With the countryside at its most beautiful and quarry species distracted by a rich natural harvest, Kev Hawker heads out to bask in the colder seasons. Late autumn and early winter really are the hunter’s months as far as I’m…
corvids
The hunter’s season
Tagged with: air arms ultimate, airgun, animals, autumn, corvids, countryside, gamekeeper, grey squirrel, harvest, Hunter, Kev Hawker, pigeons, Pulsar, quarry, scope, Scott Country, shooter, targeting, woodland
Posted in Features, Hunting
Posted in Features, Hunting
Covert crop protection in this month’s Countryman
The sudden abundance of food caused by the autumn maize harvest has attracted a plague of pests that could decimate the following crop. Mat Manning sets up for a decoying session to bring the offending birds to book. The damage…
Twilight crow shoot with Kev Hawker
Roost shooting can be a very effective way to cull crafty corvids – Kev Hawker puts in a late shift in an effort to reduce the numbers of these nest-robbing birds. Roost shooting is a great way to bring crows…
Tagged with: air arms ultimate sporter, corvids, crows, flighting, gamebirds, headnet, jackdaws, Kev Hawker, permissions, roost shooting, shoot, sidelever, understorey
Posted in Features, Hunting
Posted in Features, Hunting
Right time, right place!
You need to act quickly if you want to bag a few birds when flying pests descend on seasonal feeding grounds. Kev Hawker reflects on an enjoyable afternoon’s decoying over a cereal crop. Being in the right place at the…
Tagged with: air arms ultimate sporter r, air rifle, airgun, arable farm, birds, bucket seat, camo headnet, corvids, decoying, decoys, enforcer pro series pigeon shell decoys, hunting, jack pyke, jackdaws, Kev Hawker, net hide, pests, pigeon shooting, Range, shoots, sitty trees, woodpigeons
Posted in Features, Hunting
Posted in Features, Hunting
Hide and seek for crafty crows!
Wily corvids are seldom easy to outwit, but their scavenging nature can be their downfall, as Mat Manning demonstrates as he sets up with hide and decoy tactics. The countryman: Mat Manning Mat relishes the challenge of crow-shooting. These birds…
Tagged with: ambush, birds, caller, camo, camoflage, carroin crow, corvids, countryside, crow-shooting, crows, decoy, farm, fieldcraft, headnet, hide, imitation bird, jackdaw, kit, mat manning, natural cover, nature, rabbit, realtree, shots, sitty
Posted in Features
Posted in Features
Scents and Sensibility: Controlling body odour for hunting
Unnatural odours can blow your cover long before you catch sight of your quarry. Mat Manning offers some tips to keep your shooting gear free from telltale smells Airgun hunters have a reputation for taking concealment extremely seriously. And that’s…
Tagged with: air arms, air rifle, airgun, bait, basc, BO, body odour, body scent, corvid control, corvids, decoy, hunting, hunting precautions, hunting tips, magpies, marauding magpies, owl, owl decoy, pest control, spring tactics
Posted in Features, Hunting
Posted in Features, Hunting
Have a hoot with springtime magpie hunting
Having a hoot with magpies! Using an owl decoy is a great way to catch territorial corvids off-guard during the spring months, as Mat Manning demonstrates
Tagged with: air arms, air rifle, airgun, bait, basc, corvid control, corvids, decoy, hunting, magpies, marauding magpies, owl, owl decoy, pest control, spring tactics
Posted in Features, Hunting
Posted in Features, Hunting
Q&A: Can you reduce camo in the summer?
Hunting in the summer can get hot and sweaty when you are head to toe in camouflage. Is there any way to get around the full cover, or is it a case of grinning and baring it? Matt Manning helps out…
Tagged with: air arms, air rifle, airgun hunting, airgun shooter, camo outfit, camouflage, corvids, full camo, hunting, hunting gear, matt manning, rabbits, summer hunting, woodpigeons
Posted in Features, Gear, Hunting, Q&A
Posted in Features, Gear, Hunting, Q&A
The essential guide to controlling corvids
Mat Manning uses bait and decoy tactics to outwit marauding magpies intent on plundering the nests of vulnerable birds
Tagged with: air arms, air rifle, airgun, bait, basc, corvid control, corvids, decoy, hunting, marauding magpies, pest control
Posted in Features, Hunting
Posted in Features, Hunting
Morning magpies
Wild creatures are more confident at the times of day when they don’t expect people to be lurking – so Mat Manning drags himself out of bed early to catch a couple of magpies as they rise from the roost…
