How can shooters change attitudes..........

[bikemad24]

there are four people in my work with fac, all hunt. there is also a few anti hunt people so lunch times can get a bit heated. my boss keeps chickens and they sometimes wonder around the truck yard, a fox got 15 of them this spring and it was probably the best thing that could of happened. the antis soon changed there minds there were dead chickens everywhere. They were actually quite pleased when the fox was caught and dispatched.

[timmy1146]

By not allowing the media and leftist government officials to carry on brainwashing people into thinking all gun owners are suicidle child killers who are hell bent on going on shooting sprees and that guns are evil objects.

All people see in the papers are shootings in the US which surprisingly enough all happen in "gun free zones", and they get the image in their head that restricting people's access to guns must be a good idea because it stops these kind of atrocities, we all know it doesn't.

 

The media here really loves to make a big deal about anything to do with gun crime that involves legally held guns. We never here about the shootings that happen every day in the cities because this would show that current gun laws are completely ineffective. The media always tries to push the idea that law abiding gun ownership should be reduced and further restrictive laws are good. I think it was the daily mail who did a big article on "military assault weapons" still being available in the UK to civilians and likening them to the AR-15 that wasn't used in the Newtown massacre (the media said he used an ar15, he didn't). The rifles turned out to be the new .22 mp5's, AK style .22's and the .22 scar which of course were described as "high powered rifles".

 

I think a big part of the fact gun rights have been eroded, apart from the above, is because the shooting community has allowed it to happen. For example air rifle shooters have no care is shotguns were banned just like shotgun shooters wouldn't care if semi auto .22's were banned. The wider shooting community has never stuck together and spoke up, as a result the media is free to brand us all as maniacs who are planning the next gun massacre and if all people see is "guns are bad" printed on a paper with zero counter arguments against it then the people are going to believe it. This then allows the government to put further restrictions on the sport.

 

A good way to get people away from this mind set is to advertise! Every discipline of the sport should be welcoming everyone and encouraging people to join their clubs and get their own licenses. Open days should be held at clubs and ranges, the shooting community should be encouraging younger people to have a go, only reason I got into shooting in the UK was because of a "have a go day" at a clay club. The NRA should stop being managed by people who seem to like there ranges to be exclusionary and secluded, they should make it cheaper and easier for people to become members and shoot on their ranges (they wonder why people think rifle shooting is for rich toff's, the NRA's probationary fee's are ridiculous)

They need to ask themselves,

when they are gone who is left to carry on the sport?

[12boreblue]

I think the best place to start is schools, and teaching kids where our meat comes from and what happens to get it on the plate. I for one was taught nothing about nature at school, except a bit on trees and flowers. Another thing is to make shooting more accessible and cheaper. For instance every shooting schoo/clubl should promote 'colt' days or parent and child days, and put clays on to suit the younger ones. The CPSA could do a lot more to help in this area. Another bug bear of mine is the pheasant shoots, lets be honest the cost is prohibitive for a lot of us, minimum walk up day is £100+ and then many charge £20 per bird if you hit the given target. I know many will say that the cost of running a shoot is expensive and I am aware of that. But if you want the public to understand then they need to be involved, either directly or indirectly. To this day a large majority of joe public still believe that shooting is for the 'upper class' and that in itself is a reason many oppose it. I took the time to teach my kids on the subject of how meat is produced on farms and how some of us hunt the wild animals and prepare meat ourselves. Both my kids have no quarms helping me gut a pheasant, skin a rabbit, or crown a pigeon. Perhaps it's that we need to get back to? And finally ban all supermarkets!!!!!

[Flashman]

It depends on where you live.

 

It's obvious, but the trouble-makers live around towns & cities. Meat comes from supermarkets in plastic trays: there is no connection to blood, guts, slaughter, etc. Move to the country and the problem mainly disappears. There will always be country-dwellers who disapprove of driven shooting, fox hunting and the like, but the vast majority accept the premise of shooting.

 

The Antis, who are the vocal minority, will never be convinced and are best avoided. The likes of BASC & CA should focus on lobbying the Home Office to take more action against the the LACS of this world, particularly when they advocate violence and harassment against hunts and shoots.

[Dangerous Brian]

I think the best place to start is schools, and teaching kids where our meat comes from and what happens to get it on the plate. I for one was taught nothing about nature at school, except a bit on trees and flowers. Another thing is to make shooting more accessible and cheaper. For instance every shooting schoo/clubl should promote 'colt' days or parent and child days, and put clays on to suit the younger ones. The CPSA could do a lot more to help in this area. Another bug bear of mine is the pheasant shoots, lets be honest the cost is prohibitive for a lot of us, minimum walk up day is £100+ and then many charge £20 per bird if you hit the given target. I know many will say that the cost of running a shoot is expensive and I am aware of that. But if you want the public to understand then they need to be involved, either directly or indirectly. To this day a large majority of joe public still believe that shooting is for the 'upper class' and that in itself is a reason many oppose it. I took the time to teach my kids on the subject of how meat is produced on farms and how some of us hunt the wild animals and prepare meat ourselves. Both my kids have no quarms helping me gut a pheasant, skin a rabbit, or crown a pigeon. Perhaps it's that we need to get back to? And finally ban all supermarkets!!!!!

The Colt day would be a very good first step but doesn't relly get to grips with the connection/ contrast of eating meat that has been shot and meat that walked through a slaughter house. You have a bug bear with pheasant shoots; I am probably not reading into it quite right but is that because you are priced out of it or another reason? For the keen up and coming shot there is nothing to stop them getting onto the beating line whilst they develop their shooting skill on the clay ground. This way they get to see a wider picture and (if all conditions are favourable) there might be an invite to a beaters day at the end of the season. Taking your thought on CPSA getting involved for Colt days (clay) there might be scope for a similar thing with BASC and any sympathetic game shoots they could team up with and extend the Young shots initative. Not sure how feasible it all is, but it would be nice to see.

[Sha Bu Le]

What's the betting that had you have said something along the lines of 'in that case I'd have had to defend myself,with a gun if necessary' he'd have been straight on the blower to plod telling them how you'd just threatened to shoot him!

 

Regards Remmyman

 

Very true Remmyman, pardon the pun but never give any of these types ammunition.

[Nial]

We can also point out that incidents like this....

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/10380269/Two-teenage-girls-killed-after-car-hits-deer.html

 

....would be much more common if volunteers weren't culling the deer population.

 

 

 

Nial.

[12boreblue]

The Colt day would be a very good first step but doesn't relly get to grips with the connection/ contrast of eating meat that has been shot and meat that walked through a slaughter house. You have a bug bear with pheasant shoots; I am probably not reading into it quite right but is that because you are priced out of it or another reason? For the keen up and coming shot there is nothing to stop them getting onto the beating line whilst they develop their shooting skill on the clay ground. This way they get to see a wider picture and (if all conditions are favourable) there might be an invite to a beaters day at the end of the season. Taking your thought on CPSA getting involved for Colt days (clay) there might be scope for a similar thing with BASC and any sympathetic game shoots they could team up with and extend the Young shots initative. Not sure how feasible it all is, but it would be nice to see.

My bug bear is in the fact that many of them seem to relish in the old 'posh boy' traditions, and have an aura of the 'upper class' about them. My point was that many are still to expensive for the average shooter, and many still, are selective in who may shoot. Some still to this day will only allow side by sides to be shot, which of course is there prerogative, but does nothing but fuel the anti's propaganda machine. I have been on many walk up days, and once was a gun on a small private shoot. Which sadly packed up because too many felt the need to act like 'lords of the manor' and the rest of us did not renew our membership. I have also spent days beating and thoroughly enjoyed myself and made new friends. I would love to walk down my high street and see the pheasants and rabbits hanging in the window, just like it was when I was a kid, but we all know that the passers by would now puke up instead puchasing, and the butcher would be proabably stoned to death!!!

[fenboy]

I think it would be very difficult to change the attitude of non shooters when we so obviousley have so much to do to keep our own house in order.

 

even on here there has been a number of posts / pictures by so called sportsmen that I and plenty of others find sickening.

I am affraid while our sport contains some of these people we are fighting a losing battle , sad but true.

[kent]

So the challenge is - how can shooters (gun owners) change the attitudes of ordinary people to our sport?

 

I am tired of average joe being against shooters as their default position on hunting or even owning guns.

 

What actions are going to make a positive difference? Yes, there is some charity work but hardly anyone knows about that.

 

What ideas? Or is it a battle we cannot win?

Feed them (yes oven ready or cook for them) and act positively on conservation of non quarry species. I was so glad the other year when someone said on meeting me "oh your the guy, who is into looking after the birds and such" Well aware I did so via killing foxes and crows and the like in the main part. Our local postman is into wildlife photography and we have many a chat on what is were etc. Hiding it all away in secret is bad news, looks likebwe have something to hide IMO

[Dangerous Brian]

My bug bear is in the fact that many of them seem to relish in the old 'posh boy' traditions, and have an aura of the 'upper class' about them.

Thought so. Nothing wrong with a bit of tradition, though the upper class aura can go a bit far in some cases I'll agree. Not all game shoots are the same and if there are enough like minded individuals there is nothing to stop someone setting up their own and banning tweed and sbs if they want. That is the last I am going to do on this bit of the debate as I don't want to derail the thread any further. Many shoots are expensive no doubt but I would say shooting (shotgun) in general can get a bit pricey. After forking out for the basic kit for a bit of clay bashing you are still looking at twenty odd quid for a round plus about the same again in shells very roughly. If you could get CPSA, BASC and anyone else to subsidise this then that would be a great.

 

Rabbits and Pheasants hanging up....that would be great to see again.

[norfolk dumpling]

I work with an anti (a rather overweight, unhappy lass who seems to survive on Red Bull and 40 a day) in a driving job where occasionally (as rarely as possible if I can manage it) I'm stuck with her for several hours at a time. Painful thought this can be during the season our travels around Norfolk/Suffolk usually means passing a shoot or two - you can feel the tension especially if I'm driving and we slow down or stop for a look. Priceless.

[deaquire]

Change people's attitude by educating them. Only through education can you ever expect to change anybody's viewpoint.

 

If people eat meat, they should sure as hell be forced to learn the process of land management - otherwise it's the darkest form of hypocrisy I can imagine.