Conor O'Gorman

BASC update: https://basc.org.uk/basc-warns-against-fee-increase-without-licensing-reform/

Yes we are and updates will follow.

Two young competitive shooters, Courtney Palmer-Jones and Bethany Norton, have been selected as recipients of the BASC Legacy Sponsorship Awards for 2024. This programme provides support and funding to help young people pursue a competitive career in clay or target shooting. https://basc.org.uk/olympic-hopefuls-awarded-basc-legacy-sponsorships/

A BASC overview has been published and is here: https://basc.org.uk/moving-away-from-lead-the-next-stage/

The following is text from an article in Shooting Times, with web-links added, that may be of interest to some forum members. BASC members can access a range of affordable opportunities for live quarry and target shooting around the UK. A common complaint on social media is shooters bemoaning the lack of opportunities to go shooting. For sure, permissions for thousands of acres of shooting obtained from a knock on a door and paid for with a bottle of whisky are an unrealistic expectation these days, but if you are a BASC member a visit to our website could prove time well spent. Wildfowling There was a time when getting into a wildfowling club was dead man’s shoes territory. But most clubs have some member vacancies these days, so check out those in your area and see what is involved in joining them. But what if you don’t know whether the pursuit of wildfowl in wild places is really for you? In that case click here for the wildfowling permit and handbook and you will find opportunities offered by BASC-affiliated clubs, local authorities and other organisations dotted along the entire UK coastline. Most experiences are guided by existing club members to ensure participants have the best possible introduction to wildfowling and will always remain safe. Permits might be for a flight, a day or a week. The cost is modest, around £25, for many of these amazing adventures. Deerstalking BASC offers three deerstalking schemes in England and one in Northern Ireland. The schemes have been developed to provide a variety of different stalking opportunities for members who wish to take up the sport, and to provide those with limited access to stalking with the opportunity to gain practical experience and increase their knowledge. The Bowland stalking scheme in Lancashire is predominantly populated with sika and roe deer and the ground is a mix of farmland and wooded areas, with some spectacular views across the River Ribble. The East of England scheme is run by Deer Game and Vermin Management on behalf of BASC and operates on several estates around its headquarters at Chippenham near Newmarket. The locations have a good population of fallow, roe, muntjac and Chinese water deer. The Hampshire scheme is on a large sporting estate in the south of the county with decent numbers of roe and some muntjac. The ground is a mixture of semi-natural ancient woodland, flower-rich meadows and arable fields surrounded by thick hedgerows. In Northern Ireland, there are opportunities to stalk sika on the Baronscourt Estate, which is a mixture of spruce woodland and undulating farmland and scrubland. There are various terms and conditions for each scheme, with costs per outing between £100 to £200 — a very reasonable outlay for some unique experiences. Other live quarry BASC offers one-day shooting and management courses for grey squirrel — usually geared towards young Shots — and woodpigeon at various locations around the UK. There are also introductions to wildfowling days. These events quickly sell out when they go live so do regularly visit the BASC events area of our website. In Northern Ireland you can register for the joint BASC/Ulster Farmers’ Union Pest Control Scheme, whereupon you may be contacted by local farmers needing your help — and gaining you various great shooting experiences. Target shooting BASC members can book on range days at the National Shooting Centre at Bisley and at several sites in Northern Ireland, subject to terms and conditions. The Bisley range days give participants the chance to shoot both static targets and running boar/deer targets with .22 rimfire and centrefire rifles, with the additional option of handguns on Northern Ireland range days. BASC is rolling out more sites across Britain for range days in 2025. There are also ongoing events for airguns and clay shooting, all bookable via the events area of our website.

I experiment a lot with recipes for fish and meat dishes from books and online but I am not yet a fan of cooking videos. However this one caught my attention and is maybe worth a look? Christmas perry partridges with pears and spiced red cabbage Loin of venison wellington, wild mushroom, truffle and Parma ham Sloe gin pot-roasted pheasant with chestnut, sage and pancetta stuffing The recipes can be read in the link below and there is a video link further below. https://basc.org.uk/a-game-christmas-with-rachel-green/

Gloucestershire Constabulary has confirmed that further steps are being taken to address its ongoing licensing issues, following a key meeting with BASC. Encouraging signs, but work remains. Click here for a letter from the Constabulary: https://basc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/RO-JF091224MP.pdf Click here for more details: https://basc.org.uk/gloucestershire-firearms-licensing-encouraging-signs-but-work-remains/

Why are you criticising the NGO for providing free training to the police in a thread about BASC providing free training to the police? Would it not be more effective to contact the NGO directly with your views given that NGO staff do not post or engage with members on this forum?

Was it a waste of your money?

Was this a waste of your money?

Thanks. Yes, on an ongoing basis not only on firearms licensing but many other topics relating to recreational shooting and the countryside. For example, last year, BASC hosted more than 100 police officers, council rangers and other staff for a training day covering wildlife management, firearms law and shooting sports. Attendees came from across the East of England to take part in the event at Hanningfield in Essex. Organised by BASC and Essex Police’s rural crime team, the event brought together a range of expertise on wildlife and firearms legislation. Attendees listened to several talks from BASC, the Environment Agency, Bird Aware Essex and the Angling Trust, and got to try airgunning. https://basc.org.uk/basc-delivers-police-training-on-firearms-law-and-wildlife-management/

If the NGO were to do police training free of charge would you regard that as giving your money away?

Thanks, why are you concerned about BASC providing training to the police?

BASC provides training for firearms licensing departments free of charge. This is because it is in BASC members’ interest that the police are as well informed as possible when making licensing decisions. It also fosters good relationships and encourages partnership working where we are regarded as a ‘critical friend’ rather than part of a ‘gun lobby'. A mandatory College of Policing training course is being rolled out over the next two years in England & Wales and firearms licensing staff in every police force will undergo the new training. That training course is being supported by a one-day awareness session delivered under the umbrella organisation of the British Shooting Sports Council (BSSC). All BSSC members wish to support police training as it provides a clear member benefit. BSSC includes all shooting organisations both live quarry and target. Which shooting organisation are you a member of?

BASC hosted 20 members of Police Scotland’s firearms licensing team last week as part of an ongoing commitment to provide training support for the force. The two-day program provided participants with an in-depth understanding of key topics related to firearms and shooting, reinforcing the strong working relationship between BASC and Police Scotland. These two sessions marked the fifth and sixth CPD days that BASC has delivered for Police Scotland this year, underlining the ongoing commitment to professional development and cooperation. More details here: https://basc.org.uk/basc-continues-to-support-police-scotland-through-training/