Moving on from Mixed feelings thread.

stalkinginengland

Well-Known Member
I read with interest the Mixed fellings post by MS. I took a french stalker out this year and we were disscussing the ethics of shooting running Boar. In france as I am sure many of you are aware it is the done thing to shoot Roe and Red running as well. He was quite supprised that our sport involves trying to get as close as possible and shooting a standing target. His words on the subject were that in france a hunter would never shoot a deer standing still as it was not sporting for the deer.


I have thought about this a great deal since and I do see both sides of the story. It is not sporting to shoot a pheasant on the ground and most of us would not shoot until it was on the wing and moving, but it is sporting to shoot a standing deer when it is not moving and unsporting to shoot a moving one.


Why do we have a differant set of rules for some animals that dont apply to others? I dont shoot moving deer over here but in france I do because thats what is is about. Why does it play on our minds for ages if we loose a deer but if we fringe a pheasant that flys on we except it.?


That all said The boy is one hell of a shot

Mark
 
good point mark i have many times thought about the pricked birds my guns shoot and the bird my picker up just cant find ,in fact i got a hen bird with a huge abcess on its wing from inside one of my pens yesterday ...a pellet wound .while i did feel for the bird and a partridge we lost later that day despite looking for ages we have become accustomed to this ,also although thankfully it dosnt happen very much i have spent days beating myself up after wounding a deer and not finding it ,i except what happens in europe and indeed would like to try it some day but for here in the uk i will stick to still targets or as still as a deer can be after all my shooting has its limits . i did shoot a wounded fallow prickit at about 35 yrds last yr running with a dog in persuit and boy i did have one hell of a rush by the way i didnt wound it in the first place :) and it was satisfying to end its suffering .i hate the thought of wounding deer ,pigs while i got the hang of shooting them running i would be in a right state untill they were accounted for ,so for me i am out for now any way ! he was a crackin shot wasnt he ,even he must wound a few getting that good :D
 
I too see both sides. I have only ever shot standing deer but if I put some time in and practised on a moving target I might be more willing to shoot deer on the move. I do feel bad for every pricked bird or mammal while out game or rough shooting and have spent as much time looking for a crow or magpie as I would a partridge or duck.
 
Well, I wait for pheasants to sit still before I shoot them! Much easier that way.
I don't have guns for sporting or recreational purposes - can't afford that.
Putting food on the table is what it's all about, in my book.
 
There is a safety consideration, if you are shooting at a flying bird you are using shot that will be spent before falling to the ground after firing at an angle someway upwards of 45 degrees. With deer/boar you are using a rifle firing a bullet capable of travelling for and being lethal at several miles and IMO determining a safe backstop is far easier at ground level if the quarry is still. :old:
 
I put some time in and practised on a moving target I might be more willing to shoot deer on the move.

This seems to me to be a crucial difference. As a rule, aspiring riflemen in the UK don't grow up practising on moving targets, whereas this is generally instilled early in countries with a tradition of shooting driven boar, deer, etc.

British sportsmen also generally come to shooting running game with a rifle only after shooting flying game with a shotgun, so we're all the more aware of the change from hundreds of pellets to a single bullet and the significant increase in range, none of which bolsters our confidence, which in turn is a fundamental element in the fluid, decisive approach required.

50m "running boar" ranges are some good as training aids, but I've personally been very impressed by the improvements in performance to be derived from the use of a sophisticated simulator such as the Swedish ST-2 system.

When the practice of driving game birds to guns was introduced from Germany in the 19th Century it was dependent upon the simultaneous introduction of keepering techniques that would enable large numbers of game birds to be held on the ground. Why similar Continental practices weren't introduced in the same period to permit deer to be driven to rifles, I don't know. Maybe there simply weren't enough native deer, or enough suitable ground?
 
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A few yrs back I used to go out with the HMR 4 times a week I got very competent at hitting moving/running rabbits with the rifle not all these would be free hand some off sticks .

I could then quite comfortably (day/night/lamp)hit a running rabbit at 60-80m free hand and when using sticks 100-120m once you knew the lead it was quite straight forward. I have shot running/moving fox with no issues as well.

Have I shot running/moving deer No .........would I.......don't know ?

To me it all comes down to your competence levels with your set up , same as shooting at longer ranges (no debate please) some people are way better than others at these things, if you are competent and its within your skill range I don't think there is a problem as long as you have a back up plan like dog or access to dog ....if in doubt don't shoot
 
Mark you are right, I shoot big game abroad and think, indeed want it moving yet never dream of shooting deer running in the uk.
and today on a very windy wild bird shoot watched many pricked birds fly for miles and they were un-pickable, but the shoot carried on.
I do however have different concerns with foxes and will shoot them walking, trotting or running if needs be, regardless of an istantly fatal shot is achievable. As long as a quick follow up shot can be administered to the creature.(incoming expected).
 
+1 Mark,

I for one would not shoot at moving deer, 1. a safe backstop is a must, 2. I want to kill it as quickly & humanly possible. (well placed shot)

I find the moving target idea unsporting. As for pheasant's they do nothing for me, pigeon shooting on the other hand I think is great.

Anyone who shoots winged or ground game, should expect to wing the odd bird or two which is par for the course and must live with that.

( if any more than that they might be better taking up Golf !! :D

Just my opinion.

Rgds, Buck.
 
as a keeper i strive to show the guns more sporting , higher/stronger flying birds , this in turn means more pricked birds and of course lower % returns , am i getting worse ?
 
Trouble do you count shots say allow a 3to1 ratio and limit your day to say 500 bird day equals 1500 shots that's your day over regardless of birds picked or are your days in house.
As when in Ireland the birds were so high it took a while to pick the birds so you have to a guide. Just curious
 
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Are we not forgetting that often in France and Germany, etc. running game is shot in forestry conditions at very short range where taking the lead on an animal is far easier than if you were trying to shoot a running stag on the hill at 150 yds+! and if you are competent at taking the lead on a running deer at 30yds or so, then why not? I'm sure there are a lot of people on the mainland that are better shots at running game, than some recreational stalkers on the forum are at standing game over 100yds!!!
 
Are we not forgetting that often in France and Germany, etc. running game is shot in forestry conditions at very short range where taking the lead on an animal is far easier than if you were trying to shoot a running stag on the hill at 150 yds+! and if you are competent at taking the lead on a running deer at 30yds or so, then why not? I'm sure there are a lot of people on the mainland that are better shots at running game, than some recreational stalkers on the forum are at standing game over 100yds!!!

good point.
many are shot with open sights, red dots or low powered scopes too with battue type guns.
 
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