Where and how to start

Double four

Well-Known Member
Where would you start?

Having being an obsessive wildfowler for 30 years i would like a change of direction,
I have always wanted to try stalking but havn't a clue how to start , i would appreciate advice from experienced members of this site as i want to set out on the right path

Do i book a stalk with someone or should i do the dsc1 course first ?

I have always been around rifles and owned and loaded for many of the small centerfires at one time or another and used them mainly for fox and vermin control so i have quite a lot of rifle experience , only thing is the rifle i use is a heavy barreled varmint .243 suppose that would be a tad to heavy for staking ?

Also out of interest if anyone would be kind enough to take pity on me and is willing to show me the ropes maybe we could recipricate if he fancies some quality costal wildfowling on the North norfolk coast


Thanks in advance DF
 
DF,

Dont jump into the DSC route just yet.

First of all I would see if anyone in your area off the site will take you out to see if it is your cup of tea. I am sure it will be. Dont expect to shoot anything, but go for the walk and see what it is about and hopefully learn how to gralloch an animal cleanly with little fuss.

There are some regular posters from your neck of the woods that I am sure will step in.

I would then look in the late availability section where sikamalk has put up some very cheap roe buck stalking. In fact I would book that now before his arms are snapped off.

If you are enjoying yourself, then I would look at the DSC 1 course. There are many on all around the country fro various providers. BASC and BDS should be able to help out.

Cheers,

John
 
DF

Personally, when I started, I was lucky enough to have an acquaintance who was a local stalker and who I could go out with a few times to see if stalking was right for me. I felt much more comfortable doing this before booking myself on the DSC1 course - it's a lot of money to write off if you subsequently decide not to take up stalking. You may well find someone local to you through the site who is willing to take you out, or alternatively you can travel further afield (Oxfordshire in my case).

I've not done a lot of fowling but I've always seen the two disciplines as having a lot of similarities - mostly solitary pursuits, relying on fieldcraft, typically carried out in beautiful countryside, with a lot of time to study other aspects of wildlife, and in both cases the end result tastes pretty good :D

I wouldn't worry too much about your .243 being suitable for stalking - there are a number of people here on the site who use them very effectively.

Good luck with your stalking.

willie_gunn
 
Thanks lads appreciate the advice, i will wait and see if someone local will help if not i dont mind travelling.

Im up and down the country all year so its no great bother,

We have a herd of red deer very close to my house on some waste moor land , the chap who manages them passes my house regulary i will approach him too see if i could accompany him but i suspect it would be high seat job.

Thanks again please keep the advice comming i'm like a sponge at the moment taking it all in ! seems so much to learn ! Exciting though. DF
 
I'm a relative beginner as well with no family/friends who stalk so it was a fairly long and slow process.

I booked some stalking in Scotland for hinds (I spend a lot of time there anyhow) and had managed to shoot my first deer before I decided on doing the DSC1. There were a lot of people on the DSC course who had literally never seen a deer before and there were only 2 of us out of about 30 who had ever shot one. I suspect many people wanted the DSC just to get a full bore rifle over land as some had a fairly limited interest in deer from what I could gather. My advice would be to book yourself a few days stalking before you do the DSC as you really get a lot more value out of the course that way as you have more of an idea what is going on and what the point of the whole thing is.

You might also want to consider what sort of stalking you are most interested in as you don't seem keen on high seats, I love to get onto the hill in Scotland for red deer, at least when I'm fit enough which isn't the case just right now, as I think this just can't be beaten as a form of sport. I also have access to some forest stalking for sika and I enjoy it but for me it doesn't compare to being out on the hill. Sitting in a high seat can actually be very nice as there is lots to watch and if there are deer to be seen the time can pass very quickly indeed so don't knock it until you give it a try.

As others have said the BASC scheme might be an ideal introduction for you if you are a member.
 
DF

+1 on the BASC scheme in Kings Forest - maybe not the cheapest but the stalker there, Des Green, is first rate. You'll probably get the chance to sit up a (very comfortable FC!) high seat as well as some walked stalking. I also wouldn't worry about the heavy-barreled 243 - it might be a bit heavy to carry around but it'll do the job for sure. You can always get a lighter rifle later if you like stalking (which you will!).

Good luck

Andrew
 
Double four,

I'm a wildfowler from Kent (KWCA) who took up stalking last year. I've done my DSC 1 and use a .243 Tikka. If you'd like to chat on the phone I'd be very happy to share my experiences. It's been a steep but most enjoyable learning curve. I'll send you a PM

Richard
 
Caorach i'm not knocking high seats mate, iv spent many bum numbing hours on them waiting for foxes. lol

High seat bum is a medically recognised condition and the treatment is to put both of your legs in full length plaster casts, this stops you climbing into high seats.

Does anyone else suffer from high seat bladder? This is the condition where you've just climbed into the high seat, settled yourself and let the surrounding area go quiet again and... you need to climb down for a pee. I've certainly got a dose of it.
 
caorach

You might want to think about a Hewee/Shewee (Google it.....and no, I hadn't heard of them either until a 'friend' mentioned them) ;)

willie_gunn
 
High seat bum is a medically recognised condition and the treatment is to put both of your legs in full length plaster casts, this stops you climbing into high seats.

Does anyone else suffer from high seat bladder? This is the condition where you've just climbed into the high seat, settled yourself and let the surrounding area go quiet again and... you need to climb down for a pee. I've certainly got a dose of it.

Until you've peed off a high seat you've never peed at all.............bliss!
roflmao.gif
 
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