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Shropshire Lad

Well-Known Member
I've been away from BASC for a couple of years chasing cheaper insurance. I've come back to them because I wanted to do the responsible thing and join an organisation that I think will fight for my rights as a stalker. Fingers crossed...
 
Foolish move if you ask me an association is only as good as its members so if you don't do anything then why should they. I remember a deerstalker on here touting for votes to get him on the council he was duly elected and thats the last we have heard from him. JMHO
 
I've been away from BASC for a couple of years chasing cheaper insurance. I've come back to them because I wanted to do the responsible thing and join an organisation that I think will fight for my rights as a stalker. Fingers crossed...
Good on ya fella. And ignore the 'haters' ;)
 
Been with BASC now for past 7 years always been good to deal with & helpful.
Never been in the poo so couldn't vouch for that side of things but can see no reason to doubt should I need them.
 
As with most things there are good and bad, passionate and lazy, helpful and useless. It seems to depend which area you come under with this organisation. The jury is out in the Welsh area since the retirement of Glyn Cook as we seem to get nothing to very little for our subs except the insurance IMO.
 
Foolish move if you ask me an association is only as good as its members so if you don't do anything then why should they. I remember a deerstalker on here touting for votes to get him on the council he was duly elected and thats the last we have heard from him. JMHO

I expect if he was posting on here all day long, he'd be accused of wasting his time instead of getting on with his BASC business. No winning for him there.
 
As with most things there are good and bad, passionate and lazy, helpful and useless. It seems to depend which area you come under with this organisation. The jury is out in the Welsh area since the retirement of Glyn Cook as we seem to get nothing to very little for our subs except the insurance IMO.

Lobbying at Westminster and at European level.
Portraying game shooting in a good light when we are getting a kicking from antis
Portraying legal gun ownership in a good light when we get a kicking from some busy body group or other.
A high quality magazine even if the edertorial material isn't to our liking.
Lobbying ACPO
Supporting members at times of trouble ( and those foolish enough not to be members if they have the time)
and goodness know what else along with multi million pound insurance decent value for money I would say
 
Whilst I was BASC for many years, I became horrified to then discover that my insurance was in fact invalid! If you earn any money from stalking, including venison sales, then you are not covered by BASC insurance! BDS insurance covers you for up to £5000 of earnings which may be a suitable alternative for some. If you earn more than that, then you need to look at a professional stalker insurance. I'm still a fan of BASC and what they stand for, but I was very disappointed that the policy on insurance was not made more clear.
MS
 
Please always remember I am here to help or to call on if you ever feel you need someone else at BASC to help with any issue or if you feel you are not being looked after properly – call me, e-mail me, pM me, write to me and I will be on the case!

As to insurance, we do send each member a full copy of the policy when they join and a summary of the policy when they renew. The policy only covers recreational activities and not commercial activities, so if you are stalking by way of business, paying income tax (or should be) on the proceeds for example that would be commercial, but none the less if you are selling the odd carcass or two that does NOT exclude cover.

We do not prescribe a strict financial limit on when the money from selling a carcass becomes commercial, but if in doubt just get in touch with me and I will advise you on if the membership insurance covers you or not.

Here to help if I can

David
 
I agree that there is very little going on in Wales, if you look at the corses list for Wales for example it's almost non existent but you get a lot more for your money than insurance, for a start there's all the work BASC dose on behalf of shooters at all levels and a fantastic back up team at HQ if you ever need anything who are only to happy to help espically if you get in the **** IME., so although BASC Wales is a bit of a dead stick at the moment you get one hell of a lot for your money, I'm not saying it perfect but you can always travel to other areas for events/corses I have & been most welcome. It's impossible to please all the people all the time, as they say but IMHO BASC do try hard & now seem to be finding some balls & drive, stick with them Gaz.
As with most things there are good and bad, passionate and lazy, helpful and useless. It seems to depend which area you come under with this organisation. The jury is out in the Welsh area since the retirement of Glyn Cook as we seem to get nothing to very little for our subs except the insurance IMO.
 
Well I am a BASC member and very happy with them. Just attended a range day at Bisley (last week) and had

a) a great day shooting a rifle provided by BASC, and

b) completed an assessment which should entitle me to shoot on MOD ranges

The latter may not be important to many of you, but for me, I am just trying to get established with stalking and shooting as a hobby/pastime, and I don't have a lot of land, and the only ranges in the South East where you can shoot full bore seem to be MOD ones which require certification - so being a member of BASC allowed me to go ahead and get range certified without having to attempt to join a local target shooting club.

It has also helped me get shooting permissions for rabbits/small game.

I know that other organisations would also provide cover, and maybe for a little less, and I don't find the magazine all that useful - too much of it is about pheasant rearing for my taste, BUT BASC is essentially a union for recreational shooting of all types, and I feel that the subs are well worth it - for the insurance, for all the advice on the website, for the training opportunities that they offer.

I have paid a lot more for things I have used a lot less!
 
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The policy only covers recreational activities and not commercial activities, so if you are stalking by way of business, paying income tax (or should be) on the proceeds for example that would be commercial, but none the less if you are selling the odd carcass or two that does NOT exclude cover.

We do not prescribe a strict financial limit on when the money from selling a carcass becomes commercial, but if in doubt just get in touch with me and I will advise you on if the membership insurance covers you or not.

Here to help if I can

David
David, this is clearly a very grey area for BASC. How can you not prescribe a financial limit? It surely has to be set in black and white? Whilst BASC may be a reputable organisation, you are clearly at the mercy of the insurance under-writer when it comes to claims, and we all know that they will do their uttmost not to pay out! Even if you are selling 'the odd carcass or two', then you are still liable to pay income tax! The fact that it may have cost you more in outlay to obtain those carcasses is completely irrelevant if you have no means to prove it! By this, I mean you should be registered as a self employed deer manager and have 'double entry' book keeping records to prove that expenditure exceeds income. If you do not have this, then the tax man or insurance company effectively have you over a barrel! You have to be registered as a food business in England to sell deer to a game dealer which in itself implies that you are commercial. Game dealers have to maintain records for at least 2 years for food traceability purposes. The taxman is within his rights to obtain acces to these records, which if you are operating legally will include your full details and exactly what you have been paid.
It is my belief that BASC is effectively miss-selling insurance to anyone that sells ANY deer or gets paid in ANY shape or form!
I welcome your response.
MS
 
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Please always remember I am here to help or to call on if you ever feel you need someone else at BASC to help with any issue or if you feel you are not being looked after properly – call me, e-mail me, pM me, write to me and I will be on the case!

As to insurance, we do send each member a full copy of the policy when they join and a summary of the policy when they renew. The policy only covers recreational activities and not commercial activities, so if you are stalking by way of business, paying income tax (or should be) on the proceeds for example that would be commercial, but none the less if you are selling the odd carcass or two that does NOT exclude cover.

We do not prescribe a strict financial limit on when the money from selling a carcass becomes commercial, but if in doubt just get in touch with me and I will advise you on if the membership insurance covers you or not.

Here to help if I can

David

I've watched David's replies here for a long time. Sensible, calm & informative. I'm in SGA, BDS and the GWCT. Maybe I'll just bite the bullet and join BASC as well - - unless any of you out there can think of a reason not to ??!!

JR
 
Ive been with BASC a good few years and have always been happy with them. +1 Mary and the team are very helpful.
I cant agree more I have been e mailing Lewis Thornley of the deer department lately over a few issues and only last week I had an interesting telephone conversation with him on advice which he gave me, he is very knowledgeable and a nice chap to deal with and seems to have time for his members.
regards
tony
 
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