accompanied deer stalks

[biffo 0]

can anyone reccomend a professional deer stalker or estate that can cater for a complete beginner? (not only have i not stalked before but never fired a fullbore rifle, only airguns & shotguns) preferably in the south east or east anglia.

[Gimli 0]

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 my 243 removed.

 

Try Roger and Nick - you have to go down to Winchester or up to Bury St Edmunds and it will cost you several hundred quid, but it's worth it and you'll learn a lot.

 

Good luck

[biffo 0]

cheers gimli i'll have to see how much money i can scrape together after christmas and get down to holland & holland

 

also its good to see the forums still alive

[Squirrel_Basher 17,102]

Although the various courses and the associated moneys spent are undoubtedly a bonus for getting started it is by no means the only way mate .Get to know a local stalker and spend time with him and hopefully you will learn the same if not more than paying the absurd prices now asked .There is no legal requirement for these courses in order to own a fullbore .Apply for your deer rife ,then tell the f.e. c you have a mentor .

[Guest Deerstalker]

Do it the way Foxdropper suggests got o be the way.Ask on here or other stalking sites to see if any one will mentor you. MOST OF THE LADS ARE WILLING TO HELP A NEW START

[njc110381 0]

I got Deer on my ticket via the mentor route. If you can find a local shooter who is willing to take you out then I feel that is a better way to go. You learn a lot more from practical experience than you will in a classroom and IMO you will become a better stalker faster this way.

 

You don't really have to have confirmed kills with a mentor to get the Deer on your FAC. If you can prove to your mentor that you can shoot accurately, and witness him shooting and processing the game then you know all you need to know to shoot them yourself!

 

Finding someone willing to let you help them carry their kills and open gates for them is a lot easier than finding someone willing to hand you their rifle on their permission, but you achieve the same thing regarding knowledge