Caw, caw, caw! A black shape emerges out of the morning gloom, circling above the bird decoys you have set up a few metres away from your hiding place. Quick as a flash, you stand, shoulder your Maxus and fire a Winchester Special Corneille. It falls to the ground. You’re happy, and so is the farmer. Shooting crows and rooks is becoming more and more popular with hunters. We’re going to explain why.
Disciplines
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A few words on the Brittany spaniel
The famous XIXth century Alpine hunter, Alpinus (real name Henry-Frédéric Faige-Blanc) used to say that dogs are “man’s better half“. It’s difficult to argue otherwise, especially when you’re a hunter! Hence, in our continuing look at our dear four-legged helpers in this blog, we have decided to talk about one of the most common breeds in this part of the world: the Brittany spaniel.
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Beneath the hide hunter’s gaze, one October evening, I was out for a duck.
“ … over by La Lande, we had two lakes covered in reeds and floating grass. Between them, at the edge of a connecting stream, my husband had had a small hide built for shooting at wild ducks.” Maupassant, Tales and novels, v. 1, A Wife’s Confession., 1882, p. 800.
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Hunting dogs: our best friends and helpers.
There are a few ways of hunting which spring to mind when you think about hunting with dogs. Now the reason I said ‘few’ is that here in the UK, driven hunting for animals like boar and deer is not common practice – in fact, it’s actually illegal.
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Ferreting, an ancient hunting technique
Not very big (30 to 60 cm long), not very heavy (400g to 2kg), this hunter’s companion is very efficient at flushing out rodents – and especially rabbits – from their burrows. They are enthusiastic sleepers, especially when their stomachs are full. For several decades now, ferrets have been considered as quirky pets: their appearance and behaviour are not without a certain charm.
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Semi-auto or double barrels Shotguns? Frowned Upon
So what’s wrong with a semi-automatic shotgun for game shooting?
British shooting is often seen as traditional, if not hide-bound, with many taboos imposed not for legal reasons, but because people do not approve.
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Driven hunt: main principles
This type of hunting, which is widespread in Europe and much appreciated for the excitement it arouses, generally requires a large number of participants. Obviously, this is a good thing as it allows more than one landless hunter to fully experience and share their passion. Beyond the popular and unifying dimensions, in this most individualistic of times, the driven hunt is a standardised exercise in hunting which requires discipline, self-control and strict attention to safety regulations.
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Falconry, or hunting with a bird of prey!
It is likely that the art of falconry first appeared on the high plateaux of Central Asia 4,000 years ago. Falconry (or hunting on the wing) is the hunting of natural game in its environment using a specially-trained bird of prey.
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High-seat hunting: patience and discretion
As with walk-up hunting, stalking large game demands patience, acute observation and absolute silence. Originating in Germany, this practice is inspired – like the majority of hunting methods let us not forget – by the ruses used by some animals of prey in their natural surroundings to find food (from polar bear to pike, including big cats and snakes).
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The Fox Terrier, a companion of character
At least based on appearances, Snowy, famous canine companion to the even more famous Tintin, was certainly one… Indeed, it’s impossible not to think of this most celebrated and adorable ambassador of the breed, faithfully recreated even down to its faults – the most obvious of which is its highly ‘tenacious’ character – when calling to mind the Fox Terrier. For if Hergé
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The Waiting Game
Often out hunting the action either kicks off almost right away or when you are just thinking of going home; this tale really explains it. I was out with my daughter Chloe in October for some Roebuck and an evening’s lamping on rabbits. We were in a big high seat called the scaffold that takes two shooters. We set in at 15.00 and waited, and waited, by 17.00 I got the feeling nothing would happen so decided to sack it at 17.30.
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We say Vermin : overview of the pest control approach
Varmint is an American word and we Brits tend say vermin to cover the various pest species that prey on crops, forestry and livestock in the UK. The list of quarry is a long one; rats, mice, squirrels, rabbits, hares, mink, foxes and even Muntjac deer who are the only species that has no off seasons and can be shot all year round; male or female!
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Boar-hunting blues!
What?! Hunting boars getting you down? No, not those blues! The Small Gascony Blue – the Petit Bleu de Gascogne, the loyal, talented and best hog-hunting hound there is!
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The Heart of Africa: Hunting for Conservation
Biased or not, having grown up involved in shooting sports and seeing all of its values, especially in hunting, I am committed to doing all I can to ensure the sustainable management of not only our surrounding wildlife but further a field too. It’s time to discover the facts of hunting conservation on the plains of Africa.
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Jagd & Hund 2016 – Browning on the road
For our friends in Germany: will you be attending the 35th instalment of JAGD & HUND 2016? Browning will be there as “The Best There Is”, as usual.
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Clay Pigeon Shooting: What’s Your Discipline?
Clay pigeon shooting offers shooters a multitude of possibilities to practise in different environments – but what discipline suits you best? There’s a sport for all!