Do you think that the current shooting test for the DSC1 qualification is suitable or sufficient?

[Brave Echo Niner]

Some of the guys on the shooting test were only 5mill outside the circle and failed.
So as VSS as put both DSC and a mentor works well together and have to agree with him it worked for me.
On the shooting test why cant we have a outer circle as a pass as it would still be a kill.

Because with any test you have to set the line somewhere - if you move the outer line there will be someone 5mm outside of that who will feel hard done by.
The standard set is not a hard one to obtain, especially with modern rifles, optics and quadsticks.

 

[bottletopbill]

Can see both sides those for and those against.
But that is the stalking folk's we beg to argue and we are all right

 

[Klenchblaize]

Nothing less will do:

K

 

[bottletopbill]

Wished my target was marked as above we had a black one with two very faint white circles that I could not see and judged.
I had brought a target but this did not help on the day i was lucky .

 

[VSS]

Wished my target was marked as above we had a black one with two very faint white circles that I could not see and judged.
I had brought a target but this did not help on the day i was lucky .

The whole point is that you're not supposed to be able to see the faint white circles. You have to judge for yourself where to place the shots, based on what you've just been taught.

 

[timbrayford]

My only suggestion would be to use a photographic image as the target with the ‘kill’ area on the reverse side instead of the solid black silhouette.

Like the bushwear targets?

 

[David Barker]

The test in my opinion is basic at best. That said i have been on lots of Lev1 and have seen candidates use the estate rifle option after failling badly with there own. I feel this is not a good way to assess any ones ability as they might be going out with there own rifle the following day. Some of the shooting is a disgrace and taking the last shot of three round to qualify or fail.

 

[bottletopbill]

This is why when my scope was sorted out I tried my rifle out at 100m and 200m with other shots from different angles and conditions.
I have made some copies of the deer target to shoot at various distance.

 

[Jelen]

My only suggestion would be to use a photographic image as the target with the ‘kill’ area on the reverse side instead of the solid black silhouette.

I suggested that years ago and offered a photograph that could be enlarged to life size without any great loss of detail. Nobody took up the idea.
As regards the test, it is a basic test. Today's rifles, scopes and ammo are far better than when the original target and test were brought in. Then it was very common to see x4 and x6 fixed magnification scopes in aluminium scope rings, fitted to wood stocked rifles. Selection of ammunition was hit and miss -literally. People used a stick, yes one stick.
Today's equipment is so good that the only variable is the shooters competence. Perhaps then the test is too basic? Judging by my experience of running ranges/DSC1 tests for over 25 years no it's not. It shows the candidates their ability (or not) to shoot at a broadside deer under a 100metres and kill it humanely. That's what the test is intended to prove.
As it stands I have seen a lot, and i mean a lot, of experienced stalkers fail the 3 attempts. The "I can kill deer but am hopeless at paper" people. The worst example was a group who managed deer on a large estate. All turned up with latest hi tech hardware worth thousands. All failed the 3 attempts. These were DSC2 holders. I shudder to imagine how many deer have been wounded.
Perhaps there's a stronger case for an advanced shooting test as part of the DSC2? I'll leave that idea to fester.......

 

[Tim.243]

No front leg as a guide.... Just for scale!! (Fox Bait)

 

[bottletopbill]

Tim my DSC1 target did not look anything like that.
It shows the aim point in a better way than the black card.
This is why we need your pictures .

 

[VSS]

Tim my DSC1 target did not look anything like that.
It shows the aim point in a better way than the black card.
This is why we need your pictures .

Tim's photos would indeed be a great addition to the classroom part of the training, but not for use as targets.
The black card target (could just as easily be brown, for a more realistic appearance) is not supposed to show the aiming point. Deer don't walk about with 4 inch white discs pinned to them. You have to imagine that bit.

 

[bottletopbill]

VSS I was meaning a point of aim on a deer and may help other's out on there test as a rough guide.

 

[VSS]

VSS I was meaning a point of aim on a deer and may help other's out on there test as a rough guide.

I definitely agree with you that the DSC1 manual is very poor in respect of explaining correct shot placement. Some illustrations like Tim's photos, or like the diagrams in the "Best Practice" guidance (produced by the Deer Initiative?) would be a valuable addition to the manual.
But if you did the full DSC1 course, and still felt that there wasn't enough guidance given on shot placement, then I should say that your tutor* wasn't up to the mark.

(* Hope it wasn't my daughter, or I might just live to regret that statement. If I live).

 

[bottletopbill]

To be fair the tutor had a hard time with one student all the time.
Could not remember the M sign on fallow deer even when shown a few minutes before,
He taught me a lot as a novice and helped me pass all at first go.

Mr C H a well known stalker and was helpful if you asked him anything .

 

[long_range_rob]

My only suggestion would be to use a photographic image as the target with the ‘kill’ area on the reverse side instead of the solid black silhouette.

The new BSRC electronic targets with the anatomically correct scoring would be ideal. Any target with scoring rings that are visible is not a very realistic test imho.

If you have never shot this the target the shooter sees is just the deer while the electronics have the scoring programmed.

 

[norma 308]

Still got my test target probably one of the best I’ve ever done

 

[LuckyEddie]

I don’t know what difference it would make changing the dsc1 shooting test. Personally i believe at each renewal of fac there should be a shooting and handling test, but that’s just me.

So who would store this info? The police, the firearm holder, the lease holder?
What happens if you move home or move to a different lease. Who verifies the results and would they be held accountable if on the next lease the stalker doesn’t preform as the lease holder expects - after all buddies could verify for each other and then move on or fall out which introduces another issue.

Bearing in mind that this costs money and people are already complaining about the cost of FACs going up.

 

[LuckyEddie]

Still got my test target probably one of the best I’ve ever done

Wish I’d kept mine.
There were four of us round my target as there appeared to be only two holes and I’m going - Oh Jesus! Until after a couple of minutes of really close scrutiny it could be seen that two rounds went through virtually the same hole

 

[Morkai]

As a newbie to Stalking and having completed the newer DSC1 in the last couple of years, this is what I found.

The classroom element is very easy, probably the hardest part was remembering the seasons for a newcomer.

The DSC1 paper test, easy, you could have never seen a deer before in your life, sat the classroom stuff and passed.

The game meat hygeine test, well....questions like "A drain is blocked in the larder, should you use A. a pine air freshener B....C.....or D. an approved cleaning agent.

The shooting test, a chance to check zero, no big rush to take your shots, the target has plenty of contrast to the background, no obstructions etc. Fine.

The safety questions/simulated stalk was easy. "No, I would take that, there's no backdrop"
"No, there is another deer behind my target"
"Yes, single deer, good backstop of soft earth"

I had no issue with the DSC1 target, yes its all black so you cant see a shoulder outline but you dont need to, you wont always in nature.

They let you see it up close first anyway.

I think its sufficient as in it's showing you can put shots where you're asked to put them.

Did any of the shooting test transfer over into live quarry shooting for me? Not really. I didnt have to take the test after slogging up a hill, having to time my shot between my (unfit) heartbeat.

Maybe they should make you do some jumping jacks before taking the shots, haha.

I did enjoy the course though.