UK vs US deer stalking attitudes

Was 6yrs at least ago and was a local brew called "Tau" ...worst hangover ever even with minimal consumption

Paul
That was really hilarious , because Tau brewery used to be my/our local brewery until 2003, when it was bought up and closed down by a large multinational brewery corporation. It was an outrage here in my hometown Stavanger, and most beer drinkers here swore that they would boycott this new owner, and never drink Tau beer produced out of town. Or any other of this corporations beers. There were faint voices arguing that "if Tau beer at least had been a good brew, it would be a bigger loss." But still, the anger was there and it didn't go away. And true enough, the corporation kept making this Tau brew, somewhere at a huge plant in eastern Norway. I think they still do. But no one bought it here. As for now I never see Tau beers in the Stavanger shops anywhere, so I dont know where your Tau beer came from 6 years ago. Canned toxic waste would be easier to sell than Tau beer in Stavanger now.
 
Yeh , all I read was lots of excuses
The permit system determines what you can take and the fact you have an fac determines that you can be trusted with a firearm

There are always people going to say it’s a bad idea , basically because they don’t want it cause they have plenty stalking. I’m afraid you sound like one .
Too many people turning up where they shouldn’t be, too many shooters who don’t know their arse from their elbow. The US system wouldn’t work here.

Deer Hunting in the uk is accessible to everyone, you can go and shoot a cull animal for £100-200.00 and often keep the carcass at that. That’s around a day’s wages for most people, so your idea that it’s for the rich and powerful is nonsense.
 
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Outrageous prices @gixer1 . My heart is bleeding for you guys. I now realize that it's more than a decade since the last time I had an evening on the town for a beer or two. But realize, Cardinal pub is known for being the pub in town with the widest range of beers available and also the priciest . This price list proves it.
 
When I was in Trollhattan and Gothenburg in Sweden working we called their beer "hand grenades" as after the first taste from the tin you threw it away as like a grenade was in war movies.
 
Outrageous prices @gixer1 . My heart is bleeding for you guys. I now realize that it's more than a decade since the last time I had an evening on the town for a beer or two. But realize, Cardinal pub is known for being the pub in town with the widest range of beers available and also the priciest . This price list proves it.
Yes, it’s a pretty extensive list of beers - and they do have cheaper ones (well…still expensive but cheap by stavanger standards!🤣)

Still a lovely place to be!
 
Too many people turning up where they shouldn’t be, too many shooters who don’t know their arse from their elbow. The US system wouldn’t work here.

Deer Hunting in the uk is accessible to everyone, you can go and shoot a cull animal for £100-200.00 and often keep the carcass at that. That’s around a day’s wages for most people, so your idea that it’s for the rich and powerful is nonsense.
I’ve never said it was for the rich and powerful but I have said that money is at the root of why stalking is so restricted.

The thread was actually about the difference in attitudes US v UK which I have said is due to public perception that hunting and shooting is for toffs.
I stand by that.

And I definitely think public access stalking would work and should be introduced.
 
Toxic waste..... that's maybe why I had border line alcohol poisoning
Remember going back longer than that and a Saturday night they had European women's beach volleyball championships and demo matches in town ....that hangover was due to overindulgence ill admit but what a night !
 
I’ve never said it was for the rich and powerful but I have said that money is at the root of why stalking is so restricted.

The thread was actually about the difference in attitudes US v UK which I have said is due to public perception that hunting and shooting is for toffs.
I stand by that.

And I definitely think public access stalking would work and should be introduced.

You did, post #4.

Your exact words were

“Hunting in the UK is for the rich and powerful , not for the scummy serfs.”

Makes you sound like you have rather a large chip on your shoulder. I’m not a toff yet I still stalk deer 3/4 times a month and go back a generation all of my mother’s side of my family hunted.


I think it would be a disaster, and it should not be introduced, there are no public lands that are remote or empty enough to let everyone have a go, unguided.
 
You did, post #4.

Your exact words were

“Hunting in the UK is for the rich and powerful , not for the scummy serfs.”

Makes you sound like you have rather a large chip on your shoulder. I’m not a toff yet I still stalk deer 3/4 times a month and go back a generation all of my mother’s side of my family hunted.


I think it would be a disaster, and it should not be introduced, there are no public lands that are remote or empty enough to let everyone have a go, unguided.
Absolutely not, that was an example of attitude not my own view 😂

I’ll give you that as I forgot to put it in quotes. I really don’t have a chip on my shoulder as I’m do a lot of stalking and am working class, or worse 😂
 
Remember going back longer than that and a Saturday night they had European women's beach volleyball championships and demo matches in town ....that hangover was due to overindulgence ill admit but what a night !
Ahh. Those were the days. I have never had much interest in volleyball, until a friend convinced me to join him watching a woman's beach volley match. A viewer friendly sport. And I noticed that the audience was quite male dominated .
 
I’ve been scrolling through various social media pages lately whilst quiet at work and stumbled across many US country music stars and other celebs posting pictures with their whitetails they have shot this season.

Reading the comments, 99% of them are people congratulating them on the deer etc, like it’s just normal every day stuff.

You can only imagine the outrage / front page news if some celeb over here posted a picture of themself with a nice roe buck or whatever it may be.

Is this just a massive cultural difference and attitude to hunting between the two countries?

After all we are both shooting deer and putting meat in the freezer…
Yes very true. One thing I’ve noticed with a lot of the Americans is they have no concern about safety and some of the videos are terrible taking multiple shots literally missing three or four times There seems to be no proper training with them probably because The Gun laws are so slack anybody can just buy a rifle or crossbow or whatever the method of hunting is and just watching simple things in the videos like them loading the guns aiming them at 45° into the air when loading there’s no gun safety at all
 
Yes very true. One thing I’ve noticed with a lot of the Americans is they have no concern about safety and some of the videos are terrible taking multiple shots literally missing three or four times There seems to be no proper training with them probably because The Gun laws are so slack anybody can just buy a rifle or crossbow or whatever the method of hunting is and just watching simple things in the videos like them loading the guns aiming them at 45° into the air when loading there’s no gun safety at all
Quit watching videos to form your opinion. I’ve watched quite a few videos where all Brits have bad teeth, speak with a cockney accent, and are unbearably composed at all times - except for the football videos where they are all heathen savages not far removed from Lord of the Flies.


if you look at safety statistics- American hunters are incredibly safe. The number one form of injury, which is still quite rare, is falling from a high seat. On top of that - the numbers that go afield at the same time dwarf the number of stalkers in the UK. Just as an example, in the state of IL - 83,000 deer were killed in the 7 day rifle season. If you assume a 20% success rate, that’s 400,000 hunters afield in a single week. If they are as unsafe as you assume, then there should have been mass carnage…
 
I expect that UK folks opining on US hunting would be about as accurate as the reverse - that is to say, mostly not at all.

Take a long breath and ask yourself this. Have you ever read anything in the media that you have deep knowledge of that is accurate? If not, why would you think they are any more accurate on any other matter?

Maaaaaybe, the media have a point of view, and aren't going to print anything that conflicts with it.

Stop reading/listening to/watching that stuff, and improve your life.

Edit to add
I've hunted in both the UK and US, as well as hosted folks from both countries here.
Everybody was careful, safe and courteous - accents notwithstanding. That may be because of a filtering process, but I find my hunting experience parallels my other experiences. That is, most people aren't what the stereotypes suggest.
Except for when I lived in Deptford. Millwall supporters are special.
 
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Quit watching videos to form your opinion. I’ve watched quite a few videos where all Brits have bad teeth, speak with a cockney accent, and are unbearably composed at all times - except for the football videos where they are all heathen savages not far removed from Lord of the Flies.


if you look at safety statistics- American hunters are incredibly safe. The number one form of injury, which is still quite rare, is falling from a high seat. On top of that - the numbers that go afield at the same time dwarf the number of stalkers in the UK. Just as an example, in the state of IL - 83,000 deer were killed in the 7 day rifle season. If you assume a 20% success rate, that’s 400,000 hunters afield in a single week. If they are as unsafe as you assume, then there should have been mass carnage…
I appreciate your perspective, but I think it’s important to address a few points. First, while safety statistics for American hunters might show low rates of accidents, there’s a clear cultural difference when it comes to firearm training and safety standards. In the UK, strict regulations and mandatory training ensure that almost all hunters have a solid foundation in safe firearm handling. Practices like taking multiple shots at a moving target or cocking a gun at an unsafe angle, which are sometimes seen in online videos, would be unacceptable here and could result in serious consequences at a gun range or within a hunting group.

It’s also worth noting that the statistics you reference don’t entirely work as a comparison. The US has a far larger population—around 346 million people—spread over a significantly larger landmass than the UK, which has about 67 million people in a much smaller area. With such a high population density, safety protocols in the UK have to be much stricter to prevent accidents. Statistically, this makes us far safer, as the risks in smaller, more populated areas require higher standards of care.

I don’t mean any offence by this—it’s just what I’ve observed. Quite frankly, anyone who takes three or four shots at an animal shouldn’t be hunting and should feel embarrassed to post a video like that. That’s just my opinion, of course, but it certainly wouldn’t be my proudest moment.

Lastly, I think it’s unhelpful to generalize based on stereotypes or a few videos. Both the US and UK have experienced, responsible hunters, and the focus should be on improving education and safety.
 
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In the UK, strict regulations and mandatory training ensure that almost all hunters have a solid foundation in safe firearm handling.
Ehh, I must have misunderstood something.

I was under the impression that you need no mandatory training for FAC, and there don't even exist any kind of hunting certificate in UK. Nor shooting test every 1-3 year, for certain quarry.

Not going to have a take on US, since there are so many different states and rules.
 
Quit watching videos to form your opinion. I’ve watched quite a few videos where all Brits have bad teeth, speak with a cockney accent, and are unbearably composed at all times - except for the football videos where they are all heathen savages not far removed from Lord of the Flies.


if you look at safety statistics- American hunters are incredibly safe. The number one form of injury, which is still quite rare, is falling from a high seat. On top of that - the numbers that go afield at the same time dwarf the number of stalkers in the UK. Just as an example, in the state of IL - 83,000 deer were killed in the 7 day rifle season. If you assume a 20% success rate, that’s 400,000 hunters afield in a single week. If they are as unsafe as you assume, then there should have been mass carnage…

Ehh, I must have misunderstood something.

I was under the impression that you need no mandatory training for FAC, and there don't even exist any kind of hunting certificate in UK. Nor shooting test every 1-3 year, for certain quarry.

Not going to have a take on US, since there are so many different states and rules.
It’s clear that there’s a lot of misunderstanding about how difficult it is to obtain a firearms certificate (FAC) or even a shotgun certificate in England. The process is incredibly strict and thorough. Applicants undergo extensive background checks, including criminal history, medical records, and even interviews with references. Any dishonesty, even something as minor as failing to disclose a speeding ticket, can result in being denied a license.

Additionally, you can’t simply apply for an FAC without a very valid and specific reason. For example, if you want a rifle for deer stalking, you’ll likely need to complete at least a Deer Stalking Certificate (DSC) Level 1, which is a comprehensive training program that covers safety, shooting accuracy, and ethical hunting practices. Beyond that, there are additional certification schemes and courses depending on what you’re applying for.

If you’re looking to own a firearm through membership in a rifle club, there’s still a stringent process to follow. The police will carry out thorough background checks, including criminal history, to ensure you’re fit to hold a license. Rifle clubs also have strict training programs, and members are required to undergo regular instruction and practice. Topics like gun safety, muzzle direction, and proper handling are prioritized to ensure members meet the highest safety standards.

The idea that licenses are handed out freely in the UK is a complete misconception. The process is designed to ensure that only highly trained and responsible individuals are granted access to firearms, with safety as the top priority. A quick search of the various certification courses and club requirements in the UK will show just how much effort and responsibility is required before anyone can own a firearm.
 


It’s clear that there’s a lot of misunderstanding about how difficult it is to obtain a firearms certificate (FAC) or even a shotgun certificate in England. The process is incredibly strict and thorough. Applicants undergo extensive background checks, including criminal history, medical records, and even interviews with references. Any dishonesty, even something as minor as failing to disclose a speeding ticket, can result in being denied a license.

Additionally, you can’t simply apply for an FAC without a very valid and specific reason. For example, if you want a rifle for deer stalking, you’ll likely need to complete at least a Deer Stalking Certificate (DSC) Level 1, which is a comprehensive training program that covers safety, shooting accuracy, and ethical hunting practices. Beyond that, there are additional certification schemes and courses depending on what you’re applying for.

If you’re looking to own a firearm through membership in a rifle club, there’s still a stringent process to follow. The police will carry out thorough background checks, including criminal history, to ensure you’re fit to hold a license. Rifle clubs also have strict training programs, and members are required to undergo regular instruction and practice. Topics like gun safety, muzzle direction, and proper handling are prioritized to ensure members meet the highest safety standards.

The idea that licenses are handed out freely in the UK is a complete misconception. The process is designed to ensure that only highly trained and responsible individuals are granted access to firearms, with safety as the top priority. A quick search of the various certification courses and club requirements in the UK will show just how much effort and responsibility is required before anyone can own a firearm.

Most forces will grant a rimfire and up to a 22 centre fire on an initial application if you have somewhere to shoot. If the 22cf is granted for fox and comes with AOLQ then you're good to shoot muntjac and CWD and roe in Scotland. No training required at all. Then you can use your "deerstalking experience" to get something such as a 30cal with no formal training or qualifications.

You may be required to have a mentor and get a deer legal calibre on an initial grant too. This system is as robust as who the mentor is who is usually an existing FAC holder that shoots deer. Judging by some of the comments on here about FAC holders not being trusted to shoot on FC land unaccompanied but they would be seen by the police as a suitable mentor.
 
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