jntree Posted September 6, 2009 Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 hi all its been a while since i posted on hear, but yet again i have a dilema witch i hope someone on hear can help me with. nearly a year ago now i was granted my FAC with a 17HMR but im finding now that im now im doing more fox shooting and when the deer are in season i have permission on 2 other shoots and also my own to shoot them, the problem is that i dont have a 243 and i've been told if i wish to apply for a 243 i need to have done the deer course but my flo has told me if i can get experinced deer stalker to provide me with a referance i should be ok. so far i have 3 keepers that have done me referance letters and a keeper of a well known estate down hear has kindly done me a letter confirming that i done a weeks works experince with him when i was younger being taught about the prosess of deer from stalking to safe shots to dressing out, with all this info is it worth me appling for the variation? or has anyone else beenin a similer situation?? any advice would be greatly recived many thanks jntree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 All you can do is give it a try. In my experience they usually like you to go out with someone for a couple of months with your own rifle and stalk accompanied. That's from reading posts on here and from my own experience. There is so much variation between forces though that the best bet I would say is to just apply and see what they say. If you need a mentor do you have anyone that would help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 Nothing is written in stone and different forces ask for different conditions but it sounds like you have done exactly what your FLO has suggested by getting the letters of reference. Why not try for it and if "push comes to shove" could you not ask one of the keepers who have written references for you (And obviously think you are up to the job) if they would act as a Mentor for you if required. Good luck with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jntree Posted September 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 yes sorry i forgot to mention that 2 of the keepers i know and one of the stalkers have offered to act as mentors for me if needed many thanks for you re[lys will give it a shot this week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushat Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 You should be OK with Thames Valley if you've got some c/f experience as well as just the reference. From experience, all they want is someone else to sign you off and say you're safe and competent rather than having to make the decision themselves!! The onus seems fairly and squarely on the mentor/referee down here! If an applicant doesn't have someone to vouch for them then TV will ask for DSC level 1 or put a mentor restriction on your ticket (which will be removed as soon as your mentor writes in and says you're ok to go solo - no fixed duration). You don't mention if you actually have c/f experience but they will probably insist you have, so if you can get out and shoot a couple of deer with a keeper as well as including a reference letter with your application stating you should have no problem. That'd be the best way to go and would avoid mentor option altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allthegearandnoidea Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Thames valley also insisted that I get a letter from someone saying that I was safe and competant, not just for cf but rf as well. I got them a couple of references and it was fine. But as they forgot to add .223 for fox I send my fac back to them yesterday to get it ammended which they said would be no problem and I'd have in back within a couple of days. This morning I remembered that it is now legal to use a .223 for muntjac and cwd so rang them to ask about adding that to my ticket expecting them to say I would need to do dsc1 or get experience stalking with someone first and send in a reference or get a mentor but to my surprise they said the wording would be fox and any other legal quarry for that calibre, which includes muntjac and cwd therefore it was not neccesary to have them specifically listed. Just hope that they send it back worded the way they said they would. The the rimfire wording is very similar so hopefully it will all be ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jntree Posted September 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 cushast i do have c/f experince have been using the head keepers 243 for foxes for as long as i can remember plus he has acompanied me on many mornig sit outs for the deer plus lots of use with the 222 for foxes,ATGNID the flo did mention to me about using the 223/222 for foxes and muncjac and have seriously considered going for one of them 2 but would rather have the 243 with ful;l deer on the ticket, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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