Gimli
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Everything posted by Gimli
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At last, three months after shooting my first two deer and two months after getting my new Remington I've finally christened it with a fallow. I'd stayed the night at the Woodfalls Inn, just inside Wiltshire on the northern edge of the New Forest. Excellent Ringwood beer and a meal to clog your arteries but warm your soul - a bacon, goat's cheese and black pudding stack followed by homemade steak and kidney pudding and more beer. Up at six to a surprisingly light frost and off to meet Nick the stalker. We started before dawn, walking through mixed woodland to a two man high seat. Co
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Hi Biffo - I'll tell you what I did. I was in the same position as you this summer when I thought I'd take up stalking. First, I took rifle shooting lessons on a .243 at Holland and Holland in Ruislip. When my instructor thought I was good enough, I applied for my FAC and booked accompanied stalking through Roger Buss at deerland.co.uk and through Nick at Anglia Sporting. They then were willing to talk to the Met about my shooting ability and deer knowledge. I now have my FAC and need only to get my third witnessed deer for my FAC to have the supervised shooting only condition for m
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I regularly see black ones on my permission near Shenley in Hertfordshire - on one particular area of farm but not on my other two permissions close by.
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Very similar to lots of you - fired .22 BSAs on an indoor range and .303 outdoors when briefly in the King's Royal Rifle Corps cadets. Then much later in life got an air gun (Cometa and then a CZ) for pest control in my long garden. Enjoyed it so much and enjoyed eating the wood pigeons I shot, that my wife bought me clay shooting lessons as a present, I then got my SGC and my first shotgun and it's all taken off from there. Now have a couple of Berettas (o/u old S56E and a 391 semi-auto), a CZ .22 and a beautiful new Remington SPS .243.
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Thanks - unfortunately out of luck again. Two hours in the high seat leading up to dusk and not a sniff of a deer. But it's never wasted. Sat up there and listened to tawny owls screeching and the odd calls of the dormouse - lots of them around that wood as it is near Tring (quite a dormouse centre). At least I'd had a few hours at one of my permissions earlier - I managed to get two pheasants and two rabbits. The pheasants were on wheat stubble and made the mistake of not getting away when I was 60 yards off - they hunkered down low and waited for me to get within about 30 yards and th
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Damn right - been out last two weeks runing in Hampshire (near Winchester and then Andover). I've seen loads of roe does and kids some well within range but not a single buck. Off this Saturday for a stalk in Hertfordshire. Keep your fingers crossed for me - haven't fired my new Remmy 700 SPS at quarry yet, only in a quarry at a target!
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I get a lot of joggers and walkers on the three farms I shoot on in Herts. One is particularly bad and one day a copper and a community support officer turned up unannounced. I was in my hide 50 yards from the car - I could see them but they couldn't see me. My semi-auto was locked in the car with no ammo and I was in sight of it all the time. They had obviously een called out by a jogger or walker and gave me a hard time over the gun in the car, even though I was in reach of it and it was not unattended. They wasted 45 mins of my and their time before leaving me in peace. I now call in
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The cost can vary - if you have permission on a farm for shooting deer (as I have) then the farmer may not be really interested in what you shoot. I can take any deer I shoot. On another shooting area I have a land perm it to shoot there but pay £44 for an unaccmpanied shoot and then pay for the carcass (I've been told £40 for a roe and less for a muntie). With rabbit shooting, apply for a .22 rimfire. put in for a FAC with both .22 and .243 - that's what I did. I got both but with a mentor condition on the 243. Ensure that you have rights to shoot5 in airfield and that it has been c
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Hi Gez, I had 3 hour long lessons using a .22 at first and then concentrating on .243. I think because I'd already had a lot of air rifle experience, after the third lesson the tutor said I was easily good enough to shoot safely. A few weeks later I went on my first stalk and got two clean kills with my only 2 shots - one at about yards and one at 60. That stalker and Roger also tested my shooting on outdoor ranges (100m and 50m) and were happy to tell the police that I was pretty accurate and safe.
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Hi Luke, there are slightly less expensive ways of doing things. I took centrefire rifle lessons at a local range and the trainer there agreed the Firearms Officer could contact him to certify I was a reasonable shot and, more to the point, knew about gun safety. I already had pigeon/rabbit shooting permission on three farmers, so I asked the farmers if they would be willing to sign a letter agreeing to use of a rifle for rabbits/deer. After talking to the local firearms team, I drafted a letter which the main landowner signed for me. I then contacted a guy called Roger Buss (runs
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You're spot on Gez - it's the same plan I've put into effect. Took shooting lessons, have started learning deer stalking from a professional (who is now my mentor and is preparing me for DSC1). It's also the effective way of convincing your firearms officer that you are serious when it comes to getting your FAC. Mine only took three weeks from application because they said I'd done everything to ensure that I was safe and responsible. So I've got a FAC for .22 and .243. If you start your DSC, I'd apply for your FAC as soon as you have a booking. If you have some land to shoot over, get
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Just home made sloe gin (London dry gin, sugar and sloe berries left to mix - shaking every couple of days - for 3 months and then filtered), fresh sage leaves and rosemary with olive oil. Flatten venison as much as possible, cover with sloe gin and olive oil and mix in bruised herbs. leave for 24 hours and then cook slowly in oven, discarding marinade before cooking. I'll have the rabbits roasted slowly with masses of fresh herbs and olive oil plus a bit of worcester sauce and tabasco. Is sambar the Indian deer species?
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Thanks, I've got my FAC. Went out today with my new (but s/h) CZ .22 lr and zeroed it, thern got good clean head shot on a rabbit with first shot at live target. With my .243, I'll get my brand new remmy 700 sps next week. I have to have a series of accompanied stalks and kills with an accredited stalker and then the FEO will allow me to stalk unaccompanied.
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Excellent - just spoken to the firearms officer and I've been granted my FAC for .22 and .243! Hard copy should be in the post by the end of the week - be interested to see how they've worded the deer stalking/.243 aspect, as I was told a condition has been attached. I think it will be that I get mentoring and at least two more accredited/assessed kills before I can stalk unaccompanied. Already have a v nice .22 CZ being kept for me by my local gun shop - has a reasonable scope and a moderator and is only £100; and have ordered a new Remington 700 SPS .243 with a Leupold scope and a
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I've had a Urika 391 for about 4 months - got it ast a knockdown price of £550. Great gun - only had one recycling problem when I was using three different weights of cartridge at one go by mistake and it wouldn't load the third one. as soon as I realised and put three identical ones in, it was fine again.
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thanks remmy - and you'll be pleased to hear I shot them with a remmy!
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A huge high - roast venison for dinner tonight with a really heavy Argie red wine. Venison currently marinading in homemade sloe gin with homegrown herbs! Fixing another stalk for next week to get a few accredited kills to keep the firearms team happy about my level of experience if and when they give me my fac.
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Good man, excellent decision for all the right reasons. As dusty fox said, good things will come. You deserve it. more importantly, you've won the respect of true stalkers and hunters.
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I missed the blood and guts facial. Wouldn't want to spoil my fine complexion - us prop forwards have to maintain our good looks!!!
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An amazing day yesterday. I'm in the final stages of my FAC application - I've had the visit, supplied references and have been told I should be told on Monday whether I will get a cert for a .22 and .243. The inspection officer was very optimistic. As part of the support stuff for the application I've had a day's pre-DSC tuition and am arranging to do the DSC1 in stages. But I'd been offered the chance of a couple of accompanied stalks to prove shooting ability, safety in the field, knowledge of deer etc. I had the first stalk y'day in Suffolk with a v good keeper and firearms instr
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Ha, ha - neither of those. this one is an ex=para who has been in armed response units, royal bodyguard squad and then training police marksmen for the Met, also worked for the UN training close protection units in East Timor. Now a buildings inspector after retiring. Don't put up that extension or else!!!!!!!! Off to my gun dealer this morning who said he'll help me fill in the application - have agreement from owners of three farms (which have already been okayed for shooting by the local firearms officer) and two good, reliable referees. So I'll apply for a DSC1 place, get a new gun
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Thanks for all your replies. I'm very happy to do DSC1 and am rather looking forward to it. Trouble is I'm just changing job and probably can't do it before November or possibly even January. That of course means a big delay in getting my FAC. Have had a series of shooting lessons on .243 (which have gone v well) and have a former police firearms trainer as one of my references. So I hope they might hand it out on proof of a booking on DSC. Keeping my fingers crossed.
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I'm about to apply for my FAC for a .22 r/fire and a .243. The owners of my permissions are both happy to support my application for rabbits, foxes, munties and roe. I was interested in doing DSC1 anyway, but my shooting instructor (I've been taking rifle shooting lessons ahead of applying) said many police forces are now making it almost compulsory to pass or at least have proof of being booked on DSC1 before considering a FAC application seriously. It's not a requirement but I gather they delay and delay if you don't sign up for one and may even delay the granting of a FAC uintil you've
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Not sure I'd hunt lion - too rare and too magnificent. The one in the avatar, I photographed in Botswana two years ago. It had killed a porcupine but was suffering the consequences as it had a load of quills stuck in it.
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The oryx served rare was fantastic - as were the SA red wines and Namibian-German beer! Would recommend a trip to Heja.