TRY ANOTHER RIFLE TARGET

THIS is a message to whoever is shooting the birds in Wilson’s Woodlands, Clayton-leMoors.

First of all, I’m actually happy you’ve got a hobby and have managed to buy an air rifle.

When I was 15, I was in the Army Cadets so I absolutely had to have an air rifle and back in the day, before the days of health and safety, we used to take them on exercise. So I am aware of how much fun can be had.

You have a hobby and the gear but you are not getting the best experience from it. Let me tell you of my best air rifle experience.

I knew an area where there were tons of rabbits so one day I went out with the sole purpose of bagging one. I got dressed in my camouflage gear, slung my rifle on my shoulder and headed out.

The rabbits were out on an open grassy area near bushes and trees.

I checked the wind the see if they could smell me and when I was ready I hit the dirt.

I spent over an hour crawling on my belly through the undergrowth playing ‘cat and mouse’. If I moved too suddenly they would sit up and I would have to freeze, not even breathing. Some ran away, some stayed. It was intense, I was buzzing, I was ‘The Last of the Great White Hunters’.

Eventually I got within range and made a perfect head shot which killed the rabbit instantly. I love animals and was extremely satisfied by its quick death.

You also can have this kind of experience, but not by shooting birds in the woods.

All you are doing is simply walking on an all weather track, casually dressed, and shooting at something that doesn’t even care that you are there.

The word to sum up your whole experience is ‘pointless’. You gain absolutely nothing from your bird killing experience. All you have done is killed a lot of birds for no real reason. And that is unacceptable.

The Woodlands, now that we have the all weather path, is an absolutely fantastic place for the people of Clayton. Walkers, joggers, dogs, the odd cyclist, all the sports on the field and picnics etc, everyone loves those woods.

One of the attractions is the nature. Rabbits, squirrels and all the different birds really help make the place what it is. However, with your air rifle you are really ruining the place.

There are dead birds lying around everywhere, rotting, causing problems for dog owners - never mind the fact no one wants to see a big dead bird.

Also, I saw five large black birds, all of the same species. Birds that are part of the ‘ecological balance’ of that small forest refuge.

Ok, I think by now you have sussed out that you can’t shoot birds in Wilson’s. Let’s put everything behind us and move on. Let’s look at how you can use you air rifle in a safe and socially-aware manner, but still have fun (because at the end of the day that’s what it is all about, fun).

There are farmers (cows, pigs, chicken, etc) around the country who will allow you on to their property to shoot vermin.

Most common are rabbits, rats and pigeons. It won’t cost anything, but you’ll have to make your own way there. And that’s it.

The best hunting experience you’re going to get on this tiny, over populated, island is by getting in touch with someone with a vermin problem.

But like I’ve mentioned, you can get a very thorough enjoyable hunting experience even on this scale.

You don’t have to kill something with an air rifle to have fun. I used to take more pleasure from breaking things. I used to put all sorts of objects at the bottom of our garden, from small toys cars to plastic medicine tubs.

The last thing to do is to try be a good shot. You can have fun just by trying to be accurate and shooting targets. I once hit a 1p piece from a way off, complete fluke, but what a buzz.

I really don’t think the woods is actually a good place for any kind of shooting, at any target. Lots of people in a confined area and an air rifle don’t go really well together. But during a walk with my dog I’ve seen people having a shoot and we all got along, no harm done, everyone just behaved themselves and were careful.

Why don’t you look at joining the Facebook group ‘air rifle enthusiasts’ and getting a bit more social, that will open up loads of opportunities. This is how you would start looking for a place to go hunting.

Ok mate, I’ve said my bit. Take from this what you want, but stop, right now, shooting birds. Brian Clayton-le-Moors