Visit coming up

SimpleSimon

Well-Known Member
Got the call today from the firearms chap to arrange my visit for first grant of certificates. Got him coming next Wednesday morning, I'm quite excited to be honest. Aside from getting the tea and biscuits out, is there anything I should know?
Any ideas how long I'm likely to be looking at after the visit for my certificate (assuming he's happy!) Not that it matters, I'm just curious.
 
they will ask u what u would expect:
Why do you want the guns?
Experience?
Why for each calibre?
Where are you using them?
How are you storing them?

Be prepared so they don't catch you out to restrict you even more!
They will probably want to give you as little as possible since its your first certificate.
Hope that helps.
 
Ensure you have the right security for the correct ammo allocation and rifles according to your request. Be honest they mostly seem on side my first one took 2 weeks post interview, depends on the backlog they have.
 
West Mercia are running a bit slow at the moment, so expect a delay of 3-4 weeks between your FEO visit and getting your certificate.

As it's an initial grant of an FAC, he'll want to ask about your justification for the calibres you've applied for and to look at your land permissions. If they aren't already, the land you've put forward will need to be cleared as suitable. You might also expect some discussion about mentoring if you don't have much shooting experience.

A.
 
He's not going to be trying to trip you up or catch you out, so don't stress yourself about it? :)

Kettle on, biscuits out & just relax. FLOs aren't ogres, regardless of what you may have heard. They're professionals who know their onions & the only folk who have problems are those who are pushing their luck :thumb:
 
As above. He/she won't be in the business of tripping you up. Just wanting to meet you personally, ask you about your application, discuss anything such as do you really need that 50BMG for the rabbits at the bottom of the garden and so on.

Really just stick to the script and give the answers on your application forms. Don't go off piste saying it's always good to have a gun around with what's happened in France and there's been a few burglaries around here etc. Leave the "The Only Good Deer is a Dead Deer" t-shirt in the wardrobe and don't wear ammunition bandoliers over each shoulder anticipating your grant.

I jest of course, but the main two reasons for the visit are to check your security arrangements and to have a chat with you in person to ascertain that you are a reasonable and sane person. He may discuss any application that he thinks might be pushing things on a first application and perhaps amount of ammunition you want to hold. But the idea of the chat is generally to get a compromise that keeps him and you happy.
 
I'm glad to hear west mercia are running slow as always :) my ticket is in for a variation!

It depends on FEO really. I've had two different ones visit me so far, two very different approaches. Security and permissions with the first that was very clinical and straightforward (no tea despite being offered). The second with a different FEO, involved a long conversation, not one to test me out, but interesting none the less (no tea, because he was 30 mins early and I was still in my dressing gown!).

You know what you need, why you need it, where you will use it and how you will store it securely. I think it's a good opportunity to sus your FEO out too. Get to know them a bit better!
 
very lucky with my feo visit,he,s a member of 3 syndicates in scotland .so he understood the paid stalks route im on,having no local perm for deer and in his words not likely to get one either as its all sown up by local people for local people theres nothing here for you.just be yourself and explain youve already grassed two deer and have been to barrys ground a few times .it shows your serious about this ,and gives proof to support your application.and dont forget the chocolate hobnobs ,theyre the deal breaker:D
 
Simon its probably the same guy I have,he is great he used to rent ground near where we lived in Scotland,so we had a lot to talk about.
He also suggested I may need more ammo,than I asked for ,so he altered it.
Ref your other enquiry,button oak I have permission on a small acreage not very far from there,but not a lot of deer on it,fc hit the deer hard in the wyre,so its very difficult.
Ps,my rentokil patch is worcester,and bewdley,where abouts are you?
Tony.
 
Simon its probably the same guy I have,he is great he used to rent ground near where we lived in Scotland,so we had a lot to talk about.
He also suggested I may need more ammo,than I asked for ,so he altered it.
Ref your other enquiry,button oak I have permission on a small acreage not very far from there,but not a lot of deer on it,fc hit the deer hard in the wyre,so its very difficult.
Ps,my rentokil patch is worcester,and bewdley,where abouts are you?
Tony.

Sounds ideal, must help a lot when it's somebody who understands stalking. I didn't catch his name, but he said he was from Bridgnorth...
It's a small world, I'm 10 minutes from Bewdley in Cookley. I'm not surprised to hear the FC are hitting them hard, considering the amount of habitat I rarely see deer in/around Wyre.
 
Have you got your phone switched on Si as I sent you a text just before 12 re an outing next week. Large numbers of deer now starting to frequent the fields right in front of the high seat.
 
Have you got your phone switched on Si as I sent you a text just before 12 re an outing next week. Large numbers of deer now starting to frequent the fields right in front of the high seat.

Got it mate, thanks. I'll drop you a text back a bit later, need to make sure with the wife first that I haven't already agreed to anything! ;)
 
Well, that went perfectly!
Really nice amicable bloke. We just chatted about calibres, some common sense stuff about shooting and owning guns and then he explained all the formalities. Seemed genuinely interested in the sport and definitely wasn't looking for an excuse to turn me down!
He said expect the certificates in the next fortnight or so. Happy days!
 
:thumb::D:tiphat:welcome to the i want that that n that but cant afford any of it club

Nah, I can't afford the subscriptions :lol:

They're granting me .22, .243 and .270, plus moderators. And shotgun cert too. Happy days.

Looking forward to it Barry, can't have yet another blank outing my luck must have changed by now!
 
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