Coming soon from Texas...

capt_kurp

Member
Howdy,

I'll be moving to England in a couple months for work and plan to stay there for a few years in the Lakenheath/Cambridge area. I was referred here as a resource for learning more about hunting in the UK as hunting is one of my hobbies I currently enjoy here in Texas.

I have only been hunting for a year in Texas, focused primarily on whitetail deer and feral hogs and I prefer to stalk without a guide.

Thanks, hope to post here a bit to learn more about places to go and things to do!
 
Welcome, I hope you brought your “big coat” I’m sure the UK will be colder and more rainy than TX! We do have plenty of deer and beautiful countryside to make Up for it though.
 
Yep a few guides around that area. Let us know when you’re over and I’ll get you some details. Having lived in the states I’d be happy to give you a run down on the big differences but a lot of that info is on this forum! Welcome
 
Because it’s better ! 😉
Oh yeah, cos absolutely non of us really fancy a “Randy Newberg style” weeks hunting on public land in the US! If I told my wife I was going to my stalking permission for a weeks camping, she’d be like OK but you’ll nip back to mow the lawns right?
 
Howdy,

I'll be moving to England in a couple months for work and plan to stay there for a few years in the Lakenheath/Cambridge area. I was referred here as a resource for learning more about hunting in the UK as hunting is one of my hobbies I currently enjoy here in Texas.

I have only been hunting for a year in Texas, focused primarily on whitetail deer and feral hogs and I prefer to stalk without a guide.

Thanks, hope to post here a bit to learn more about places to go and things to do!
Welcome, A few films to catch up on before your flight.



 
Oh yeah, cos absolutely non of us really fancy a “Randy Newberg style” weeks hunting on public land in the US! If I told my wife I was going to my stalking permission for a weeks camping, she’d be like OK but you’ll nip back to mow the lawns right?
You’re right. The US is a country of many worlds. My comparison is your average gun deer season in the Midwest that’s a week long. Lots of fantastic hunting to be had out there but too many the Randy style hunt is just about as accessible to us as it is to many Americans
 
It's not only the deer that are different. Getting your certificate to be able to buy a rifle or two and ammunition could be your first hurdle. It could be that a couple of accompanied stalks (although not your preference I see) might be a necessity to start. Think about joining a range too. Both of these can give you the required reasons needed to possess rifles here in Blighty. Don't forget to register with a local doctor's practice as well soon after you land. You won't get anywhere getting a certificate without that. If you are renting accommodation, then think ahead that you will need a gun cabinet bolted to a wall, again something that needs to be in place before you get the nod from the cops.

So welcome to the convoluted system of firearms legislation that exists in the UK. If you look around on here, you can see the frequent questions that we ourselves often ask about stuff. It all makes sense eventually (whether you agree with it or not, and many certainly don't).
 
It's not only the deer that are different. Getting your certificate to be able to buy a rifle or two and ammunition could be your first hurdle. It could be that a couple of accompanied stalks (although not your preference I see) might be a necessity to start. Think about joining a range too. Both of these can give you the required reasons needed to possess rifles here in Blighty. Don't forget to register with a local doctor's practice as well soon after you land. You won't get anywhere getting a certificate without that. If you are renting accommodation, then think ahead that you will need a gun cabinet bolted to a wall, again something that needs to be in place before you get the nod from the cops.

So welcome to the convoluted system of firearms legislation that exists in the UK. If you look around on here, you can see the frequent questions that we ourselves often ask about stuff. It all makes sense eventually (whether you agree with it or not, and many certainly don't).
This seems to be the biggest hurdle so far is how to get a rifle. I was considering bringing mine and getting a visitor's permit but those only last a year and I'm not sure if they'd allow me to purchase ammunition for the rifle. Lots of research to do for sure!
 
This seems to be the biggest hurdle so far is how to get a rifle. I was considering bringing mine and getting a visitor's permit but those only last a year and I'm not sure if they'd allow me to purchase ammunition for the rifle. Lots of research to do for sure!
What do you currently shoot? Just to check it’s UK legal / likely to be passed under UK law. Also the bigger issue at the moment is a lot of uk police forces are not doing licence grants. So you may be limited to borrowing a rifle (estate rifle).
 
What do you currently shoot? Just to check it’s UK legal / likely to be passed under UK law. Also the bigger issue at the moment is a lot of uk police forces are not doing licence grants. So you may be limited to borrowing a rifle (estate rifle).
Remington 700 chambered in .30-06, borrowing shouldn't be an issue if that's common practice there.
 
Remington 700 chambered in .30-06, borrowing shouldn't be an issue if that's common practice there.
You wouldn’t have much trouble getting a 30-06 passed off over here. Especially if you are stalking Reds.

I have never been in your situation but I can’t see why you couldn’t bring your rifle over and have a registered firearms dealer (RFD) store it for you while you get your uk licence. Others will be much better versed in the law around this than me though.

Borrowing a rifle is acceptable over here, and to be fair any guide that takes you out will ask you to put a few shots on paper first whether it’s your rifle or there’s. So you will get a chance to try it first.
 
The above still stands, but if you leave the rifle behind and bring you scope and other bits with you, you wouldn't struggle to find a REM 700 in 30-06 over here, but here it would be screw cut for a mod that I guess yours isn’t? Mods are much easier to get here than I believe they can be in the US.
 
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