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Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue May 10, 05 11:19 am Post subject:

cab wrote:

How much does such insurance cost?

Looking at the first posting, the 100 quid per year fee looked rather steep for rabbit meat (you pay 2:20 for a rabbit at the butchers here, which I think is steep, so that means you'd have to be wanting to eat 45 and a half rabbits a year... not bad, I suppose, but then there will be other costs).

But it's not just the meat, it's the experience and the fact I can say I've been a member of a club and learnt from experienced people. Some may also have free access to other land and you never know if I could gain extra access like that.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Tue May 10, 05 11:33 am Post subject:

cab wrote:

What a ridiculous statement!...It's not about buying cheap meat, but about lifestyle, recreation, caring for the countryside, conservation, etc.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue May 10, 05 11:38 am Post subject:

Madman wrote:

What a ridiculous statement!...It's not about buying cheap meat, but about lifestyle, recreation, caring for the countryside, conservation, etc.

And it's also about the meat being cheap; I can buy wild rabbit from my butchers for a good price, I can see how it's been shot, and I know that it's of good quality. I might consider trying to get into shooting rabbits myself, but a disincentive is that I can buy just the same meat (as ethically, sensibly and sustainably reared as anything I'd shoot) for a pretty good price.

I don't aspire to shoot rabbits for the 'lifestyle', but I eat them because it's a tasty, healthy, ethical food source. Shooting them myself wouldn't make it any more or less so.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue May 10, 05 11:39 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

Yeah, there's that. It would no doubt be a lot of fun, and there are all the other benefits. You can't do an easy 'cost benefit' thing here until you've done it.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue May 10, 05 11:43 am Post subject:
The point is �150 is not a straight swap for a load of bunnie! You get a few woodies as well. Seriously, you should also get access to land that is private (I've thought it could be a good source of shrooms & fruit etc) the money may help to ensure the land is used for conservation and to many people shooting is enjoyable in itself. Add it all up and �150 looks cheap.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue May 10, 05 11:48 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

The point is �150 is not a straight swap for a load of bunnie! You get a few woodies as well.

Good point

How easy are woodies to take with an air rife? I've heard several people talk about them as if they're armour plated.

Quote:

Seriously, you should also get access to land that is private (I've thought it could be a good source of shrooms & fruit etc) the money may help to ensure the land is used for conservation and to many people shooting is enjoyable in itself. Add it all up and �150 looks cheap.

A fair point; the biggie for me here is that it could give the land some extra economic worth.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Tue May 10, 05 12:02 pm Post subject:
I personally think that woodies are hard to kill with a standard 12ft/lbs air rifle. A rabbit is a much easier target. Their feathers do seem to be made of the same stuff as batfink's cape.

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Tue May 10, 05 12:07 pm Post subject:

You can get woodies with a non FAC air rifle, but you need a good scope and a head shot. Best time is early morning or in the evening when they're around their roosting trees (which is where cheap scopes, with poor light gathering, are a pain). If you can, shoot from above - either from a platform or, if you're feeling brave, up a tree.
Given the botherance, I prefer a shotgun for woodies out in the field and save the air rifle for bunnies and for bagging the odd woodie from the bedroom window.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Wed May 11, 05 12:19 am Post subject:
in th eevening, when they roost, Don't aim at the crop (base of neck, front.). This will be full of food so your ickle pelet will have to pass through an extra inch or two of this to try and hit something vital, which isn't going to happen. So evening shots with an airgun are headshot only.

ohouston

Joined: 22 May 2005
Posts: 14

Posted: Sun May 22, 05 7:52 pm Post subject: �100 air gun club

�100 for airgun club is steep.

Don't recomend airguns for live game, better get a .22 rimfire for small game. Join a smallbore rifle club - about �30/year?

For insurance best is BASC - �53 which includes membership and will also help support shooting interests in this country when we most need it!

Don't be put off getting a FAC for the rimfire, just need one landowner on board, some references and the cops do the rest. Its by far and away a much better rifle that the air gun for small game and bought S/H much cheeper anyway. Money you've saved on the �100 club and expensive airgun covers BASC/FAC/.22/Club and Bullets!!

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Tue May 24, 05 12:01 am Post subject:
Did you find out any more about the club?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue May 24, 05 6:07 am Post subject:
Not much time at the moment as I'm extremely busy. That's another reason why I'll not go knocking on doors until I have the time to turn up to shoot if required. ohouston, I've been a member of BASC for a while now.

deerstalker

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 589

Posted: Tue May 24, 05 11:34 pm Post subject:

Sorry but I think you don't have the right attitude. You can't understand what it's all about until you do it (no chance of practicing on tame ones first!)!

Ask land owners ( as we all had to do). You don't tell them you have no experience.

My two year old grandson has fired a 12 bore and a .270 rifle and is learning all the time!

So just be a mam and do it (you may be told no but WTF?)

Edit, as another member said I meant man instead of mam (but if the cap fits)

Last edited by deerstalker on Wed May 25, 05 1:40 pm; edited 1 time in total

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Wed May 25, 05 1:11 pm Post subject:

If you're nervous about knocking on doors, there's always the option of the small-ads in the back of Shooting Times. There's a fair bit of pigeon shooting available - though it has to be said that most of the paid-for shoots are very over-shot. It may be worth giving them a ring, however, and seeing what crops they and their eighbours have got and if they have any bag returns for the past week or so. If it sounds promising, give it a go. I've had some good days on paid-for pigeon shoots, and it's a way of honing your fieldcraft without feeling embarrassed.
A couple of days like that should give you the confidence to try cold-calling. That's when you should get some decent shooting.
And get hold of Archie Coates' book on pigeon shooting if you can - it's a mine of information.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45674
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed May 25, 05 1:18 pm Post subject:
Thanks for that Gervase, sounds like good advice.

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