14 and a bit years is a good innings for any dog but more so a lurcher. They work hard, live fast and often die young – Many killed in lethal accidents. Running at high speed at night under a beam of light and often over rough and unpredictable ground isn’t the safest…
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And just like that the season is upon us. Even if you don’t make an appearance on the 1ST it is pleasant knowing that its back to the winter routine which I found myself almost unknowingly slipping back into the last couple of weeks. I didn’t bother going out on the 1st day…
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There are people in our lives who come and go, some leave a mark and others leave a rather large imprint and memories that we carry forever. Mr Philip Lawton who was a man who left a rather large imprint on me. We first met through the Irish Game Fair some 13 or…
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I had serviced the trapline, replaced food and water for the call birds and bagged up any dispatched birds for collection by a local falconer. The air was warm and still and as my new gadget of a 12v kettle boiled the water for coffee on the back of the pick up I caught…
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This month will see the voting time will arrive in Northern Ireland on 18th May, now is the time to make Country Sports heard. I won’t need to remind readers of the attack on country sports by the Alliance Parties John Blair with his attempt to introduce a private members bill to ban virtually anything…
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First published in Irish Country Sports and Country Life Magazine Spring is here and I have been glad to see it. When I was a little younger, I never looked forward to the end of winter as it brought with it and end to winter sport. However times change and people change with…
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I have a farmer neighbour a few fields behind who has a diary Herd as well as chickens, ducks, Geese and a pair of lovely Alpacas. The river runs between us and from here and back a couple of miles along the river is a hot bed for fox activity. One early morning this…
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It has been for many a February in the Irish Extra a tradition to open my column with my congratulations to the first Irish Salmon of the year. This year, the first was caught by Garrett Byrne from Dalkey, Co Dublin, on the Drowes river on January 13th and weighing about 12lb. Congratulations Garrett, tight…
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March well and truly signals the end of the sporting season. As game shooting ends in January so does the season for Deer stalking come and end in February – If you have had a busy and enjoyable season its sometimes not bad to see the end of winter and things can slow down a…
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As the seasons move they dictate a lot of things, small things but relevant none the less. I keep my ferret run in the yard side of the house in winter, for not only is it easier to clean on a dark night but I can keep a closer eye on it and…
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