Shooting on friday.

It was a nice day to be out in the countryside today. I set off quite early to avoid the heat as the morning wore on. Now I know you are all up to speed with regards to the law and shooting on someones land but I thought i would show you how I prepare for a shoot. This farm has quite a bit of land to go at, many rabbits and wood pigeons as well as rats, but it has several footpaths that run through and around the fields where we shoot. So we have to make people aware we are there and what we are doing on the land. I take the car onto a patch of grass next to one of the more well used footpaths so people know some one is around.
Then in the window i display a notice so that people passing know who is in the area.

Also i hang warning signs around the area we are shooting.

I hang these smaller ones off the gates and fences around the shooting area too. This tells people that we have got written permission to be here and what is going on in the area.

It might seen a bit extreme, hanging signs up but i think that the safety of the public is paramount. If they have seen the signs and proceed in to the shooting area they are putting them selves at risk from getting injured.

I have in the car a map showing the boundary's and footpaths, therefor i know where i can and cant shoot. This is helpful if you are confronted by the police or a passing walker as you can show the clearly defined areas in which you are allowed to shoot.

Keep the shooting permission form, with the land owners signature on it with you or as i do in the car.This is clear proof that you have permission to shoot on the land you are on. This should show what pests the land owner has given you permission to shoot. Again this will help you if you are stopped or confronted by the police or a member of the public.

The signed shooting permission form.

Shooting insurance is a MUST if you intend to shoot on private land. This coveres you in the event of something going wrong. I know that some of you are thinking " i don't miss" or "it wont happen to me"...If you have insurance then this proves you are a responsible air gunner, and at £20 for the year is it worth taking a chance.

A first aid box/pack is also a must have in my opinion. Accidents do happen and you need to be prepared. It doesn't have to be to elaborate but i always take one with me every time i go shooting....you just never know what could happen.

Not forgetting my ballistol wipes. I have some in my kit bag, first aid pack and my rifle case.

Next comes the zero check. The farm has a nice area out of the way to set up a nice 30 yard range. Using a target, in this case a cattle feed beet, i set up and take 5 shots and check the grouping. Only then do i head out into the Fields looking for the rabbits and pigeons

From this bail to the target is 30 yards.

The target is behind the trailer at the end of the shed. The distance between the poles is just over 5 yards.

And as you can see all 5 shots hit almost hole on hole. I now know that myself and my rifle are are ready for the hunt and if i miss its down to me, not the rifle.

The result. Me 1 pigeons 0. Another nice plump bird for the freezer. Shot cleanly in the head from 47 yards. My rifle does the job quite easily and using a Simmons 6-18 x 42 scope helps too.

My HW80k and the pigeon who succumb to the speed and accuracy of such a nice rifle.