What age did you start stalking?

[63]

Following on from a conversation with @dunwater in another thread about Deerstalker recruitment, and the 'stalking in 2045' thread, I am curious as to what age people typically took up stalking. It's often mentioned that the average age of a stalker is fairly advanced, and we aren't attracting young people into the sport, but I am curious as to whether that is really a new phenomenon or whether this is the sort of hobby that people tend to find a bit later in life?

Certainly my contemporaries (40 ish) are all discovering new pastimes as they emerge from the grind of having young families and start to perhaps have a bit more cash to spend. I've know 4 people who are returning to shooting in some way, two of us returning to stalking, and a fifth chap who is taking up PRS having never done any shooting before at all.

I've allowed two responses per person noting that some may have started, stopped, and started again!

 

[Jon P]

Early 30,s as a farmer I had had permission to shoot on his land bought some more land with fallow deer coming onto it. Prior to that had no land with deer in it- deer numbers have since increased quite dramatically in the area.

 

[Pedro]

I suspect like many recreational shooters of many differing disciplines, people are introduced to it when young and enjoy it for a while until education, puberty, the opposite sex, jobs, lack of money, lack of time, marriage, children all interfere. Then a few decades later, the job is easier or retirement beacons, the children are up and gone and the little lady actually likes it when you to disappear for a while occasionally and you've got a bit of disposable income.

Then you can go shooting or maybe buying 60+ year old money pits on wheels or go golfing or whatever else might take your fancy.

 

[Lateral]

First stalk was a 50th birthday present. Shot a muntjac, and got hooked.

 

[Taff]

19 no deer in area before then

 

[VSS]

Either 39 or 40, if I remember correctly, although there was a year or two of blank outings before I finally connected.
Have been shooting since a very young age, and had SGC since my teens. If there had been deer around then in the numbers that they are now I think I would have started stalking as a youngster.
I am glad that my daughter had the opportunity to do that (FAC at 14, stalking since 16, now 22 and well over 1,000 deer accounted for).

 

[co’den]

Early 20’s then a break or 25 years. Back at it in my late 40’s.

 

[Dunwaters]

I started at 18 and I’m still at it.
The American studies show that we go through several phases.
We normally start with an older mentor, someone who can drive and has access to the sport. Then we go away to college, participation tails off as the delights of young adulthood and sex take priority. We still go out when we’re home, but we don’t get home very often. Having your own car is a big factor in determining whether or not you continue to shoot.
After college we tend to concentrate on career and family, both spare time and spare money can be in short supply, hunting takes a back seat. By your 40’s you should have a handle on career and life, with a bit of time and some spare cash, lots of us either take up or rediscover shooting and fishing at this stage.
People tend to fall away from active participation in their early 70’s. There are a number of reasons, health and fitness is a big factor, both your own and your companions.
A lot of people give up when their regular hunting companions stop or pass away. Joining a new team rarely happens at this age.
The above is condensed from American studies, but I think it’s applicable here.
Theres a massive problem with recruitment everywhere, the average age of an active hunter is 57 based on European studies.
We’ll all be gone in 20 years, and theres no one coming behind us.

 

[bobo]

Got my first rifle certificate at 16, before that the law did not allow me to go stalking.

 

[mudman]

Late thirties. Joined a syndicate in SW Scotland before I had an FAC, which was straightforward to obtain because of that. Unfortunately the ground was almost deer less! But I persevered and managed to get onto more and better ground both in Scotland and locally in East Yorkshire

 

[paulst]

Started deer stalking in my mid twenties. Before that I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t out shooting with my dad. He didn’t stalk but did everything else. When he was pigeon decoying I used an air rifle until I was 11 when he gave me a 410. He started shooting fairly late as his father wouldn’t have a gun in the house having been through the Great War and captured on the Somme. There have been peaks and troughs of keenness but it has always been there to some degree.

 

[sy247]

Early 30s, about 33 I think.

 

[west_meon]

Late 40s when I started deer stalking. Been pheasant and partridge shooting since late teens, plus some .22 target shooting, which I took quite seriously for a while. My son was very keen in his mid teens and kept badgering about deer stalking, so we booked DSC1, applied for FACs, and he got his deer rifle at 17. He certainly seems to be in the minority, with not many others in their teens or early 20s. The cost of getting in to it seems to be the biggest hurdle : DSC1, LGMH, rifle, scope, Mod, sticks, associated paraphernalia, and suddenly you are talking about more money than most youngsters have available. Fortunately my son has been working since he was 15 so had built up some savings but, for most young people, the concept is great but it runs into the financial buffers quite quickly.

 

[JH83]

23/4 years old I think for stalking. I was rabbiting with an air rifle from young, 8 or 9 under supervision.

First stalk out with @Oldstalker culled a yeld hind, then a roe doe-this was 2005 I think. I was hooked from that point on. I run my own game syndicate, and wildfowl (although not so much as now dog-less) etc etc but nothing has ever really come close to stalking.

 

[Sol]

I got brought out as a teen too shoot a .22 , I shot a doe that year as well and two stags If I recall unfortunately that person died that year I met him, great person I appreciate him introducing me into everything, his son Is still around and manages the estate hoping to get up because even after many years I've not shot a buck up there.

The biggest hurdle was the minimum rifle usage being 17, that needs to go in my opinion or too allow certificate holders (e.g guides) to have that on there ticket to let youth shoot.

That is the biggest thing that stops new people.

 

[David Barker]

I will bet the guides can give us a better average as they will take most of the new lads out.

 

[Freeforester]

Started at 16 (now 62), though had spent a lot of time watching and tracking/observing before then.

In Scotland it is possible to acquire FAC at 14, it only allowed to stalk/shoot when accompanied by a parent or guardian.

 

[sam2]

First guided stalk was last year at 29. Now been on about 10 stalks and it’s all I can think about

 

[opticron1]

Quite a late starter compared to most of the folk on this site. Spent more time fishing and out with air rifles and shotguns, before getting "forced" to spend vast amounts of money gallivanting around the straths, glens and forests in a pathetic and hopeless mission to get some venison in the freezer..... I worked out a long time ago what a bloody waste of time and money it is/was......and wouldn't miss it for the world!

 

[Nickb]

Around about 20