Competence or knowledge

centralbeltstalker

Well-Known Member
Hi,

Following a comment i was told about recently i was wondering if the having of your level two actually carries any weight on how experienced you are.
I know that the Value of level two has been done to death but does it really carry any weight amonst stalker on stalker.

I for one have had mine for a little under a year now but i have had shooting hunting experience of 20 years starting as a young lad following an experienced game keeper managing foxes and rabbits with snares then hounds when older, spending best part of six years following hunts with terriers etc to using garrion on the hill some ten years ago.

BUT i only did my level two as i stated last year....

Well would it carry any weight with you if someone said they had it and only for year or five years....

Some on this site that are very knowledgeable have neither one nor two...

f,
 
:D

Some people say the damnedest things. Of course your level two is worth something. But... you're right competence is something that you can get a ticket to prove and experience/knowledge is another thing entirely.

Good luck with how this thread goes, but just in case, could you pm me a contact number please Frank as I will be looking for some cctv kit on my new shed soon, and I'd hate to lose touch.

Take care now~Tom
 
lol, pm in bound, all others who want it better ask fast as i see the sink hole looming,

t,

i would not have gone to all the hassles i did to achieve my level two unless i felt it carried weight and worth.

some seem to use it as a tool to either show off or knock others down and i just wondered what others thought

f,
 
It would appear that DSC qualifications hold no value to the Chief Constable of Hampshire, I am seeking clarification from the Home Office and may post a thread on this in due course if appropriate. atb Tim :evil:
 
Following a comment i was told about recently i was wondering if the having of your level two actually carries any weight on how experienced you are.

Certainly! It carries the weight of experience from having stalked, despatched and prepared for storage - to the required standards - at least 3 deer on separate occasions.

Joking aside, I think the DSC2 shows that someone has the willingness, dedication and commitment to complete the level 2 process. That's not a substitute for experience, but it carries some value in its own right.

Experience is fine, but only so long as you learn from it.

willie_gunn
 
Centralbeltstalker;
I have nothing but respect for anyone who has taken the time and put in the effort to gain this qualification! I did my level one in 1998 and then my level two in 2010. On both occasions I was accutley aware of how much "I didnt know"! I'll likely get slated for saying this on an opoen forum but; The way some European and Scandinavian countries have it, where it is compulsory to pass certain criteria before being allowed to hunt live quarry is no bad thing in my book!

The fact that the Forrestry Commision require it should tell us something.

All the best, Hillside
 
Centralbeltstalker;
I have nothing but respect for anyone who has taken the time and put in the effort to gain this qualification! I did my level one in 1998 and then my level two in 2010. On both occasions I was accutley aware of how much "I didnt know"! I'll likely get slated for saying this on an opoen forum but; The way some European and Scandinavian countries have it, where it is compulsory to pass certain criteria before being allowed to hunt live quarry is no bad thing in my book!

The fact that the Forrestry Commision require it should tell us something.

All the best, Hillside


There is only one small problem with that a lot of European's have compulsory testing before they can hunt, but in some of the country's that does not stop them from getting firearms unlike here they don't need a reason to own a firearm, result a lot who have not passed the test come to the UK to stalk, and there is nothing to stop them seems a bit strange that you can't hunt in your own country but its OK to go abroad to hunt.
 
This will soon change in Scotland. no one will be allowed to stalk and shoot deer unaccompanied without a qualification. This has to happen before 2014. this is being discussed by a working group and will probably be set at a level 1 equivalent.
 
Hi,

Following a comment i was told about recently i was wondering if the having of your level two actually carries any weight on how experienced you are.
I know that the Value of level two has been done to death but does it really carry any weight amonst stalker on stalker.

I for one have had mine for a little under a year now but i have had shooting hunting experience of 20 years starting as a young lad following an experienced game keeper managing foxes and rabbits with snares then hounds when older, spending best part of six years following hunts with terriers etc to using garrion on the hill some ten years ago.

BUT i only did my level two as i stated last year....

Well would it carry any weight with you if someone said they had it and only for year or five years....

Some on this site that are very knowledgeable have neither one nor two...

f,

Frank you and everyone on the site know me for being honest and straight to the point .

Your talking about a level two, which i am a AW and have been since the start i have taken professional stalkers out that eat sleep and shjt this game, who have the best of knowledge which has been gained over generations and passed down .

How can a level one and two at the very basic standard teach these guys anything ,yup your right it cannot i took a very good friend of mine through his level one and then his level two his take on it what a load of crap but for the venison assurance scheme he needed to bits of paper to tick a box .

I myself only done them knowing, sooner or later they will use these as party to a FAC be prepared it will come , i have no interest in shooting blanket forestry other than contract work ,why do we need it, we don't simple, this is something that someone came up with and sold it so they push it as a industry standard, which due to the courses allows someone to get into the stalking world who may have seen it on the TV and think thats for me the level one and two give them the start required .

So Frank don't get caught up with the bits of paper world, it only says on that day you or whoever done it correctly then ,Ive have some out that will never get it right they panic when the find a deer and flap when there taking the shot looking for excuses .

Then theres those that took three times to pass the level one shooting test, and still haven't shot a deer despite getting into plenty, thats the beauty of starting young and doing the life apprenticeship.
 
It would appear that DSC qualifications hold no value to the Chief Constable of Hampshire, I am seeking clarification from the Home Office and may post a thread on this in due course if appropriate. atb Tim :evil:

Holding DSC 1 did my 14yo son no harm when he applied for and was granted his FAC for 5 cf rifles ranging from 243 to 300winmag

And DSC 2 did not harm my request to have my certificate opened after only having an FAC for 18 months
 
This will soon change in Scotland. no one will be allowed to stalk and shoot deer unaccompanied without a qualification. This has to happen before 2014. this is being discussed by a working group and will probably be set at a level 1 equivalent.

Rumour has it that the intention is then to scrap Level 2 altogether?.
 
This will soon change in Scotland. no one will be allowed to stalk and shoot deer unaccompanied without a qualification. This has to happen before 2014. this is being discussed by a working group and will probably be set at a level 1 equivalent.

are you saying that the powers that be are going to implement a major change in sporting rights and firearms/deer law inside two years?
how are they going to do that? I have yet to see any government agency do ANYTHING in 2 years.

this will have to include the crofting element which is effectively a law unto itself when it comes to hunting, shooting and fishing.
I dont see SNH or anyone else forcing crofters to do a DSC1 equivalent so they can shoot one for the pot every 6 months
 
Holding DSC 1 did my 14yo son no harm when he applied for and was granted his FAC for 5 cf rifles ranging from 243 to 300winmag

And DSC 2 did not harm my request to have my certificate opened after only having an FAC for 18 months
Any mentoring condition with the certificates?atb Tim
 
I believe DSC1 or equivalent plus 1 AW stalk will eventually be the bench mark.
If you have never shot deer before or shot very few. Being assesed as competent from completing 3 witnessed stalks should give you confidence ,and give others confidence ,that you have demonstrated the basic skills correctly in order to humanely dispatch deer and handle them hygenically, so as to be fit to enter the food chain.
In reality, experiance is the key and you are learning all the time . Even if it's just what not to try again.
 
are you saying that the powers that be are going to implement a major change in sporting rights and firearms/deer law inside two years?
how are they going to do that? I have yet to see any government agency do ANYTHING in 2 years.

this will have to include the crofting element which is effectively a law unto itself when it comes to hunting, shooting and fishing.
I dont see SNH or anyone else forcing crofters todoa DSC1 equivalent so they can shoot one for the pot every 6 months

The government is not doing it, they have told the deer world to prove they are competent. In 2014 they will decide if we have done this. If we haven't they may impose compulsory testing. It is The admg who h is saying level 1, not sure about the 1 witness stalk bit , but could be right. They are making plans to cover the crofters and farmers.
 
Experience can mean nothing at all if you have been doing it wrong for all that time!

At least lev 1 shows that you have been told the 'right way', and lev 2 shows that you can do it the 'right way'.
 
Experience can mean nothing at all if you have been doing it wrong for all that time!

At least lev 1 shows that you have been told the 'right way', and lev 2 shows that you can do it the 'right way'.

oh really ive had guys come for level two stalks within days of doing a level one course that cannot tell you where the glands are that start a gralloch from the back with one knife and no way of cleaning it .

Have gut shot a beast and cannot tell you the process of lardering a gut shot beast .
Cannot tell you the basics for marrying ammunition to the rifle (how to) .

Experience is the only way get out and do it don't chase paper .

We all make mistakes even the guys that write books on the subject ,as long as you dont kill anyone you can learn from them .
 
oh really ive had guys come for level two stalks within days of doing a level one course that cannot tell you where the glands are that start a gralloch from the back with one knife and no way of cleaning it .

Have gut shot a beast and cannot tell you the process of lardering a gut shot beast .
Cannot tell you the basics for marrying ammunition to the rifle (how to) .

Experience is the only way get out and do it don't chase paper .

We all make mistakes even the guys that write books on the subject ,as long as you dont kill anyone you can learn from them .


But you need to know the right way to begin with, not everyone has someone to show them the correct ways, not everyone picks up a book and reads up on how to handle a deer carcasse, some folk just pick up a rifle, shoot a deer and then treat it the same as they would a rabbit, no bleeding, no inspection. Might not happen alot but such people were out there, entirely self taught, and not doing it right and not having anybody to correct them.
 
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