What's to fear?

[Saltings]

2 hours ago, Teal said:

A while back I came across a lot of Moorland Groups on Facebook, they were putting out a lot of photos and updates educating people about management and the positive impact on wildlife, and some great photos of nests and newly hatched chicks. People were sharing the heck out of them.

They were trying to be smeared by some, who said they were run by gamekeepers wives. Whether that's true or not I don't know, and I doubt to many it would matter.

Clarissa and the Countryman used to do quite a good job of telling people about the goings on in the countryside, and I rather suspect that there is a gap. But media has changed, and TV isn't what it was.

If there was some more good research and positive stories that could be published and shared online, I'm sure your members and the general public would help get the word out, if it was well presented.

Fighting WJ (or whoever else) is a battle that can't be won as their minds are fixed. It would be better to focus on the vast middle ground of open minds, with people who are prepared to look at things with fresh eyes.

In another vein, Aldi recently had Scottish wild venison steaks. Would be great if rather than just a few plucked birds in Sainsbury or waitrose, there could be game burgers or pie accessible as a healthy good value option in a bigger chain. 

An easy cooking option open to new consumers. You are in a good position to pitch to supermarkets, and then within the membership can make it happen. Why not find an engaging chef and crowd fund a small kitchen, choose a product such as sausages, burgers and pies that could deliver this. Make it happen.

Heck there could even be a competition on the packet to win a clay shooting lesson, game fair tickets etc.

well said👍

[islandgun]

5 hours ago, Zapp said:

Really good.  In my opinion a lot of the problems we face are a result of the cognitive dissonance over where meat comes from.  Following WW2 and rationing, I believe people have progressively lost touch with where meat comes from and the implications of eating it.

This has led (again in my opinion) to a situation where most dont want to face the facts about eating meat, and project their guilt about intenisvely reared animals and the massive, intangible industry farming them, onto much more tangible things like the syndicate shoot passing 50 brace to a game dealer, or the pigeon shooter's spoils,  or a wildfowler bringing home a few mallard.

It is small scale and therefore comprehensible to people who just dont think about it, which is why it is easy to attack.  Where would you even start in trying to unpick the mass production of meat?  That IMO leads to the laziness we see whereby consumers of turkey twizzlers man the barricades to stop the procurement and use of truly wild food.  I know people who will eat cheap sausages but who would feel insulted if presented with a roasted pheasant.

It is this dissonance in my view which is the pivotal issue that should be tackled.  Anything that makes people face the willing ignorance of supporting intensively farmed meat whist attacking other means of harvesting the same has to be central to any future strategy.

I raised this point on the avery blog, and at one time had more likes than dislikes, probably changed now, but one or two said they were good points. 

lets get the ball rolling with Conor and make suggestions. zapp has said we could have a dedicated thread ! 

[Old farrier]

It’s time for another 

jack hardgreeves  we need to get a media ambassador 

 

[ShootingEgg]

7 hours ago, Teal said:

Fighting WJ (or whoever else) is a battle that can't be won as their minds are fixed. It would be better to focus on the vast middle ground of open minds, with people who are prepared to look at things with fresh eyes.

This is one point I raised in a message to Conor, and you are bang on teal, focus on people who are prepared to listen and not have a bias one track mind. 

[islandgun]

50 minutes ago, ShootingEgg said:

This is one point I raised in a message to Conor, and you are bang on teal, focus on people who are prepared to listen and not have a bias one track mind. 

Agreed, and we also need to discredit any extremist lies/points whenever possible, so that rational people can make their own decisions. Its very easy to sway people into believing that they are saving the world and then get them to donate £10 towards crowd funding. much harder to persuade them that shooting might just benefit other wildlife 

[ShootingEgg]

8 hours ago, islandgun said:

Agreed, and we also need to discredit any extremist lies/points whenever possible, so that rational people can make their own decisions. Its very easy to sway people into believing that they are saving the world and then get them to donate £10 towards crowd funding. much harder to persuade them that shooting might just benefit other wildlife 

Spot on, yesterday this morning had racheal Carrie on talking about eating what she hunts, she was a vegetarian until she started rabbit hunting with her dad, she puts her views across well and doesn't get annoyed if challenged. Then a woman was on about Gulls, and Packham was saying his usual about Gulls don't attack etc, she was spoken over at every opportunity.. She triedtto say about the dog being taken from the garden and he just laughed it off and rubbished it.. 

[KB1]

19 hours ago, Conor O'Gorman said:

Because I think that is the most immediate policy issue as it affects all gun owners in England, Wales and Scotland. Did you have anything else in mind?

Probably me just being a bit ignorant here, but I thought we were on about combating the media 'war' emerging, and I when I read your post I couldn't quite get the direct link as to why that needed to be the starting point……..?  I'm happy to be educated on this though😘

[ShootingEgg]

54 minutes ago, KB1 said:

Probably me just being a bit ignorant here, but I thought we were on about combating the media 'war' emerging, and I when I read your post I couldn't quite get the direct link as to why that needed to be the starting point……..?  I'm happy to be educated on this though😘

It is currently the main the thing being consulted about by govt. So probably more important that WJ and the antis that we can't and will not change their minds, so probably best to sort out things like that consultation so we can actually carry on as normal rather than more restrictions or a perminant fee for a damn note from a Dr that some of us have not seen in years! 

Edited July 27, 2019 by ShootingEgg

[islandgun]

1 hour ago, ShootingEgg said:

Spot on, yesterday this morning had racheal Carrie on talking about eating what she hunts, she was a vegetarian until she started rabbit hunting with her dad, she puts her views across well and doesn't get annoyed if challenged. Then a woman was on about Gulls, and Packham was saying his usual about Gulls don't attack etc, she was spoken over at every opportunity.. She triedtto say about the dog being taken from the garden and he just laughed it off and rubbished it.. 

Pachams an arrogant little ++++ it goes with the over inflated ego.  Hopefully the public  will see him for what he is 

[Lord v]

Shooting has a PR problem. It has no positive PR at all. 

This year I have been to both the Bath and West Show and the Mid Devon show. Given the clientele at both most likely largely pro shooting but a lot of Jo public to engage with and get a positive message out there. 

Guess how many shooting related stalls at each? Even clays?

 

 

Yeah.wrong.

 

BASC were at Bath and West

I saw the  devon wildfowlers at mid devon. 

Oh and the Devon gun dog club (cracking dogs there if any members are on here.) 

That's it. 

Not one gun shop (I admit it's the game fair this weekend, but there are tons of gun shops down here). 

Not one cartridge supplier 

No CPSA

No clay clubs

No field sports suppliers (other than clothing) 

Shooting has very little public face. No wonder people can blatantly lie about it with impunity.