The Field

YOU’LL GET square eyes” our parents would caution us in the 1980s as we were ensconced in front of the television mainlining Neighbours (steady, some useful life lessons) or Home and Away (frivolous, a bit racy). It may have encouraged an unfathomabl

HM King Charles III has taken on more than 200 new patronages following a major review of the charities supported by the Royal Family. The King has also retained most of his previous patronages, which champion causes close to his heart. The King’s po

The British Deer Society (BDS) has launched its new initiative, Together for Deer. Aimed at protecting deer welfare, mitigating threats and looking for ways to create a sustainable future, the project comes at a critical time, with deer populations t

Four Durham University students – Will Smith, Julian Baring, Hector Trower and Ned Pleydell-Bouverie – will set off on a 10,000-mile car rally on 12 July in aid of the charity Tom’s Trust, which provides mental health support for children with brain

Email [email protected] Casual 100% cotton French fabric, contrast collar facing and ribbed cuffs and hem. A countryman’s ‘off duty’ favourite with added va-va-voom in four colours. Price £49.95 Tel 0333 777 4560 joules.com Sustainabl

Women Who Work in Fieldsports (WWWF) is excited to announce its next major event: a Networking and In Conversation evening featuring Tiggy Pettifer, head of events and fundraising at the Atlantic Salmon Trust (AST). In response to calls from women in

Hardy leather boot designed for all-day wear. Handmade in Australia. Price £399 rmwilliams.com Lightweight, sturdy, waterproof, unisex, with ingenius lacing system. Price £299.99 harkila.com Protection from water, heather and brambles. A unisex favo

Letters may be edited for clarity or space I write in response to a letter in the June issue [Low-hanging fruit] taking issue with the efforts of WildFish and Nick Measham in conserving the Atlantic salmon. The writer made his points on what needed t

The Wild Salmon Without Borders event took place in Germany in April, bringing together key individuals and groups from across Europe to encourage greater international collaboration for the restoration of wild Atlantic salmon. Salmon charities and o

OF ALL THE places to call your office, the Blenheim estate is the one: 12,000 acres of Oxfordshire countryside, dotted with oak trees that date back to the Middle Ages, Capability Brown gardens and a 300-year-old palace as the jewel amid it all. “Eve

THIS COASTAL estate is set on the edge of a horseshoe bay in Sutherland. It boasts 211 acres of land, a B-listed main house with six bedrooms and three reception rooms, plus three rental cottages. There is also full planning consent for a further thr

THE SPORTING social calendar doesn’t stop when the hunting or shooting season ends. In fact, the summer months are filled with events that are equally enjoyable and, especially in the current political climate, important to support. The puppy show, t

HIGH SUMMER means long drinks in shady gardens or perhaps even moderately close to a game of cricket. The perennial lubricant of the British summer has always been Pimm’s and lemonade, liberally garnished with a few handfuls of strawberries, mint and

Dear Freddie, WITH THE grouse season approaching, you asked me to tell you about the history behind the game laws for fur, feather and fin. The UK shooting and stalking seasons are carefully regulated to allow quarry species to pair, breed and rear t

FOR ITS 66th anniversary year, The Game Fair returns to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire for the first time in a decade. Close to 130,000 visitors are expected to attend the event, which runs from Friday, 26 July to Sunday, 28 July, and it promises to

THE MISTY spring morning remains sharp in my memory 30 years later. I crept ahead as we stalked the lee of a thick, untidy hedge, peeping through gaps to spot emerging rabbits seeking the early-morning sun. I was carrying my grandfather’s William Eva

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THE FIRST shot ever fired as part of the modern Olympics was at the inaugural 1896 Games in Athens in the 200-metre military rifle competition. It wasn’t fired by the luxuriantly moustachioed Pantelis Karasevdas, the law student who would go on to ta

It was a diminutive, 19th-century French aristocrat, Baron Pierre de Coubertin (pictured, left), who came up with the idea of reviving the Olympic Games while studying in Paris. He was a sporting sort himself, and had also long despaired of what he p

EN GARDE Prêts Allez! As top athletes prepare to do sporting battle at the Paris 2024 Olympics, readers’ attention may be drawn to the shooting or equestrian events. However, I encourage you to consider the ancient and balletic art of fencing. The se

UNLESS they enjoy fishing, I doubt many motorists on the A1 give the brown slick of tidal water stretching west from the bridge separating Gateshead from Newcastle upon Tyne a second glance. The river is a much grander sight a mile downstream where t

WORKING in the beating line, picking up and even going down the pub after shooting, a standard poodle is suddenly the dog we all want to be seen with. And they are indeed quite a sight, posing romantically in the line or crashing through the cover wi

IT IS ONE of the more romantic sights of summer: two slow-moving bicycles ridden by men in brown coats and flat caps with a pack of hounds happily clustered around the wheels. In busy areas, you might pinch yourself thinking that you have blundered o

ACOUPLE of years ago, my granny sent me a clipping from her newspaper. At first glance, it seemed to be a recipe. I am not the most adventurous cook and rarely follow recipes, so I examined it with slight trepidation and a large pinch of salt on stan

CIRCULATING amid a melee of puffed sleeves and to the dulcet tones of The Police there was a dead cert on the 1980s drinks-party scene: the chequerboard canapé. Immaculately cut brown bread and cream cheese, artfully topped with alternating black and

Sporting artist ♦ Under the hammer ♦ Royal Armouries ♦ Sporting dog ♦ The boot room ♦ Gun review ♦ Country queries ♦ Gardening ♦ Farmshop ♦ Cookery ♦ Wine ♦ Travel ♦ Books ♦ Field testers ♦ From the archives LANDSCAPES usually stay fairly still, whic

IF ONLY dogs could talk. I’d love to ask my indoor-living spaniel what it’s like to wear a fur coat all year round. On even the frostiest of winter days she’s always eager to be out, and doesn’t appear to notice the cold, while in summer, wearing the

THIS MONTH Paris will play host to the XXXIII Olympiad. This, incidentally, will be the third time that France has held the Summer Games: the II Olympiad took place there in 1900, followed by the VIII Olympiad in 1924. One of the titles that will be

Plentiful planters give any area a lift. At this time of year there is no excuse not to be blooming. Ornamenti offers a range from frostresistant terracotta to zinc and urns to troughs, and its ingenious Château planters are modelled on those at the

THE TEST gun this month is the latest BerettaA400 Xtreme Plus 12-bore semi-automatic with a distinctive green Cerakote stock, action and barrel finish. Boasting a 3½in chamber and 28in steel-proofed barrel, the gun weighs in at 7lb 11oz. Its comprehe

Send queries to Rosie Macdonald, Country Queries Editor, The Field, Future Publishing PLC, 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London W2 6JR. For more, visit: thefield.co.uk Email [email protected] Follow Rosie on Instagram @dizzy_m Q I hav

IT IS HARDLY controversial to state that when businesses fail to adapt and evolve, they risk going into decline. So it is little surprise that the auction houses have been adapting apace of late. While I have a natural tendency to fulminate against c

WE THINK of Teals as a canvas on which to celebrate localness, where the producers and makers are the stars that add the colour. We want to ensure there’s as much Somerset goodness as possible,” says Ash Sinfield, founder of this jewel of a farm shop

To me venison is the champion of all meats: rich in protein and key nutrients. Here I’ve used it in an epic burger served with an Olympic flag-inspired salad. Serves 6 600g venison mince300g pork sausage meat1 small red onion, finely chopped2 tsp Dij

OUR STANDARD journey to north Norfolk runs in welltrodden grooves, and has done for nearly 40 years. One passes signs for familiar yet unknown places as there is always a clamour when juggling friends, family and numerous dogs to tick off the longed-

1 An event hounds will be keen to nose out? (5,4) 6 Common colour of Orpington chickens (4) 8 Flower-rich grassland good for biodiversity (6) 9 A game retriever? (6-2) 10 Tiny bird with amazingly loud song (4) 11/27 Metal rod on which gun barrel pivo

THE SOUND of the launch’s engine has been enough before now to clear the green face above the loch of any beasts that may have been there. So this morning she is taken across to the opposite shore before rounding the headland. Here the party of four

Welcome to The Field Junior, a new magazine created especially for you. It’s bursting with sporting fun and adventure, whether you’re keen on fieldsports or simply want to know more about the countryside. There’s a guide to clothing and kit (for days

The general licence is issued by Natural England (part of the Government) to allow people to legally shoot certain bird species that are not on the quarry list. You don’t need to apply for a general licence but it is vital that you know what it cover

KNOWING what animals make which tracks is a real countryside skill. It is just one of the ways you can discover what is living in your area. Do remember that if you are tracking an animal most of them rely on scent and sound to alert them to danger.

When Bear first appeared in The Field, nearly 20 years ago in 2005, he’d already served in the SAS, climbed Everest and jet-skied around the British Isles to name but a few of his exploits. He is now the Chief Scout and is a household name who is fam

As soon as he was able to walk, Connor took part in all forms of hunting but particularly beagling, as his family has its own pack. He was awarded the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles Young Hunter Award in 2022, and in 2023 was named Be

WE’LL HAVE to play this stalking by ear. If Frank seems tired tonight, it’s off I’m afraid,” said my dad as we drove through Oxfordshire with our rifles in their slips on the back seat. It was November and we were off to huntsman Frank Houghton Brown

Where: Aller Shoot, Dorset Date: 6 January 2024 Weather: Sunny and clear Topography (what the ground is like): Hilly Who: Family and friends What: A small driven-pheasant day with a scattering of partridges. A driven day is when the birds are pushed

MARGOT, Rollo and Fergie love rough shooting and especially the chance to go out with Jake and Ellwood: their friend’s ferrets. On this day in Northumberland they were helping their father clear some holes on a pasture field before the sheep were all

STARTED SHOOTING WHEN she was about eight and loves seeing the clays smash. She likes going with her dad and often shares a lesson with her sister (who she tries to beat). She also loves the hot chocolate after a lesson. LEARNT TO SHOOT when she was

Pony Club (PC) camp is the school holiday high point for many but why not add a few new achievement badges to your PC sweatshirt beforehand? As well as awards for riding and pony care, there are a great many to appeal to adventuring young Fielders: b

There are 30 words hidden in this puzzle. Can you find them all? BAIT BEATERS CAST CATCH CLAY CURRENT FEEDER FLOAT FRESHWATER GUNDOG HORN HOUND HUNTER KEEPER KENNELS MEET MOOR PHEASANT QUARRY REEL RESERVOIR RIVER ROD SCALES SEASON TACKLE TWEED UPSTRE

Serves 4 For the goujons: 4 pheasant breasts (skin removed)100g plain flour1 teaspoon paprikaSalt and pepper2 eggs, beaten100g breadcrumbs Oil for frying (rapeseed, sunflower or vegetable oil) For the mustard mayo dip: 4 tablespoons mayonnaiseAbout 1

1 Fit each section of the rod together, making sure that the eyes line up and the parts are locked into position. 2 Fix the reel into place, ensuring it is the right way round for the hand you will be reeling in with. 3 Once the reel is correctly att

(Ages 8-11) Nether Wallop Mill and River Test, Hampshire Price: £285 Tel: 01264 781988 fishingbreaks.co.uk Atkin Grant & Lang Shooting Ground, Hertfordshire Tel: 01244 573000 basc.org.uk West London Shooting School, Middlesex Price: £181 Tel: 020 884

BASC’s Young Shots programme has introduced thousands of young people to shooting over the past 20 years. The scheme features a whole host of experiences that young people can enjoy including clay shooting, airgun plinking, duck flighting and game sh