End of probationary period.

Scotty1980

Well-Known Member
It’s only a matter of weeks until I am at the end of my probationary period at my local rifle club and I’m starting to think that it’s time to start getting a few things in place.

First job is to buy a new cabinet and sell my current one, something big enough to get my shotgun in and an extra couple of rifles plus top box.

One question I have is, it’s almost a guarantee that I will get a closed licence that I can only use at the club(s)

Obviously the first thing I am going to want to do is get out and do some paid stalks with my own rifle! So what’s the best way to get a less restrictive licence? Book a DSC1? would I have to pass before I send in my application?

Book/attend some days stalking?


Advice welcome.
 
Just book a stalk, then send in the receipt / letter of confirmation to FLD, requesting restrictions be lifted. That should be all it takes.
 
You do not have to do a DSC 1 but you would probably enjoy it as taking the shot is only the start. Simply booking some stalks should be enough to get a deer condition as there would be no good cause not to grant.

Whatever size cabinet you are thinking of buying - you might consider doubling the capacity you think - rifles breed rapidly in my experience.
 
One question I have is, it’s almost a guarantee that I will get a closed licence that I can only use at the club(s)

Obviously the first thing I am going to want to do is get out and do some paid stalks with my own rifle! So what’s the best way to get a less restrictive licence? Book a DSC1? would I have to pass before I send in my application?

Advice welcome.

Worth discussing it with the FEO on the day. I was in a similar position recently, club member, admittedly for a bit longer than you, applying for first centrefires and first deer calibre, paid stalks only, no land of my own for deer. I got a closed cert as expected.

However, as you say, this is an issue if you want to take paid days stalking. What I did, on the advice of a friend, was to write an email to the Firearms Licensing office explaining my experience (3 previous days hind stalking and 2 years club membership) and expaining that with the current closed cert I could not use my deer rifle for the purpose for which it was intended (paid stalking on an estate in Scotland, where land is not cleared and nobody seems to know if it had been cleared in the past). I pointed out that this rather defeated the object of my application for that rifle.

Next day, got a call, no problem, send in your cert and we'll open it for you. Week later it was all sorted.

Really, if you have good reason to possess a stalking calibre and they grant you one for that purpose, the licensing conditions need to allow you to do it. Simple as.

Of course, this is with West Mercia, I have no idea what your forces position is on these things. Either way, a couple days stalking with an estate rifle can't do any harm and if you're applying for your FAC now you've got a good few months at least to take some paid days with an estate rifle before you'll get your cert anyway. Might as well crack on.

Good luck with the application!
 
Generally the way it works with your licence is it will be conditioned for the things you want to use it for.

So if you're a member of a TR club only then your licence will say something along the lines of "The firearms, moderator and ammunition shall be used for target shooting, and only whilst a member of XYZ CLUB on ranges suitable for that class of firearm and with adequate arrangements in place to meet any injury or damage claim."

Thats assuming you can get a moderator for target use of course, I dont know the lie of the land in that respect. But you cant go deer stalking with only that as a condition on your licence, you need the deer/AOLQ condition.

This reads something along the lines of "The XYZ caliber rifle, XYZ moderator and XYZ caliber ammunition shall be used for the shooting of deer and AOLQ on land over which the holder has permission to shoot" and this is an open condition. A closed condition would add "and which has been deemed as suitable by the Chief of Police for that area" - Which basically means the land has to be cleared for the caliber you're shooting with.

You wont generally get an open licence on first application (I didnt anyway, and this was with Hampshire) but if you have a requirement for an open licence and some references from more experienced stalkers backing you up then you may be able to request an open licence after 6-12 months. Some FLO's are happy (assuming you've had enough experience in that time frame) and others are not - its down to them and the conversation you have with them.

You dont need an open licence to go on paid stalks but you will need to jump through the hoops of checking the land is cleared to begin with. If you find you're constantly having to submit requests then this could be a reason to ask for an open ticket - I know there are some folks here who used this as part of the discussion they had and their FLOs agreed that they had a) done enough asking for them to be comfortable the shooter knows what they're doing and b) the shooter stalked on enough different grounds for the closed condition to be considered as onerous for the shooter and the licensing office.

If you have some paid stalks booked at the point you do your interview then I would show the receipts for these and ask for the deer/AOLQ condition to be added to your licence. Doing your DSC1 will certainly help with this process but it isnt a requirement for having the condition granted. Yet anyway!

I would recommend doing the DSC1 in any case as it will help with future requests for open tickets, variations and what not, and I'm reasonably certain it will come in eventually as a licencing requirement anyway!

Good luck with the application!
 
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When I wanted the closed condition removed from my ticket I simply discussed it with the FEO, his initial approach was to say that they will not normally give open ticket until first renewal, I said that was a bit daft in that I had fired several thousand rounds over the last couple of years and been stalking many times all with no incident, I questioned why just because someone has had their ticket for 5 years they would judge them more safe than me! especially when they may of only fired a limited number of rounds in that time and probably on an organised range. His response was that he could see my point and suggested that I should write a letter explaining why I wanted an open ticket and what experience I had, he then slipped in that it would make the decision easier if I had a DSC2, what he didn't know was I'd kept that one up my sleeve so when I answered I already have a DSC2 he didn't really have an answer, open ticket turned up within a couple of weeks
 
As other have already said it all , book a stalk lots if you wish to gain more experience it won't hurt well only your pocket lol , get your DSC on the go book it now ! , then have a good reason to hold an open cert , etc . Now what more can your flo say as you have ticked the box's and came out as a trained hunter a badge to prove it as well . :thumb:
 
I will be doing a DSC1 as soon as I can, they do seem to be spread all over the country! I am aware of a chap about 30 miles from me (Donnington deer services), I need to get in touch with him to see what the crack is.
 
Ask for a condition that allows you to use the weapon on any land where the owner or occupier, like a shooting tenant, already uses a weapon of similar or larger calibre. Not quite fully 'open', but difficult to refuse.
 
Aolq

Ok, I have taken on board what everyone has said and will start setting some wheels in motion.

oh and whats AOLQ stand for ......Legal quarry?
 
"Any Other"

One thing I would say....
Decide what YOU want.....
Do not ask what your FEO wants.....

two very different things

get your ducks aligned, have your good reason and any details ready and prepared.
Don't ask
Explain why you want what you want and why.
You are only asking the FEO to sign it off, not for their advice on what to sign off.....
 
Just to add, is there some one you can accompany on their land/permissions? With this situation you are getting good reason, supervision,experience and the need for the condition to shoot deer and any other legal quarry in the assistance of estate management. They would have to agree and declare that they are your mentor.

BC
 
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