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Ever get bored of shooting?


wildfowler.250
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Yes, not regularly but certainly more than once.

Unlike some (it would seem at least) it isn't my only hobby, tbh I have plenty and shooting is just one of them - so if I get a bit bored I just jump onto one of the others for a bit or mix it up.

The one thing you shouldn't do unless the boredom really becomes long term is sell up - IMO.

 

+1, I am exactly the same, I find having other hobbies does stop you from wanting to stop any of them.

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Cheers for all the replies! Interesting to read all the opinions and see that some people have had similar thoughts.

 

Having had a think about it I've come to the following conclusion:

 

1) not to sell up. As has been said it's easier to give a good clean and lock away.

 

2) Try and go lamping more. I've pretty much exhausted the shotguns from .410 to 10 bore

 

3) I think I will take someone new out. Got a couple of friends who would be keen and I'm confident I could get them under a goose or duck.

 

I do quite a lot with the dogs as well and truth be told shooting wouldn't be the same without them.

 

 

Thanks again for all the helpful replies!

PS I've been more keen to try the sea fishing so maybe that's another avenue I should explore more.

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I started when I was about 9, and was an airgun hunting fanatic until I was 16 years old, where going out and other things became my priority. Had a 5 year hiatus, but applied for my FAC and shotgun when we started having some trouble with foxes. Now I have around 2500 acres of permission, a lot of which I haven't even walked on yet. I always used to go out on my own, but now I know how much more enjoyable it is to shoot with someone. I tend to go through phases and fads, but at least my guns are always there, and I can always fit in a night's shooting, even if it's not my main hobby.

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Bored of shooting? Not likely for me. The fact I only get 5 days fowling a year means every trip is cherished and looked forward to. Like most I drifted away after university and spent time fishing but with the kids turning up, a few hours out with a shotgun was always a better bet for a release from the world than sat on the bank surrounded by tanglers . Since my return to shooting I have always kept a diary of ech and every trip and while some may find it boring I can recall days out like when my mate and I got stuck in the mud outside Dingwall. The fact he was wearing clown waders made of neoprene 2 sizes to big with felt soles is a lesson to all. Never assume that the guy you take out for the first time has got the right kit.

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I with you on this one Wildfowler. Like yourself I started at an early age, 8 years old with a .410 investam and have shot for the past 27 years as well as fished for the same length of time. The way I've kept things interesting is to keep things fresh by either starting a new discipline, from ferreting to wildfowling, I've been a keeper on a diy shoot. My main drive though is to protect our sport and I believe it is the responsibility of everyone involved to promote and protect field sports for future generations. I have introduced a lot of friends and family to shooting, fishing and falconry and many have continued with the sports to this day.

 

In the past I've put the shotgun away for the season and worked my dogs instead of shooting, I still enjoyed the season as much as any other. For me it's not the pulling the trigger that I enjoy as much as just being in a setting where I have the opportunity to possibly pull the trigger and if I don't than hey hoe.

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Nope, all day every day if I could

 

 

I killed my first rabbit with a shotgun at 10, do enough of it and you become a pretty tidy shot, you know that anything within 30 yards you can kill with a shotgun, then you ask yourself where is the challenge in that. As I got older I needed the challenge of harder more sporting birds.

 

When shooting 20+ driven pheasant days a year I did not miss many after a couple of days. Now when its a challenge with a decent wind then lets go, I shot some superb downwind curling high pheasants on one drive last January, picked up 13, none closer than 50 yards behind me, remember every one. Missed two, among most of my friends I am no better than an average shot. Most of them are out every weekend shooting clays at A, AA and in one case international standard. That would bore me to death.

 

I am drifting into photography and model railways at present, some of my spare and backup guns I may well sell as they dont get much work. Think I have used my AYA number 2 that I bought new in 1978 less than a hand full of days in the last 20 years, only fired about 1500 from new. Used my 687 most of the time.

A

Edited by Alycidon
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I haven't been shooting as long as the OP so time will tell, but for now, I can honestly say that I have never been bored with a gun in my hand. I love to shoot clays or pigeons. The weather never puts me off wanting to go out and shoot.

 

If the weathers really bad I might go and shoot my air pistol (on reduced power) in the loft.

 

I even love cleaning them after.

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No I can honestly say I have never been bored with shooting and have never considered packing it in, times do change with age , I do enough to still enjoy it and once the enjoyment goes that is the time to call it a day. I carry on shooting pigeons in September and give the duck a miss till October at least, then I go into wildfowling mode and give the pigeons a rest and with a bit of game shooting , beating , picking up and generally being involved in two shoots keep you looking forward to something , although being retired , no young family commitments , having access to quite a bit of shooting and most of it on your doorstep do make a difference but when I had to work and earn enough to pay the bills I still found time to go shooting and if I couldn't find time I made sure I made enough time , but in your case if you need a break have a break its no good forcing yourself to do something your no longer keen on doing and who knows after a break you will be able to make up your mind one way or the other.

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know how you feel.....

 

For the last few years we have been skint so alot of my hobbies have taken a back burner as had to deal with household bills...Now things are not too bad but still did not have the get up and go to get out there shooting or fishing as not keen going on my own.....

Had yesterday off work and went fishing on Monday so thought would get out shooting and had a great time....only went for a few hours but ended up with 17 for 49 shots...not bad since not picked up a shotgun for over 6 months ...kinda woke me up again

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know how you feel.....

 

For the last few years we have been skint so alot of my hobbies have taken a back burner as had to deal with household bills...Now things are not too bad but still did not have the get up and go to get out there shooting or fishing as not keen going on my own.....

Had yesterday off work and went fishing on Monday so thought would get out shooting and had a great time....only went for a few hours but ended up with 17 for 49 shots...not bad since not picked up a shotgun for over 6 months ...kinda woke me up again

Sometimes you just need to give yourself a kick up the backside. :good: Hopefully you have switched on the right buttons and start to carry on and enjoy what you actually go to work for, :yes:

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One of my best friends said a few months ago that I was a hobby maniac and a retailers dream as I get involved in yet another hobby buy all the gear and then get bored with it, but he pointed out 'except shooting' which I was heavy into before I met him 40 years ago and still am. I have tried many hobbies, you name it I have probably dabbled but have been consistent with my passion for shooting, specifically wildfowling. I don't go out with a gun everyday but usually once or twice a week. Now I concentrate on bringing new people into the sport and I get a lot of pleasure from this. I'm out on the farms most days and love the whole scene. I don't need to take a gun myself just arranging and organising for others I find very rewarding.

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I agree with a lot of what your saying " birdsallpl " , to enjoy shooting you have to like and take a interest in every thing that goes on in the area where you spend your time with a gun , say if you are pigeon shooting on average you can spend more time looking than you do shooting , but I find it enjoyable riding round and walking my dog round the different fields watching the different wildlife and so on and then hopefully finding a few to produce a days shooting. Same as wildfowling I do go up the estuary where I live more or less every morning with my dog and a pair of binoculars and I never get bored with it as there is always something of interest to see , maybe a seal in the river , more Widgeon arriving each day and watching out for the first signs of the Pinks in the sky , I could take my gun out each day but I get as much pleasure looking around now as I do shooting and watching and observing your quarry will make a difference when you do take your gun.

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One of my best friends said a few months ago that I was a hobby maniac and a retailers dream as I get involved in yet another hobby buy all the gear and then get bored with it, but he pointed out 'except shooting' which I was heavy into before I met him 40 years ago and still am. I have tried many hobbies, you name it I have probably dabbled but have been consistent with my passion for shooting, specifically wildfowling. I don't go out with a gun everyday but usually once or twice a week. Now I concentrate on bringing new people into the sport and I get a lot of pleasure from this. I'm out on the farms most days and love the whole scene. I don't need to take a gun myself just arranging and organising for others I find very rewarding.

This made me smile. Work with a bloke now and then who gets passionately involved with anything he finds interesting for a while, and becomes very knowledgeable on the subject in the process. In the past he has collected, and then given away or sold many cameras. Then he took an interest in collecting very very expensive Japanese made knives, and then it was mono biking. Currently, at the age of 61, he is covering himself in tattoos after having had none previously.

He has also been heavily into climbing in the past ( nephew is Leo Holding ) and canoeing. His house is literally covered in the items ( no longer used ) of his previous obsessions.

His one constant passion however, is his motorcycles.

My passions are my painting and shooting. If I'm not doing one I'm doing the other, and often thinking about one while doing the other. I never ever get bored of either, but once had to pack in shooting and sell all but one of my guns due to a family crisis at the time, but had no intention of it being long term.

I get almost just as much pleasure in beating, but on our own shoots I definitely get just as much pleasure beating for those who don't get the opportunity as much as me, watching them enjoying themselves when they down something and giving the obligatory 'stick' when they don't. I can't imagine a life without shooting; it would be my idea of a living hell.

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