grahamch Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 (edited) Another season done and gone. At this time of year l start to think is it time to call it a day? The ethics and morality of driven shooting of reared game is to me becoming more doubtful, another thread on here refers to wild chicken shooting. Is driven shooting not similar? So plan to give up on the game shooting but may continue to wildfowl or may well sell up and do something else. Maybe its an age thing, the older you get the less killing appeals? Edited February 1, 2020 by grahamch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 The thought that one day, I might feel like I don't want to shoot anymore scares me more than anything than any threat from the anti's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamch Posted February 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 18 minutes ago, Farmboy91 said: The thought that one day, I might feel like I don't want to shoot anymore scares me more than anything than any threat from the anti's. Quite agree and our so called representative organisations do little to silence them that we are privy to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 I’m more likely to get on the other bus than give up shooting, and that’s NOT going to happen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 7 minutes ago, grahamch said: Quite agree and our so called representative organisations do little to silence them that we are privy to. I suppose at the end of the day we've all got to do what we think is right for ourselves. But no, the lack of noise from the shooting orgs doesn't strike confidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 1, 2020 Report Share Posted February 1, 2020 47 minutes ago, London Best said: I’m more likely to get on the other bus than give up shooting, and that’s NOT going to happen! How quaint a turn of phrase, I've seen lots shooters get old and give up shooting live quarry. Spend more time fishing and putting them back. Some said I've shot enough game for my lifetime. A few still involved with shooting in beating line etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 6 hours ago, figgy said: Some said I've shot enough game for my lifetime. A few still involved with shooting in beating line etc. I have also seen this - and have some quite strong sympathies with the view myself. However, I greatly enjoyed my final day of the season yesterday in dry, bright and mild (if a bit windy) conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBerger Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 This is a really interesting thread, I have shot since I was a teenager, enjoy a day out with my syndicate so much, and can’t imagine not shooting. However oddly and inexplicably I have just bought a side by side with short barrels, had two walked up days firing a handful of ancient cartridges I recently purchased and somehow feel much more connected to the birds, the land and ultimately the killing side of our sport. I guess as long as you can justify shooting in your own mind, respect your quarry and make sure you either eat or ensure what you shoot gets eaten, then shooting is for you. I can equally see why some people stop and who can say we won’t all have a period of self reflection at some point in our lives and change how or what we shoot and even take up another hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkedUp Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 Regardless of whether each individual decides they are shot out I feel we all owe the next generation our effort in preserving fieldsports, even if you have put down the gun yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 After nearly 60 years of shooting from poaching in the 30s to shooting Grouse on Bolton Abbey my Grandad stopped actually firing the gun, but carried on keepering our little shoot, picking up 2 or 3 days a week and teaching me to shoot and fish. Goes to show it's not all about pulling the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WalkedUp Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamch Posted February 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, figgy said: How quaint a turn of phrase, I've seen lots shooters get old and give up shooting live quarry. Spend more time fishing and putting them back. Some said I've shot enough game for my lifetime. A few still involved with shooting in beating line etc. Am now in my late 50s and have shot since being 8 or 9. My ticket is also due for renewal in the autumn and l don't think l can be bothered with the hassle. Edited February 2, 2020 by grahamch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 A little older than I am, I wouldn't give up my ticket until I had it for five years and not bothered. Then I'd say let it lapse. Renew and wait and see, you might not bother for a season then get the enjoyment back. Go see and handle a 525 Wildfowler, might be just what you need. I found all my life if I wasn't in love with shooting I was fishing, soon as the season came around I was up for it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmboy91 Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 (edited) Having not being able to shoot for the last 8 months or so it's made me realise how much I really did enjoy it. Next to my little boy it was the biggest joy in life. I'd get home from work pretty much every night, take the hi-vis off and stick a cammo top on and be out on the perms till it was dark, whatever the time of year. Used to try and shoot clays with the missus at least once a month. God I miss it. Edited February 2, 2020 by Farmboy91 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VicW Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 I gave up game shooting when I could no longer come to terms with it but carried on beating and picking up. When my dog died suddenly from stroke I lost all interest in game shooting. Then I had to give up clay shooting after suffering from a back/shoulder injury. I miss the shooting, the friends I made and the banter so I did a bit of scoring but it's not the same. I'm a lot better off financially though! Vic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 If it’s a hobby I guess it’s not too difficult to give it up. For me it has been a way of life since I was eleven. It’s all I have. It’s what I do. I have been known to say, ‘I’m not bothered if I never shoot another one’, particularly with regard to deer or woodcock, or even duck. But I am going to keep on shooting the pheasants and partridges whilst ever I can. I am finding the larger deer are getting harder to deal with if I am on my own, so that may be the first thing I stop doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 As a young lad all I ever wanted was a rifle, and that was it, nothing else seemed to matter back then. However, I gave up my CF rifle a year or so ago , as I have no desire to trail all over the Lune and Eden Valleys' at stupid o'clock, lamping foxes, and I quite like foxes. Nor do I have any desire to shoot Roe anymore; shooting Roe is about as difficult as falling off a log and I grew bored of it. I would love my CF handguns back, and will bear a grudge over their banning for as long as I live, but wing shooting is my overwhelming desire, and I intend to do that for as long as I'm physically capable. Pheasant, partridge and pigeon shooting is an integral part of my life. I love the social aspect, the banter, the camaraderie of the guns and beaters, and ultimately the shooting. It forms a serious part of my mental health well being and happiness, and I don't want to imagine life without it. I would not be a very happy chappy at all if prevented from doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adzyvilla Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 My father, born into a farming and gamekeeping family, has shot since he was old enough to carry a 9mm garden gun to shoot the sparrows in the barns, is now 73. I had a very similar conversation with him just the other day, when after watching him and others of a similar age shoot on a beaters day, I asked what it is that motivates them to keep doing it. Turns out, the actual killing is so far down the list of reasons to do it, that's its almost an insignificant aspect. The cameraderie of a shared experience with like minded people, the joy of being out in the open air, amongst the wonders of nature, the thrill of the stalk, the field craft, the tension of the wait in the hide or the anticipation of crouching in a gutter on a desolate Marsh. Yes he said, the feeling of being cold and wet on a rubbish day, of failing eyesight, creaking limbs, sore feet, a bad back and not being as quick on the draw all make him question why he still does it, but the fire still burns brightly, and the desire is as strong as it was 60+ years ago when he first lifted a gun and felt the thrill of pulling the trigger. So while he is still able, he will continue to do so. A rabbit for the pot, a brace of pheasants for the neighbours, all a added bonus to everything else that goes with this wonderful pastime of ours. He might not go out as much as he used to, but each occasion is still a precious memory to be treasured, whether he be out on his own or amongst a shooting party. This year he is going to be buying a new gun for the first time in 40 years, trading in some of his tired guns for a new steel proofed gun should the lead ban render his side by sides obsolete. Certificate gets renewed later on in the summer, and he's showing no sign of losing interest. Long may he continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterHenry Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 2 hours ago, adzyvilla said: My father, born into a farming and gamekeeping family, has shot since he was old enough to carry a 9mm garden gun to shoot the sparrows in the barns, is now 73. I had a very similar conversation with him just the other day, when after watching him and others of a similar age shoot on a beaters day, I asked what it is that motivates them to keep doing it. Turns out, the actual killing is so far down the list of reasons to do it, that's its almost an insignificant aspect. The cameraderie of a shared experience with like minded people, the joy of being out in the open air, amongst the wonders of nature, the thrill of the stalk, the field craft, the tension of the wait in the hide or the anticipation of crouching in a gutter on a desolate Marsh. Yes he said, the feeling of being cold and wet on a rubbish day, of failing eyesight, creaking limbs, sore feet, a bad back and not being as quick on the draw all make him question why he still does it, but the fire still burns brightly, and the desire is as strong as it was 60+ years ago when he first lifted a gun and felt the thrill of pulling the trigger. So while he is still able, he will continue to do so. A rabbit for the pot, a brace of pheasants for the neighbours, all a added bonus to everything else that goes with this wonderful pastime of ours. He might not go out as much as he used to, but each occasion is still a precious memory to be treasured, whether he be out on his own or amongst a shooting party. This year he is going to be buying a new gun for the first time in 40 years, trading in some of his tired guns for a new steel proofed gun should the lead ban render his side by sides obsolete. Certificate gets renewed later on in the summer, and he's showing no sign of losing interest. Long may he continue. Fantastic - I know a couple of old boys like this - and it's how, now in my early 30's, I'd like to end up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted February 2, 2020 Report Share Posted February 2, 2020 4 hours ago, adzyvilla said: My father, born into a farming and gamekeeping family, has shot since he was old enough to carry a 9mm garden gun to shoot the sparrows in the barns, is now 73. I had a very similar conversation with him just the other day, when after watching him and others of a similar age shoot on a beaters day, I asked what it is that motivates them to keep doing it. Turns out, the actual killing is so far down the list of reasons to do it, that's its almost an insignificant aspect. The cameraderie of a shared experience with like minded people, the joy of being out in the open air, amongst the wonders of nature, the thrill of the stalk, the field craft, the tension of the wait in the hide or the anticipation of crouching in a gutter on a desolate Marsh. Yes he said, the feeling of being cold and wet on a rubbish day, of failing eyesight, creaking limbs, sore feet, a bad back and not being as quick on the draw all make him question why he still does it, but the fire still burns brightly, and the desire is as strong as it was 60+ years ago when he first lifted a gun and felt the thrill of pulling the trigger. So while he is still able, he will continue to do so. A rabbit for the pot, a brace of pheasants for the neighbours, all a added bonus to everything else that goes with this wonderful pastime of ours. He might not go out as much as he used to, but each occasion is still a precious memory to be treasured, whether he be out on his own or amongst a shooting party. This year he is going to be buying a new gun for the first time in 40 years, trading in some of his tired guns for a new steel proofed gun should the lead ban render his side by sides obsolete. Certificate gets renewed later on in the summer, and he's showing no sign of losing interest. Long may he continue. I am exactly the same age as your dad and living in the same county there might have been a time when our path crossed , we must be on the same wave length as my thoughts are identical , I still love everything attached to wild fowling , Pigeon shooting and game shooting , I was beating near Norwich last Saturday , had a couple of days rough shooting and three evening flights last week and Friday I was picking up and yesterday was our beaters day , I didn't want to stand on a peg so I was left to do my own thing all day , standing well back behind the guns with my dog and having the odd shot when one was missed , this suited me down to the ground , followed the shoot bus in my motor , plenty of time for a coffee , dog got several retrieves and I had a nice bit of shooting . I know at nearly 73 that what I do wont last for ever and then again neither will I so while I am still enjoying what I do and the body can keep it up then I will carry on as while am able to . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 18 hours ago, Scully said: I love the social aspect, the banter, the camaraderie of the guns and beaters, and ultimately the shooting. It forms a serious part of my mental health well being and happiness, and I don't want to imagine life without it I think this sums it up for alot of people. And it's one big thing antis and the like don't understand or get. Respect for the quarry and this are two big parts of a days shooting and if the trigger does not get pulled I've still had a great day out with friends. Some of which I'd never of met if it was not for shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 50 minutes ago, ShootingEgg said: I think this sums it up for alot of people. And it's one big thing antis and the like don't understand or get. Respect for the quarry and this are two big parts of a days shooting and if the trigger does not get pulled I've still had a great day out with friends. Some of which I'd never of met if it was not for shooting. Yup 100% The friends I’ve gained from shooting it’s amazing. Talk to most of them daily . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted February 3, 2020 Report Share Posted February 3, 2020 I don’t think that I actually have any non-shooting friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perazzishot Posted February 5, 2020 Report Share Posted February 5, 2020 (edited) Now I have had a few blips over my near 40 years shooting, the biggest when I left keepering never touched a gun for nearly 5 years! i came back slowly but over the years got better at driven shooting and better, felt a little remorse middlleing stuff with a 12g and got averages down to 1.2:1 what was the point of killing stuff. Dropped down to 20g and over 3 seasons and got the averages on normal pheasants to the same, I remember standing on a peg shooting 6 Jays for 6 shots and saying I didn't enjoy it, asking shoots if I could stand down a hill from my peg. Teams no longer wanting to shoot with me! Again I was ready to walk away. i moved on to driven grouse, they started off testing up here in Scotland but expensive but they had me hooked again they could beat me they were fast, exciting proper testing I was hooked got good with the 12 and moved to the 20 again. Then was the day I stood in a Gill on a very famous Yorkshire moor having paid a fortune and I shot 27 for 29 shots! I said after that day I would not shoot English grouse again. I found extreme pheasants after that and this is the only game shooting that now gives me any desire to go wing shooting besides South Africa. Some days this season with wind, height, slide, curl, ascent or descent have done me 12:1 on some drives 3:1 on others! The buzz you get killing an impossible bird lasts and I have so many from this season and previous seasons it is what keeps me going! Clays are still a big part of my summer season, where I have no major issues with sporting clays in hitting them my biggest issue is concentration and this again has made me question if I want to continue, throwing place and card away on last pairs is unbeleivably frustrating and if I don't fix it this season I honestly believe it will be my last season on the clay circuit! A decent boat and serious sea fishing has always been a itch needing scratched! Boar shooting last year for the 1st time was amazing and shooting a full speed boar at 75 yards with a single bullet was a real buzz! I think the moment any hobby loses the pleasure it was meant to deliver it is time to look at how you can add the pleasure or move on! Edited February 5, 2020 by Perazzishot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted February 5, 2020 Report Share Posted February 5, 2020 Love this thread. Started shooting a shotgun at about 15 and it was all I ever wanted to do. Fell in love with fowling at twenty and that remains my first love. Just shooting regular driven game as I did for many years running my own shoot just doesn’t do it any more. I much prefer to work my labs three days a week than shoot. My shooting is now either fowling or occasionally shooting percussion guns with a team of similarly minded nutcases. Even wildfowling I put the gun down and observe on occasion rather than kill anything. Doubt I will ever really stop shooting but it has to be something a little different for example geese in Canada this season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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