Sharpshooter

Today’s young shooters are given advantages unknown to previous generations — but could our past actions still come back to bite us?

The media is fond of highlighting the fortunes of different age groups in society, whether in terms of careers, education, the tax burden or whatever. How have things changed for generations of shooters?

When I was a boy, I had to save up for every box of shotgun cartridges. At that time, pigeon shooters expected to have their cartridges provided by the farmer — even though there was a ready market for the shot birds. At university, we had a clay pigeon shooting club but struggled to organise and pay for everything ourselves.

Today, by contrast, organisations such as BASC fall over themselves to help with all manner of young Shots events, including live quarry days. Long gone is the age when youngsters were expected to spend an initial season walking with an unloaded .410. Today’s young Shot is mentored and trained as never before, with their progression being fast-tracked. They have more access to shooting than we ever had.

Another change concerns girls and women in shooting. They are encouraged to join in at every level, which is refreshing.

On the other hand, when I was young, we didn’t have to put up with being trolled on social media by antis. Nor did we have to swim against such a strong tide of unease about firearms within society, resulting in strict licensing, or face a general move towards plant-based food.

Environmentalism is now mainstream. Our young shooters can expect a future without lead shot. In Denmark, where shooting sports have cultivated a green image and enjoy a greater take-up than in the UK, an entire generation of shooters has grown up without lead. They have never looked back since banning it 25 years ago.

All the ardent leadists I know personally are of rather advanced age. I mean no disrespect — I am no spring chicken. But I hope I may be forgiven for mentioning the adage “beware of an old man in a hurry”.

I don’t doubt the integrity of those who regard non-lead shot with horror, even if I think they are mistaken. They are entitled to their opinion. What they are not entitled to do, however, is to ladle out doom-laden predictions and scaremongering about the efficacy of non-lead ammunition.

To be blunt, people with the bulk of their own shooting career behind them should take care not to blight the reputation of the next generation of shooters. They will have enough to cope with.

My own and previous generations stand accused by today’s youngsters of having wrecked the planet. We are changing our behaviour and making amends, but the past could still come back to bite us as

“Girls and women are encouraged to join in at every level, which is refreshing”

attitudes evolve. I have heard of an organic farmer threatening legal action against a neighbouring shoot for dropping lead shot on to his crops. How long before some activist lawyer decides to exploit the potential of the principle in environmental law known as the ‘polluter pays’?

Today, we look back on some of the attitudes and actions of Victorian gamekeepers with the detachment of history. I wonder how the next generation of shooters will look back on some of our own current practices?