Innholdsfortegnelse for Sep-2018 i Shooting Gazette

Where do you prefer to shoot your partridges? On rolling hills down south or deep valleys farther north? We have a little bit of both in this month’s issue, with reports from Brightwalton & Ilsley in the Berkshire Downs and Rievaulx in North Yorkshire. They are both stories of family and friendship born out of a shared love of shooting, which I hope you will enjoy. Another question: When will your first day on partridge be? Some guns are there right from the off on September 1, but others are keen to wait and let the birds settle in and get some flying hours under their wings. Roderick Emery examines the benefits of starting your season later – whatever the quarry. We all know the quality of later season birds…

A new strategy launched by the Gamekeepers’ Welfare Trust (GWT) aims to provide practical support to keepers struggling with depression. Raising the Game has been set up to address the issue of mental heath within the countryside. Jamie’s Helpline, a confidential telephone service, will be provided, along with training and monitoring. Gamekeepers will also be taught about how to deal with difficult situations by former Royal Marines through the Stag Training Initiative, which has been set up in partnership with the GWT.…

THE AUTHOR of the Letter of the Month will receive a pair of Wexford boots from Dubarry of Ireland (RRP £325). The knee-length, side-zip boots – designed for both men and women – are handcrafted from waterproof, Dry Fast-Dry Soft breathable leathers. The high quality of the boot is reinforced throughout with an insulated Gore-Tex lining that wicks moisture away from the foot, ensuring the wearer remains dry and comfortable all day. Dubarry’s new hard-wearing, durable outsole gives maximum grip whatever the ground conditions.…

What’s going through your head the night before the first day of the season? I’m usually thinking about where the past six months has gone but also how nice it is to be out of the office doing what we do best. There is always huge excitement and anticipation before the first day, as well as a few nerves. It’s a wonderful time to see and enjoy all the effort the gamekeepers and estates have made for the new season. What is the one quality that a sporting agent/ consultant must possess? You need to be slightly obsessed with the detail and on the shoot day you must add something to the experience for the team. We are there to make the day run smoothly. Really good agents know when…

What I want from a day’s shooting has changed over the years. Whilst we still need our quarry to be challenging, good company is my priority. We would be shooting at Coleby Hall, owned by the Scarr family, in Upper Wensleydale on a clear, frosty day in December. This is no vast sporting estate but years ago it was the perfect farm syndicate – a friendly atmosphere and good shooting against the stunning backdrop of the Yorkshire Dales. Chris Abbott is a frequent shooting companion and his enthusiasm for all things shooting is infectious. The fact he would turn up in a ridiculous sports car would provide entertainment, too, George ‘Mac’ McArdle, legendary barman of Askrigg, was my mentor in shooting and life in general. A useful shot with his…

For your chance to win a bottle of Taittinger Champagne for Picture of the Month, send us a team photograph or a picture of something unusual from your shoot. Send high-resolution images or prints with captions to Shooting Gazette Gallery, TI Media Limited, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF or email: martin.puddifer@ti-media.com BATTLE OF THE TITLES AT BISLEY Shooting Gazettewas joined by sister titles The Field, Sporting Gun and Shooting Times at Bisley in July for the inaugural Battle of the Titles clay shoot. BIRDSHOT CHARITY SHOOT RAISES £50,000 Twenty-four teams of four took part in the annual Birdshot Uveitis Charity Shoot, held at the RBSS in June. Organised by John Hall and now in its sixth year, the shoot raises funds for this charity, which helps to…

“A bullet the size of a pea was the smallest that could be loaded satisfactorily and yet still give good accuracy.” In the late 19th century one of the most common types of firearm made was the rook rifle, built in all qualities from cheap Belgian examples to the very best London rifles. By far the majority were single shot and single barrelled but occasionally double-barrelled rifles were constructed for that extra shot. Double-barrelled rook rifles are hugely sought after by collectors on account of their rarity and style. Most of them were hammer rifles but for a short time in the late 1880s and 1890s hammerless double rook rifles were built on boxlock actions. The subject of this article is one of these rare double boxlock rook rifles, a…

One of the problems associated with the small-bore blackpowder rifles was their tendency to foul up with a consequent effect upon accuracy. The nature of rook and rabbit rifle shooting meant that many shots might be fired and this was frustrating. Henry Holland conducted many trials in the early 1870s and by around 1875 was advertising “freedom from escape and fouling, facility of loading”. His experiments eventually produced around 1880 what he termed “semi-smooth bore rifling”. Instead of using normal rifling, the barrel was scratch rifled. Such fine rifling did not clog up with lead and blackpowder residue yet still managed to grip the bullet sufficiently to spin it. On April 5, 1882, “Semi-Smooth Bore Rifling” became a registered trademark of Holland & Holland, barrels being engraved after this date…

“We must adapt to changing times, and the different population dynamics of various species.” One of the advantages of having a specialist game bird vet as a friend is that I am kept up to date with all the latest treatments; the disadvantage is that a quick coffee inevitably turns into several hours of discussion. Stalking, cats, birds of prey, disease, dogs, homeopathy and release pens, we can talk at length on any number of topics. My friend expressed disappointment at the state of some of the release pens he had seen – not so much in their construction, more their content. He was referring to the lack of low roosting found in many and I wholeheartedly agree with its importance. However, it made me realise how the internal requirements…

“Guided by public safety concerns, doctors are having a greater involvement in our pastimes now than ever before.” Historically, certain professions, callings and those blessed by accident of birth have enjoyed an intimate and practical influence in shaping our leafy realm, not least in the development of, and participation in, rural pursuits and their sporting elements. Peers of the realm, squires in the shires, hunting parsons, shooting doctors and litigant lawyers defined the milieu, gentlemen all, and in 1688, cartographer Richard Blome thought to record this. Eschewing his maps he went totally off-piste by publishing The Gentleman’s Recreation, a ground-breaking tome derived from his observations of the social and sporting mores of the time, ‘covering all subjects of interest and use to members of the nobility and gentlemen’. As he…

Engineering: 9/10 The Browning action is tried and tested and reliable. We put the school guns through a lot with no problems. Handling: 10/10 A great-handling gun that is well balanced and delivers fabulous patterns. Looks and finishing: 9/10 The finishing is first class for a gun in this price bracket; the engraving is well executed and elegant and the stock is nicely finished in all aspects, as is the fore-end. Value: 9/10 This is a lot of gun for the money. Reliability and customer service: 10/10 This is a mainstream brand that relies on its success to sell the product. Some of our guns have been through hundreds of thousands of cartridges. Any problems are easy to fix and the parts readily available. Overall 47/50…

Reinvigorating or creating a sporting estate from scratch requires thought, planning and time. While topography and location play huge roles in defining what is possible, the quality of the end product is very much in the hands of the owners. A business-like approach that sets a strategy for the project and takes into account environmental and financial considerations will yield the best results. Often there will not be anything wrong with an estate’s sporting credentials, but every individual will have ideas about what they want to achieve. For some new owners, existing systems may not suit their ambitions. In other cases, estates may be in need of improvement to reach the required standard or provide the type of sport required. The first step is to set out exactly what it…

Open  1 P. Marriner with lab.b. Cherryb Lady 2 M. Pearce with lab.d. Salemasky Ebor of Brackenfarg 3 J. Sayer with lab.b. Lorinco Red Glow of Hollowgate 4 C. Rasell with gr.b. Nordenlights Hathor CoM H. Smith with lab.d. Kenquince Sneak Right In Novice  1 C.Johnson with lab.d.Tilderross Byron 2 P. Marriner with lab.b. Dark Cloud of the Skye 3 J. Sawyer with lab.d. Hightowngreen Falcon CoM P.Williams with gr.b.Woodfinch Fortissimo CoM S. Eatwell with lab.b.Wendrose Didier CoM B.Wilkinson with lab.b. Quincampbell Bailey CoM J. Sayer with lab.b. Hollowgate Dancing…

Club: URC Border Counties & Cotswolds Event: Open working tests Venue: Stowell Park Judges: Jayne Coley and Nicola Rudgard Sponsor: Skinner’s Our open test was held by kind permission of Lord Vestey and Mat Burton. Test one was a double mark, with shot, up the bank, which proved challenging in the long grass. Test two was a blind just on to the bank across the lake without shot with a distraction shot and mark, not to be retrieved, thrown first. This proved challenging due mainly to the distance from the lake up the bank that the dogs were being sent from. There were, however, some stunning performances. Test three comprised a short mark and long blind, which really tested the dogs. In particular, the lay of the terrain drew the…

Club: Kennel Club Event: Gundog working tests Venue: Chatsworth House Sponsor: Skinner’s The Kennel Club working tests were held by the gracious permission of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The two-day event saw gundogs tested on their natural working abilities under the relevant sub-group: spaniels, HPRs or retrievers. Each subgroup is tested on a variety of different skills. HPRs are required to demonstrate they are able to hunt with style and purpose and retrieve with efficiency. Retrievers are required to mark the fall of a dummy and retrieve quickly to hand with pace and drive, and spaniels are required to hunt with style, pace and courage, and retrieve quickly and cleanly to hand. Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club, secretary, said: “Once again, the level of working ability on show at…

An open and novice spaniel test in honour of Richard Preest will be held at Brandhouse Farm, near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, by kind permission of the Regis family and gamekeeper Andy Fisher on September 16, writes Maurice Stanbury. All funds raised will be for Richard and a charity of Richard’s choice. As many in the spaniel world are aware, Richard, who won the Cocker Championship in 2016, suffered a spinal stroke a short time ago and has been severely incapacitated. There will also be an auction of donated opportunities from spaniel trainers and breeders, gamekeepers and others who know Richard well and wish to make a contribution. Donations already include training days, a day’s driven shooting for two, shooting lessons and a four-night break for four people in Cornwall, among others.…

Paper cases are just perfect How my heart sang to read Tony Kennedy’s comments about paper cases in the July issue’s letters page. I have been a fan of paper cases since using paper Ely Impax 50 years ago and achieving some memorable shots when I was a mere boy, self-taught and had access to only a few acres of rough shooting. Later, I had the privilege of running a small, driven game shoot for about 25 years and instigated the use of paper cartridges among syndicate members by having them made for us by Gamebore The first ones had felt wads but later became fibre. They were 28gram of No.6 shot and threw killing patterns, especially in my old J. Blanch with improved cylinder and ¼ choke. I still…

Back in June, I was on top of Longridge Fell to meet some pals at a local hostelry, when I saw a large plume of brown smoke on the southern horizon. I took this to be from the burning Saddleworth Moors but it turned out to be from the Winter Hill fire. The results of these uncontrolled fires are catastrophic to all the wildlife in the affected areas, both for the present and for the foreseeable future. This is the direct opposite to the desires of the conservationists, who wish to see the end of grouse shooting and its associated muirburns. I realise that I am preaching to the converted but muirburn has been carried out for many years and it is a tightly controlled fire that takes place before…

Dear Uncle Giles, How can someone who has bought a single peg on a let day make a good first impression on fellow guns who are strangers?” AJB, by email Uncle Giles writes What is the essence of good manners? Well, they do say that punctuality is the politeness of princes so I suggest that turning up on time is a pretty good start. I don’t recommend, though, being early. You don’t want to catch your host in his jimjams. Arrive in good time, but then hole up a few minutes away until you see the usual fleet of Range Rovers or the like sweep by. Then give them five minutes to decant before tooling up. Introduce yourself slowly and clearly to everyone. Thereafter I would venture that generosity is…

TRAVEL The shoot sits roughly three miles to the north west of Helmsley at the bottom of the North York Moors National Park. The nearby A170 is a route well trodden by game shooting parties and the estates either side of this picturesque route are some of the county’s best. Many a team has arrived at Rievaulx via helicopter, meaning you can see many of them in one journey should you choose to arrive by air. STAY The Black Swan (blackswanhelmsley.co.uk), and Feversham Arms fevershamarmshotel.com) are the closest, but don’t discount The Pheasant Hotel (thepheasanthotel.com) a little further to the south-east, just over the road from The Star Inn at Harome (thestaratharome.co.uk). If this is where you are planning on finishing your day anyway just think how short the walk…

“Guns ought to see the enthusiasm and friendliness of all involved with the shoot, the planning that went into some of the drives…” Unless they are actively involved in running such a thing, most guns only ever see a shoot in winter – and have but a basic knowledge of what happens in the summer to ensure a perfect day’s shooting. It is, however, the work put in by the gamekeeper and others during from when one season ends and another begins that makes or breaks a shoot – and results in newcomers possibly wanting to take another day. Predator control; work on the rearing field and in the release pens; the care of seasonally planted game crops and, of course, ongoing habitat management are all essential in ensuring that…

Birds started to decoy and Henry hit the ground running with the first 10 birds dead without a miss.We ended with 151 in the bag. The annual Scottish adventure with my son, Henry, started when he was 12. He is now 41, so we’ve had nearly 30 years of fun in the Highlands with its wonderful landscape, people and sport. Sadly last year, the weather was not on our side. Having arranged to pick up Henry from Aberdeen International Airport on the Sunday evening, there was no phone call to tell me of his arrival. Then a text came to tell me the airport was closed to incoming traffic because of a hole in the runway. His plane had been diverted back to Edinburgh from where all passengers were to…

The vast majority of rook rifles were single-barrelled as double rifles were expensive to manufacture and required care in regulating to get the correct convergence. But many sportsmen found it frustrating having just a single shot when another quick shot would be advantageous in the field. Consequently, double rook and rabbit rifles were made and they tended to be of good quality. Such rifles were expensive and today are highly collectible due to their diminutive size and obsolete status. Most double rook rifles were conventional sidelock hammer rifles. The example shown is a very attractive .300 (Rook) top-lever hammer rifle no.6646 by J. & W. Tolley of London. It has 28” barrels signed “J. & W. Tolley, Maker, 1 Conduit Street, Regent St, London W.” and is sighted to 50…

Snipe are returning as the seasons change and I cannot forget the joy of their arrival last year. I walked out beneath the full moon of September with lamp and rifle. A gentle frost was forming and the conditions were almost hopeless for finding a fox, but nights like these are too good to waste beside the fire. The crunch of my footsteps carried for hundreds of yards across the moss and down on to the marshes. There had been a fox down there for the past few nights and I had picked up his eyes in my torch when I walked the dogs before bed. Like so many of the local foxes, he was untroubled by electric light. His eyes reflected a hard green spark against the cold fields…

At the time of writing, Porsche has been unveiling the new Macan, the smaller sister car to the Cayenne on test. It features a more powerful petrol engine, tweaked suspension and much more sophisticated connectivity, all controlled by a gorgeous 11” screen in the middle of the dash. Prices and delivery dates have not yet been announced, nor has the possibility of a diesel being sold again some time in the future. However, sources suggest a range of engines from 2.0 litre petrol to mighty turbocharged 2.9 V6, which may have in the region of 450bhp.…

“What do you want the dog to do and how can you achieve it?” Mike Barnes with advice for gundog puppy owners “Make field trialling about retrieves that test the dog’s natural ability…” Amy Bates on the changes that can take dog work forward “Best of all, we don’t get stressed. We merely observe and gather...” New columnist Gatherer muses on the life of a picker-up PLUS Reports from gundog events the length and breadth of the country…

In July I spent three days on the Yorkshire Moors with local gamekeepers. We were taking part in a BASC initiative called “Let’s Learn Moor”. Around 600 children took part from both rural and urban schools in the local area. The aim was to show how keepers form the heart of rural communities, working alongside farmers and organisations such as the police and fire brigade. As you can imagine, fire was very much at the forefront as Saddleworth Moor was still burning and there was an interesting conversation between the keepers and the firemen about how effective leaf blowers are for blowing the fire back into itself – you could practically see the light bulbs popping above the firefighters’ heads. I was there to represent pickers-up. Beatkeeper Colin and I…

Puppy  1 D. Higgs with lab.d. Higgscroft Rolex 2 A. Richardson with gr.d. Idonea Marksman 3 L. Hermann with lab.d.Vermelho Beau Novice dog/novice handler  1 C. Barber with gr.d. Mistybrook Morgana 2 J. Handley with lab.b. Bromleywood Cinnamon Novice  1 L. Partridge with lab.b. Braidenvale Nuthatch 2 D. Higgs with lab.b. Higgscroft Cedrus Libani 3 D. Capel with lab.b. Flashmount Russet 4 A. Crookes with gr.b. Moscargrange Copper CoM S. Corden with lab.b. Higgscroft Corylus Aveland CoM N.Thompson with lab.b. Spinnerbeck Goldfinch of Haventrent…

Club: URC Essex Event: Open qualifier test Venue: Gardners Farm, Springfield Judges: Phil Askew and Mike Rollinson Stewards of the day: Keith Foster and John Cameron Sponsor: Masters Dog Foods Our test was held on the outskirts of Chelmsford by the kind permission of Robert and John Bucknell. The weather was sunny, still and warm. Thanks go to our dummy-throwers and stewards, our sponsor, committee members who helped on the day, and our judges. Test one, judged by Mike Rollinson, consisted of a mark over a small jump accompanied by two shots. This was followed by a blind without shot, to an area of cover to the right and short of the first mark. The test proved challenging as the window of vision was narrow and if the dogs were…

The Countryside Alliance has criticised BBC Radio 4’s Today programme for its broadcast from the Game Fair on July 28. A ban on grouse shooting was debated during the programme, this despite the broadcast coming from the Ragley Hall fair in an attempt to, as the Countryside Alliance put it, “redress the persistent bias we see directed at the countryside”. Tim Bonner, chief executive of the Alliance, said: “There were so many interesting discussions being had at the Game Fair, yet once again the BBC defaulted to its same old failings, serving its predominantly metropolitan audience by reducing a rural issue to its most simplistic level. In so doing, the decision to host the Today programme at the Game Fair was turned into pure tokenism, showing just how much work…

Shooting Gazette has teamed up with Grub’s to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a pair of its Highline boots. The Highline boots are designed with a traditional profile to look the part this season, while offering superior comfort, grip and stability. Features include a full-stretch neoprene panel in the shaft and securing strap, giving a comfortable fit for most calf sizes, a 4mm rubber foot with reinforced heels and Underfoot Chassis to give class-leading stability, while the Trak sole gives powerful traction. The Highline boots (RRP £89.95) are available in two colours: Sage Green or Mahogany (sizes 4-13). To enter this competition, visit shootinguk.co.uk/competitions. For information about the Highline boots, visit grubsboot.com…

As a relative newcomer to shooting (less than 10 years) but a lifelong rock climber and mountaineer, I was delighted to read the article about one of our great climbing icons in the July issue. Jerry Moffatt was truly ahead of his time and an inspiration to many. I gather that he was able to apply his climbing training principles to become a successful businessman. He opened one of the first dedicated indoor climbing and fitness/leisure centres in the UK, amongst other endeavours. To find out that he was also a lifelong countryman and shooter was welcome news. The photographs of him climbing at Millstone Edge in shooting tweeds were brilliant and complemented the ones of him shooting. It would make an excellent series in your magazine if you were…

The totally convinced and the totally stupid have too much in common for the resemblance to be accidental. Light travels faster than sound, which is why some people appear intelligent until they begin to speak and this has been comprehensively demonstrated by the regularly misinformed outpourings on the likely shape and result of Brexit, dumped upon us by everyone who thinks the world will be a better, richer place for the publicity of their agenda and wisdom. Short of considering the amusement that might be derived from introducing Michel Barnier to a box of bees and a bucket of honey, the politics of the past two years have left most of us open-mouthed in wonder – and not in a good way. The Prime Minister and DEFRA Secretary descended from…

Research the market: Decide what sort of gun you are looking for and then take the auction catalogue and read it thoroughly – you can never be over prepared. All the key facts and specification are listed, and each lot is illustrated as well as carrying the estimated auction value. Defects of condition will also be mentioned in the description. Do not dismiss fine guns by makers you are not familiar with: Many of the great British gunmaking names are forgotten, so don’t be put off by an unfamiliar maker. Guns by Army & Navy, for example, were always built by best makers of the day and even the plainest examples have all the quality where it matters and can often be had for a fraction of the price of…

QI’d like to introduce my son to game shooting via clays on land I decoy pigeons over. I’d like to use the old thrower I learnt with. What precautions should I take when setting up and should we have a third person there either to coach my son or operate the trap? We have the farmer’s permission to shoot but he’d be absent on the days in question. A You don’t say how old your son is – if he is under the age of 15 he will need adult supervision when he is using the shotgun. I presume by thrower you mean a clay pigeon trap, rather than one of those hand-held things that allows you to fling a clay. If you are using a trap, are you going…

TRAVEL Travel to the shoot by car couldn’t be easier with West Ilsley being only 10 minutes or so from J13 of the M4, three minutes from the A34 and halfway between Bristol and London. So whether you are coming from north, south, east or west you won’t have a problem in finding your way here. Should you wish the train to take the strain then Newbury railway station is only 15 minutes away by taxi. STAY The Crab & Boar is five miles away at Chieveley and has plenty of rooms. It's dog friendly (for a small charge) and the restaurant offers plenty of choice. The Crown & Horns at East Ilsley has 11 en-suite rooms, each named after a famous horse race, and an eclectic menu. The Queens…

When the breech-loading rook rifle made its appearance in the 1860s, a bewildering array of small calibres appeared. They were all loaded with blackpowder and most rifles have the calibre engraved upon them to avoid confusion. See the table (right) for the calibres that were available. The most common three calibres tended to be .297/250, a bottle-necked cartridge that could be reloaded developed by Holland & Holland, and the straight .300 and the straight .360 (No.5). Widely differing mechanisms for rook and rabbit rifles were used, including the Martini action, the side lever, the top lever and several different designs of hammerless action. Every gunmaker in the late 19th century sold rook and rabbit rifles.…

“So, when was your first day of the season then, Mart?” It’s a question I’m asked a lot around this time of year, many people assuming, sadly wrongfully, that I have been living in a grouse butt for the past few weeks and am now starting to think about how I’m going to juggle grouse with an impending avalanche of partridge days here, there and everywhere, with the added complication of pheasants in October on the horizon. They simply don’t believe me when I tell them I’m too busy editing a game shooting magazine to go out game shooting non-stop. However, in a strange way, charting the course of a year in the field for Shooting Gazette brings many of the same satisfactions I get when I’m out there myself,…

Given I’m just under 6ft and my 12 bore of choice is closer to 9Ib rather than under 7Ib I do not exactly fit the target market for the Liberty Light. However, putting that to one side, I needed to see how it shot before testing with some guinea pigs. I have to say it was great to shoot even though the stock measurements understandably were short. The gun is suitable for game and clays so I tested it on the 40ft and 80ft towers and then on to some battues, loopers, rabbits and grouse. The handling was perfect, the chokes deliver some amazing patterns and the opening and closing is a piece of cake. The trigger-pull is excellent and the fore-end wood nicely shaped. The recoil with a variety…

QI struggle to judge lead when shooting traditional driven partridge coming overhead. What am I doing wrong? A This is a type of shooting I love and was practically reared on. Traditional partridges are often driven over hedges or small banks of trees. Some shoots may have a small slope to aid their height but on the whole they tend not to be the highest birds in the world. This does not mean that they are any less challenging and I often come across experienced high-bird shots who cannot kill these birds. There are two common mistakes: 1. Treating the bird as if it is much higher and, as a result, pulling up through the bird and technically shooting above it. I find when I am shooting these types of…

Novice  1 H.Willmott with lab.d. Stykes Boy Lightening 2 P. Constantine with lab.d. Roxhart Red Rum 3 K. Pinker with lab.b. Olivestone Lady Marmalade 4 J. Harris with lab.b. HollowbrookTweed CoM T. Griffith with lab.d. Roxhart Teddy Open  1 K. Spratling with lab.d. Hemingtons Noggin 2 N. Probert with lab.d Stauntonvale Buckwheat of LLangynidr 3 R. Edwards with lab.d. Lord Rye of Knowle for Lovehayne CoM A. Phillips with gr.d. Castlemans Soul Man CoM R. Colver with lab.d.Artistryn Ufin CoM J. Cornforth with lab.b. Mucklehart Gracie CoM E. Davis with lab.d. Willowyck Harry…

QI have bought a working gundog puppy. Does that mean it will make a good dog for taking on a shoot? A Sadly, that is no guarantee at all. What you have bought is not technically a “working gundog” but a puppy from dogs that presumably work or have some competition success and not a show breeding line. You therefore have some chance that the dog will have characteristics that will make it a good companion in the field. But as mentioned, that is no guarantee and possibly, as the competition-winning dogs are a small gene pool, may not be to your advantage. All dogs are different. Some excel at certain things and some don’t and you will not know the exact characteristics or abilities until you start some training…

I just love picking-up. Throughout the close season I’m counting the days before we can get to work again. What’s so special is the partnership with the dogs, the bond which develops over the first two years, the hours of training, their unstinting love and loyalty, their unrelenting cheerfulness. I run three cockers, all dogs, one tri-colour, one pure black and one white with brown freckles. My father used to say that the devil kept a seriously ghastly black cocker at stud in order to torment us humans. My two are definitely from the devil’s bloodline. Each picker-up and his or her dogs are a team, which sits snugly inside the picking-up team which in turn is part of the wider shoot day team of birds, beaters, keepers, stops, caterers…

How to win For your chance to win either a Pintail Explorer smock (top) or a Seasons jacket (right), email high-resolution pictures to: katemaxim@outlook.com. Please put “Gundog Picture of the Month” in the subject line. The winner will be chosen by the Shooting Gazette judging panel. Good luck! The prize will only be posted to winners with a fixed UK postal address.…