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The Father to son traditions are almost gone in many sports.
My Father & Grandfather introduced me into fishing, just as I have
introduced my sons to it.
I wasn't introduced into shooting/hunting, I must admit I am self-taught
(late 80s), and read many of the great, late John Darlings work, which
inspired me greatly. (I've just been reading Air Rifle Hunting again
tonight)
I only shoot/hunt what I have use for, or as pest control, and even then, my
bag is never wasted.
Whether for the pot, the ferrets/dogs, and just recently the local
taxidermist.
Whereas the mentality of many seems to be 'shoot to kill 'til there ain't no
more' which is a great shame, as it devoids areas of wildlife and gives a
bad impression of all shooters to all onlookers.
Harvesting the wildlife should be just that, harvest what is needed, when
it's needed, leave the supply for another time it's needed, and not making
the land barren.
I am passing my knowledge to my sons (well, one of them, as the other isn't
that interested, but one of my daughters is starting to show an interest in
ferreting)
And I hope if they follow suit, they will too pass on the knowledge &
experience.
IMO this is what will keep the sport alive.
A 17yr old that's seen his mates shooting, can just walk into a gun shop and
buy an air rifle, then will let loose on Nature 'all guns blazing'
as-it-were.
Regulating such things is almost impossible in this day & age, and without
the introduction of laws to prevent it happening, sadly, it will carry on.
The drawback is if such laws are introduced, it will virtually kill our
sport in the way of newcomers entering, and effectively wipe us out
eventually.
--
Andy (UK_Rabbiter)
Creator, Manager & Moderator of Rabbit Hunters
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/Rabbit
http://groups.msn.com/RabbitHunters
http://s7.invisionfree.com/Rabbit_Hunters
My site
www.ukrabbiter.co.uk
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John wrote:
> Nick Strugnell wrote:
>
> > Derek wrote:
> > So frankly I think your linking these incidents to an increase in the
> > frequency of trespassers doesn't hold water. Two of the incidents
> > showed outright irresponsibilty on the part of shooters and the third
> > (the night vision chap) was a horrible accident - the shooter has
> > been acquitted.
>
>
> My Personal belief for what it's worth is that there is a serious lack
> of any mentor figures in shooting.
> Not so long ago farther would teach son who would also in turn teach his
> son.
> Due to political pressures shooting has become almost an obscenity. This
> combined with a lack of tutor's has lead to a new breed of "shooter's"
> who rely solely on information gained from magazines or the internet.
> Written information is one thing but it will never and can never replace
> the securities imposed by personal instruction by an experienced person.
> This trend in my opinion is set to increase as "guns" and "shooting"
> become more and more reclusive. This is worrying because every boy wants
> a "gun" and no matter what the law is, most teenage boys will have a gun
> in their hands at some stage or another and a lamping they will go!. It
> also amazes me how many so called experienced shots getting lamping
> wrong, they seem to forget the inherent dangers of shooting at night and
> believe that the edge of darkness is a safe back stop. Lamping much like
> all forms of non-standard shooting is a skill that must be mastered.
> Many people who I have taken lamping normally only shoot at rifle
> ranges, it can become extremely worrying when they start letting loose
> with their 10-22's.
> I guess the bottom line is that countryside sports are now involving
> less traditional shots, people who don't really shoot for any other
> reason than pleasure. That might sound contradictive because we all must
> enjoy shooting or we wouldn't shoot? There are shooters and there are
> shooters in my opinion. Some people are born to it and some are breed to
> it but they are not the ones who shoot at eyes in the middle of the
> night, they are not the ones who shoot fellow lamp'ers. Much like
> weekend drivers, the new "give-it-a-go" fly by night participants are
> the sort we need to educate, after all if it were not for them shooting
> would die a lonely death.
>
> John
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