Backstop or backgo?

[WalkedUp]

It would be interesting to garner thoughts from a range of people on this from Fieldsports Britain, the shot is at 3:40 but the lead up to it is worth considering too:



I am not the most experienced stalker in the world, having taken just eight so far this year. It would be useful to learn more. The screenshot is taken from the film from the moment of fire.

 

[Tim.243]

Would be interesting to garner thoughts from a range of people on this from Fieldsports Britain, shot is at 3:40 but the lead up to it is worth considering too:



I am not the most experienced stalker in the world, haven taken just eight so far this year. So it would be interesting to learn. The screenshot is taken from the film from the moment of fire.

View attachment 385486

Who ate all the pies...

 

[baguio]

It’s his ground and the deer is within yards of the ’backstop’. I think you have to trust his judgement. If it was his first time on the ground it would clearly be different.
I have safe places that become unsafe in certain areas but it looks the same all the way along in the summer. It’s about knowing your ground. If you’re in doubt there is no doubt!

 

[Dillinger]

Must admit I thought it looked a bit dodgy at first but like baguio said he knows the ground just got to trust his judgement,

 

[DK.260]

He may have been shooting downhill into a hedged culvert but only he will know, I saw this last night and initially thought WTF, but agree that it was him that was shooting and he knows the ground better than any of us.
My feelings are that folk on the medja channels do have a direct responsibility to portray best practice, I'm sure there are quite a few newcomers to stalking who watch this and maybe think that whacking a deer using a hedgeline as a backstop is acceptable because thats how its done on TV.

 

[baguio]

My feelings are that folk on the medja channels do have a direct responsibility to portray best practice, I'm sure there are quite a few newcomers to stalking who watch this and maybe think that whacking a deer using a hedgeline as a backstop is acceptable because thats how its done on TV.

Totally agree. However, they also want footage of the stalking culling animals or birds. After a day or two they have to take what they can get. The deer stalking bit on the last series of Clarkeson's farm took 2 1/2 days to film. only a few seconds was actually shown. We all know what it's like. Lots of waiting and a few seconds of excitement. The film can't include all of the waiting for the perfect broadside shot.

 

[Taff]

Sorry but do any of you actually shoot any deer. Know wonder the country is overrun with deer. He says he knows the ground well

 

[Stalker62]

Sorry but do any of you actually shoot any deer.

Some of us do...

 

[75]

They even make the point in the commentary that "Simon knows the ground well so is confident the backstop is safe" so I assume you are also questioning this statement as well??

 

[WalkedUp]

Sorry but do any of you actually shoot any deer. Know wonder the country is overrun with deer. He says he knows the ground well

I guess the query that most of us have is that in the early evening in a suburban location, and given the aerial footage that proceeds it you can establish that it is flat ground and a house or church is behind it, whether using a hedge as a backstop is good practice.

They even make the point in the commentary that "Simon knows the ground well so is confident the backstop is safe" so I assume you are also questioning this statement as well??

The lack of any clarifying explanation to establish why it is safe is what is curious: “Simon knows the ground well, the hedge is uninhabitable and a soft earth bank lies in the field of maize behind it….”

 

[308rws]

Based upon the screenshot only, there may well be a backstop but you cannot see that it is clear.

 

[Taff]

Sorry but not sure why he needs to clarify the statement ?

 

[Stalker62]

Sorry but not sure why he needs to clarify the statement ?

Perhaps in an effort to prevent threads like this; spiralling down into pointless comments about what you (or I) would have done, if we had taken the shot.

Happens every time, someone post a “live” shot.

 

[bowji john]

I took the advice of a long time friend and experienced range operator and banned all unofficial photos of shooters on the range

He found that pictures, out of context and at odd angles, would get posted on social media and everyone who had ever fired a cap gun would draw up their armchairs to the keyboard to comment

I suspect that much the same would / could occur in the field

 

[Stalker62]

He found that pictures, out of context and at odd angles, would get posted on social media and everyone who had ever fired a cap gun would draw up their armchairs to the keyboard to comment

 

[Jimbob39]

I’m sure most of us have taken a shot which is similar to this.

 

[Rhodesianjess]

I’m sure most of us have taken a shot which is similar to this.

If I have to run the day on the estate, slightly different because it's pheasants,all I say after the no ground game/no ground vermin/no fox rule is -gentlemen, we've all fired a shot, myself included,where after discharge we've thought "oh ****" to ourselves. All I ask today is that you remember that and don't repeat it ".
This generally is followed by people grinning shamefacedly, shuffling their feet all whilst mumbling" no, not me chap".
Seems to have worked though,to date 100% safe.

 

[Jimbob39]

If I have to run the day on the estate, slightly different because it's pheasants,all I say after the no ground game/no ground vermin/no fox rule is -gentlemen, we've all fired a shot, myself included,where after discharge we've thought "oh ****" to ourselves. All I ask today is that you remember that and don't repeat it ".
This generally is followed by people grinning shamefacedly, shuffling their feet all whilst mumbling" no, not me chap".
Seems to have worked though,to date 100% safe.

Good way of dealing with it. Makes people think.

 

[User00056]

He knows his ground and what is, and isn't a safe shot. Personally, I take more issue with how he flung it into the back of his truck. I don't like seeing them treated like an old wet towel like that

 

[Ratel]

If I have to run the day on the estate, slightly different because it's pheasants,all I say after the no ground game/no ground vermin/no fox rule is -gentlemen, we've all fired a shot, myself included,where after discharge we've thought "oh ****" to ourselves. All I ask today is that you remember that and don't repeat it ".
This generally is followed by people grinning shamefacedly, shuffling their feet all whilst mumbling" no, not me chap".
Seems to have worked though,to date 100% safe.

Reminds me of a day with the boss on the Grouse. Their were a couple of Frenchmen there as guests who had never shot Grouse before and were a little suspect on the first drive. Our host a Captain Mainwairing lookalike called all the guns together and speaking from his converted Bren gun carrier said:-
" Gentlemen, there has been an inordinate amount of British blood spilled on French soil we do not want that compliment returned"
It worked well.