Indeed so.
My motorbike test was postponed because the examiner told a candidate to do just that and when he arrived back he (the examiner) would test his emergency braking (I think they used to call it coming to a halt with the use of brakes and gears or some such nonsense) by stepping onto the roadside which in due course he did.
Only it was another biker, who ran over said examiner.
Absolutely true story.
Having started shooting @ 12 also learning to braze/gas weld in the same year, apprentice farrier @15
on balance I don’t think it is ethical and the idea of greater availability/ with endorsement or recognition or encouragement (how?) of firearms skills training is an area I think the UK is weak on. Personal experience is that it was up to me. My ‘standard of marksmanship’ meets DSC1 and 2 as far as that goes and is in my own eyes to an ethical and safe standard. But it is variable. Some years I’ll not get in much practice time at all, others more so. And I know when I feel ’rusty’ I dont take shots I might consider when my eyes better in.
Having started shooting @ 12 also learning to braze/gas weld in the same year, apprentice farrier @15
summer holidays running out the muck in front of my Dad on various building site....
Then started as a tool maker @16-22
10 years as a panel beater
Subbie mobile welding for piling firms
Running a Salvage yard for 10 years
Teaching diving for 10 years inc MFA from a pit in Peterborough to a beach in Mozambique also taking people on dives trips also dive guide in Egypt. Lots of 100m dives using Trimix (5 tanks
Still here with just the odd tooth ache a broken heart a couple of times
Common sense is the key and that left the building at the end of the 80's
What do you do for a living....as we don't need any more traffic wardens
It is easy to read what people do as their day job often is just a mirror of what and how they type....In the words of my hero, Dr Evil…. The details of my life are quite inconsequential
Times change and life moves on. Darwin’s theory of natural selection was more apparent then than it is now as safeguards are now in place that protect the terminally stupid. As you have rightly pointed out common sense is the key and sadly is not that common!
My motivation on this is to improve the welfare of the deer that are managed. The single biggest point at which deer welfare is at risk is when they are shot. I am 100% convinced that all of us in the deer stalking community can do a better job than we currently are doing by changing our culture from it being acceptable to grab the rifle once a year to head out and shoot a deer, to the point where it becomes standard practice to develop their marksmanship skills through regular range time and CPD so that when the time comes to shoot a deer it is that bit more humane. If you need evidence of the need for improvement just have a look around the chiller of a decent sized game dealer. Carcasses with shots through the rumen or multiple shots are common, with some having bullet wounds in the saddles and haunches. Whilst I accept that poor shot placement is a fact of life to some degree, this can and should be improved by education and training but it seems to me that people currently choose not to invest in this for whatever reason. On the other hand show many folks a shiny new optic, rifle or jacket and the money leaves the wallet straight away.
In my opinion it’s better to move with the times and become better at what we do. Living in the past is pointless and will do no one any good.
It is easy to read what people do as their day job often is just a mirror of what and how they type....
So bleating abt H&S coupled with War & Piece replies speaks volumes...
Hahahahaha, I'm not sure 10 lines counts as war and peace!! If it does I may well read it.It is easy to read what people do as their day job often is just a mirror of what and how they type....
So bleating abt H&S coupled with War & Piece replies speaks volumes...
"
I say he is a VET....In this instance -it doesn’t, very experienced stalker, fine shot and friend (something I do not say lightly)
A lot of deer pass through Selous hands
Brilliant.Hahahahaha, I'm not sure 10 lines counts as war and peace!! If it does I may well read it.
I did see this piece of wisdom somewhere though, but cant quite remember where...... answers on a postcard please!! "You can always tell an Essex Boy however you can't tell him much
I heard Mike Tyson has written a book on Ethics...and if its successful he's going to write one about London
I heard Mike Tyson has written a book on Ethics...and if its successful he's going to write one about London
There are some people out there who " aim for the middle" .... or so I believeThe concept of mandatory training is always a thorny one, and something I am personally torn on. I play devils advocate to myself on the issue!
I don’t especially want to regulate any form of shooting any more than strictly necessary. Quite clearly the shooting industry is in for a rough ride, especially if Starmer gets in, with a lot of regulation in the pipeline. Do we want to throw more into the equation? How onerous, time consuming or expensive would it be, would this act as a barrier to entry to the sport? Because I feel we will need to strengthen numbers in the long run.
Any degree of training doesn’t mitigate against future malpractice in any event. Could the person who scrapes past DSC1 shooting test (or any test) start lobbing rounds at a stag at 500 yards-of course, you can never really tell what folks will do unsupervised.
However I very much understand the points by @Selous and agree with the sentiment to an extent. I think we are actually managing it reasonably well. Those who stalk for organisations such as FE, NT etc are now mandated to undergo shooting tests. As it should be, for numerous reasons. Should mr 2 muntjac a year have to be tested?
The gist of my thoughts are those of us who are serious about this, it’s a moot point. We’d pass any test, and happily undertake it to keep our permissions, and would probably enjoy the training. Anyone who treats stalking as an occasional trip out might be legislated away from it. This could affect recruitment into stalking, it could affect stalking businesses. Is there a current giant welfare issue that has to be addressed? I honestly don’t know. This is a very fine line, and something that absolutely needs getting right so well done for raising the discussion.
In our lives, yes. But the welfare of the deer is the issue here. And there is mandatory retesting over a certain age.
