Being an effective hunter with a modern precision air rifle requires; being suitably well informed about the intended quarry species, have a wealth of knowledge concerning different hunting methods, a detailed understanding of how their air rifle performs, and know how to maximise its attributes to optimise efficacy in the field, and a level of proficiency in shooting an air rifle. The Airgunner's Companion: A Field Guide to Hunting with Air Rifles, provides the reader with the fundamental knowledge necessary to be an effective hunter. With detailed discussion about the different types of airgun and selecting additional shooting equipment (such as telescopic sights, moderators, laser range finders, etc). Chapters include how to use camouflage effectively, manage serious vermin control and conservation projects, stalking, lamping rabbits, how to decoy woodpigeon and corvid species to the ground, hunting around farmyards and woodland and a dedicated section on the effective control of grey squirrels. The book unites the latest developments in airgun technology, tried and tested methods for hunting, and the latest scientific knowledge concerning animal behaviour.

'A wonderfully fluent account of how the strange magic of water and the beings that inhabit it can enchant and intoxicate' Chris Yates '[Will Millard] writes with a genuine sense of humility (...) humour and reflection' Kevin Parr, Countryfile *** Growing up on the Cambridgeshire Fens, Will Millard never felt more at home than when he was out with his granddad on the riverbank, whiling away the day catching fish. As he grew older his competitive urge to catch more and bigger fish led him away from that natural connection between him, his grandfather and the rivers of his home. That is, until the fateful day he let a record-breaking sand eel slip through his fingers and he knew that he had lost the magic of those days down by the river, and that something had to change. The Old Man and the Sand Eel is at its heart the story of three generations of men trying to figure out what it is to be a man, a father and a fisherman. It plots Will's scaly stepping stones back to his childhood innocence, when anything was possible and the wild was everywhere. *** 'Delightful and informative (...) beautifully drawn' The Spectator '[Will Millard] is a master wordsmith and his first book is a joyful testament to that' Isabelle Broom, Heat 'The writing is sharp and clever (...) I loved all of it and would as happily read it again as I would sit beside the river waiting for the evening rise of trout to begin' Tom Fort, Literary Review 'This is post-modern nature writing that embraces beauty where it finds it and marvels at nature's tenacity (...) But there's more here than just fish. This is also a book about growing up, about how to retain a connection with those who raised you while forging your own identity - what to keep and what to discard. And it's about men. The strong surges of emotion that both draw them together and keep them apart, and the shared pastimes which recognise that intimacy and meaning aren't always accompanied by words' Olivia Edward, Geographical

This is much more than a manual; it is a celebration of the exhilarating sport of hawking. Martin Hollinshead brings his wealth of experience and expertise to the topic of hunting mammalian quarry with Goshawks, Buteos and Golden Eagles. The book picks up where beginner manuals leave off. It comes with stories from German forests to America.

The National Book League was a precursor to the current Booktrust, and was set up in 1924 by the Society of Bookmen in order to promote reading, particularly among the young. To that end, the NBL issued Reader's Guides on a variety of subjects, each written by an author with expertise in that field and containing an annotated bibliography of recommended titles on the subject. Arthur Ransome was a keen fisherman as well as a famous children's author, and fishing and other outdoor pursuits feature often in his books. This Reader's Guide was published in 1955 and features Ransome's recommendations for books on fishing, broken down by varieties of fish and fishing practices.

'I envy no body but him, and him only, that catches more fish than I do.' A unique celebration of the English countryside and the most famous book on angling ever published, Walton's Compleat Angler first appeared in 1653. In 1676, at Walton's invitation, his friend Charles Cotton contributed his pioneering exploration of fly-fishing. The book is both a manual of instruction and a vision of society in harmony with nature. It guides the novice fisherman on how to catch and cook a variety of fish, on how to select and prepare the best bait and make artificial flies, and on the habits of freshwater fish. It also promotes angling as a communal activity in which the bonds of friendship are forged through shared experience of the natural world. Anecdotes, poetry, music, and song intersperse the rural descriptions, which promote conservation as well as sport. This new edition highlights the book's continuing relevance to our relationship with the environment, and explores the turbulent history from which it came. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Championed as one of the gentlest and most calming of field sports, angling has had its notable votaries throughout its history, from Isaak Walton to Horatio Nelson. In this charming book on the pleasures of fly fishing, the eminent chemist Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829) adds his name to the list. He assigns his often poetic arguments to an imaginary cast of four friends, some of whom adore the sport while others question its morality as they embark on a series of angling trips. As their conversations progress, the friends discuss entomology and biology, the finer techniques of landing trout, and the use of peacock feathers and yellow monkey fur in the making of artificial flies. Originally published in 1828, Davy's book offers a glimpse of the sportsman behind the chemist and remains both accessible and instructive for modern enthusiasts.

For both armchair travelers and avid outdoorsmen and women, Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die maps out the top fly-fishing destinations around the world. Through in-depth interviews with fifty fly-fishing gurus, including Dan Callaghan (noted fly-fishing photographer), John Randolph (editor-in-chief of Fly Fisherman magazine), Mike Fitzgerald (president of Frontiers, the world's leading fly-fishing travel company), and Joan Wulff (a women's fly-fishing pioneer), author Chris Santella goes beyond standard fishing guides to convey the very essence of each location. Readers can vicariously cast mouse pattners to fifty-pound taimen in the wilds of Mongolia, wrangle with wily permit off the Florida Keys, and match the hatch on Montana's Armstrong's Spring Creek. From Cuba to Kamchatka, each essay includes a cultural and natural history of the featured spot, colourful anecdotes based on the author's and authorities' experiences, and, finally, some "if you go" travel and tackle information so that the more adventurous can start planning their next fishing excursion. With 40 breathtakingly beautiful photographs of the spots, many by celebrated fly-fishing photographer R. Valentine Atkinson, this book is a lovely gift for any fisherman.

This is the first book to explore women's leading role in animal protection in nineteenth-century Britain, drawing on rich archival sources. Women founded bodies such as the Battersea Dogs' Home, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and various groups that opposed vivisection. They energetically promoted better treatment of animals, both through practical action and through their writings, such as Anna Sewell's Black Beauty. Yet their efforts were frequently belittled by opponents, or decried as typifying female 'sentimentality' and hysteria. Only the development of feminism in the later Victorian period enabled women to show that spontaneous fellow-feeling with animals was a civilising force. Women's own experience of oppressive patriarchy bonded them with animals, who equally suffered from the dominance of masculine values in society, and from an assumption that all-powerful humans were entitled to exploit animals at will. -- .

Originally published in 1937, this book provides an authentic sketch of the history of English gun production, from their first use in the fourteenth century down to the time of Marlborough's campaigns during the early part of the eighteenth century. At the time of publication there had been relatively few historical analyses of gun foundering, the preference being to examine their use in battle. This book was useful in terms of giving readers a collection of facts relating to the subject and outlining a little-known branch of military history. It remains a fascinating document, containing numerous illustrations, that will be of value anyone with an interest in English history and the development of guns.

This edition of Bonefish Fly Patterns is the most comprehensive collection of bonefish flies ever published, displaying fly designs from such world-class flats anglers and guides as Winston Moore, Jim Orthwein (four-time bonefish world record holder), Steve Huff, Harry Spear, Rick Ruoff, Del Brown, John Goddard, Barry and Cathy Beck, Lou Tabory, Tim Borski, Bob Clouser, Lefty Kreh, Tom McGuane, Yvon Chouinard, Craig Mathews, Vic Gaspeny, Dave Skok, Eric Peterson, Patrick Dorsey, Aaron Adams, and many, many more. The book includes 197 full-color photographs--one for each featured pattern, some published here for the first time. Each fly profile is listed with its creator's authentic recipe and tying tips. Also included are tying sequences for important patterns, a discussion of design trends, a materials glossary, and a list of sources for materials, custom flies, and off-the-shelf patterns. Additionally, Dick Brown describes fly selection for various destinations, habitats, and conditions, and advises anglers on how to present flies and what prey they portray.

The village of Shimae is thrown into turmoil when master carp-catcher Katsuro suddenly drowns in the murky waters of the Kusagawa river. Who now will carry the precious cargo of carp to the imperial palace and preserve the crucial patronage that everyone in the village depends upon? Step forward Miyuki, Katsuro's grief-struck widow and the only remaining person in the village who knows anything about carp. She alone can undertake the long, perilous journey to the imperial palace, balancing the heavy baskets of fish on a pole across her shoulders, and ensure her village's future. So Miyuki sets off. Along her way she will encounter a host of remarkable characters, from prostitutes and innkeepers, to warlords and priests with evil in mind. She will endure ambushes and disaster, for the villagers are not the only people fixated on the fate of the eight magnificent carp. But when she reaches the Office of Gardens and Ponds, Miyuki discovers that the trials of her journey are far from over. For in the Office of Gardens and Ponds, nothing is quite as it seems, and beneath its veneer of refinement and ritual, there is an impenetrable barrier of politics and snobbery that Miyuki must overcome if she is to return to Shimae.

Fishing Alaska's Kenai Peninsula is not merely a reference guide. It showcases the uniqueness of Alaska while emphasizing the universal passions that make the sport of fishing so compelling. With stories and anecdotes to complement the detailed specifics on stream access, timing, tactics, and equipment, this fascinating book will appeal not only to those planning a visit but to all those who have a love of fishing and only dream of going. Atcheson provides information on both fly fishing and conventional spin casting in both fresh and salt water. He covers every style of fishingfrom jigging for giant halibut off the coast, to float tubing for grayling and monster rainbow trout on quiet mountain lakes, to pursuing all the species of salmon that run up the streams of the Kenai Peninsula to spawn. He supplies detailed information on the well known "combat zones" that are so renowned for their large salmon and trout that anglers line up shoulder to shoulder in their pursuit. In addition, there's hard-to-find information on those out-of-the-way, beautiful stretches of water where one can still enjoy the beauty and the blessed solitude of the Alaskan wilderness. 30 black and white photographs, 5 illustrations, 10 maps, index.

2-hour DVD showing key techniques Appendix with 100 classic patterns Broad range of patterns and tying techniques from simple to complex

"Twenty Salmon Flies" features in depth and detail the full range of classic salmon fly patterns from the simplest to the most complex. The twenty patterns together build on styles, types, materials, elements, and techniques. Learn to tie these twenty and you'll master the craft and the art of classic salmon fly tying.

Each chapter successively presents patterns that are more and more complex. Chapter one introduces very simple Spey and Dee styles, strip wings with a few elements. Move on to simple upright wing flies, working with full feathers and married wing styles. A chapter focuses on flies with multiple body divisions and another is devoted to Traherne's exquisite (and challenging) Victorian classics. Once you've mastered these 20, you'll be able to tie any classic salmon pattern.

Michael Radencich covers the classic patterns developed and fished throughout the nineteenth century and new patterns, modern variations developed in the last two decades. To further reinforce skills, Radencich has produced a two-hour DVD and has included an appendix of 100 patterns culled from his collection of sources. Whether you're a beginning classic salmon fly tier or more experienced with the classics, you'll find Radencich's newest book and DVD an inspiring and challenging reference.

In the Zen tradition archery (or swordsmanship) is not just a sport or a form of self-defence but an art, a religious ritual and one of the many possible paths to Enlightenment.

Few Westerners have tried as hard as Eugen Herrigel, a German professor who lived for many years in Japan, to learn Zen from a Master. In this classic text he gives an unsparingly honest account of how he was initiated, step by step, into the 'Great Doctrine' of archery. At first he was baffled by what he was taught - that art must become artless, that the archer must aim at himself - yet gradually he began to glimpse the depth of wisdom concealed in such paradoxes. While many Western writers on Zen serve up second-hand slogans, Herrigel's hard-won insights were his own discoveries. His fine book offers a beautifully lucid introduction to one of the most haunting and subtle spiritual traditions in the world.

Your Quick Guide to Ocean and Gulf Fishing Whether you're an expert freshwater angler or are new to casting a line with rod and reel, saltwater fishing is a unique experience. Coastal waters along the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico are filled with fish-many of which are reachable without a boat. Fishing from piers, jetties, or in the surf is wonderful fun and can be very productive. However, it's different than fishing in a lake or river. Acclaimed author and expert angler Dave Bosanko provides the information you need to get started catching saltwater fish. Applicable to all coastal waters, this handy guide covers such topics as where to fish, what tackle to use, how to rig your line, and which types of bait are best. The pocket-sized booklet is organized and color-coded by fishing location for ease of use. Depending upon where you are, turn to the pier, jetty, or surf section to find the details most applicable to you. Surf & Pier Fishing also includes safety tips, plenty of full-color images, and an instructional illustration for reading the surf. Dave further provides his favorite tips-so you'll be fishing like a pro along the coast in no time. With this guide in hand, you can quickly and economically learn what you need to know. It's conveniently sized to keep in your tackle box, backpack, or back pocket, so it's always there when you need it. Whether you're visiting the coast or are a coastal resident, this guide can get you started catching saltwater fish.

The Thrill of the HuntThe Thrill of Living for God The adventure of a lifetime awaits when you join avid outdoorsman Steve Chapman on the hunt for more than just deer. As Steve retells some of his best hunting stories, you'll gain valuable insights on relationships, success, and most important, spiritual growth. With humor and honesty, Steve shares the ups and downs from his numerous treks into deer country. Relive some of your fondest hunting memories and draw closer to God as you read about the wonder and anticipation of a teenage boy's first hunt a generous gesture that turns into a double portion of venison the mixed emotions of a hunter tracking wounded game a father and son who both get their first deer with a bow-on the same day an unexpected encounter with a magnificent whitetail This handsome edition of Steve's bestselling book with a faux-leather binding and a built-in bookmark is the perfect choice for every hunting enthusiast.