We have the correct water temperature in the UK and bobbing seals to feed them with. Could Great white sharks be lurking in our waters?

Great white sharks in Britain could be a worry with the increasing population of seals. Contrary to popular conception sharks do occur around the coasts of Britain. There are over 30 species, including some of the fastest, rarest, largest and most highly migratory sharks in the world. But are any of these sharks under threat? Or are we under threat from them?
Man’s fascination with the romance of the man-eater may be the most dangerous aspect of his interaction with predatory animals, glossing over the nasty, bloody bits. For the ones to avoid read Man-eaters. When man is on the menu. And for more tasty shark features watch our video on fly fishing for sharks.

P

Video: Fly-fishing for sharks

• May 1, 2014

There is no need to visit to tropics for straining lines and game fish, the Irish Sea holds exciting fishing More…

GREAT WHITE SHARKS IN BRITAIN

Remember, you read it here first. Great white sharks are swimming off the British coastline, just waiting to clear the beaches and frighten holidaymakers to death. I’m talking about the real thing: film star, man-eater, the largest shark of all. Carcharodon carcharias. The white pointer. White death. Fantasy? I set up a month-long hunt for the British version of Amity, with Sky TV backing, a couple of years ago. Didn’t happen for various reasons. But you don’t convince a television company to back a hunch unless there’s pretty good evidence that the final product will contain more than some scary music and library footage. So could there be Great white sharks in Britain?

Steady on. This is making me sound like a cross between Vasco da Gama and David Attenborough. Like most journalists, I never put in any of the research, observation and scientific nous. Just sat back and prepared to take the glory. All the credit when a British great white is definitively identified should go to a Scottish custom rod builder and sometime boat skipper who told me all about it. The man (let’s call him Jimmy, because he wants to remain anonymous) has always been fascinated by exotic species such as swordfish, tuna and, most of all, sharks. Some years ago, he postulated that porbeagle sharks, far from being summer visitors to Britain, were around Scottish waters all year.

Experts scoffed. Then his boat landed a 414lb porbeagle in March 1992, a fish that still holds the International Game Fish Association world record for 50lb line. The following year, again in March, one weighing 507lb was caught off Caithness. It is still the world record. Suddenly, Jimmy was no longer a nutty Jock. Porbeagles are the second most common large shark found around the British coast. But there has never been a white pointer. True, there’s a bit of difference between porbeagles and great whites, though they’re similar in appearance. And you’re probably thinking: surely the ones that attack people are exotics, at home in Australia but not dumb enough to venture into our chilly waters. The great white, however, is not a predator of tropical beaches. The much-publicised Australian attacks take place along the cool or temperate southern coastline, not the warmer climes of the Great Barrier Reef. However, are there Great white sharks in Britain? The area we were focusing on, off Scotland, has exactly the same water temperature as places where large concentrations of great whites are found off South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

A lurking Blue shark spotted off the coast of Cornwall.

But water temperature is only one factor. The Orkneys are home to an estimated 25,000 grey seals and 7,000 common seals, the largest concentration in Europe. Seal colonies mean fine dining for great whites. “Find the seals and you’ll find the sharks” was the mantra of the late Vic Sampson, a Londoner who caught more great whites than anyone in the past 50 years. (It’s why surfers are commonly attacked by great whites. In wetsuits, they look like seal meat.)
Richard Peirce, chairman of the Shark Trust, claims that conditions and availability of prey make British waters an ideal hunting ground for this alpha predator. “The real surprise is that we don’t have an established white shark population, because conditions here mirror those in parts of South Africa, Australia and northern California,” he said. “Research has shown that white sharks tolerate water temperatures in a range which would make British waters perfectly suitable for this species.”

Peirce believes they could be “occasional vagrant visitors”. But Jimmy is far more certain. For more than 30 years, he has kept meticulous records that show several in-stances in Scottish waters of shark sightings that could only be great whites. Most of these have been noted by divers, with the occasional spotting by commercial fishing boats. One typical instance is of two divers being circled by a very large shark, way bigger than any porbeagle. “We had no idea what it was, but we estimated it at 13ft to 14ft long. We had never seen a shark anywhere near that big. It made us very nervous. We got out of the water as quickly as we could,” their record shows.

If you’re now feeling nervous about even getting your toes wet at Southend, Stranraer or Swanage with fear of Great white sharks in Britain. I should add that all the reliable sightings have come from the far north of Scotland in generally unpopulated areas used only by pot fishermen and the occasional diver. Even so, you may wonder how a fish as large as a great white (there have been records of them exceeding 21ft) could possibly have remained undetected. But a thriving New Zealand population of great whites was not discovered until the mid-Seventies (and close to a seal colony). They spend most of their time in the open ocean and are great travellers; one that Sampson caught and tagged was captured a year later, 2,000 miles away.

Great white sharks in Britain is by no means impossible. At least 20 species of shark are found in British waters, though some such as smooth hammerhead, shortfin mako and frilled shark are only occasional visitors, with rare specimens turning up in trawl nets. The late Trevor Housby, one of the pioneers of big-game fishing around the British coast, once caught a salmon shark off the Isle of Wight, a species most often spotted dining on the vast salmon shoals off Alaska and British Columbia.

Then there are the exotics such as six-gilled, kitefin, lantern and gulper sharks that lurk in the deepest water and are rarely seen. The former can grow to 16ft and while a few anglers have caught one (a Swiss, Joe Waldis, landed one of 1,056lb off Co Clare in south-west Ireland in 2009. It is still the largest fish ever taken on rod and line from British waters), their real attraction to fishermen is their vast bulk, rather than their sporting qualities.

The kitefin, lantern and gulper, though they masquerade under the carchariidae banner, merely pretend to be scary. Several of those 20-odd British “shark” species fall into this category. Lesser-spotted dogfish, smoothhounds, spurdogs and bull huss may be shark-shaped but they rarely grow to more than 10lb and are commonly categorised as dogfish.
They were once a common sight on fish slabs under the all-embracing “rock salmon”. This catch-all term meant you could be eating conger eel, monkfish or dogfish; in fact, anything too unattractive to sell to the public without its skin off. The Trade Descriptions Act put paid to that. The only danger that dogfish pose to man is their abrasive skin, once used as sandpaper and still popular with luthiers.

In between dogfish and true sharks is the tope, a sporting fish that has sharky features but grows to perhaps 90lb. Many of the largest are captured off Essex. They’re quite common and in some places, where there is deep water close to shore, they can be caught from a beach.
One of the four common British sharks, and the world’s second-largest fish after the whale shark, looks very scary. The sight of its triangular black fin cutting through the water would cause misgivings in the most confident swimmer. I once saw one swimming around St Ives harbour in Cornwall, and a few late holidaymakers screeched: “Shark! Shark!”

The plankton eating Basking sharks have been known to terrify British surfers.

Great white sharks in Britain might not be common, but the basking shark, typically 20ft to 25ft long, is totally harmless. It is a filter feeder, eating only plankton, and though it may send the hearts of waveboarders or sea kayakers fluttering, it’s about as dangerous as a hedgehog. Probably less so. Gavin Maxwell, author of Ring of Bright Water, tried to set up a business off the Hebridean island of Soay, catching basking sharks for their oil-rich livers.

During very hot summers, it’s not unusual to spot an elegant thresher shark cruising on the surface, often close to shore. A few years ago, there was panic around Bournemouth
as threshers hunted the mackerel shoals, occasionally leaping clear of the water. The thresher can grow to 20ft but half its length is a sickle-like tail that it uses to stun its prey. It has a small mouth and no attacks on humans have been recorded. The British record is 323lb. The easiest true shark to catch around UK waters is the blue, named after its vivid cobalt back. A thriving Cornish industry once took hundreds of holidaymakers out from Looe, Mevagissey and St Mawes to fish for sharks. In truth, the expectation was greater than the experience. The tackle used would have handled a marlin, let alone a small and not very powerful shark that rarely topped 100lb.

There was worse to come. The sharks were clubbed to death and transported back to the quay, where they were hung on weighing scales, the macho angler posing alongside. Then the sharks were chopped up for crab-pot bait or dumped in the sea. I once hooked a rotting shark carcass while fishing for mullet by the lighthouse jetty at Mevagissey – the only time I’ve caught a 50lb shark on 6lb line. Such practices were appalling. Fortunately, fishing skippers and anglers have learnt the word “conservation”. However, an even more destructive predator started to prey on blue sharks around the time that anglers began returning their catches. The EU, particularly Spain, is one of the world’s largest suppliers of shark fins to East Asia. According to the Shark Alliance, a coalition of non-government organ-isations dedicated to shark conservation, the longliners’ catch is typically 80% blues (though they range way beyond European waters). Whereas once you might catch a dozen or more blue shark in a day, catches have dropped alarmingly. The French, in particular, are partial to shark meat and sources tell me there’s a “black” industry in several ports: cash, and no questions asked, trading in blue sharks.

With regard to the fear of Great white sharks in Britain. If you’re thinking about a cross-Channel swim, surfing off Cornwall or even dangling your fingers from the side of a boat, there’s no reason to fear British sharks. The nearest great white is probably 1,000 miles or more away, and the only other known man-eater you could possibly encounter, the mako, is a rare visitor to British waters. However, if global warming becomes reality, if our traditional species such as cod head for cooler climes and warm-water fish fill the void, then maybe we could one day see tiger sharks off Torquay, hammerheads off Hastings or bull sharks around Battersea. And great whites? Trust me: they’re here right now. You just need to know where to look. Happy swimming.

These pigeon kebabs with hare and rosemary are simple to make and full of flavour, making them a favourite at any barbecue, no matter the time of year. Philippa Davis shows us how it is done.

Pigeon kebabs with hare and rosemary work fabulously on a summer BBQ.  Pigeon, dubbed as ‘squab’ in many restaurants is an often underrated bird. However, its rich, dark meat and gamey flavour makes it delicious when paired with hare and rosemary to create these top notch pigeon kebabs.

PIGEON KEBABS WITH HARE AND ROSEMARY

Using a rosemary stalk as a kebab stick or skewer adds a delicious flavour to the meat – and it looks great.
Blue mountain hare fillets and pigeon breasts have been used in this instance but you could swap these for other game such as grouse, pheasant or partridge breasts or small chunks of loin of leg of venison.

Makes 8 pigeon kebabs
■ 8 rosemary skewers
■ 4 skinless pigeon breasts
■ 4 hare fillets
■ 1 peeled garlic clove
■ 1 tsp smoked paprika
■ Juice of 1⁄2 lime
■ 1 tbs olive oil plus a little extra for cooking
■ 1 tbs chopped coriander
To serve
■ 300ml (101⁄2fl oz) Greek yoghurt
■ 1 lime, cut into quarters

Hold the tip end of the rosemary and strip the rest of the leaves off down towards the stalk, leaving about 2.5cm (1in) of leaves at the tip. Slice each of the breasts into three and the fillets into four and place them in a bowl. Using a pestle and mortar, crush the garlic clove with a good pinch of salt. Add the paprika, lime juice and olive oil, give it a stir, then add in the chopped coriander.

Mix the marinade with the chunks of meat then thread on to the rosemary skewers making sure you get a mix of hare and pigeon on each. You will fit three or four pieces on each stalk. Lay them on a tray and leave covered in the fridge for an hour. When ready to cook the hare and pigeon rosemary skewers, lightly brush the meat with oil then grill on a hot barbecue for five to six minutes, turning occasionally to get all sides lightly charred.

Serve your hare and pigeon rosemary skewers with thick Greek yoghurt and wedges of lime

Most roses are edible and bring a delicate and sweet taste to your cooking. Try making your own rose petal jam to add some grace to your afternoon tea.

Rose petal jam is a quintessentially British taste. There is nothing quite as classic, refined and fragrant as the British rose. Roses have been used in the culinary arts for many years and can be used for decoration or to make deliciously fragrant jellies, syrups and jams.

Rose petal jam is delicious when served with homemade scones, bread, muffins and teacakes and adds a fragrant touch to any afternoon tea. Rose petals can also be used in many other ways if you feel like being creative. It can be used instead of redcurrant or cranberry sauce in savoury dishes such as soups or stews, bringing a unique fragrance to your cooking.

If you want to try making fruit jam with the last of the September blackberries, it is importatnt to know how to judge pectin levels in fruit before you begin.

QUERY: I have an abundance of highly scented rose petals in my garden and would like to use them in cooking. I believe one can make jam with them. Do you have a recipe? LB, The Slaughters, Glos

HOW TO MAKE ROSE PETAL JAM

ANSWER:

To make rose petal jam collect 450g (1lb) of highly scented rose petals. Boil 600ml (1 pint) of water in a pan. Take off the heat and add half the rose petals. Cover and leave to stand for two hours. Strain the liquid into a clean pan, discarding the steeped rose petals. Add 450g (1lb) of caster sugar to the rose-water and stir over a low heat until dissolved. Pour in the juice of two limes and the remaining rose petals, reserving a handful for later. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until setting point is reached.
Mix in the remaining handful of petals and simmer gently for another three minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before pouring into sterilised jars and sealing. The rose petals should rise to the top, leaving a clear jelly underneath.

Add something decent to the BBQ and enjoy cooking a butterflied leg of venison with tahini sauce. Be sure to keep it on the rare side of medium.

Butterflied leg of venison with tahini sauce is fantastic for larger gatherings. Make sure, once you have butterflied the leg, that each piece is of approximately the same thickness in order to cook it evenly; you can always make a few careful slits in the meat to even it out for cooking. They are delicious to eat and there is nothing simpler and more tasty than a butterflied leg of venison thrown on to the barbecue.

BUTTERFLIED LEG OF VENISON WITH TAHINI SAUCE

Serves 8
■ 1 leg of butterflied roe deer split into the three muscles

For the marinade
■ 1 small white onion, peeled
■ 2 garlic cloves, peeled
■ 1 tbs crushed cardamom seeds
■ 1 tbs ground turmeric
■ 2 tbs olive oil

For the tahini sauce
■ 3 tbs tahini (sesame seed paste)
■ 1 garlic clove, crushed
■ 1 tsp olive oil
■ Water
■ 1 pinch dried chilli flakes

First, make the tahini sauce. Place the tahini in a bowl and whisk it with the crushed garlic and the olive oil. Then slowly whisk in enough water to give the sauce the consistency of double cream. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of dried chilli flakes and put aside until you need it.

Cooking on a BBQ helps create a smokey flavour and really strengthens the flavours.

To make the marinade, blitz all the ingredients in a food processor and season with salt and pepper. Smear the marinade on to the three leg muscles and leave the venison covered in the fridge for an hour.

Remove from the fridge 20 minutes before you want to cook it. Grill it on a hot BBQ (resisting the temp-tation to turn the meat too many times) for about eight minutes each side; I like to keep it on the rare side of medium. Leave to rest for five minutes then serve in thin slices with the tahini sauce.

Learn how to forage for mushrooms and discover all different types of species in gardens, forests and grassy verges nearby. But beware the toadstools...

Knowing how to forage for mushrooms is very important if you want to use them in your supper. The thought of collecting these earth-scented delights in a misty forest holds great enchantment. But beware, just as fairy tales can turn dark and murky in an instant, one needs to be absolutely positive about what you are picking before it goes in to the pot.

If you do forage for mushrooms watch out for the most notorious poisonous mushroom is the deathcap. Its looks like a toadstool in appearence and there is no remedy for consuming this mushroom. Liver failure being the most common result. Therefore it is highly important to have know what you are looking for when foraging for food.

But if you go ahead and forage for mushrooms try making the pot roast grouse with brandy, tarragon and wild mushrooms.

QUERY: We have recently moved to an area that is said to be good for mushroom picking. We are armed with a book but lack the confidence to pick what we find. Are there any basics rules for foraging and do you know of any courses on mushroom identification?
MD, Thetford, Suffolk

HOW TO FORAGE FOR MUSHROOMS

ANSWER:

The most basic rule to remember when foraging is that legally all wild produce belongs to the landowner and therefore you should always ask his permission if harvesting on private land. Pick only enough for your personal use as wildlife depends on wild food. Don’t dig or pull up the whole root – use a sharp knife to cut the mushrooms and ideally carry them in a loosely woven wicker basket so that the spores can fall through and regrow, ensuring that there will be more in the future. Where you look will determine the type of mushroom you find; the common field mushroom is, surprisingly, not found in open fields while the cep is found in woodland. Identifying fungi is almost more complicated than naming trees and flowers because it relies on a combination of features that single out one species from more than 6,000 other mushrooms and toadstools in the British Isles.

For a confidence booster, Peter Jordan, one of the country’s leading experts, runs mushroom forays across Norfolk and Suffolk, having found up to 36 different types of edible mushroom in the area.

Call him on 01502 722429 or visit www.tastymushroompartnership.co.uk. Also visit The Association of British Fungus Groups website, www.abfg.org.

And you too could soon be mushrooming without fear…

Greek style roast partridge stuffed with spinach, grapes and feta partridge is great served with greek-style roasted potatoes and dill yoghurt for extra flavour.

Roast partridge stuffed with spinach, grapes and feta enjoys a hefty nod to Greek cuisine. Stuffing a bird is a great way to incorporate more unusual flavours in to game.

ROAST PARTRIDGE STUFFED WITH SPINACH, GRAPES AND FETA

Serves 4

■ 1 white onion, peeled and thinly sliced
■ 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
■ 3 tsp oregano, chopped
■ 2 tbsp olive oil
■ 8 tbsp wilted spinach or greens, finely chopped
■ 8 large green olives, de-stoned and roughly chopped
■ 80g (24⁄5oz) feta cheese

Greek-style potatoes with oregano and lemon
■ 100ml (31⁄2fl oz) olive oil
■ 400g (14oz) waxy potatoes, cut into wedges
■ 150ml (5fl oz) water
■ 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
■ 2 dsp dried oregano
■ Juice of half a lemon

Dill yoghurt
■ 300ml (101⁄2fl oz) Greek yoghurt
■ 3 tbsp chopped dill
■ 1 clove crushed garlic
■ 1 tbsp lemon juice

Gently fry the onion, garlic and 2 tsp of the oregano in the olive oil. Once softened, add the spinach, olives, feta and the rest of the oregano. Season with salt and pepper then leave to cool. Stuff, roll and cook the birds as described earlier and serve with roasted Greek-style potatoes and dill yoghurt.

To add some variation to your roast partridge stuffed with spinach, grapes and feta, add some Greek-style potatoes. Mix the olive oil with the potatoes and season. Lay them flat on a roasting tray and add the water. Cook for 30 minutes then stir in the garlic and 1 dsp of the oregano. Cook for a further 20 minutes, by which time the water should have evaporated and the potatoes turned golden. Just before serving, stir through the remaining oregano and the lemon juice.

For the dill yoghurt, whisk all the yoghurt ingredients together and season. Chill until the dish is ready to serve.

Italian style partridge with aubergine, basil and pine nuts uses Mediterranean flavours in the stuffing to enhance the taste of the bird. Definitely worth attenpting this season.

Partridge stuffed with aubergine, basil and pine nuts adds an Italian spin to this stuffed game dish. Luckily, in September there is no shortage of aubergines, or partridge,  so partridge stuffed with aubergine is the perfect combination of ingredients. A serving of smashed chickpeas and garlic on the side will fuel these mediterranean flavours. For more mediterranean game recipes try our Italian pheasant recipe.

PARTRIDGE STUFFED WITH AUBERGINE, BASIL AND PINE NUTS

Serves 4
■ 1 aubergine, cut into 1cm (1⁄2in) cubes
■ 1 red onion, peeled, finely diced
■ 4 peeled garlic cloves, finely chopped
■ 4 celery sticks, finely chopped
■ 2 dsp olive oil
■ 1 x 400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes
■ 1 tbsp golden sultanas
■ 1 tbsp capers
■ 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
■ 1 tbsp chopped basil
■ 4 partridges, ready for rolling and stuffing

Smashed chickpeas with garlic
■ 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
■ 2 dsp olive oil
■ 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
■ 1 x 400g (14oz) tin cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
■ 150ml (5fl oz) water

Before beginning your partridge stuffed with aubergine, basil and pine nuts extravaganza, blanch the aubergine in a pan of salted boiling water for a couple of minutes until just soft. Drain properly and in another pan gently fry the onion, garlic and celery in the olive oil till softened and starting to take colour. Add the tinned tomatoes and aubergine then season with salt and pepper.

Cook for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes have created a thick sauce. Take off the heat and add the sultanas, capers, pine nuts and basil. Check the seasoning then leave to cool. Stuff and cook as described on the previous page. Serve with smashed chickpeas and a green salad.

To make the chickpeas and garlic, fry the garlic in the olive oil until just turning golden, add the rosemary, chickpeas and water and season with salt and pepper.  Let most of the water evaporate then lightly crush with a potato masher. Serve warm.

Sporting streakers can appear at the most innocuous sporting events, as well as the blue ribbon matches. Will any grace the pitch during the Rugby World Cup?

Sporting streakers, those men and women who shed their clothes and leap on to the pitch, are a perrenial sporting fixture. As the Rugby World Cup plays itself out this year we take a look back at those sporting streakers who made their mark. The ones you might like to remember, and those you can try to forget. And if the desire to disrobe proves overwhelming, why not try a spot of wild swimming. Far more vigorously healthy than a beer fuelled pitch invasion.

Rupert Bates investigates the world of the sporting streakers.

SPORTING STREAKERS

Ask people for a sporting streakers anecdote and one name reappears time and time again: Erica Roe at Twickenham during a rugby international between England and Australia in 1982. “The busty bookseller from Petersfield,” as she was dubbed, prompted England scrum-half Steve Smith to turn to his captain, Bill Beaumont, as players choked on their oranges at half-time, and say, “Don’t look now, Skip, but there’s a bird running about with your arse on her chest.”

My past witnessing of sporting streakers was topped and tailed last year when a young woman, several cup sizes below the formidable Miss Roe, sped across the Twickenham Stoop at the Women’s Rugby World Cup final between England and New Zealand. Immediately, the cry went out from a supporter, “She’s no Erica is she?” Nearly 30 years later, the legend lives on.

The wonders of the internet prompted me to try and keep abreast of Erica’s movements since 1982 in the hope of chatting to her and embarking on a trip down mammary lane. The only clues I could find as to her whereabouts were rumours that she had moved to Portugal with her family to become a sweet potato farmer. Okay, so a melon farmer would have worked better to milk the puns, but never mind.

Actually, in the 1974 song The Streak by Ray Stevens, the streaker ran “through the pole beans, through the fruits and vegetables, naked as a jay-bird,” so perhaps the Algarve agricultural community could yet be in for a Roe reprise.

SPORTING STREAKERS

Of course, the art of streaking, be it coarse or cultured, is not just about running around naked. If that were the case, I could have just spent a weekend lashing with the rugby club, or frequented some of the more racy truth-or-dare dinner parties – usually in Hampshire or North Yorkshire.
Again, the web is a fickle research mistress. Some of the sporting streaking pictures I inadvertently unearthed were of naked men and women in close proximity to each other but more horizontal than upright.

“If there’s an audience to be found, he’ll be streakin’ around,” run The Streak lyrics. Indeed, exhibitionism, usu-ally fuelled by alcohol, is the prime motive for shedding clothes in public, and, of course, with their massive crowd numbers, sports events are the best places to strip. To qualify as a streaker, you have to be seen and you have to be breaking the law, so the dash from the shower to your bedroom at home does not count, unless there is an audience.

The motive is to evoke laughter, not fear. Sporting streaking is not remotely sexual, or certainly not meant to be, and there is no intention to shock or traumatise, unless you count 50,000 people in a stadium as victims. While men watching women streak offer a critique on their running style and the pendulum effect, women watching men usually giggle as the men laugh nervously about it being “bloody cold out there”.

The biggest fun from the crowd’s point of view is usually the thrill of the chase as policemen or stewards run after the offender – Keystone Kops style – with the spectators firmly on the side of the hare. Eventually, the police collar their man or woman and the helmet comes in handy to cover certain parts, to a cacophony of boos. The trick is to make sure the bet you struck with your friends as you swilled that last pint that tipped you into bravado-mode covers the fine.

If you do the maths, you understand the full cost of your folly when you add the pitch invasion penalty to the indecent exposure fine. Moreover, if your boss is a spoilsport, you might get sacked, too. However, if there are television cameras about, it might be worth getting sponsored, although the length of the company’s logo will decide whereabouts on your anatomy you paint it.

STREAKING THROUGH HISTORY

But when did those sporting streakers start? Being naked is nothing new, but Adam and Eve – pre-apple munch – were never bustled out of the Garden of Eden by bewildered men in high visibility jackets. Almost a thousand years ago, Lady Godiva rode through Coventry on horseback, which is one way to draw attention to draconian tax laws. Streaking really became part of popular rebellious culture in 1973, so the historians tell me, when American university students started streaking en masse on campus.

Tracking down Erica Roe proved fruitless but I did get hold of the greatest serial sporting streaker of all – and no, he does not run about with just a cornflake protecting his modesty. Salute Mark Roberts from Liverpool; you can find him at www.thestreaker.org.uk. Not even the FIFA football authorities can deny England this triumph. “I have been performing for 18 years and have streaked at major sporting events all over the world,” says Roberts, who is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s most prolific streaker. Note the word “performing”. For Roberts, it is indeed an art; he always seems to bring a sense of theatre with him on to the pitch, often using suitable props placed in strategic places, rather than simply sprinting naked across the world’s playing fields. It all started with a drink, several drinks, actually, at the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens in 1993. Too many beers, a foolish bet and the rest is streaking history.

SERIAL STRIPPER

For Roberts, it is only ever a bit of fun, allied to the joy of making people laugh. He scoffs at the psychologists who claim streakers are exhibitionists or worse. The only thing Roberts ever raises is a smile. He explains, “It was before New Zealand against South Africa. I even picked up the ball and scored a try. The 65,000 [person] crowd went wild with applause. It was a life-changing moment. I’m just a cheeky Scouser who likes a laugh. I make sure I never actually disrupt the event, so will streak before a game or at half-time and the day I get booed rather than cheered I will stop.”

The sporting streaker’s defence, so often heard in court, is, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” A painter in overalls by trade, Roberts is nearing a remarkable 500 “good ideas at the time” worldwide. Indeed, by the time you read this, he might have made that 500th dash into history. Rather brilliantly, to mark the occasion he was planning to be joined by 499 others. And no, he was not telling me where and when.

Our serial sporting streakers needs to keep painting to pay the fines, not to mention travel costs and match tickets. One of his greatest triumphs was streaking at the Super Bowl in Houston, Texas in the same year that Janet Jackson displayed too much flesh with her famous wardrobe malfunction.
Roberts managed to get on to the pitch dressed in the black and white uniform of an American Football referee – but his clothes were fastened by Velcro for easy removal. He describes how he seized the ball, ripped off his clothes and started dancing. “The players thought the referee had lost it.” He was eventually tackled by a New England Patriot.

Despite the darkening view of streakers by buttoned-up authorities, Roberts says he is usually treated well by the police or stewards. His worst experience was at Crufts Dog Show after streaking with a cat mask covering his groin.

While there is no Society of British Streakers or secret meetings in the buff to discuss potential future targets, Roberts did meet Erica Roe once on a television show and reported that she was “a lovely lady” who apparently never regretted what she did, but could not believe the publicity it got and still gets. “Nobody regrets streaking. It gives you an incredible sense of freedom, but there are very few serial streakers like me,” he claims. He’s certainly one of a kind. He has streaked at an Ashes cricket test match, at the curling in the Winter Olympics, the World Snooker final and the Wimbledon Men’s final.

Another Wimbledon streaker was Melissa Johnson who got on to Centre Court just before Richard Krajicek and MaliVai Washington started the 1996 final. Washington, the eventual runner-up, said, “I saw these things wobbling around and she smiled at me. Then I got flustered and three sets later I was gone.”

Roberts finished “second” in the London Marathon in 1996 and even ran the 100 metres before the Commonwealth Games sprint final in Manchester. He also scored a “goal” in the Champions League final at Hampden Park in Glasgow between Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen. More recently, he crossed the 18th green at last year’s Ryder Cup.

“These days the television cameras pan away and ignore the streak. But in Spain they like to do close-ups,” Roberts says. Spanish football team, Athletico Bilbao, actually paid him to advertise their new kit, with the teams dashing around naked and the streaker remaining clothed for once.
Roberts has three children. He comments, “They used to be embarrassed but now just say, ‘Are you off to streak, Dad?’ when I leave the house.” There are even film companies talking about a movie and recording studios asking Roberts to help with streaker music. “When I hang up whatever it is a streaker hangs up, I should become a steward – poacher turned gamekeeper.”

Talking of game, I suggest to Roberts that he might like to target the Game Fair at Blenheim. “Won’t I get shot?” he asks. On the contrary, I’d say the Game Fair is just the place to find 499 people willing to take their clothes off, especially after The Field’s cocktail party.

Put an Indian spin on classic partridge. Try stuffing it with ginger, fennel and coriander and serve with hot saffron rice.

Partridge stuffed with ginger, fennel and coriander is a winning combination. A deboned, stuffed and rolled bird is a brilliant way to serve game birds. Try Italian stuffed partridge or Greek stuffed partridge too. The meat stays succulent, it looks spectacular and the fiddly bits can be prepared in advance, leaving you more time to enjoy your party. To add some Indian flair to your partridge stuffed with ginger, fennel and coriander, serve it with some hot saffron rice.

PARTRIDGE STUFFED WITH GINGER, FENNEL AND CORIANDER

Serves 4
■ 1 dsp mustard seeds
■ 2 tbsp olive oil
■ 1 tbsp butter
■ 1 dsp turmeric (level)
■ 1 dsp chopped fresh ginger
■ 1 dsp chopped coriander
■ 1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
■ 1-2 dsp green chilli, finely chopped (to taste)
■ 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
■ 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
■ 16 green grapes, peeled and chopped in half
■ 4 partridges, ready for stuffing and rolling

Serve with saffron rice, a sprinkle of extra fried shallots and fried ginger and some fresh coriander

Saffron rice
■ 30ml (1fl oz) just-boiled water
■ 1⁄2 tsp saffron
■ 240g (81⁄2oz) basmati rice

Fry the mustard seeds in the olive oil and butter until they start to pop, then add the turmeric, ginger, coriander, fennel, chilli, garlic and shallots. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the shallots are soft (about 10-15 minutes) then add the grapes. Leave to cool then stuff and cook the birds as described on the previous page.
To make the saffron rice, pour the water on to the saffron in a small bowl and leave to infuse. Cook the rice as instructed and when ready pour over the saffron but don’t stir it in (you get flecks of bright red among the grains of rice). Decorate with fried ginger strips and fried shredded shallots plus some fresh coriander.

A simple, but nevertheless delicious dish. This butterflied leg of deer with tahini sauce, brings the flavours of the Middle East right to to your kitchen. You can easily adapt Philippa Davis' recipe and use a leg of lamb instead.

A butterflied leg of deer, or lamb, is an impressive and super simple thing to cook on the barbecue. Serve the butterflied leg of deer with tahini sauce and incorporate the flavours of the Middle East. It gives the butterflied leg of deer a creamy, nutty flavour, making it an enticing dish.

BUTTERFLIED LEG OF DEER WITH TAHINI SAUCE

A butterflied leg of deer with tahini sauce is fantastic for larger gatherings. Make sure, once you have butterflied the leg of deer, that each piece is of approximately the same thickness in order to cook it evenly; you can always make a few careful slits in the meat to even it out for cooking.

Serves 8

■ 1 leg of butterflied roe deer split into the three muscles

For the marinade
■ 1 small white onion, peeled
■ 2 garlic cloves, peeled
■ 1 tbs crushed cardamom seeds
■ 1 tbs ground turmeric
■ 2 tbs olive oil

For the tahini sauce
■ 3 tbs tahini (sesame seed paste)
■ 1 garlic clove, crushed
■ 1 tsp olive oil
■ Water
■ 1 pinch dried chilli flakes

First, make the tahini sauce. Place the tahini in a bowl and whisk it with the crushed garlic and the olive oil. Then slowly whisk in enough water to give the sauce the consistency of double cream. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of dried chilli flakes and put aside until you need it.
To make the marinade for the butterflied leg of deer with tahini sauce, blitz all the ingredients in a food processor and season with salt and pepper. Smear the marinade on to the three leg muscles and leave the venison covered in the fridge for an hour. Remove from the fridge 20 minutes before you want to cook it.
Grill it on a hot BBQ (resisting the temp-tation to turn the meat too many times) for about eight minutes each side; I like to keep it on the rare side of medium.
Leave to rest for five minutes then serve in thin slices the butterflied leg of deer with tahini sauce.

Looking for some ideas on how to use your partridge this season? The Field's top 10 best partridge recipes will give you enough inspiration to cook these game birds with aplomb.

Here are 10 of the best partridge recipes that will ensure your partridge is perfect on the plate this season. From Spanish partridge paella to thai-style partridge curry, nothing is too outre for this little bird.

Experienced game cooks eventually become a bit bored by the tradition French partridge recipes. It is, after all, a wonderful little bird for introducing newcomers to game. It is cheap, readily available from late September onwards, and, when on form, provides the most brilliant sport.

The thing is, it is a bit bland, a little grey, maybe a hint John Majorish. Partridge is the closest item to a chicken the game-shooting world has. We tend to be a bit hidebound when cooking our game, and partridge recipes tend to stick to the tried and tested. You know – roast partridge, roast pheasant, a bit of bread sauce, the odd chipolata, and so on. All very nice (I love old-fashioned game roasts, but not today) but as I said earlier – boring.

But wait! What is happening in the hot, passionate, southern climes lands where the fez is more common than the flat’at? Well, they shoot redlegs there as well, as those of you who have shot in Spain or Morocco will confirm. The thing I love about these countries is their unrestricted use of colour, spice and flavour. The partridge, bland little chap that he is, lends himself to vibrant flavouring. Try making The Field’s recommended 7 best partridge recipes.

10 BEST PARTRIDGE RECIPES

Risotto of rievaulx partridges with mushrooms

• September 3, 2013

With partridge there are so many delicious alternatives to a roast, try this risotto recipe

Partridge with apple and chorizo

• October 12, 2012

A quick take on braised partridge with apple and chorizo, some consolation for those of you who haven’t been lucky More…

Thai-style partridge curry with noodles

• September 14, 2010

Warm up this September with seasonal partridge curry

Partridge paella

• November 12, 2009

Paella with partridge and peas

Partridge stew with olives and prunes

• November 11, 2009

Partridge with olives and prunes

Harissa-roasted partridge

• November 11, 2009

Roast partridges with harissa

Partridge pot-roasted with thyme, hay and cider

• September 3, 2015

Partridge pot-roasted with thyme, hay and cider is a wonderful way to serve partridge. The simplicity of ingredients means that More…

Partridge stuffed with ginger, fennel and coriander

• September 18, 2015

Partridge stuffed with ginger, fennel and coriander is a winning combination. A deboned, stuffed and rolled bird is a brilliant More…

Partridge stuffed with aubergine, basil and pine nuts

• September 16, 2015

Partridge stuffed with aubergine, basil and pine nuts adds an Italian spin to this stuffed game dish. Luckily, in September More…

Roast partridge stuffed with spinach and feta

• September 15, 2015

Roast partridge stuffed with spinach, grapes and feta enjoys a hefty nod to Greek cuisine. Stuffing a bird is a More…

So where do we start? We are going to cook our little friends in several mouth-watering ways. Chilli, garlic and green olive oil will combine with sea salt to give us a rough, pungent harissa paste that we will smear liberally over our birds before roasting them simply in a very hot oven.

Next we will make the most wonderful of stews – a tagine, redolent of saffron, white wine and filled with olives and prunes. Finally across the Gib straits to Spain, where the humble paella will cradle quartered partridges instead of ubiquitous rabbit.

The best partridge recipes are exciting, spicy and ready to cook now.

Try this spatchcocked pheasant on an outdoor fire. Piquant with herbs and lemon, spatchcocking allows the bird to stay juicy.

Spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs is a great idea when the thought of standard roast pheasant doesn’t appeal. It is quick and easily cooked on an outdoor fire, barbecue or on a griddle if the weather is inclement.

Spatchcocking involves breaking the backbone of the pheasant in order for it to lie flat and then cooking at high temperatures, allowing the skin to crisp on the outside, whilst the meat remains juicy and tender.

SPATCHCOCKED PHEASANT WITH LEMON AND HERBS

Spatchcocked pheasant with lemon, marjoram and green herb sauce
Serves 4
■ 1 peeled garlic clove
■ 2 tbs chopped marjoram
■ 2 tbs olive oil
■ Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
■ 100ml (31⁄2fl oz) dry white wine or sherry
■ 2 pheasants
For the green herb sauce
■ 20g (3⁄4oz) parsley
■ 20g (3⁄4oz) dill
■ 20g (3⁄4oz) chervil
■ 2 tbs capers, roughly chopped
■ 1 tbs Dijon mustard
■ 150ml (5fl oz) olive oil
■ 2 tbs white wine vinegar

Before beginning the spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs, first make the sauce. Chop the herbs finely and place them in a bowl. Stir in the capers, mustard and olive oil and, finally, the vinegar. Season well and leave at room temperature.

For the pheasant, first use a pestle and mortar to crush the garlic with a good pinch of salt. Add the marjoram and pound it in with the garlic. Add the olive oil, then the lemon juice and wine. Season with pepper and stir. Spread the marinade in a dish and lay the pheasant on it flesh-side down. Leave to mar-inate for an hour.

Grill on a hot barbecue, skin-side down for seven to 10 minutes, moving it 90 degrees halfway through to achieve BBQ stripes. Flip to flesh side-down and cook for a further 10 minutes, turning 90 degrees once. To check whether it is cooked look at the meat on the thickest part of the leg.

Leave to rest for four minutes before adding a wedge of lemon and the green sauce. You are then ready to serve your spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs.

After 57 years the CLA has called time on the Game Fair. The CLA Game Fair at Ragley Hall in 2016 has been cancelled. Will a new partner or sponsor be found?

The CLA Game Fair is no more. A statement released today by the CLA has announced that the planned event at Ragley Hall in 2016 has been cancelled. The show began in 1958 and ran for 57 years before financial pressures took their toll. “The event failed to generate enough income in each of the last three years” says the CLA.

The new BBC Countryfile Live show is scheduled to take place the week after the now cancelled CLA Game Fair, at a site long popular with CLA Game Fair regulars, Blenheim Palace. But according to Shane Brennan, Director of External Affairs at the CLA,  that was not a determining factor.

“The paid for ticket sales have declined and we have made losses for the past three years. That is the determining factor” he states.

Field Editor Jonathan Young says:

“The Game Fair has been part of rural life since it started in 1958. It’s sad that the CLA can no longer make it work for them but I am confident that the show will continue under another guise because July without the Game Fair is like December without Christmas.”

Read the full statement released by the CLA below.

STATEMENT ON THE GAME FAIR BY THE CLA

The CLA regrets that it will no longer run the annual CLA Game Fair. This decision includes cancelling the planned event scheduled to be at Ragley Hall in 2016.

The decision has been taken by the CLA Board after the event failed to generate enough income in each of the last three years.

Director General of the CLA Helen Woolley said: “The Game Fair is an important and well loved event with a long tradition. It is a difficult decision that we deeply regret having to take.

“We are extremely proud of the Game Fairs that we have put on in recent years and we are grateful to our Game Fair team that have delivered these high quality, professional, events.

“Unfortunately an increasingly crowded summer calendar of outdoor events has contributed to falling attendance. This has led to the event failing to generate enough income and has made the event financially unsustainable.

“Over the last three years the Board made the decision to invest in the Game Fair because of our strong desire to turn the event around. We have been able to make this investment because of the otherwise robust financial position of the CLA. However we can no longer ask CLA members to allow their membership subscriptions to underwrite the losses the event makes.

“We are clear that the Game Fair can no longer be run by the CLA in its current form. We will, however, begin a period of consultation in which we will invite proposals from other organisations on how the Game Fair might be able to continue.”

“The CLA remains committed to providing industry-leading advice and support, running a busy schedule of other national and regional events and being an effective lobbying voice for rural business.”

Making homemade wild fruit jam is a delightful way to enjoy the bountiful hedgerow harvest. And this season they are groaning with goodies.

Wild fruit jam making is the only thing to think about on your weekend walks at this time of year. The hedgerows are abundant with wild fruit, so there is no excuse for leaving home without a handy carrier bag in your pocket. Pick enough for a crumble, or try this recipe for wild fruit jam. Whether it’s plum, damson or blackberry, a homespun dollop of wild fruit jam drizzled on to some warm freshly baked bread is a real British treat.

QUERY:  At the Game Fair last year I purchased a jar of hedgerow jam. It was jolly delicious and I would now like to make my own. The obvious hedgerow plant is the blackberry but can you suggest other fruits to go with this and, perhaps, a basic recipe?
AH, by email

HOW TO MAKE WILD FRUIT JAM

ANSWER:

A Hedgerow jam is made from a mixture of wild fruits. It can include bilberries, sloes, elderberries and blackberries and to this one can add a handful of hips and haws. The jam must be sieved to remove any stones and pips plus the hip seeds, which are like burrs.
Remove any stalks and leaves from 4lb of wild fruit and place in a pan with a couple of cooking or crab apples cut into quarters. Add water so it just covers the fruit and gently simmer until soft. Rub this through a sieve and weigh the pulp, return to the saucepan with an equal weight of sugar and stir to dissolve. Boil hard until the jam reaches setting point. Pot, cover and seal.

There's no mystique to a successful BBQ says Philippa Davis. Get the preparation right and you'll ace it. Here she explains how to barbecue game and get it right.

How to barbecue game? Think striking a match, creating a fire and cooking in the great outdoors couldn’t get more primal? Well what about using the meat you have shot yourself? Barbecued game can be absolutely delicious and I am surprised more people don’t include it in their culinary repertoire. It is less forgiving than other meat so it is vital to use the right cuts, prepare them correctly and have your BBQ technique perfected. However, the tips and techniques below may help you “up your game” on the BBQ this season and teach you a few things on how to barbecue game.

For three great barbecue game recipes see below. Once you have read Philippa’s tips on how to barbecue game try these out.

Spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs

• September 21, 2015

Spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs is a great idea when the thought of standard roast pheasant doesn’t appeal. It More…

Pigeon kebabs with hare and rosemary

• September 10, 2015

Pigeon kebabs with hare and rosemary work fabulously on a summer BBQ.  Pigeon, dubbed as ‘squab’ in many restaurants is More…

Butterflied leg of deer with tahini sauce

• September 19, 2015

A butterflied leg of deer, or lamb, is an impressive and super simple thing to cook on the barbecue. Serve More…

HOW TO BARBECUE GAME

Be prepared Although having people round for a BBQ is generally seen as a casual event, planning ahead and being well organised is a must if you want to perfect your skills on how to barbecue game. Make sure that by the time you throw your first piece of meat on the hot grills you have everything else ready (resting trays, roll of foil to hand, serving platters, plates, cutlery, side dishes, sauces, bread and, of course, the wine).

The right tools for the job I always travel with my set of cooking tongs as surprisingly many houses don’t have them. They are vital for improving your technique on how to barbecue game and it helps if they are at least 40cm (16in approx) in length to give you some distance from the heat. Do not use a fork to turn or touch the meat as the prongs pierce it and let the juice escape. Do acquire a decent wire brush to keep your grills clean and help prevent food sticking.

The heat Most would agree charcoal beats gas but which to use? Many prefer lump charcoal rather than briquettes as it lights quicker, burns hotter, is more natural and produces less ash, but I am happy using either. Do not start cooking until the coals have a grey covering of ash; they are at their hottest then. Don’t be parsimonious with the amount of charcoal you use, bearing in mind that there is no quick way of getting more heat once you have started cooking. It is useful to keep areas at different temperatures. This can be achieved by stacking up the coals in one section and having only a spattering in another. If you want to know a secret technique on how to barbecue game, the cooler parts are useful for cooking thick pieces of meat or if the meat keeps flaming. The hot parts are perfect for searing and cooking thinner cuts quickly making it taste much better.

Choosing and preparing the meat You can grill pretty much all game but some types do work better than others. I find snipe and woodcock just too lean but grouse, pheasants, partridges, hare saddles and venison legs and fillets can yield delicious results. As cooking over coals is a short process it is important to use tender cuts that don’t require long cooking times. These include the breasts of birds and the loins and legs of larger animals (when butterflied). Spatchcocking is a useful skill to have. It involves removing the main carcase of a bird and flattening it, which allows for more even and quicker cooking. Having spatchocked, I always make a few cuts in the legs so they cook at the same time as the breasts.Butterflying is another technique useful for the bbq. This involves removing bones and flattening the meat by cutting it almost in half and folding it out. It works very well with legs of venison provided you remember to trim off any tough sinews once you have removed the leg bone and butterflied out the meat. All of these methods of cooking will help you understand better how to barbecue game.

Marvels and myths of marinades A marinade’s job is to add flavour to the meat but, contrary to some beliefs, it does not tenderise. The best way to make sure your meat is tender is to choose the right cut and cook it skilfully. The dense texture of meat means marinades don’t really penetrate much beneath the surface. Oil is important in marinade as it helps form the crusty seal, keeps the meat moist and prevents it sticking to the grill bars. Acids such as vinegar, citrus and yoghurt can cause it to become mushy so try not to add too much.

Salt is essential in marinades as it can flow through the meat and release moisture within the cells. The benefits of most marinades occur within a couple of hours, making sure the meat is game for a barbecue. However, for convenience, you can leave the meat to marinate overnight provided the marinade isn’t too acidic.

Cooking on a BBQ helps create a smokey flavour and really strengthens the flavours.

Cooking When to remove meat from the fridge? When cooking small cuts that are best served slightly pink, such as pigeon or partridge breasts, I tend to cook them from fridge- cold as they char nicely on the outside but are not so quick to cook right through, making them more game for a barbecue. The same applies to lamb and veal chops. Larger pieces such as butterflied venison leg or meat that you want to cook fully through – pheasant comes to mind – should be brought out around 30 minutes before cooking and left to stand at room temperature, making them more game for a barbecue. When ready to cook, sear the meat on the hot part of the grill to lock in the juices and help form a tasty crust; the meat will naturally lift on the grill when ready so don’t give in to temptation to pull it off. Clean grills help prevent the meat sticking but if you are having trouble you can brush a little oil on to the meat.

Resting Once cooked it is vital to rest the meat, allowing the juices inside to redistribute themselves and help diminish their running out when sliced.

Extras Besides tasty side dishes and decent bread, sauces are an essential part of a successful BBQ. Seasoned yoghurts, herby oils, fresh salsas, homemade horseradish or homemade mayonnaises are all excellent. Now, here are some of my favourite BBQ recipes for you to try with your game and teach you how to barbecue game.

With the advent of the new season these tips will ensure you're first drive goes off with a bang. The right sort of bang. The Field's pheasant shooting tips are the best advice on pheasant shooting you will find

Pheasant shooting tips are essential for the experienced hand and new gun alike. The thrill as the season starts doesn’t want to be tainted by sloppy shots and lack of preparation. So take a couple of moments to read through our pheasant shooting tips. From behaviour on the peg to what load to use, these 11 pheasant shooting tips will provide the perfect checklist for the serious shot.

And if your pheasant shooting proves fruitful – it should if you heed our pheasant shooting tips – then we have a wealth of delicious ideas. From the perfect roast pheasant recipe to barbecuing your bird: spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs we have all the pheasant recipes you need to keep you eating game all season.

And if you are thinking about investing in a new gun…our covetable list of the 10 most expensive guns in the world makes interesting reading. Which would you choose to take with you to the peg?

11 PHEASANT SHOOTING TIPS for the best season’s shooting, courtesy of The Field’s editor, Jonathan Young.

1. When you arrive at your peg, mark carefully your neighbours’ positions and select the slice of sky that will legitimately hold your birds. Stick to that zone unless it’s to dispatch wounded birds. Shooting birds that another gun has already missed with both barrels – known as “wiping his eye” – is commonplace among friends but do not overdo it with strangers.
2. Always use a second barrel if the bird is not killed outright with the first. Don’t select another bird until the first is dead.
3. Another pheasant shooting tip is don’t take a pheasant that’s too low unless it’s on a back-end, clear-up day. You will either miss, which is embarrassing, or hit, which is worse, as you may smash the bird.
4. Don’t try and shoot birds that are out of range for your equipment or level of skill. For most people 45 yards is the limit.
5. Pheasants become harder to despatch cleanly as the season progresses. Many guns switch from 30gm No 6 to 32gm No 5 after Christmas. And make sure your guns fit  – the heaviest loads are ineffective if they are in the wrong place.
6. Unless they are very high, try and take the birds in front, somewhere between 45-70 degrees. The birds are more likely to be hit in the head and neck and there is more time for a controlled second shot.
7. If they are steeple-scrapers, consider turning sideways and taking them as an overhead crosser – it can be easier to gauge the necessary lead.
8. Count your birds down on each drive and mark them carefully, especially any runners. Make sure a gundog handler knows exactly what’s to be gathered.
9. Be courteous to everyone on the shoot, especially the keepers, beaters and gundog handlers. Without them, we could not have driven shooting.
10. Always take your brace of pheasants home. The essence of our sport is harvesting food for the table.
11. The final pheasant shooting tip is simple. Subscribe to The Field for the best in shooting, hunting, fishing and country life.

The Field has partnered with David Denies, whose family of lodges has delivered Argentina’s many shooting treasures to sportsmen from around the world for over 30 years.

“Dove shooting in Argentina is one of the world’s greatest shooting experiences and no one organises it better than David Denies. I’ve been with them three times and each trip was memorable for the quality of sport, accommodation and food” Jonathan Young, Editor, The Field.

This special tailor-made package for The Field readers is your chance to experience the best dove shooting in the world, enjoy fine dining, stay in stunning lodges and enjoy the best Argentina has to offer. David Denies has the experience to ensures a smooth, worry-free trip.

PACKAGE WILL INCLUDE:

• All transfers:
  – Ezeiza – Hotel
  – Hotel – Domestic Airport
  – Cordoba Airport – Lodge
  – Lodge – Cordoba Airport
  – Domestic Airport – Hotel
  – Hotel – Ezeiza
•  Flight BUE – CBA – BUE
• 2 hotel nights (Loi Suites Recoleta)
• City tour, Tango Show, Leather (or souvenir)
  shopping trip
• 3 days shooting + 3 nights lodging at LD or PZ
• Shooting license & Gun Rental
• 100 boxes of shells free – thereafter at guest’s cost
• Wine tasting at lodge + Catena Zapata wine gift

PACKAGE WILL NOT INCLUDE:

• International flights
• Gratuities at lodge
• Dinners on arrival and night before departure day

Price per person £3720 – only 8 places available, so book early to avoid disappointment. Book by 20 December 2015.

To book your place on this amazing experience, please contact:

NICK@DAVIDDENIES.COM
+44(0)1485 512046
+44(0)7900 927973

Stalking red deer in the highlands of Scotland is on most people's sporting 'to-do' list. Duff Hart-Davis explains the romance of the stag, whether you're after a monarch of the glen or a switch.

Stalking red deer in the highlands is a great joy. It takes you into incomparable surroundings. You can shoot a stag in Thetford Chase or Somerset or the Lake District easily enough but the environment will not have a tenth of the romance that enhances operations in the far north. Read more on red deer stalking in the Highlands or Victorian parties stalking in the Outer Hebrides. And do take note of Duff Hart-Davis’s checklist below:

Deer stalking: 10 things to take to the hill when stalking

• October 7, 2015

Deer stalking is far more of a challenging day than a day spent on the peg. When you go to More…

STALKING RED DEER IN THE HIGHLANDS

From the high tops the views are stunning of countless summits, of islands, of the sea and close at hand you come on secret places that even long-distance hikers never reach: deep, hidden corries, little hill lochs, waterfalls, faces as sheer as the roofs of Gothic cathedrals. This is the world of peregrines and golden eagles and of the ptarmigan (which they hunt) but, above all, it is the world of the red deer. And stalking red deer.

Plenty of hotels offer days stalking red deer but the most enjoyable plan is for a group of friends to take an entire forest, lodge and all, for a week or fortnight. This means they wake up in the heart of the wilderness, with grouse sounding off like alarm clocks all around, and can start operations from outside the front door. In this spectacular, open environment the deer are visible from great distances and the challenge is to approach within range. By far the most thrilling part of the season is the rut, which traditionally begins on 20 September, “the Day of the Roaring”. It is the noise that sets a rifleman’s pulse racing: the bellows that echo across the glen as the stags defy challengers and marshal their hinds. The group seethes with movement as the master stag chivvies one hind after another and drives off younger males.

A stag is gralloched at Kingairloch, Morvern.

In any day stalking red deer on the hill, the key figure is the professional stalker. I always find it immensely enjoyable to spend a day in the company of a man who has accumulated a great store of knowledge about the red deer and the ground. Since stalkers spend day after day on their own, many are taciturn, but if you ask about the hill, past and present, they will soon open up and start to reminisce. Whatever you do before you go to the hill, make sure you lower a substantial breakfast. Porridge, eggs and bacon, toast and coffee, will set you up for an energetic outing stalking red deer.

As you set out to stalk red deer, you may be accompanied by a gillie leading a stout pony. Once you start up the hill, you and the stalker will be on your own, having left the ponyman to wait and watch from below. The stalker will set the pace and it’s a good idea to keep close behind him. He is bound to be fitter than you, and if he is going too fast, say so. He will call a short rest or, at least, slow down. My late brother-in-law, who tended to be overweight, had a reprehensible habit when stalking red deer. Annoyed when stressed, he would turn round and go home without a word. The stalker, looking back a minute or two later, was naturally alarmed, fearing that his guest had had a heart attack and fallen into a hollow.

The next stage which involves extraction (at Gaick).

Unless you volunteer to carry the rifle, the stalker will keep it in its cover, on his shoulder, and he probably will not load the magazine until action is imminent. Only in the last few minutes will he ease a round into the breach and slip the safety catch on. Wind is all-important when stalking red deer. You can approach deer upwind or across the wind but hardly ever downwind, for they can scent you from a mile away. Your leader will be familiar with every trick that the wind can play and he will manoeuvre accordingly. If he suddenly spots the tips of antlers or a hind’s head showing over a brae, he may sink down, an inch at a time, until he is fully hidden, or he may drop instantly, as if shot, before withdrawing and working round to a vantage point from which he can make a survey of what lies ahead. Whatever he does, imitate him.

It is unlikely that he will allow you to shoot a royal – a 12-pointer, or monarch of the glen, unless you have contracted to get one. More likely he will choose an old beast with a head that is going back (declining every year), or a switch – one with no forks at the top of the antlers – for the aim on all well-managed forests is to improve the stock by selective culling.

As you close in, the stalker will move with ever-greater caution, winding through peat hags or creeping up burns: you may have to struggle up a waterfall or lie face-down in a black wallow until, in the final approach, he worms his way forward to a firing point and motions to you to come up beside him. The next few moments, or minutes, are, to me the best of the day when stalking red deer. If the stag has temporarily gone out of sight in a hollow, you can get the rifle comfortably settled, and there may be time for a whispered discussion. Then, as the target reappears and turns broadside, your companion will hiss in your ear, “Take him now!”

Even with a well-placed chest shot, the stag may run 50yd before collapsing. Whatever its reaction, reload immediately and keep still until you are sure it is dead. In the worst scenario, the stalker will grab the rifle and go after it to finish it off. It is then his job to gralloch the beast – if you are keen, you can volunteer. If it is your first time stalking red deer and your first stag, he will daub your face with blood, not to be washed off until morning. Next, the stag has to be recovered. A good beast of 16 stone or more will soon show you what the expression “dead weight” means: it flops into every hollow and becomes lodged against rocks, so that in boggy or tussocky ground you will need to tie ropes round front feet and head, and both pull from the front. On steep slopes one of you may have to act as brakeman, with a rope on the back legs, to stop the body knocking over and possibly goring your companion in front.

In earlier days when stalking red deer, the way of communicating with the ponyman was to light a small fire and send out smoke signals. When primitive walkie-talkies came in, there were splendid scenes of the stalker jamming the point of his gralloching knife into the radio’s innards as a makeshift aerial in an attempt to get a signal. Mobile phones make things easier. When you reach the pony, stalker and gillie will load the beast on to the saddle – a skilled operation. Then you can have the pleasure of heading home with your stag borne down the path ahead of you. Argos are also excellent for extraction but they are uncomfortable and noisy and leave unsightly tracks across the hill. A traditional pony is far preferable.

At the larder, the weighing and cleaning of the carcase will take only a few minutes, after which all can repair to the gunroom for well-earned drams and an exchange of information with people who have come in from elsewhere. Then you are more than ready for a bath of steaming, peat-laden water and dinner. Is not such a day a hundred times more worthwhile than a day at pheasants? On a 400-bird day you may shoot 50 birds but at £50 per bird you pay about five times what you would for your stag. You have moments of excitement when birds pour over but you do not have the long-drawn-out thrill of stalking red deer. Standing in line, you take little exercise, and you probably over-indulge at lunch, whereas the hill will stretch every muscle in your body and leave you feeling a new man.

Take your jersey and your trusty rifle and make your way to the hills. The Field recommends 10 essential things to take on your deer stalking trip.

Deer stalking is far more of a challenging day than a day spent on the peg. When you go to the hill deer stalking what do you need to take. Duff Hart-Davis recommends 10 things to take on your deer stalking trip. The great joy of stalking in the Highlands is that it takes you into incomparable surroundings. Read Duff’s account of a day on the hill, stalking red deer in the Highlands.

Stalking red deer in the highlands

• October 7, 2015

Stalking red deer in the highlands is a great joy. It takes you into incomparable surroundings. You can shoot a More…

We can’t recommend taking to the Highlands of Scotland to go deer stalking highly enough. Here are the 10 essentials that will ensure you are fully prepared.

DEER STAlKING: 10 THINGS TO TAKE TO THE HILL

• 1) A RELIABLE RIFLE of legal calibre, fitted with a good scope, at least 4×32. If you have no rifle of your own, be sure to fire an estate rifle at a target before setting out.

• 2) BINOCULARS with good light gathering – 8x40s are ideal. The stalker will almost certainly have a telescope; you may want to carry one for precise identification of targets.

• 3) A STOUT STICK with either a fork or a curved handle at the top. Essential for balance on steep faces.

• 4) A SHARP KNIFE, either folding or in a sheath, in case you have to gralloch the stag yourself.

• 5) A SMALL BACKPACK or bag. Apart from its use as a carry-all, it may prove invaluable as a rest for your front wrist when taking the shot.

• 6) A ROPE for pulling the stag off the hill. Soft, made-up mountaineering loops about three metres long are the best.

• 7) A HAT to conceal your perspiring pink face and a light, waterproof outer jacket that will roll up small.

• 8) A JERSEY You will almost certainly overheat if you wear it on the way up, but will be glad of it if you have a wait at high altitude.

• 9) YOUR PIECE (lunch) – best to have one big bap with a luscious filling – salmon and mayonnaise or cheese and tomato – and a chocolate bar.

• 10) A HIP-FLASK of whisky, to celebrate a successful stalk.

The season is underway now and there are birds to cook. The Field's top 10 best pheasant recipes are suitable for every taste, from the stately to the sublime.

The Field’s best pheasant recipes encompass an array of tastes to suit any palate. The season is now underway again and birds are back on the menu. In fact we missed these delightful game companions. And we’re feeling rather excited about cooking them again. We have already cooked a good deal of partridge since September 1st, and if you find yourself with some red-legged or English partridges ready to cook try the 10 best partridge recipes too.

PHEASANT RECIPES

While we are at the start of the season a the perfect roast pheasant is hard to beat. If you’re a keen outdoor cook (we do know people who leap at the chance of a barbecue, whatever the weather) then spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs might fit the bill. You can of course cook it inside too.

For those who have tried to cook pheasant breasts but find them dry, perhaps it’s time to get a little ‘Heston’. Mike Robinson’s secret to the perfect pheasant breast is revealed in the best way to cook pheasant breasts.

Choosing which best pheasant recipe to use will depend on the bird you bag. You will also be able to tell by looking if your bird is young or old, a cock or a hen. If you are more familiar with a pheasant from your game dealer, ask him.

And if it comes from the supermarket you will have to take your chances. A good game dealer or butcher should be able to tell you everything you need to know about the bird.

So take your pick of these best pheasant recipes and put your bag to use.

Top 10 best pheasant recipes

Pheasant Guidwife

Parmesan pheasant breasts with crispy ham

Pheasant Normandy

Pheasant and vegetable stir-fry with a black bean sauce

Pot roast pheasant with Fennel

The best pheasant stock and soup ever

Perfect roast pheasant with white wine and charlotte potatoes

Pheasant “Prueski”

Spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs

Devilled pheasant

Italian pheasant recipe. A delicious rustic take on pheasant

• October 20, 2014

An Italian pheasant recipe should be included on the list of the top 10 best pheasant recipes. It melds the More…

The very best pheasant stock and soup recipe. Making stock is simple.

• October 13, 2014

The best pheasant stock and soup recipe is a stalwart on the the top 10 best pheasant recipes list. The other More…

Perfect roast pheasant recipe, with white wine and charlotte potatoes

• January 13, 2015

This perfect roast pheasant recipe was developed after adding wine to the pan to keep the bird moist and experimenting More…

Pheasant Guidwife recipe

• October 13, 2015

This pheasant guidwife recipe combines the strong taste of the game bird with peach or mango chutney and is cooked More…

Devilled Pheasant recipe

• October 4, 2014

Devilling means covering the meat with spices and flavours before cooking. This devilled pheasant recipe opts for ginger, curry powder More…

Pot roast pheasant recipe with fennel

• October 4, 2014

Pot roast pheasant can be delicious. Fennel is not to everyone's taste, but it melts into a buttery stickiness when More…

Parmesan Pheasant breasts with Crispy Ham

• September 30, 2014

This Parmesan pheasant recipe is perfect for a romantic dinner for two. Easy to prepare it is zingy and delicious, More…

Pheasant Normandy recipe

• September 30, 2014

The pheasant Normandy recipe is a classic. And if you have a bottle of Calvados in the house then don't More…

Pheasant stir fry with vegetable and black bean sauce

• January 6, 2012

The top 10 pheasant recipes. Country chef Prue Coats selects her top pheasant recipes for The Field.

Spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs

• September 21, 2015

Spatchcocked pheasant with lemon and herbs is a great idea when the thought of standard roast pheasant doesn’t appeal. It More…