Let's Go Shooting

Ade 30-06

Well-Known Member
' Because of the noisy and intemperate propaganda put about by those who seek the abolition of field sports, it has become somewhat unfashionable for shooting men to state unequivocally that they shoot because they enjoy it. But this is the nub of the matter. We need not be apologetic about it.
Those campaigning against field sports seek to portray shooting men as a bunch of ignorant sadistic morons storming round the country bent solely on slaughter. This is a complete myth, as I suspect those who seek to perpetuate it well know. It is important for the future of our sport that it should remain so, and that shooting men by their conduct should give no substance to it. If the code of sporting conduct which we have evolved over the centuries is observed, there is no reason why any shooting man should not feel able to look at opponents of his sport straight in the eye, and to go about his shooting with a clear conscience. '

That was an extract from the 'MILLARDS GUIDE TO SHOOTING'' published in 1969, two years after my birth !

Well guys 'n' gals we're still here, STILL LOVING IT !

Anti's are nothing new, they will always be here about us. What struck me with this extract was that it could have been written today, or tomorrow. So here's to another 41 years, where we can look back and still be able to do those things that each and everyone of us put our heart and souls into, daily.......for the right reasons.

Here's to ALL of you boys :thumb:for a long time to come.

Ade

PS Don't forget about the 'BOYO'S MEETING'... Saturday the 20th in Cardiff
 
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Shout it from the rooftops I say :p

I have 3 stickers on my hilux that make it quite clear what I do... BASC NGO and BDS, people often say "ah, I see you're into shooting" but on one occasion I got called a murdering b@st@rd
 
A good friend had his Volvo V70 trashed in a small town car park. Glass smashed, body panels scratched and dented , tyres slashed and red gloss paint thrown into the interior.
The police think it was all due to the fact that he had BASC and a another country sports organisation(SACS IIRC)stickers in the window.
The repair costs ran into £000's and he had a hell of a job with the insurance company.

As you would expect he hasn't repeated the stickering on any of his other motors. The only hunting/shooting sticker I have is a WAGBI one and thats on a series 2 landie.
 
Shout it from the rooftops I say :p

on one occasion I got called a murdering b@st@rd
I was following our local hunt some years back and, with others, got called that and worse by a local "non supporter". It was only a few weeks later that the Master called me one evening with a request to visit the same "non supporter". She had called the Master as the horrible fox had broken into the run of the children's rabbits and killed a couple but was trapped inside run. Could someone come and shoot the offending fox? Initially I said no to the MFH but after due consideration and discussion regarding public relations etc. I went round with the .243 to do the deed. Unfortunately/fortunately the fox had escaped and fled the scene of the crime by the time I arrived. I quietly suggested that, had the hunt managed to go about their (then) lawful activities in the area, the kiddies bunny-wunnies may well have been alive and kicking and not just a bloody mess in the run!!
Pete.
 
I've been working for a company just gone 7 years and, being fairly discreet, didn't really bring up shooting for perhaps almost a year but little by little I learnt of colleagues who do a bit of clays, a bit of game, beating etc. Anyway, it transpired that our CEO shoots game, one of the MD's shoots game, and about 7 of my other colleagues rough shoot, shoot clays etc. I'm the only stalker that I know of, but there are enough of 'us' that we can hold a 'full and frank' in the office now without getting funny looks. The receptionist is a bunny hugging nutter, like literally, she runs an unofficial 'sanctuary' and takes days off work grieving when they die, but even she accepts what we do now (probably because she is outnumbered! :lol: )

It's a lucky situation to be in. I can imagine there many environments where you'd dare not mention what you do (particularly in cities) and I feel sorry for those who are in that position!

Alex
 
It's a lucky situation to be in. I can imagine there many environments where you'd dare not mention what you do (particularly in cities) and I feel sorry for those who are in that position!

Alex
I hope I didn't seem to be hijacking the thread with my previous reply:oops:
Back on topic, I don't display any membership stickers on cars. Even though we are rural dwellers there are still plenty who will show their disaproval on unattended vehicles + Mrs downwind won't allow it:rolleyes:
Pete.
 
its a sign of the times,as shooting and country sports a driven from any kind of limelight,we are in effect driven underground witht he effect that its easier for the public to rid themselves of us as we are already out of sight. did anyone else complain to the bbc about the commonwealth coverage? 40 gold 30 of wich were shooting golds! but where was the coverage? or even highlights? we need more coverage in the media,charicters on soaps,celebrity clay shooting,even tom knapp on the tv!! or even jerry miclech. at the very least they could show the olympic shooting events,but i bet they wont.
 
I have no problem letting people in the office know that I stalk, In fact I managed to use hunting as an example of 'sustainable practice' in one of my lectures. Most people that have a problem with it are normally ignorant of what 'we' do. I find that there is this general idea that we go to our relative stalking grounds and start spraying bullets at anything that moves!!
 
I can imagine there many environments where you'd dare not mention what you do (particularly in cities) and I feel sorry for those who are in that position!

Alex

Alex
I'm Not sure it is as much as a curse as most think

Most people in the city don't even know who their own neighbour is, let alone who or what BASC, BDS, SACS, CA, CPSA and so on are, let alone what a car sticker represents

most city folk I talk too only spout off about stuff they read in the media and certain items raised on such programs that discourage field sports,
but in reality most are enthralled when you actually take time to talk to them and give them a different insight to what shooting is all about and more importantly the conservation and management side of it
I educate a lot of city folk that hav never even stepped outside of the city limits, some now see shooting in another light and think twice when ever they see a pheasant or a partridge, a few of them even tell me where and what time they see a deer crossing the lanes or about the fox that they see every morn whilst walking the pooch across field
they I know I like to shoot them but they also understand I would'nt unless I needed too
I'm happy to promote what I do and how I go about trying to acheive it and I usually start the ball rolling from the off
that way everyone is in the picture from the start and understand who and what I am about , from there I found even those that still hate the idea still hav a mutal respect for my life style
 
Most of the people at work know that i stalk/shoot and the car has a BDS sticker in it. on one occasion i was absent from a meeting because i'd taken a few days off to go stalking and upon my return one of the women that has known me for a fair few years said 'oh you weren't here last week were you? you went fishing didn't you' I replied 'no i was deer stalking' she then went nuts and called me a Fu**ing murdering bas**rd. i asked here if she and her partner are Vegans and when she replied no i simply said 'in that case you are a F*C*ing hypocrite' she was a bit shell shocked as i rarely swear at work but in fairness to her she did say 'I suppose you do have a point'
I dont advertise the fact but i certainly dont hide it either.

Ezzy
 
Ade,

Well said mate! I dont think anyone could put it better!!!

I take great pleasure in taking the time to explain to people who are shocked by my activities and say that ooo so common catchphrase "oh the poor bambi's"!!! Its nice to see that most open minded people will actually almost understand when deer management is explained.

However there are those out there that cannot be reasoned with and think its their business to try and portray us in a lesser light.

Keep up the good work lads!!!

ATB

Rob
243Sako
 
I mentioned at the office I shoot. One colleague went up to me and said.."Killer! you Killler, you're a murdeing c**t"...My response was..."I see every piece of game as saving a poor animal from the slaughter house, at least it's had a pleasant life, not been 'grown' in a cage, feared death in a van, and been electrocuted in a factory....now who's the sick f*ck!

never had issues with this colleague since....either it worked or he is just afraid cuz I own a gun :p
 
I make no excuses for my interests, I don't change my attire to enter Sainsbury's, (Mrs Finnbear has to have a makeover before tin touching begins):rolleyes:,.... anyone who does find enough testosterone to comment usually has a short lecture in dentition, (I still have the two most important ones):)...A "neighbour" has on several occasions telephoned the police stating he thinks I have a lot of guns, they reply "we know exactly how many guns he has", he also tells people he feels intimidated by some of my choices in sporting attire,:eek:... so having one just across the road tends to keep my reaction time up there with the best!;).
 
I mentioned at the office I shoot. One colleague went up to me and said.."Killer! you Killler, you're a murdeing c**t"...My response was..."I see every piece of game as saving a poor animal from the slaughter house, at least it's had a pleasant life, not been 'grown' in a cage, feared death in a van, and been electrocuted in a factory....now who's the sick f*ck!

never had issues with this colleague since....either it worked or he is just afraid cuz I own a gun :p

What a nice office you work in. Always good to read of people respecting one another in such a pleasant manner.:(
 
I make no excuses for my interests, I don't change my attire to enter Sainsbury's, (Mrs Finnbear has to have a makeover before tin touching begins):rolleyes:,.... anyone who does find enough testosterone to comment usually has a short lecture in dentition, (I still have the two most important ones):)...A "neighbour" has on several occasions telephoned the police stating he thinks I have a lot of guns, they reply "we know exactly how many guns he has", he also tells people he feels intimidated by some of my choices in sporting attire,:eek:... so having one just across the road tends to keep my reaction time up there with the best!;).

I don't make excuses for my sporting activities, but at the same time I make a point of not trying to rub peoples noses in it either. Wandering around the supermarket clad in blood splattered realtree camo hardly furthers the cause of public education IMO. It just help reinforce the negatives put forward by the anti hunting, anti gun lobby that we are all gun crazed banjo playing hill-billies.
 
:D, Don't have a banjo, or any blood spattered gear, I tend to be a good way off when the impact happens, gralloching is usually preceded by bleeding the beast (onto the ground, not me):lol:, the fact that I may be wearing a full dun brown or khaki set of duds decorated with an association motif of my choice, is just that, MY CHOICE!.........;)
 
Just serve up some beautifully cooked roe fillet or wild goose and even confirmed vegitarians will be asking for more! Simplest convesion technique available.
 
Last anti I had an interactive moment with was wearing quite a bit of facial makeup stuff, so I asked her how she felt about wearing melted down cows a****oles & other select rendered animals body parts!............ instant resolution of problem episode!:D
 
When I joined my current employer around 6 years ago, the introduction of shooting into the conversations was a gradual one.....6 years later, I regularly get asked by various colleagues - including my Boss - if I can sort them out with rabbits, pigeons, pheasants, etc....:D

I'm happy to oblige, and I'm also more than happy to make them 'oven-ready' for those that don't want them in the fur/feather. To my mind, a few minutes spent skinning/plucking/gutting is a VERY worthwhile investment if it helps to promote shooting and stalking as a pastime. I certainly don't begrudge the time spent doing this.

I have to say, I don't seem to work with any bunny-huggers, I've only ever had one 'you shoot Bambi's, don't you?' comment, and most people are genuinely interested in what I do and why I do it.

I'm not ashamed of what I do, but I think there is a balance between not hiding your passion and going out of your way to be antagonistic; like Finnbear, I'm happy to go into the shops with my greens 'n' browns on, still wearing my mud-covered wellies - what I wouldn't do is parade around in head-to-cammo with blood and feathers hanging off my jacket.....

Merlin
 
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