Single guns warning..

[ChrisPackham]

I suppose this has to be said.....................these two certainly fit the description of dangerous bellends but a certain amount of responsibility (no not blame), has to be apportioned to the vetting process that allowed them to be there in the first place.

If I approached a shoot with a view of securing paid days or a syndicate place I'd fully expect to be asked a good few pertinent questions to gauge my experience level and suitability. 

Quite,  but if you lie, then what?

 

[Westward]

Many of the clay shooters I know and shoot with also shoot game. Like most regular clay shooters they have excellent manners and discipline whilst handling guns.

The ones that worry me are those who rarely if ever visit clay grounds and were probably taught to shoot by their fathers or grandfathers. To me as a ref it's unsettling to watch game shooters walk up to a 4 person simulated driven shooting stand made from big bales, immediately load their guns, then lay them on top of the bales whilst sorting out shells, ear defenders etc. and then, to pick up the loaded guns and stand waiting until everything is ready is just an accident waiting to happen.

And when I see these unsafe handling episodes numerous times during a 4 hour event, I'm left wondering how many accidental discharges there must be during the game season. I know at least one person who was hit by pellets whilst on a drive, but fortunately he was 50 yards away and had his back to the gun.

 

[Geordieboy]

Guns and TW4TS don't mix.  Whether its popping bottle caps with an Air rifle, Shooting Game, Braking Clays or stalking a Stag.

Same Rules apply with safety.  My father was a Gamekeeper and I had the run of 12000 acres to do as I pleased as a young lad.  Any guns shooting dangerously were always hauled over the coals, no matter their status or wealth, be it Rich or Poor.  Abusive, dangerous behaviour was always treated the same way, Guns and shooter removed.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience.  My years in the countryside have taught me an awful lot.  One of which, was that the shooting day is made up of the people you choose to share it with, not the fancy Cars, or Guns or Wealth, or Birds.  The people make the shoot.  

I for one have given up my gun on several occasions to a picker up so he can have a drive to himself and let my dog pick his game.  I've been there, in the wet and cold running around finding game or getting torn apart in the brambles.  Watching the face and seeing the gratitude on the face of the young beater or picker-up and witnessing the happiness at the end of the day.........is worth 100 pheasants any day.

The idiots you unfortunately observed will no doubt have their guns removed.  That much, can be taken from your experience.

 

[salop sniper]

As with anything in life there are good and bad examples throughout.

I clay and game shoot and I wouldn't say one sport is any better or worse than the other. I`ve seen good and bad practise in both.

I`ve never witnessed any accidents other than when clay shooting this year a found a gun at a shooting ground that appeared to have been run over at the back of a car and the only actual injury i`ve herd of was a guy shooting himself in the foot at a clay ground after a miss-fire about 15 years ago.

Am surprised the two shooters in the OP`s post lasted as long in the day as they did though.

 

[ChrisPackham]

So an update due, weirdly had a call last week, certificates cancelled by firearms department and person who pointed closed gun at Keeper likely to be prosecuted (no indication as to what whilst process ongoing etc). Very impressed with how firearms guys dealt with this..

 

[bisondan]

I've shot a bit of game over the last couple of years and touchwood every day I've had has been pretty good, picked up single pegs from Guns On Pegs and a couple of groups on Facebook.

There has always been that little bit of doubt though where I worry about the possibility of one or two idiots potentially ruining a day, luckily that hasn't happened but I am at the stage of my shooting where I'd rather shoot with people I know.  

This year I've had 2 half guns over 2 different syndicates that are run by the same people and it's been brilliant;  everyone behaves, no low birds etc.

 

[westley]

I have shot game for nearly 60 years, which also included having my own shoot and putting birds out. I have been a member of a few syndicates and have shot on some of the best shoots in the country, including grouse moors. In that time I have had the misfortune to witness several minor incidents of the odd pellet or two, right up to a left hand blown off and an inner right thigh removed. ALL of these incidents were avoidable and one of the major incidents was caused by an 'empty' gun. Once, as a Guest gun, I was shot TWICE in the same day, by the SAME person !  I have arranged many days shooting for a full party of 10 guns, including back to back days. I consider myself a 'reasonably experienced'  game shooter. I recently, for the first time ever, bought a single gun in a syndicate day on a shoot advertised er...........next door  ! (PW). I have to say what a wonderful experience it was too. I was made to feel so welcome by ALL of the shoot Team, from the other guns, right through to the beaters and pickers up. The hospitality was first class and nothing was too much trouble. So much so, I am looking forward to a return visit next month and possibly next January.  So any 'single' guns who hesitate to 'buy a day', if my experience is anything to go by, just go for it.

 

[ChrisPackham]

Same person shot you twice on the same day?. ... Maybe Ian was trying to tell you something!

Impressed you resisted the urge to shoot back after the second time!