Help please i need a shoot

[Dex]

Can anybody help me get some ground to shoot on in the northampton area?

[Gary C]

Yes

YOU can. Send letters, knock doors.
Put the time and effort in.

You'll have more success that asking on internet sites where there are already hundreds / thousands of shooters in the same boat.

[Kev.]

Originally posted by Gary C
Yes

YOU can. Send letters, knock doors.
Put the time and effort in.

You'll have more success that asking on internet sites where there are already hundreds / thousands of shooters in the same boat.

another newbie bites the dust


at least you treat them all the same Gary

[Rich]

When you go to see a landowner to ask for a shoot, don't carry a rifle, and don't go round in full camo. Be clean tidy and half smartly dressed, and take details of your BASC or TPC membership or similar, and be prepared to show the insurance cover.

Try to work out beforehand which landowners might actually want or need you to do some pest control. No point knocking on the doors of no-hopers.

If there's a pheasant shoot you might, just might, be able to get them to sub out squirrel reduction to you.

HTH

Rich

[Gary C]

Actually Kev it's sound advice mate.

Nobody is going to give a shoot away to a newbie.

They may as well find out reality, the sooner they do the sooner they do something.

And..errmm....not all newbies Kev. Just the ones begging shoots or being idiots.

sorry - will re-phrase that.....

not begging - looking for shoots on the net !

[dubworld]

Just as well most of us are friendly towards newbies otherwise this board would be dead.

[Sam]

I'm with Gary 100% there, he's not the only one who gets fed up of seeing people asking for shoots on the forums.

Only way is to get out there and look for yourself, a bit of shoeleather and initiative goes a lot further than sitting tapping on a keyboard and hopeing for the best.

I walked literally miles last week looking for more land and it payed off, got myself 2 new shoots, a couple of the farms I now have back onto each other and cover the length of 2 villages hard work but it pays in the end. (another thank you to TPC is in order at this point)

just get out there and do it.....

[wormix001]

how to the newbies become better if no-one gives them a shoot to shoot on, they can shoot targets but will never be good at hunting untill they have their own shoot

[Gary C]

Originally posted by wormix001
how to the newbies become better if no-one gives them a shoot to shoot on, they can shoot targets but will never be good at hunting untill they have their own shoot

I think you just summed up everything I hate about todays society in one sentence. How can they be good unless they are GIVEN something ?

Let me tell you. THEY WONT. If they dont earn a shoot they wont appreciate it anyway. If they cant be bothered to put the effort in finding a shoot they cant be bothered to learn to become a good hunter.

One of the biggest problems in getting a shoot is farmers having been put off by numpties turning up once and never going again.


Be nice to newbies begging shoots. I've tried. I really have. But you know what ? look at the clip of them. They haven't even bothered to read the rest of the site - they just come on and start to beg a shoot. If they had they'd realise the futulity of begging. They would read the good advice that's been given over and over again. But they don't bother. Most don't say please. Most don't even bother to use a spellchecker...

If somebody comes onto this site and treats it and the members with respect they get it back from me and everybody else. Otherwise they deserve as much sympathy as somebody sending a lottery winner a begging letter bemoaning his luck when they don't even buy a ticket.

I must admit though - I was tempted to give one of my shoots to the guy who can shoot "a 1" group at 30 yards with his custom stealth"


You have to be lucky to get a shoot. And the more doors you knock the luckier you get.

[Dave Stringer]

Totally agree Gary.

No one ever gave me a shoot that I didn't earn. It's about learning the trade if you like. Learn safety, maksmanship, all the important stuff, join a club, watch and learn, ask questions. It takes a long time, but then, it has for most of us. Granted, it also takes some luck, but as Gary says, the more you do, the luckier you get.

Good luck.

Dave

[tommy6206]

He was only asking for help. He may be new on this bbs but that don't mean he is a newbie to shooting. As its already been said theres not really enough to go around as it is so the only way some people in some areas will get a shoot is to share. People come to this and other bbs's to learn and exchange knowledge so lets help where we can and not scare them off before the have been given a chance to prove them selfs..Remember we were all newbies at 1 point..

[smiley]

dex from f9 bbs...? bull elephant and gat?? p.m me if its the one and only! regards smiley (to p.m go to user cp at top of header) smiley

[Kev. (Cambs.)]

Sometimes a wish can come true, (I've done my good deed for the year and helped a fellow BBS member), but more often than not it takes a fair bit of time and effort to gain some land.





I can sympathise with the newbies, but I am getting a little tired of the same old line 'I've got a rifle, now I want some land'. Perhaps this would be a good reason for a sticky headed 'how to get a shoot'.





In the meantime Gaz, just chill - think of your blood presure

[swamprat]

Well, I thought it was a bit harsh on Dex, and the answer he got did make me wince a bit, and I hope it doesn't put Dex off this BBS (There's just way too much collective wisdom on here to pass up, as well as good will).

BUT... I have to agree, in essence, with almost everything Gary has said, (and I never thought I'd say that). People needing advice and all, well that's fine. But I'm a little tired (already, and I'm still newbie-ish) with moans about not enough shoots out there. There must be loads of farmers who have NEVER been approached, ever. Wherever you are in the country, excepting the centre our biggest cities, you will find several farmers in a two or three mile radius, many farmers in a three to five mile radius, and if you're willing to travel a bit further, and why not, then you can find hundreds.

And I really hate letters in the airgun press from people offering to PAY to shoot, because they are too idle to get off their wealthy backsides and find a shoot properly. Rabbits aren't bred like pheasants. Encouraging landowners with the idea that they can charge for pest control will drive poorer shooters like myself out of the market.

And I too have heard of many (too many) half hearted 'hunters' who accept a piece of land and then just drift away from it. I think it affects how too many farmers see us - as toy playing timewasters.

Making the effort to get your land means that you'll make the effort to work it properly and keep it. Do your sport a favour. Put the effort in.

[wormix001]

i am basicly a newbie aswell but i was lucky, i am friends with the gamekeeper and the factor and he says i can shoot in the quarry near my house,
even tho i am only17 i am not one of these stupid kids that just goes out with a gun and shots what ever he sees.
i have respect for what i am shoting, i was out the other day and if an experienced shooter as in my shoes he could of had about 9 rabbits in the 3 hours but i only got 1 as some of the shots about 20m onwards i left because i knew i couldent hit the kill spot from there.

even at about 15m i seen a rabbit and i aimed at it but because i was standing up i was a bit wobbley so i decided to lay on the ground and by that time the rabbit had gone.

i dont just rush in and shoot as soon as i can at whatever i can.
thats why i think i got my shoot cause the gamekeeper new i was ok.
also insurance helps.
so even new people can be sensible and even tho they are not that good most of us newbies will not go out of our range untill we are confident we can kill at that range.

but then u get them tw*ats that just go and ruin it for all of us.


wow that was a long one, i appoligise in advanced, because i know there is loads of spelling mistakes.

------------------------------
woopwoop