one’s yearly sporting routine, whether you own a useful workhorse or one of the 10 most expensive guns in the world. Shotguns are among the most reliable machines and can last for centuries in good working condition if treated with a modicum of…
Like many native breeds of the British Isles, the Suffolk Horse is not only critically endangered but also right at the top of the Rare Breed Survival Trust’s (RBST) 2024-25 Equine Watchlist. Farmer and rare-breeds champion Adam Henson, whose father Joe Henson set up the RBST in 1973, lays bare…
Many HPRs excel at hunting and pointing but fall short at retrieving. German longhaired pointers are superb at all three. David Tomlinson thinks these pointers are magical.
Once present in every county in England, today black grouse are red-listed as a species of high conservation concern. The GWCT has been studying this iconic bird and monitoring numbers in the English uplands since the early 1990s. In that time the population has been broadly stable, fluctuating between 1,000…
Choosing a name for your dog can be tricky. But here are some useful tips to give your dog a name they can be proud of. Some names simply suit dogs better than people. While Bella may be a suitable name for a dog, it’s not as popular for girls.…
In the autumn of 1971 my father leased 1,000 acres of forestry shooting near Thetford in Norfolk for what even in the immediate aftermath of decimalisation was the remarkably modest price of five pence an acre. As well as a decent population of wild pheasants, there were vague and unsubstantiated…
For a host of reasons chalkstreams capture people’s attention and affections. They are globally unique, freshwater marvels, and important habitat to iconic species such as salmon, native crayfish, otters and mayfly. But generally you learn these things after the chalkstream has already caught you in its spell. I fell for…
It is in an unassuming corner of his stately Palladian mansion, away from public eyes, that the 9th Marquess of Hertford prefers to hang his most treasured accolades. Two are certificates: one awarding him fellowship of the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE); the other from the late Queen appointing…
