Where to start?

[Joe_byrd 2]

HI All, 

So I’ve always wanted to get into hunting but never really had the opportunity or the money as I didn’t have the right connections or as I’m only 19 I didn’t have a job to pay for it all until recently, ideally I’d love to do deer stalking but I know how expensive that can get and getting a firearms licence can be a bit of a challenge so I was thinking of starting small and working my way up, was just wondering if anyone had any advice or tips they could share for a completely new starter and what to do to find some land to hunt on. Thanks in advance for any replies and apologies if this hasn’t been worded very well, thanks again.

Joe.

 

[lurcherman 887 12,679]

Get a ferret and some nets youl have a great buzz 

[scothunter 12,609]

You could also do a bit of beating on a shoot.  Also if you got space get a couple ferrets and a handfull of nets. 

Best of luck lad

[Born Hunter 17,638]

1 minute ago, scothunter said:

You could also do a bit of beating on a shoot.  Also if you got space get a couple ferrets and a handfull of nets. 

Best of luck lad

IMO that's the best way. A newbie needs to be mentored and meet people that can point them in the right direction.

I started with an air rifle, beating and a couple of ferrets. Beating is the best way to get involved and is good fun in itself.

[scothunter 12,609]

Agree born. I started beating as a kid and not just my meat lol

Funniky  enough it was a keeper who had chased me off his land on a few occasions. Then one day got talking to him and asked me what i was doing on Saturday.  After that went beating for him for a good few seasons. Met lots of people from all walks in life. From top men who worked for BP to a knighted guy he was actually a really sound old fellow. 

TOok time to chat to me for a good hour. 

Then i got my shotgun certificate and enjoyed end of season when it was keepers day and they beat for us.

Utterly f***ing useless they were haha

[Greyman 25,258]

You have two choices one has already been suggested to you, which is to get yourself along to your local shoot and offer your services as a beater, you will meet other likeminded folk then get invited out for a bit of ratting and other pest control type jobs, or you can go in the complete opposite direction like me and just go were you want when you want and plead  ignorance when it comes on top, it won't make you flavour of the month but you will be fit as feck from legging it and you get to know every gap in the hedge and cut through for miles around, if your planning on getting a gun licence and mostly shooting i,d take the first option but if you just like being in the countryside and are as happy to see a bullfinch nest as a red deer stag  follow me and f**k the rest 

[Joe_byrd 2]

Thanks for all the advice so far guys, by the sounds of it offering to be a beater sounds like my best bet to get into the hobby so far, meet people and see where things go, I’ll just have to research where my nearest shoot will be now haha, fingers crossed one day I’ll be able to expand my knowledge and have a go myself, as mentioned in some of the comments people said about ferreting? Would an air rifle suffice for that kind of thing if I had permission from the farmer maybe a .22 air rifle? 

[lurcherman 887 12,679]

No a ferret and your hands is all you will need. Or a little terrier or lurcher ect 

[Greyman 25,258]

Forget a gun until you have land to take it on as you will be tempted to do naughty things, when you buy your ferret get a dozen purse nets to go with it these are placed over the hole and close round the rabbit as it exits, you may want a small whippetie type lurcher next to nail anything that avoids the nets and so your armoury will grow, next get a decent lamp and get your whippet on the lamp, long nets can be a good way of gathering game if you have no dogs or guns ( or permission) you should also learn how the weather affects your quarry and you as the biggest load of bollacks ever written was "its my delight on a moon lit night" you are in an age were info is plentiful so have a look on you tube and decide were you want to go with this before splashing out money on a gun you can't use and if you ever get to a point were you can hit a ferreted rabbit with an air rifle leave the country sports and head for the circus young man 

[Born Hunter 17,638]

1 hour ago, Joe_byrd said:

Thanks for all the advice so far guys, by the sounds of it offering to be a beater sounds like my best bet to get into the hobby so far, meet people and see where things go, I’ll just have to research where my nearest shoot will be now haha, fingers crossed one day I’ll be able to expand my knowledge and have a go myself, as mentioned in some of the comments people said about ferreting? Would an air rifle suffice for that kind of thing if I had permission from the farmer maybe a .22 air rifle? 

If you can somewhat easily get permission from a farmer/landowner (through someone you already know/family) to shoot small vermin on his land then definitely get out and buy an air rifle. I'd still recommend beating mind you simply for opportunity to meet other folks and broaden yourself. We're in the thick of the shooting season now, move fast and find a local shoot, otherwise you'll be waiting until next Sep/Oct.

Ferreting is basically where you use domesticated ferrets to chase rabbits from their warrens into nets, no need for an air rifle for this. It's another great way to start off but I'd recommend finding someone to mentor you on it.

Edited December 4, 2017 by Born Hunter

[scothunter 12,609]

Oh and if you do manage to get sorted out and get some ferrets and permission and enjoy it.

Don't ever come on here and post a tread saying "I SAW A BIG CAT"

I Will hunt you down and give you a swift kick to the balls! Lol

 

One more thing if you stay around on this site don't take anything to heart were mostly decent friendly folk on here but like to rip the piss on the odd occasion. 

 

 

[NEWKID 26,190]

13 minutes ago, scothunter said:

Oh and if you do manage to get sorted out and get some ferrets and permission and enjoy it.

Don't ever come on here and post a tread saying "I SAW A BIG CAT"

I Will hunt you down and give you a swift kick to the balls! Lol

 

One more thing if you stay around on this site don't take anything to heart were mostly decent friendly folk on here but like to rip the piss on the odd occasion. 

 

 

I reckon that last line is probably the best bit of advice so far! lol

 

You'll find most of us started messing about with hunting at a pretty young age, jumping the fence with a ferret and a few nets, or messing with air rifles down the woods was normal for me from very early on... also fishing, lamping, ratting... pretty much anything outside really... 

I think it's great that you're a young bloke who could quite easily be stuck in this video game culture, that a lot of youngsters are now, but instead you're keen to get out and do something a bit different instead...

What ever you decide to do, ferret, lamp, shoot or all of them, you will learn as you go, in fact there is always something to learn, in some ways it's easier now because of the modern world (it's all there on you tube!), nothing beats getting out and doing it though, if you can find a mentor for a few trips that would be a great start...

Key thing is always respect your quarry, killing anything should be quick and clean as possible, for me even after 30 odd years the hunt is great but there is no satisfaction as such from the kill, I'm firmly with Greyman as far as everything else you experience whilst out, the other wildlife you see completes the day/night for me....

Good luck mate.

[Blackbriar 8,568]

The cheapest option is definitely a ferret and nets. If you want to get yourself an air rifle, can I suggest that you also find somewhere to learn to shoot it ! Go to a local club and practice, practice, practice.........you'll make friends and start to build up a network of contacts.

As already said, get yourself into a local shoot - be patient, do your time, and you can work your way up. You'll also make useful contacts into other activities.

I started out at my air rifle club, plinking away with a hundred quid air rifle...........now, I have six air rifles, two shotguns, five ferrets and a Beddy Whippet !

I'm the chairman of the air rifle club, a part-time assistant keeper ( unpaid sadly !) and I'm working towards my firearms certificate..........

 

Beware !! You'll get the bug !!

[DIDO.1 20,859]

Personally I wouldn't but a ferret or an air gun. If you have no permission you will just become frustrated. 

Start beating on a shoot, meet people and just enjoy it for a year or two. If you don't gel with the people on the shoot find a different one..... Each shoot is different. 

[Joe_byrd 2]

Thanks a lot for all the advice guys I’m leaning a lot from you all, using ferrets to hunt rabbits was something I’d never heard of before so that’s quite an interesting thing I’m going to look into and watch videos on, I’ve got in contact with an old friend who’s family owns a farm or two about any shoots he knows of that I can go beating for and he has said he will find me some contacts and let me know so fingers crossed I can get there soon. In response to the video game comment that’s correct id much rather be out and about doing something useful and different than I would be sat at home gaming or watching silly reality tv shows haha (apologies I’m not sure how to quote messages here)