Out stalking during restrictions

[nun_hunter]

I'm quite surprised at some of the responses on here. It's OK to go and drive out to go the the shops to buy food where you'll be around lots of people and in places touching surfaces and items also touched by lots of people to get food? BUT don't think of going out on your own to shoot a deer for a couple of hours that'll fill your freezer for a few weeks and cost you nothing got her than the tools you have in your possession already?????

Not everyone on here is either a professional stalker with clients or contracts or paying a guide for a jolly in the countryside and not take the venison home. Some of us shoot a deer, take it home, eat it over a few weeks then go out and shoot another for no other reason than eating it. A lot of us shoot in places with no public access and not even any other footfall at all, I've never seen another person on a number of my stalking grounds in many years and you're telling me that's more dangerous and posing a risk than going to Tesco or the butchers? I've more chance of hurting myself in my home gym or at work than stalking.

All this talk of the police making an example of stalkers in nonsense, we're too strapped as it is and will be dealing with large gatherings in public and infected persons who don't care about being out and about to worry about someone quietly popping out on their own for a few hours in solitary and getting some meat. Especially when it lessens the burden on everyone else trying to buy whatever is left in the shops.

 

[Beretta V]

Although I do wonder how many the home guard took care of

During the Second World War my grandad and great grandad use to snare red deer and shoot them with a 20g. They used a wheelbarrow to get the beasts home.
My grandad jokes about it still now. Says they had a great diet and times were better then.

 

[Olaf]

 

[Orion]

Get your missus to rake the grass , nudge nudge wink wink

Let her have a good arm like Popeyes ,

Your raking the grass all wrong man ....lol

Let your missus " rake the grass for a while "you can just lie back and after she's " raked your reed" have a reet good kip lol lol

Kjf

Have a listen to ‘My Handyman Ain’t Handy Any More’ by Alberta Hunter from the album Amtrak Blues.

Here’s her live version - pure class!

 

[Dan Newcombe]

You think that the response would be - don’t eat meat if you can’t get it otherwise.

 

[kenbro]

That depends entirely on your situation.
I could not afford to buy meat if I were to run out.

Ha the “Mouse” been returned home, Tim?
Ken.

 

[glasshalffull]

Daily Express ran an article about the benefits of fishing as a good form of exercise yesterday

 

[stubear]

What about helping out on a farm with lambing and happening to have a rifle incase you bump in to a deer or fox? Genuine question

Is the volunteering to help out on a farm your job? No.
Is it essential for YOU to go and do it? No. Essential for the farmer maybe, but not you.
Is helping out on a farm more or less likely to bring you in to contact with other people who are carriers of COVID? More likely.
Does helping out on a farm come with all the same risks and issues highlighted in this thread about going out stalking in terms of car accidents, refuelling etc.? Yes it does.

Is volunteering on a farm and just happening to have a rifle with you ("My word, how ever did THAT get in my pocket?") being used as a sort of thinly veiled excuse for going out shooting in this context? Yes it is lets be honest.

We're not being asked to give up our hobby, we're not being asked to give up our guns, we're not being asked to stop stalking. We're being asked to stay indoors for a handful of weeks to ease the burden on the NHS during a global pandemic and hopefully reduce the number of deaths as a result.

We should be pleased that something as simple as just sitting on the sofa is going to save the world - OK, I'm being dramatic for effect but you get my point!

 

[finnbear270]

PORK EDUCATION ANYONE?

 

[kenbro]

good afternoon ,having just spoken to my firearms office to inform them that no shooting will take place on the estate until further notice and was informed if a shot is reported they will send the armed response team as normal police have other duties to carry out,this will get very interesting!! lets hope no one gets shot for doing something very stupid.

The poachers will probably keep the deer in check with stick and string!
Ken.

 

[LuckyEddie]

It’ll be the first time my potatoes have gone in on time. Desiree this year

I’m trialling Accord, Red Duke of York, King Edward & Golden Wonder.
Will be interesting to see which develops better round my area.

 

[kenbro]

Aaaggh! He said the word!!!!! Pppprepping

Better check the “Bug out bag”.
Ken.

 

[glasshalffull]

Get your missus to rake the grass , nudge nudge wink wink

Let her have a good arm like Popeyes ,

Your raking the grass all wrong man ....lol

Let your missus " rake the grass for a while "you can just lie back and after she's " raked your reed" have a reet good kip lol lol

Kjf

Nah, your Missus takes care of that for me

 

[ChesterP]

Right. I have just had a response from my FEO on this whole matter (for my own advice) and common sense thankfully prevails. The response was that if I or any other shooter in the area were to be reported for being out shooting during the restrictions, providing that we were not coming into contact with anyone else and it was for something like protecting lambs during the lambing season in full swing, then crack on. We'd be doing no harm and not contravening the main issue which is to avoid person to person contact. Would the police do anything about it if you were reported? "Not likely" was the answer given the above conditions. In other words, exercise some common sense and if you get your exercise out with a rifle for a few hours, it's not harming anyone else and the police are highly unlikely to prevent you doing such, let along take stronger measures. This unless and until centralised guidance suggests otherwise, so just keep abreast.

This is precisely as there are NO current national guidelines yet issued to the police on this issue and as the whole FL system is being centralised in respect of comms with the shooting community (I noted that our FLT website has had a major overhaul). There are no restrictions as far as they are concerned travelling to a place where you shoot as long as again, common sense prevails and it's relatively local meaning you're less likely to come into personal contact with anyone else. All this "what if" stuff is a straw man argument. You are responsible for your own conduct and for adhering to the avoidance of personal contact with others. It is up to individual landowners and estates how they wish to manage the situation. Most commericial estates will shut down save for skeleton crews for essential management duties...(no-one has to drive themselves out of a living if they can avoid it) and many landowners will simply say "No" although some will likely agree on the terms set out above. After all, why wouldn't they? As for arguments about PRW crossing permissions, then nothing alters as your shooting should avoid those in any event.

 

[Overlay]

I’m trialling Accord, Red Duke of York, King Edward & Golden Wonder.
Will be interesting to see which develops better round my area.

yep. didn’t do too well last year on some unknown seeds my mate give me as we only just moved in the previous february starting from scratch this year
i know one thing i won’t be growing carrots here unless i get a roll of enviro mesh and make and dig in a covered frame, carrot fly are a menace here in Rainham kent

 

[VSS]

Ha the “Mouse” been returned home, Tim?
Ken.

Yes thanks. Most of her stuff still in her college room though. No idea when we'll get that back.

 

[kimh]

BDS Update:

Stalking During the Current Covid-19 Government Restrictions
There has been a great deal of speculation as to whether deerstalking is an acceptable activity in the current situation. The government has given clear instructions that people must stay at home and avoid all non-essential travel.

It is the opinion of the BDS that recreational stalking, and its associated travel implications, are not essential and should therefore not take place at the current time.

Professional Stalkers should seek the advice of their employers, line managers or landowners.

We are aware that a number of organisations including SNH, FE and FLS have ceased all culling operations as of today.

The situation remains under constant review and further guidance will be given as appropriate.

To review the latest recommendations and restrictions issued by the UK Government regarding Coronavirus/Covid-19 visit https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Is the volunteering to help out on a farm your job? No.
Is it essential for YOU to go and do it? No. Essential for the farmer maybe, but not you.
Is helping out on a farm more or less likely to bring you in to contact with other people who are carriers of COVID? More likely.
Does helping out on a farm come with all the same risks and issues highlighted in this thread about going out stalking in terms of car accidents, refuelling etc.? Yes it does.

Is volunteering on a farm and just happening to have a rifle with you ("My word, how ever did THAT get in my pocket?") being used as a sort of thinly veiled excuse for going out shooting in this context? Yes it is lets be honest.

We're not being asked to give up our hobby, we're not being asked to give up our guns, we're not being asked to stop stalking. We're being asked to stay indoors for a handful of weeks to ease the burden on the NHS during a global pandemic and hopefully reduce the number of deaths as a result.

We should be pleased that something as simple as just sitting on the sofa is going to save the world - OK, I'm being dramatic for effect but you get my point!

Flip side of all this and I've not seen it mentioned yet, in the gov website it clearly states guidance...

 

[Sika-Hunter]

Daily Express ran an article about the benefits of fishing as a good form of exercise yesterday

Can't say I have ever worked up a sweat Fishing

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Can't say I have ever worked up a sweat Fishing

What about the wheel barrows of gear they all have now though?