Deer Stalking and Management is a wide-ranging book written in a practical style. It encapsulates the often solitary experiences of the stalker who has only the wildlife for company and considers a world that many people do not know about, do not understand and which many find alien. The author is deeply involved in deer management and stalking and is passionately concerned about the welfare of these beautiful animals. His objective is to both educate and inform. In this book, he summarizes the natural history and characteristics of all the species of deer found in the United Kingdom, assesses the environmental impact of deer, describes the type of damage they do and how it can be identified; explains why deer management is essential, not just for commercial reasons, but also for the welfare of the animals themselves and discusses the organizations associated with deer management and the associated training courses and qualifications that are available. He analyses the rifles and cartridges that can be used by the deer stalker as well as rifle maintenance, ballistics, sights, sound moderators, clothing and ancillary equipment. Careful consideration is given to all aspects of deer management, stalking methods, and taking and placing the shot correctly. He also explains how the carcass should be handled and describes gralloching, skinning and jointing, and deer diseases and injuries and accidents to deer caused by road traffic accidents and wire fencing. With an overview of firearms law in England, Wales and Scotland as it relates to deer, this is a comprehensive guide written in a practical and no-nonsense style. Aimed at all those interested in field sports, country pursuits and especially those interested in deer, deer management and stalking and fully illustrated with 149 colour photographs and 14 diagrams.

Once described as 'Barry Crump meets Fred Dagg', 'Big Al' Lester is the modern-day master of the hunting genre. 'I'm often asked what inspired me to take up writing yarns about the mishaps and mayhem that I have endured while venturing into the New Zealand bush.' 'In truth, I am an average to poor hunter who has had more hunting cock-ups than the rest of the country combined. For every deer I've successfully shot, dozens have escaped only to hide in the bush peering back at me, clearly laughing at my stupidity. I have always managed to see the funny side of the situation and had a good old laugh at myself. I began to wonder if my stuff-ups, with a bit of humour and mayhem thrown in, might just make for good reading – the oddball, unusual, humorous, weird and fun side of hunting – and gave it a go. I must have got something right.'—'Big Al' Lester It's a Bit Rugged, Mate compiles the biggest and best yarns from Big Al's first three books – plenty of fun for those with a good keen sense of humour and a love for New Zealand's wild outdoors. Also available as an eBook

Many photographers wish to capture stunning and memorable images of the natural world, yet the whole process can be a challenge. Not only does getting the perfect shot require a complex mixture of skill and luck, but there is little practical advice available on how to find wildlife to photograph. This unique book describes a straightforward system for how to successfully locate wildlife, the most difficult aspect of wildlife photography. The patience and persistence have to come from you, but equipped with the right fieldcraft there is far more chance of getting the results – and the special moments – you are looking for. Individual chapters offer guidance on how to photograph birds, mammals, butterflies and dragonflies, as well as reptiles and some of our more elusive species. The particularities of various habitat types are discussed, and there are tips on equipment, technical specifications and how to make a good portable hide. While sharing some of her most successful and beautiful images, the author also gives useful examples of when things didn’t quite work out – reflecting on how things could have been done differently to get a better outcome. With the help of this book you’ll soon be taking the photographs you’ve always dreamed of, sometimes.

Colin Elford's A Year in the Woods is an enthralling journey into the heart of the English countryside - with a preamble by Craig Taylor. Colin Elford spends his days alone - alone but for the deer, the squirrels, the rabbits, the birds, and the many other creatures inhabiting the woods. From the crisp cold of January, through the promise of spring and the heat of summer, and then into damp autumn and the chill winds of winter, we accompany the forest-ranger as he goes about his work - stalking in the early morning darkness, putting an injured fallow buck out of its misery, watching stoats kill a hare, observing owls, and simply being a part of the outdoors. Colin Elford immerses himself in the richly diverse and unique landscapes of Britain, existing in rhythm with natural environments. For fans of Robert Macfarlane's Landmarks, Helen Macdonald's H is for Hawk orJames Rebanks' A Shepherd's Life, Colin's rare and uplifiting journey will unveil the true nature and beauty of Britain's countryside. 'This is nature for real . . . Elford describes woodland wonders in short paragraphs of luminous intensity' Daily Mail 'A poetic insight in the world of hidden Nature' Countryman 'Stalking sharpens the senses and there is an almost hallucinatory clarity to Elford's writing' Observer 'Refreshingly unsentimental. Contains some wonderful descriptions and sentences which are so profound they demand a second reading' Sunday Express Colin Elford is a forest ranger on the Dorset/Wiltshire border. Craig Taylor is the author of Return to Akenfield and One Million Tiny Plays About Britain and the editor of the magazine Five Dials.

"Red Deer Stalking at Home and Abroad" is a collection of essays, articles, and personal experiences related to hunting red deer, written by various authors. Full of interesting information and entertaining stories, this volume is not to be missed by modern hunters and collectors of vintage sporting literature. Contents include: "An American's Impressions of Deer-Stalking in Scotland, by Charles W. Ogden", "The Future of Deerstalking", "The Red Deer in England", "The Red Deer in New Zealand", "The Stag That Escaped", "The Sportsman as an Empire Builder", "The Deer Forests of Scotland", etc. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in a modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on deer stalking and hunting.

Muntjac and water deer were introduced to Britain from East Asia. This book provides a comprehensive overview of their natural history and the management of their environmental impacts. In lowland England, muntjac deer are one of the drivers of changes in woodland structure and species composition, and many of the principles relating to such woodland impact are also applicable to the activities of other species of deer. Interest in environmental impacts of deer is not solely restricted to woodlands. The highest densities of water deer occur in wetlands, where there is potential for conflict, and considerable numbers are also found on agricultural land. Muntjac have also settled in suburbia and frequently cause impacts there. Conservationists and national decision makers are concerned both about invasive alien species and about increasing deer populations. The first section covers the natural history of both species including: breeding biology, deer in the field, colonisation of Britain, a detailed look at colonisation in a single county, methods for studying deer populations and a review of deer population numbers. The second section covers environmental impact: risk assessment, impact management, control of muntjac, effect of muntjac browsing and grazing, habitat recovery from muntjac impacts and a study on the impacts of water deer. The section concludes with an overview of management and monitoring. The costs and benefits of both species are discussed, and questions asked about whether we are getting on top of problems caused by muntjac (locally and nationally) and will water deer turn out to be similar to muntjac? Attitudes and approaches to these species are changing: with water deer we are actively studying whether it might be an environmental problem, not waiting until after it has obviously become one. What will happen to distribution, numbers, impacts and attitudes in the future? Will water deer ever become a suburban animal? What does the future hold for water deer in China and Korea - and how important is the English population as a global conservation resource?

Many agriculturalists, conservationists, and environmentalists are stressing the importance of sustaining soil productivity so that future generations will have adequate productive land on which to produce food. One significant factor affecting soil productivity is the retention of crop residues on the surface of the soil to help control soil erosion. This book provides a review of the vast amount of literature on the subject, condensing the findings in a comprehensive, easy-to-understand manner. It focuses on topics such as erosion control, crop production in systems involving surface residues, residue use for fuel and animal feed, plant pathogens, insects, soil properties, and the economics of conservation tillage.

The first book to summarise management objectives for ungulates across Europe.