Deer Stalking in Lancashire & Shooting.SH

[Maverick.TLM]

Hope this is the right place to post... I'm just getting started with deer stalking, I have my DSC1 booked in Autumn, and getting a few guided stalks under my belt before hand.

Once I've got the basics down seems I'll ofcourse want somewhere close to home (Lancashire) that I can stalk on a regular basis. How does one find grounds/syndicate? I feel like I'm missing something since you need grounds to apply for your FAC if I'm not mistaken?

Shooting.sh came up in my search, but a few historical post on here suggest that might not be the best place to start.

I've also seen the basc stalking in forest of bowland, but they get booked up quick, are quite expensive and I'm not sure that would count for your FAC application.

Any advice welcome!

 

[Nickb]

Shooting sh ..stay clear from what I've read.

 

[tozzybum]

Go and volunteer on your local shoot .Gets you meeting the people that can and do in your area .
Paid stalks are a valid reason for Fac .
Land to shoot over is a privilege and as rare as hens teeth.
Knock on doors politely and get insurance and some business cards made up.
Don't turn up loaded for war in full realtree ,wear a shirt and be polite.
Youl get a thousand knock backs keep trying it's not personal they don't know you.
Enjoy your dsc1 course youl meet like minded people.
Learn about rat /pest control farmers like abit of " free " rat killing.
Good luck

 

[sikamalc]

First of all, always check out those you are intending on booking stalking with. Second you do not need to own your own ground to apply for an FAC. It states in the firearms act, that a booked stalk is sufficient to apply for a FAC for deer stalking.

I would suggest that you take your DSC Level 1. Whilst also booking an outing or two with a well respected and professional guide, who will take you through the basics and help you. Get a receipt for any guided stalking you undertake. Once you have this and your Level 1 (make sure its DSC, not some of the made up courses) then apply for your FAC.

If you look in the Stalking Available on here, you may well find someone local to you who you can book with.

 

[Maverick.TLM]

Thanks for your responses, appreciate it.

 

[JH83]

A stalking guide can grant authorisation on their ground to form basis for you to apply for an FAC. It’ll be a simple case of them saying you go out with them as a client. Potential professionals you could go with are Lowther estates, Jonathan Standing at Witherslack, Graythwaite estate. These are S.Lakes not Lancs, but not far.

The basc scheme is excellent, a fantastic estate and a good stalker, a friend went and had a nice hind. Sika stalking in Lancashire is gold dust. In my view it’s rather cheap!

Stalking is Lancashire is hard to find and well competed for. The north of the county is good land with multiple species but south of Preston isn’t really deer country aside from the odd roe and small pockets of fallow. A syndicate in the borders is what most Lancastrians tend to gravitate towards, these can be good, bad and indifferent. Try to go off recommendations, keep your eye on classifieds on here. If someone is an out and out charlatan it’s likely come to the attentions of the SD massive

 

[Bowland blades]

As a Lancashire dweller myself .. I have to say the stalking available ( unless you have an invite or know the owner as a friend ) is poor value for money . Most of us travel up further North into Scotland for reds and Roe or drop down to the midlands for the muntjac .
There is a lot of demand / human population here in Lancashire and this drives the cost up , you really have to be known to the landowner as a trusted friend or drop onto something from doing the shooting vermin shooting or similar. Remember even those bits will be approached by many who find out the land is being stalked by you ( some will become ex friends of course )
Sorry to deflate the boat , but as someone who lives in one of the best areas in the county 90% ( maybe more ) my deerstalking is well outside the county and what i tend to do here is cripple shooting the injured and such
Wave enough cash around though and anything is possible , other than value .

 

[Nickb]

As a Lancashire dweller myself .. I have to say the stalking available ( unless you have an invite or know the owner as a friend ) is poor value for money . Most of us travel up further North into Scotland for reds and Roe or drop down to the midlands for the muntjac .
There is a lot of demand / human population here in Lancashire and this drives the cost up , you really have to be known to the landowner as a trusted friend or drop onto something from doing the shooting vermin shooting or similar. Remember even those bits will be approached by many who find out the land is being stalked by you ( some will become ex friends of course )
Sorry to deflate the boat , but as someone who lives in one of the best areas in the county 90% ( maybe more ) my deerstalking is well outside the county and what i tend to do here is cripple shooting the injured and such
Wave enough cash around though and anything is possible , other than value .

I was once very lucky to pick up some sika stalking in the Ribble Valley for next to nothing but unfortunately lost it as some guys offered the farmer 10k and that was the end to that. Luckily I shot a Silver medal stag before losing it.

 

[Ronin]

Be careful with whom you book stalking with plus look into any syndicates carefully

There are some charlatans out there based in this fine county who will happily spin you along for many many pennies

 

[Terrydeer]

There are quite a few shoots through the ribble valley and they are always looking out for beaters, this can sometimes be a way in and also gets to to meet like minded people, always worth a try

 

[NickJ]

Hope this is the right place to post... I'm just getting started with deer stalking, I have my DSC1 booked in Autumn, and getting a few guided stalks under my belt before hand.

Once I've got the basics down seems I'll ofcourse want somewhere close to home (Lancashire) that I can stalk on a regular basis. How does one find grounds/syndicate? I feel like I'm missing something since you need grounds to apply for your FAC if I'm not mistaken?

Shooting.sh came up in my search, but a few historical post on here suggest that might not be the best place to start.

I've also seen the basc stalking in forest of bowland, but they get booked up quick, are quite expensive and I'm not sure that would count for your FAC application.

Any advice welcome!

As @JH83 says the BASC scheme is far from expensive for England and unique/great value for paid sika stalking in Lancashire.
As well as the few guides in the Lakes great value is Colin Lockerbie via Solway Stalking and Hunting on Facebook, however you will need to add fuel and probably accommodation as it’s Dumfries area.

I would advise getting at least a dozen stalks with a reputable guide before you try for your own land. You can borrow an estate rifle. You will probably need DSC2 for most syndicates also.
I have seen too many people rush into getting land to get an FAC to be disappointed when they see or shoot few deer due to lack of experience gained.

Joining the BDS and meeting other fellow stalkers is a good start, many of our local branch events are open to non members also, see North West England - The British Deer Society for details

 

[NickJ]

I was once very lucky to pick up some sika stalking in the Ribble Valley for next to nothing but unfortunately lost it as some guys offered the farmer 10k and that was the end to that. Luckily I shot a Silver medal stag before losing it.

And sadly they continue to shoot multiple medal heads off that small farm

 

[Nickb]

And sadly they continue to shoot multiple medal heads off that small farm

How is that sad ?

 

[NickJ]

How is that sad ?

Because we hear reports that is all they shoot off there, not cull animals or hinds. Apparently one guest shot 4 medal stags in one evening,‘it’s around 200 acres of grass fields, so obviously they are not resident, just feed there. It smacks of greed in my opinion

 

[Bowland blades]

As you might see , there is a lot of jealousy and bitterness - when it comes to Sika along the Lancashire / N Yorkshire area . Allied by a big rent ! Unless you marry the landowners ugly daughter or similar LOL . Over in Ireland you get the same stock line of Sika at less money ! Drive up the M6 and South West Scotland has an abundance of Roe at less money and in places reds , even areas with Boar available. Drive South below Birmingham say and there are a Muntjac aplenty , Roe and also patches with Fallow .

 

[Rural Management Services]

Avoid shooting.sh and the A1 Decoy alternative name at all costs. I took someone out recently who told me there was over 200 members. He even showed me an email that had 200 and something names on the CC list. They do have land in house that members can stalk on, but that amounts to around 2000 acres in total and the farms must all be deer deserts with that many members and that few acres.

200 x £ 750 per person and they are making a small fortune! Even after they are paying £10 per acres for the leases there is still a serious cash surplus.

 

[Nickb]

Because we hear reports that is all they shoot off there, not cull animals or hinds. Apparently one guest shot 4 medal stags in one evening,‘it’s around 200 acres of grass fields, so obviously they are not resident, just feed there. It smacks of greed in my opinion

I know what you are saying but they pay their money so it's up to them. The sika are resident there. When I gained permission the deer weren't shot as the farmers wife wouldnt allow it but when she moved on the farmer decided no harm in taking a few , my arrangement was to just shoot a few and not hammer the place. There was a lot of Gold medal stags on the ground back then maybe 20 years ago , dont know what it's like now. The No 1 Gold Sika came off there. Real shame I lost it for money , but that's the way of the world unfortunately.

 

[Bowland blades]

The Bowland Sika stalking is right beside me , The secrecy at the get go and the terms they work under plus the involvement of our biggest shooting org have made me re-think my 30 plus years of membership . Its simply not big enough nor does it have land to have any commercial stalking !
First time i found out and spoke to HQ saying it was cloak and daggers was the very least of it

 

[Buchan]

Hope this is the right place to post... I'm just getting started with deer stalking, I have my DSC1 booked in Autumn, and getting a few guided stalks under my belt before hand.

Once I've got the basics down seems I'll ofcourse want somewhere close to home (Lancashire) that I can stalk on a regular basis. How does one find grounds/syndicate? I feel like I'm missing something since you need grounds to apply for your FAC if I'm not mistaken?

Shooting.sh came up in my search, but a few historical post on here suggest that might not be the best place to start.

I've also seen the basc stalking in forest of bowland, but they get booked up quick, are quite expensive and I'm not sure that would count for your FAC application.

Any advice welcome!

Come up to the BDS branch shoot on Sunday and have a blether with folk

 

[Maverick.TLM]

Come up to the BDS branch shoot on Sunday and have a blether with folk

Thanks for letting me know, funny you should mention, I am a member of the BDS (had to be a member to use the estate rifle on my DSC1 assessment) other than DSC training I thought bds was all about saving the deer?

What's this on Sunday?