Animal Sports

Explore traditional rural animal sports and their role in countryside culture. Read about practices that connect communities and celebrate rural heritage.

All About Pigeon Racing

Racing pigeons are trained from birth and released from distant locations, with winners determined by speed rather than arrival time.

An Introduction to Falconry

Falconry involves training birds of prey to hunt game, and Harris's Hawks, Falcons and Kestrels are commonly used, though wild birds can't be captured.

Field Sport: Ferreting

Ferreting uses trained ferrets to drive rabbits from their warrens into nets, offering a humane way to control rabbit populations in rural areas.

Gundogs & Hunting Dogs

Gun dogs and hunting dogs are basically the same thing, but gun dogs specialise in bird hunting while others pursue different prey.

Other Working Dogs Used for Hunting Purposes

Working dogs serve many roles beyond hunting, including herding livestock and protecting flocks from predators.