CATEGORIES

Mad For March

With sporting seasons at an end and precocious weather persisting, the first sights and sounds of spring warm the heart of a countryman, writes Sir Johnny Scott

European Championship For Irish Setters On Snipe

Ideal lowland heather bogs on the banks of the Shannon and good numbers of snipe provided the perfect setting for an international field

Embracing Change

Just ahead of the new season, farmers’ attention focuses on the Oxford farming conferences. So is it just the landscape that’s going green? asks Tim Field

Volkswagen Arteon

VAG’s “flagship” model is a clever, attractive saloon with a real cracker under the bonnet. Charlie Flindt finds little to moan about

How To Pick The Perfect Pup

It’s a bit like internet dating: check the breed profile suits your lifestyle, don’t be beguiled by qualifications and ensure the references are bonafide.

The Cottesmore's Staying Power

This Shires hunt can trace its origins back to 1666 – and fully expects to be celebrating four centuries of venery in 50 years’ time.

A Golden Shoot In Country Down

David Sandford’s vision to reintroduce wild partridges has won the Purdey Award – and helped to create a delightful shoot

Lessons In Country Life

Mike Fairclough, head teacher at a junior school in Eastbourne, explains how including countryside management in the curriculum can have both an academic and environmental impact

Art In The Field

While Andrew Kay’s sculptures are striking, their relationship to the landscape produces a second work of art, as he explains to Janet Menzies

Merkel 60e 20-Bore

Michael Yardley is immediately impressed by this lightweight sidelock side-by-side and finds that its slightly eccentric styling proved comfortable – and no impediment to performance

Continental Shift

You are as likely to see an HPR as a baseball cap at a smart shoot, says David Tomlinson. So, if you’ve done the training, how do you get to work your well-trained continental pointer?

Guns For Girls

A new generation of serious lady shots has prompted gunmakers to build guns specifically for women. We explore the range and what our top female shots are using now

A National Pastime

Irritated by the pavement-clogging joggers pounding the streets of London, Eve Jones is heading to Aintree for some hearts a-pounding, eyes-on-stalks action

Art In The Field

Capturing the power and beauty of the horse is the challenge sculptor Charlie Langton has set himself, as he explains to Janet Menzies

Plas Dinam Swells Bettws Roll Call

It may be the new shoot on the books but this estate in the Welsh Marches offers diverse drives, well-presented birds and exceptional scenery

Conserving Europe's One True Pheasant

The Nestos Delta in Greece harbours the last true wild European population of common pheasant, the black-necked. A project has been launched to save them

Becoming A Ballistics Bob

Having reluctantly experimented with a slab of heavier cartridges he was sent, Jonathan Young wonders if his lucky number’s wrong

Art In The Field

Luci Maclaren depicts traditional sporting scenes in a vibrant, contemporary style. But how little paint can she use?

Resolving The Antibiotic Issue

The gamebird sector has made an impressive start to reducing use of antibiotics – but complacency could threaten more than just our sport

Flighting The Festive Goose

Christmas and wildfowling are both family affairs in Jonathan Young’s household, where getting up early is not just about surprising Santa Claus

Advent And A Bit Extra

When did the 12 days of Christmas become three months, wonders Eve Jones. And can anyone resist temptation for that long in a bid to fit in their party pants?

A Pair Of 28-Bore Beretta EELLs

Michael Yardley, admitting a preference for 28-bores, says this well-engraved and finished pair are great fun to shoot but need to be controlled more than bigger guns

Masters Of Engineering

Winter is no time to sit back, says Tim Field, as farmers turn their attention to maintenance tasks, ensuring the local lanes run as smoothly as the watercourses

Philippa Holland

Often seen riding sidesaddle behind hounds when she’s not designing fine jewellery, her love of racing inspired this month’s Dianas of the Chase race

Pike And Pancakes

While he might not have got the better of the batter, Editor Jonathan Young finds tossing a large fly at a huge hen the perfect antidote to abstinence

Employing Citizen Science

Through initiatives such as the GWCT’s Partridge Count, farmers are starting to measure their own environmental impact.

The Best Of Muck

As well as providing a giant breakfast bowl to sustain birds during winter, the muck heap is a valuable tool in the battle against soil depletion

Guerini Invictus High Pheasant

With relatively light barrels and good pointing qualities, Michael Yardley finds this gun an attractive proposition for rangy work – with, perhaps, a slight tweak to the stock.

The Gun Terrier

At 14 months old, it was time for Betsy, Editor Jonathan Young’s Sealyham x Jack Russell, to venture into the field. How would she perform?

Playing The Tubers

With a bit of help from her dad, Eve Jones has transformed her roof garden into a little patch of Oxfordshire. But how can she explain the absence of the begonias?