Now that said I probably humanly dispatch more vermin including foxes than most, but everything I cull has always got a very good reason for doing so, its either attacking stock crops or pets etc, many of you know I am a professional pest controller and live to an old Countryman’s code, I also proudly say I don’t use any poisons unless absolutely necessary and under very strict conditions my own being much stricter than industry standards.

Foxes its good to have foxes about but in the right size cog, if the cog gets too big then a proper culling plan is what's needed, I don’t just pull up and shoot a fox, way before I even take a gun or live trap to a situation I study it, I try to work out how many foxes are on that farm etc, is it one fox causing a problem or more, there is a whole list of things I have to tick off before I start a culling Programme to find the balance in that farms machine.

Obviously if its attacking right there in front of me or wipes out a chicken flock etc, then I have no choice but I still go through my list, not when its actually attacking in front of me of course I deal with it there and then.

Coupled with these morons catching foxes in our towns and cities and taking them out to the countryside releasing them, they are not being kind to these animals at all, they are putting them through unnecessary suffering and what I would call animal cruelty, I will pic up on this a little later in this article, my wish for those monstrous animal abusers are this, I wish the fleas of a 1000 camels would infest your genitals and your arms be too short to scratch, for one thing I cannot bare or allow is any form of animal cruelty and this comes in many forms I telle.​

Indeed the next night I tried the old NiteSite Wolf on its lowest setting again from the gate way pointing towards the big bank that runs along the back of the lambing field, the foxes seem to like coming along that bank coming round on the wind scenting whats in front of them.

I had second guessed right and fox no1 came right in, I stayed as silent as the grave and still as a ripple less pond, he came right in to forty yards stopped for a pee and BOOM lights out Charlie, I heard a rustle to my right so I span round the NiteSite catching a foxes brush disappearing across the field, I cranked the NiteSite up to full power, I stayed on him he crossed over a ditch and started up the high bank, I barked at him he stopped half way up a perfect back stop against the high bank, he was close to 200 yards but giving me enough time to take a steady aim off of my trigger sticks, again a perfect engine room shot as the fox rolled down the high embankment.

I retrieved the first fox and went to find fox no2 but alas I could not find a safe way across the deep ditch in the dark, farmer retrieved it the next morning for me, his exact words were you always shoot them in the same spot, my son and I had a bet you would and I won by the way, he said you would do a head shot, nope always an engine room shot if I can, I am the same with deer I don’t take head shots always an engine room shot, its not that I lack the skills of the marksman to be able to do it, but a head moves the engine room does not and I have seen others make the mistake on head shots on fox and deer so not me captain, engine room every time unless dispatching a fox in a cage trap that is.​

I was called back a few weeks later foxes attacking the piglets and the ducks and chickens can I come take a look, I had caught some in the cage traps there but these ones were avoiding the traps and going straight in for the kill, he lost 2 piglets and 11 ducks one night, again these foxes had no fear of man and I had reports of the white van man releasing foxes in the area again.

So I set up in my old gate way again my theory here is the foxes use this area as a crossing point, the prevailing wind normally a N Easterly takes my scent away and me with my back against a post I just look like a fence post in the dark.

This time I heard a vixen calling and then my 6th sense went off again, turning the NiteSite Eagle on at the ready to shoot there was a huge dog fox just sitting watching me 60 yards out in front a text book shot, I was about to pull the trigger then a second set of eyes appeared just behind the first fox.

I steadied myself and took the first fox, the other in the confusion just froze I quickly re loaded the gun as I always have 2 shots in the mag as a back up, bang and I had that one in the bag too, literally a right and left as fast I could load gun, that does not happen that way normally and these were 2 big healthy dog foxes, no wonder they were taking piglets as when I saw the first one I thought it was a German Sheppard for a moment his main looked that big on the NiteSite.

again the farmer was very happy with my efforts, his son came out and said thank god you got that pair they have destroyed my ducks.

I got called back later that week as there was a fox in one of my live traps, farmer checks them for me in the morning and evening to save me going there all the time, I hate dealing with foxes at this time of year as they may have cubs, but when they attack the live stock I am left with no choice.

I always say I am a Countryman of the old school first and a professional pest controller second, I dealt with her with a single shot from the rifle to the head and the rest is history as they say, shame really she was a pretty little fox, but the lamb that was left that she killed was her undoing as the bait.​

Out Foxing Charlie 12
By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk
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I have entitled this article justly, you see I have been so busy with all my businesses and Pass It On Young Sports, that coupled with going to Germany for the IWA and then jetting off to Texas for a boys holiday of a life time with my old friend Tam, I literally have been Flat Out Like A Lizard Drinking, as I am putting pen to paper as it were, right on the eve of flying off to entertain the crowds at The Three Shires Game Fair, I will reflect on the last couple of months on a whistle stop tour or in brief and will pic up on it all fully with a follow up article.

IWA Germany Nuremberg, my secretary and I flew direct from Bristol landing in Amsterdam then catching a connecting flight to Nuremberg, wow that Amsterdam airport is huge, barely having time to stop for a bathroom break, by that I mean my cable tie was at bursting point, then jumping on our flight, the size of that airport really blew me away it really is massive, I was a little disappointed on our flight from Bristol, there were a large group of lads going over the Amsterdam for a boys trip out, they were very loud and fowl mouthed, I must say how well the staff at KLM dealt with them keeping them calm etc, I will say no wonder other countries don’t like us if that’s the class of British traveller we have, I feel they completely let the side down and made all Bristolians look like complete illiterate morons.


We got to our luxury apartment, WOW the view right over Nuremberg was simply stunning, Burblik our host showed me and Mag’s my secretary about the place, we had 6 bedrooms to choose from for just 2 of us, the apartment was a luxury VIP place normally reserved for very special guests, so I jokingly said well you must of heard of me then expecting Burblik to laugh and say no, to my surprise he said yes you are very famous and why he gave us the penthouse apartment, I asked him jokingly how did you come to the conclusion I was famous, apparently I have a lot of German fans, well bowl me over side ways I know I have a lot of German followers but I never expected that, Burblik was a wonderful host and we have been asked to stay again.


We spent 3 out of 4 days at the IWA, we met up with Air Arms/Jack Pyke/NiteSite and our chums from The British Shooting Show & oh so many more too many to name, the show was awesome as always, I caught up with so many old friends and business colleagues, made some new client and suppliers too.
​On the Monday I had other meetings to get too for my Really Wild Adventures Company away from the show, I was actually in Germany on a double edge sword one side was the show the other side Corporate clients that were on my VIP international clients list, all in all a very successful trip all round.

​I promised Mag’s some time off and to show her around Nuremberg, one thing my Pappy taught me was to be a man of my word, so true to my word I gave her a guided tour of this ancient city and its castle, we went everywhere and I told her what I knew and discovered a lot I didn’t know, so it was a voyage of discovery for me too as I had been here before, my Pappy always said my boy you could live to be a 101 and still not know enough, as always my Pappy was right, we finished off our last night with a mighty meal and watched the sun set over this wonderful city.
We landed back in Bristol at 5pm and by 6pm we had a kids rifle range set up, I promised the young sports I would not let them down or cancel a range night, as I said true to my word and I will never break my word unless for a very good reason.

A day or so later we found ourselves at The West Of England Game Fair, this is one of my local show and I have supported it since it started well over 20 years ago now and never missed one of them, we had an amazing Saturday show and my main ring demonstration was well attended and supported, with lots of young farmers and young sports joining me in the main show ring making my show hilarious and entertaining, we left the show ring to a huge round of applause laughter and a standing ovation from the crowd, Nobby one of my oldest friends and hunting partners was there with his family and his daughters joined me in my show too, that was a very proud moment for me and her dad she did great, she is also a crack shot with an air rifle too and often comes to our range nights with her old dad, Alas we had heavy snow on the Saturday Night so the show was cancelled on the Sunday, such a shame as Lisa and her team put such an amazing effort in putting on that show every year.
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We met the president of the club a chap called Hyde well that was his knick name anyway, such a lovely man soft spoken and articulate, Tam and him got talking about shooting ranges and how Tam always wanted to try shooting pistols and always wanted to shoot an AR15, so we got invited to go to the Temple shooting range a couple of days later.


At the shooting range we met another chap called Coyote, a quick witted self proclaimed Yanky red neck and ex Vietnam Vet, immediately Tam and Coyote locked horns as Tam was as quick witted too, the rest of us just stood there and enjoyed the show as the two bantered off too each other, mere words wont do it justice but lets just say we were in hysterics listening to this pair.


We started shooting and well Tam’s face in the pic with the AR15 says it all, I was asked would I like a go, well of course I would and lets just say I have not lost my touch with pistols shooting a tight grouping out to a very good distance, the AR15 was something and nothing for me as I enjoy precision shooting and would love to have pitched my 223 up against the AR15, but I loved shooting the Colt 1911 in 45 calibre, what pleased me even more was the groupings I got proving what I was taught as a boy is still in there, its only a crying shame we are not allowed pistols here in the UK, for I may have actually of tried to compete for the country as small arms was always my favourite shooting discipline.
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Bass Pro Out Door World Round Rock Texas, I have always loved it in that shop, its a countryman’s paradise in there, I wont go into too much detail all I will say is google them and take a virtual tour for yourself, as always I headed to the calls, and when I say calls I mean the largest calling collection a whistler like me has ever seen, there were calls for everything from Crow or Duck right up to Elk or Moose and every critter in between, as always I started trying out the duck calls, my Pappy always told me play a tune and they will come in wings set paddles down, no ducks but the Bass Pro staff one after another, all asking how I made them calls sing like that, I have lost count how many times an impromptu calling lesson has started when I start playing the calls, now not only the staff were queuing up but also young sports and their families, I have a great video I have yet to edit and put on my channel on you tube so keep your eyes peeled for that, we went through so many calls crow duck goose dove deer, you name it I played it and gave a lesson on it, the more we played the bigger the crowd got, Tam said your never so happy when you are entertaining and you lit up when the kids joined in, I cant help it I follow after my Pappy in that way, he loved kids I love kids and love to see them achieve and light up when they do, as I call it now heart tokens for when you see that spark in a kids eyes when they achieve its worth a million heart tokens, I left Bass Pro after two visits to the shop both times teaching calling.
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Texas Rangers, wow we visited their museum and learned so much, Tam and I were like kids in a candy store in there looking at all the history of The Rangers and the amazing film we watched all about them from their humble beginning to one of the top law enforcement agencies in the world, one inscription on a bronze statue really sang out to me, it was like my Pappy was saying it to me as a boy as he said something similar, it said No Man in the wrong can stand up to a fellow who is in the right and keeps on coming, that really hit me in the heart for my Pappy always taught me to stand my ground and stand for what is right even if it means standing alone, and that is something I often do, for nobody likes warrior until the enemy is at the gates, with the lord at my side there is no enemy that can stand against us.

Bass Fishing with Tommy Cochran at lake Belton, Tommy what a sheer Texan gentleman and awesome fishing guide, we met Tommy at 7.15am and boarded his boat, wow man did that thing fly, we jetted out to where the gulls and turns were diving on the bait fish, we started jigging bt this I mean we dropped a waited minnow jig down to the bottom then started bobbing the rod up and down, Tam says a dollar to the first person to land a fish, we both hooked one at the same time and landed the Bass at the same time so we drew there.​

It went a bit quiet there so we moved off to different spots several times catching a few bass here and there, then we hit a spot were the water was bubbling over with fish, it reminded me of mackerel fishing with my Dad and uncle Dave on Chessel beach last year, Tam and I cast and hooked a fish on every cast, Tam caught the biggest fish of the day but I caught the most species, so I say that’s a draw but Tam says otherwise.

The next day we flew home to Scotland, Tam’s Daughters took me out for a meal and I met up with their husbands great guys both of them, well matched for what I consider my Scottish daughters, I met up with some dear friends Rena and her husband John and enjoyed a gin and tonic or 3 with them, I also met up with my ole mucker Alk a true Caledonian gentleman, alas I didn’t get to see Tam’s son Billy this time, Billy is like my own son a handful always has been but a real character, I will go back up to my Caledonian (Scotland) Home soon, but for now its midnight and I have to be up at 5am to head to The Three Shires Game Fair at the Malvern Show Ground in a few hours, like I say this was a whistle stop tour, I have missed out so much, so I will catch up on this in another article very soon.
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I hope you enjoyed reading about my adventures, until the next time all that’s left to say is, arrrrrrr tiz proper job I telle muckers, the bis ava good un.

Flat Out Like lizard Drinking
By The Ole Hedge Creeper

*This is for our next Big Cats Of Britain talk on October, The 27th, 2018, full details of this event are at the bottom of this article*

Here I am out dealing with foxes attacking the live stock, I only deal with foxes that attack and not just shoot foxes because its a fox, here using some of the latest Night Vision equipment from NiteSite.

*These are stock photos from elsewhere NOT from North Somerset, they are just used to illustrate what we are writing about and for reference only.*

I called Danny in to help me on a local estate here in North Somerset, I had reports of livestock being killed, then I had deer being killed, I went out on foot tracking and building up a picture, I was trying to find anymore kills than we had already, as these were all older kills and too decomposed for any evidence to eliminate that of a fox/badger or big cat etc.​

Indeed, I did find more kills on the estate, as always the first to find death are the corvids (crow family) or as they are known when seen in a group, a Murder of Crows, they are like vultures and will find a kill site in no time at all, again they alone will contaminate a site and destroy all evidence.

I got to kill site number two just in the nick of time, it was the fresh kill of a young Roe Deer, upon examination, I could see it was of a large yearling, one of last years fawns, after extensive examination and skinning the beast and finding puncture wounds to its neck, thus eliminating Man/dog or other beasts, I determined this to be the possible kill of a Big Cat.

Again this is a stock photo as the original of the exact kill is a little too gruesome to share.

Again these are stock photos used for illustration purposes only and NOT from here in North Somerset.

So Over To Danny Nineham, The Big Cat Consultant.

I followed the game trail meticulously on my hands and knees covering every inch and leaving no stone unturned, finding plenty of wildlife tracks and sign, from squirrels, rabbits, badger, fox and roe deer, at the same time looking up into every sizeable tree for a branch that had a clear vantage point, finding a few that looked rather promising.

I spotted one such tree, a large beech that had a spectacular curved trunk, so up I got crawling along the bough looking for hair or scratch marks and anything out of place.

Underneath this ancient tree was an old cave, and an old drystone wall long forgotten covered in thick laurel bushes and scrub, the perfect resting place for a big cat.

As I worked my way along another game trail through the woodland three beautiful roe deer in perfect condition took of to my left.

Finally, this trail lead me into another small woodland primarily deciduous with a few tall pine trees dotted around, this area of woodland has a number of deep circular depressions and rock formations scattered around rather random, remnants from its past.

The game trail continued to the corner of the woodland where it went under the fence line and out into another field. Positioned in the middle of this game trail was this old ancient yew tree, this was to be my second location for a camera, this one would cover the whole corner of this area, including the field. Climbing over yet another barbed wire fence, I ventured over to a water trough that was fixed into an open space in the hedgerow, whilst standing over it I looked down onto it with an Ariel view and instantly spotted some tracks that were in the very tall grass leading up to the trough on the other side.

These tracks jumped out at me instantly, very circular in shape with a gait of a walk, there was very little straddle and an average stride length measuring up to a big cat. These tracks just stopped at the trough, becoming the animal I visualised what happened next.

It lapped up some water whilst surveying all the time around it, then disappeared through a hole under the fence-line next to the trough and followed along the hedgerow and disappeared under the fence-line up into the deciduous woodland that I had just come from. By this time darkness was upon us and the rain started coming down so I quickly set up another camera on the water trough finally calling it a day. I went back to the estate with Rob on a number of other occasions over the weeks ahead to add other motion detection cameras in another section of ancient deciduous woodland on some well used game trails that roe deer, foxes, badgers, rabbits and squirrels were using regularly.

We also walked around every field and every inch of hedge-line following it meticulously looking for any sign, pug-marks, hair, scat or a hollow that could be used for a day bed, which I found, at that moment Rob shouted over from the other side of the hedge saying, "come and have a look at this..." ahh, now I know why he's called The Ole Hedge Creeper he has the eyes of a Hawk and the instincts of the Wild...at last, something tangible, a scat, left on the surface only a few hours old.

I broke it open with a forked stick from the hedgerow looking for any bones or fur, the smell was of ammonia. More often than not big cats will bury their scat but on occasions they will leave them along their travel trails to warn others it's their territory (Like a fox does) and other predators.

Here Danny has found were a beast has urinated.

So, to sum up our findings, we have had several black Leopard and Puma sightings by some very reliable locals in the immediate area, including Rob and his apprentice...now, if an offence was committed an eye witness testimony would stand up in a court of law, so, I class a good clear sighting as an important piece of evidence. Rob and his apprentice have seen three different species of exotic cats on the land, we have had several roe deer kills we know of and found the scat and a day bed plus the track evidence I discovered at the trough, alas we captured no big cat this time on camera but It's typical, a big cat will move through its vast territory silently killing undetected in most instances and finally moving on before I arrive to pick up the pieces and put them together.

To be continued as more sightings come in weekly...

The Ole Hedge Creeper, what a year, I am that busy I have met myself coming back so many times now, my stand up shows have been such a huge hit this passed 2 years with so many bookings, I am now actually finding myself turning shows down, I take pride in every show I put on weather its a pigeon or wildfowling demo a game cooking demo a night vision demo and so much more, I make all my shows hysterically funny, inspiring and educational, I really have drawn some huge crowds but not forgetting the young sports, you see I incorporate the kids as volunteers from the crowds so they really are the stars of the show, the more laughter from the crowd and cheers the more the crowd build, I actually have people at shows booking time slots to watch my shows now and volunteering their kids and in many cases themselves to take part in my shows, I am already booked out until December 2018 for my shows with very few spaces left. 
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All our taster days in England are so well attended now, this years ferret show was awesome with competitors coming from all over the country and some fine young sport ferret handlers too, for me the best bit was when a young girl won the Pass It On Young Sports working ferret championship, she saw off some fine working ferrets and handlers I telle, she had great pleasure in showing me her photos of her out traditionally ferreting with her Dad and her ferrets, I was smiling like a Cheshire cat I telle muckers, traditional ferreting is my all time favourite field sport, so a young sport winning my personal working ferret trophy I sponsor, well I can telle my heart was beating from my chest with pride.
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The Fishing match, wow what a turn out of fathers and sons mums and daughters all wanting to win top spot, the event was sponsored by JP ANGLING of Bristol who also judges it too, the final was won by young Chris Stokes a fine young sports of 8 years old who loves air rifle shooting and with his Dad Big Chris has fished all over the country and world, he is a very lucky young man to have a Dad like he does, I got to witness young Chris play a 9lb common carp that took him all over the lake, the fish put up a mighty battle for 25 mins, but young Chris fought back and played that fish like a professional beyond his 8 years, he got it to the net 5 times and each time it took off, young Chris finally landed it single handed and was exhausted just as the whistle blew to say end of match, all in all a fabulous taster day and fishing match at a new venue, the 2018 fishing match will be back at Jackland’s Fishing Lakes.
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The Out Post Shop, lets start with the shop, my Shop has gotten so busy now I have had to take on a secretary to help with the running of everything, many of you have met Mag’s she really is a god send and runs my diary and office now as I am too busy, The Out Post Shop is growing day by day and is the place to get all The Ole Hedge Creepers endorsed products, if they don’t do what they say on the tin they don’t get stocked on my shelves, so anything you buy from my shop you know it comes with my golden thumbs up seal of approval, its also the place on line you can get all my books and game cookery books, all profits go directly to Pass It On Young Sports thus helping inspire and secure the futer of Country Sports. www.theoutpostshop.co.uk
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All that’s left for me to do now is wish you all a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year, see you on the other side in 2018 for tiz proper job muckers I telle.
Www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk


A Year Gone BY
By The Ole Hedge Creeper
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FAREWELL TO THE BEAST
​   We Say Good By To The Awesome Air Arms Galahad

I took the Galahad on 2 final outings just recently as a well sort of bon voyage a fond farewell after one last dance together before she goes back to Air Arms and Air Arms send me a new gun to put through its paces, I really cant rave on about this awesome little ball pup enough I telle, and she has re fired a passion for Air Arms Air Rifles that I have had since 1988 and the first Air Arms air Rifle I ever had and that was the Camargue .

The first hunt I was called into a vermin job on a cattle yard, the pigeons/corvids and rodents were playing havoc on the silage pits, not just what they were eating but what they were pooing on too, the farm was having a visit from the little red tractor and things needed sorting fast.
​

 I started in the afternoon and the first jackdaw fell to the Galahad as it sat on a grain silo sunning itself in the winter sun, a perfect head shot from 44m away on the range finder with a Air Arms Diablo .22 pellet in a good wind too, like I say this sweet little gun and I work together like a well oiled machine.
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I sat in the truck and reversed it back into an empty silage pit with a good access of a cattle feeder and another silage pit right in front of me, I find using the truck as a mobile hide really works well the birds and animals take no notice of it and it keeps your scent off the ground, almost immediately I shot a magpie it flipped over on its back so I went out and put it on its front and put the jack daw out too as a decoy, a wood pigeon came in to have a feed so I added that to the bag too, then all hell broke loose as the magpies came in cackling their rattle and going mad, what I didn’t know was the farm cat was on the prowl that accompanied with my dead birds sent the corvids into over drive, for the next hour all I shot was mag pie after mag pie, there was one more magpie than what is in the picture but he dropped in the poo pit so he stayed were he was, I finished that shoot very happy indeed, I am going to miss this gun I telle.
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That evening I started on the rats around the place, this time with the brilliant Night Master Venom torch with the green pill on the Galahad, I telle rats/rabbits even foxes take no notice of them green pill Venom's from Night Master I telle and that is one reason I stock them in my shop www.thoutpostshop.co.uk as they are worth every penny, I would of use the awesome Nitesite Eagle Rtec on the rats but it was in for a service so a Venom it was.
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Those rats never knew what hit them as rat after rat fell to the Galahad/Venom combo with The Ole Hedge creeper behind the butt I telle, the picture of rats really does not do it justice as I had to go back in daylight to find the rest as they were every were, another bit of kit I had on loan from Night Master for another job was the thermal Pulsar Helion, that bit of kit is a game changer and I found rats I never would of seen with Night Vision or Lamp but alas that's a bit of kit out of my price range, I will have to wait till the prices come down before I can afford one of those, Night Master a great range but still too rich for my purse.
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All in all a fabulous day putting the Galahad through her paces and enjoying one last mighty hunt with this magnificent little rifle, so as she sails off in the good ship Air Arms I bid a fond farewell to my girl in the hopes one day we will meet again.
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I also took the ole Air Arms S410 out on a rabbit hunt, my NiteSite was still in for service to I use the dual light of the Deben light force lamp the new one, wow simply amazing being able to switch between a red filter and a white filter at the flick of a switch, ole brook my Black Labrador joined me who was a great help picking up rabbits in the long grass, all in all a great end to the week even though I was sad to see the Galahad go back I still have my beloved S410.
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I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it, and if you want a ball pup that's an all rounder and as good as a full sized air rifle, look no further than an Air Arms Galahad with a Hawk scope mounted on it, you wont be disappointed I telle. ​

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk

Well here we are lets upset the apple cart right from the start, YOU ARE WRONG, what makes a good days pigeon shooting is the just being there, add in proper field craft and good old fashioned reconnaissance right there is the making of the best days pigeon shooting you will ever have, and as for bag numbers I consider 10 good pigeons a great number all off your own merit, if we have to boast the biggest bag just so we have a my Johnson is bigger than yours then count me out.
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As far as the gadgets go I have tested them all you name it I have used it, my work shop is full of all sorts of gear that I have tested from flappers and floaters to droppers to rotary machines to mechanical this battery operated this and that and everything you can think of in some way I have had some input into most field sports related products, from the top end rifles down to clothing foot wear you name it I have tested prototypes behind the scenes for a great many more years than I care to mention.
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But when it comes to pigeon shooting simplicity is best, I now settle for 6 Jack Pyke flock coated shell decoys, a Jack pyke floater and a Jack Pyke Clear View Net, I travel light and build the rest from mother nature.


I also use field craft as my key stone, this was what I was taught as a young boy by my mentors like my Pappy/Father and Uncle Dave all countrymen of the old school who have forgotten more than I will ever truly know, and hero's like The Major Archie Coats or my ole muckers Fred J Taylor and John Batley again masters of the old school, my Pappy and dear ole Archie and Fred who are no longer with us, I always say when an old man dies a library dies with them, for all these men have taught me one thing, a good pair of binoculars and time spent just watching is what brings home the bacon.​

So for me field craft and respect for your quarry is everything, for pigeon shooting its watch the flight lines(pigeon roads) look to see if there is a water source a pond a stream a cattle trough, look for the sitty trees, understand the crop rotation of the farm etc and so much more, I have written about a lot of this in my series of articles called Permission To Approach over at The Countryman's Diary.

I have tried all the gadgets and talked of how best to use them but I always make this point field craft and understanding your quarry is the key not the gadget, I recently did a shoot with a young man who thought he knew how to pigeon shoot, he had every gadget known to man in his brand new 4x4, we pulled up on a 20 acre field I followed him in and shut the gate behind us.​

As soon as we got there he said I am going to drive across the wheat stubble to that ash tree and set up there at the far end, ahhhh so you have already watched the field then have you so that's a flight line? A what he said? I chuckled and said ok son you go there I will glass the field for a few moments get a feel for the place as it was his farm permission we were shooting on.

Almost straight away as he drove across the stubble’s I could see pigeons and indeed mixed corvids (crow family) lifting off, I sat and just watched for a while it became very apparent that there was a strong flight line going to the left over the top of the corner of the maize field near an old dead tree that also doubled as a sitty tree, I meandered over with my decoy bag/gun/cartridges and lunch with Ole Brook following me.

I sat in the edge of the maize set a small hide up and just sat and watched the lad set out 40 or so mixed decoys and batter operated flappers, there were full bodied ones shell ones and a few crow decoys too, he then set up a whirly gig and put 2 flapping pigeons on them a new product I have seen before, He then set about shooting and I just watched him for half an hour as indeed the pigeons dropped right into him almost immediately, I did notice they would flare away from the whirly gig a lot this I thought was due to the flash of the arms from the sun as it went round and round, and indeed the lad shot some nice shot on pigeons, well now it was my turn I actually put out 10 decoys this time, 6 pigeon 2 crow and a magpie some distance away as a confidence decoy, I managed to get a full bodied pigeon decoy up the tree on an open branch using my hide poles, and I put out one Jack pyke Floater decoy, I was traveling light as I often do now days.

No sooner did I get into my hide did I have a brace of pigeons dropping in, I barely had time to cock the hammers on my English Peterson and sons of Peterborough 16g circa 1890 hammer gun, if I say so myself that was some might fine snap shooting as I dropped a right and a left right in the kill zone, I settled down as I set those 2 out as decoys and started building my pattern.​

Now the lad did get some odd bits of shooting that day but right from the off I was in the hot seat, you could physically see the pigeons come into the field turn towards his high tech pattern, then gracefully say bugger off that’s not fooling us and drop right into my pattern at the other end of the big field, I really was in the hot seat barely having time to re load at times the pigeons just kept coming and coming.

The lad got a little frustrated and started shooting at pigeons out at greater distances, this is what I see a lot of now days people pricking birds at distances in frustration, especially wildfowlers who should know better, I called him up and told him to stop doing it and told him to give the birds chance to decoy as many of them were just doing a fly over and will most likely turn back in.​

Again you need to know how to read your bird and understand your quarry, I was getting it that day the birds came from behind me, now I could of snapped shot them going away, but no good hide discipline I waited watched them fly out turn on the wind and drop right back in to the kill zone for a text book shot.

After an hour the lad called me up and said can he come sit in my hide as all the birds were coming to me, I laughed and said stay there I will come over, I told him to pull all his gadgets in and all his decoys, he had 19 pigeons on the ground so I showed him how to cut some v sticks to hold their head up and told him to make a rough horse shoe pattern facing roughly into the wind, you see pigeons are like your good lady they don't like the wind blowing up their backsides, I then cut 2 old hazel sticks one thicker than the other one 2ft long (the thin one) and one about 4ft long (the thicker one) and said give me one of the nicest pigeons.

The lad laughed and said what are you going to do make a fire and cook it, watch and learn son I will teach you something that was taught to me 40 years ago by an old pigeon shooting master, I sharpened both ends of the 4ft hazel stick and made a slit in each end of the 2ft stick, I then pushed the 4ft one up through the pigeon from its back end spearing the pigeons head on the point of the stick,I then took the 2ft one and threaded it through the pigeons breast were the wing joins on, then clipped the end wing feathers of the pigeon into the slit at each end of the stick, there you go a natural floater for your pattern, well bugger me I would never of thought of that he said, Now try shooting like this for an hour and see the difference and give the birds chance to decoy no shots passed 30 yards I told him.​

For the rest of the day he was happy as more and more birds decoyed to him and he got in some fine shooting the traditional way, I ran out of cartridges by late afternoon, so pulled my pattern in and just watched the lad, it was a pleasure to watch him after he was taught some proper field craft and well the smile on his face at the end of the day said it all, he joked I am selling all that gear it cost me a fortune and it don't work, I laughed and said don't be hasty lad it all has its place you just have to learn how best to use it, today was your first lesson on real field craft and that's gadgets don't maketh the man or the pigeon shooter.
​

I got to shoot some amazing shoots on pigeons and indeed corvids this year, one memorable one was just me the ole 16b 2 Jack Pyke floaters and the dog, no hide just sat in the tramlines of the crop near a sitty tree on a strong flight line, I shot a good size bag and filled my freezer that day.​

Please boys and girls if you are going to shoot over standing crop please have a competent dog for retrieving the shot birds and don't shoot at birds at excessive distances, and also have a home for your shot birds, I had to go pick up behind a group of chaps recently no dog and they just left all the birds, the farmer was not happy and neither was I, for me its the disrespect to the quarry and the bad name it gives all of us, the farmer was not happy as rotting pigeons in his bales causes disease to his animals and ruins expensive feed/bedding etc.

My parting words here are good old school field craft is everything, a good pair of binoculars are a must and understand your quarry, and please treat your quarry with respect, don't blow it up don't leave it for the foxes as an excuse just to dump it or not retrieve it, do your quarry justice the justice it deserves and eat the pigeons or find a home that will, well I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing is, so until the next time proper job mucker.​

By The Ole Hedge Creeper
www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk

As a professional pest controller and land manager I get called out on some very interesting and often educational contracts, I use a multitude of guns and rifles and indeed air rifles for all my work, or as I like to call it using the correct hammer to hit the correct nail in the whole, I very rarely use poisons either, much preferring traditional trapping methods etc, for I believe the use of chemicals and poisons has such a damaging and often permanent effect on the environment/mother nature and all who live under her wing, no matter weather from the crawling ant to the mighty oak tree or the humble rabbit.​

Treating mother nature with total respect was how I was brought up as a countryman of the old school, so the use of poisons are a very rare method for me, although I am fully qualified to do so, I do use some poisons very rarely as a last resort when all other traditional methods have been exhausted, under very strict methods probably over strict on my part as I take best practice to a whole new level.

Treating mother nature with total respect is something I pride myself on and how I teach the young sports or novice, something I am very disappointed and disgusted with at the moment are some of my (and I use the term very loosely) fellow field sportsmen, I have constantly seen on social media and you tube and the like in modern times a total disrespect not only for mother nature but also for their fellow countrymen and field sports in general, all the hard work to present what we do as a humane and ethical past time or profession, this is completely wiped away and showing us in a monstrous light as animal murderers and killers of the lowest order.​

I urge all my fellow countrymen to out cast these people for they bring you down to their wretched ghastly level for if you can treat an animal in such a way then you can treat a human the same, as countrymen and hunters you should stand for ethical and humane hunting with conservation being at your core belief and doing the greater good of finding the balance in nature.

I was sickened to the core when sent a video and pictures from another fine countryman who was also fuming and sickened by what he had seen, the video in question was of a fellow in The North shooting rabbits with a 243 at 400 yards Vmax rounds, now the shot itself was a very good shot indeed and to achieve such a shot takes a great deal of skill and knowledge for mastering this craft, that said why shoot a humble bunny with a high velocity VMAX round from over 400 yards?!!! totally disrespecting your quarry and destroying the meat, I will tell you why!!! he has the my cock is bigger than your cock attitude and that has no place in field sports.

My disgust knows no bounds to these very poor excuses for human beings, I had to contact him, I explained I was not saying it was not a good shot but you are murdering and destroying animals in this case rabbits with high velocity calibers in the name of pest control and indeed field sports, you are not only giving the anti more ammunition to attack us but also alienating the general public that will only go to further legislation against us, also a total lack of respect for your quarry etc, I could write a book about this conversation etc, his words were its not illegal to blow up rabbits so I will carry on its pest control the foxes and corvids will eat what's left, for one its not pest control blowing up rabbits and two you are saying you are feeding other pests thus attracting more to that area, GRRRR my parting words were arguing with a fool only proves there are two and I left feeling more disgusted than I started the conversation feeling.
​

For me the true and proper way to deal with your quarry is with respect, like I said use the right size hammer to hit the right size nail in the hole, by this I mean I would not use a 243 to shoot a rabbit, I would use a .22 rim fire or 17hmr for longer distance with a head shot only, or an air rifle either sub 12ft lb or fac rated one, you see there are more than enough calibers to use to deal with said quarry as there is for all quarry if you have the permission to do so, for me the real skill is stalking in as close as you can using time learnt traditional field craft so the quarry has no clue you are there, then after you have taken the shot using the adequate marksmanship qualities for a humane kill as in one clean and deadly head shot, then you take a breath knowing you have earned each and every shot as each stalk you took, now that’s proper skill  is it not? not blowing your quarry up there's no skill in that at all, now you have some fine fresh wild meat for the table, if you have too much wild meat, by this I mean you have more rabbits etc than you need then find a home for it, friends with ferrets dogs birds of prey all good out lets, or why not swap it with pensioners I often get baked lovely bread ginger cakes you name it the old barter system is alive and well in my house.
​

I don’t want to go on anymore about how disgusted to my core I am of how some of my fellow human beings are treating animal etc, you know I could quite easily become an anti hunter after seeing that sort of treatment, if I were not properly educated from boyhood by real countrymen of the old school with conservation at the core of my training, as I am typing this my Uncle Dave has come in and saw the pictures and video etc, Uncle Dave being one of my childhood countrymen teachers who I have written about many times in my scribbles and books, I cannot write exactly what he said here but his disgust runs deeper than mine now and is awaiting a chat with these sorts of fellow, his words of what does he want to do next call in the RAF for an air strike and start the blitz off on those rabbits etc, those are the milder words, I have had to calm him down with a pint of my famous cider and gurt big slice of fresh from the oven game pie so that I can get back to this article later.
​

Lets get out in the field and enjoy what I do the most as the more I write on the rabbit subject the more I feel disgusted, I am in charge of 7 deer herds with the ethical control of several species at its heart, keeping a healthy strong herd is vital for the eco systems said areas, I will tell you of a couple of Roe Buck stalks I had recently carried out.


Her lady ship on this South Somerset North Devon estate called me up to the big house to discuss the Roe Buck cull for this year, she really knows her stuff and knows every inch of this estate and the animals on it, we talked over the maps of the estate and reports from the tenant farmers and estate staff etc, reports of deer damage to crops were higher in some areas than in recent years, our thought on this was due to a housing estate that had been built and what with dog walkers etc they have pushed those deer further over, indeed I was already thinking much the same as I had been watching the deer numbers for several months now working out the cull and finishing the roe doe cull.​

First week of the Roe Buck season I had orders to take two roe buck out, now one was a basic simple little roe buck nothing special he was never going to be a big deer so a cull buck as we call them, the other not so, he was a high silver and one I suggested to leave for later as the cull season goes on, her ladyship was adamant he had to come out, I found out why, she was getting a lot of deer damage in the houses ornamental garden so she watched and stalked the deer to find out who the culprit was, as it turns it was this large roe buck attacking her gardens etc, her exact words in her well spoken strong voice was ROBERT THAT ROE BUCK WILL HAVE TO GO!!! so as I always I said yes Mam.

The under keeper joined me to gain some experience in stalking larger game etc, the large roe buck I saw dosing in the long grass after feeding on the ornamental garden that morning, I glassed him from around 250 yards out and pondered how I was going to stalk him, I had to get round on the wind so he would not scent me I also had to get passed two doe grazing close to him and a multitude of other wildlife including a group of rabbits etc.


I whispered to the under keeper stay here watch my every move with your binoculars and learn how I do it, also watch the animals as I stalk in see how they react see how I become one with nature, I began the stalk not knowing exactly where I could take the shot as I had to get around a headland and a long running hedgerow along the woodland I had to stalk along, it was a very hot early morning, I had to literally stalk inch by inch 200 plus yards to get to where I thought I could get a humane shot, all this past other deer grazing rabbits and as it turned out a lot of black birds the alarms of the countryside.


Inch by inch I stalked, my heart beating from my chest all my senses fully alive and in tune with mother nature herself, I could feel my way my feet feeling every blade of crass stone or stick, from the corner of my eye I saw a male black bird I froze like a statue until he had gone about his business.


I stalked on as a wood pigeon above my head flopped out of the tree dropping down on the field to feed, again inch by inch I stalked on with sweat beading out all over me, 100 yards in and I freeze again as 2 rabbits start having a bust up, these bucks literally tearing strips off each other, they both run into my legs still fighting as I am frozen like a statue, one of them taking a rest lent against my boot, all this happening in almost complete silence with me as an onlooker at one with mother nature, they bolt off chasing each other, I take a moment to compose myself and reflect on the memory now made.


I stalk onwards right past a doe asleep in the long grass, I freeze my heart beating from my chest as my breathing lightens as she raises her head in a sleepy way, she licks the air sniffing scenting to see what's around her then lowers her head and dozes off, I stalk past as stealthily as fox stalking a rabbit with my eye on the goal.


Here I am 50 yards away from the Roe Buck sat dosing in the long grass on the hilly meadow, with no clear shot so no choice I have to stalk even closer, now really calling on every ounce of my field craft and knowledge, I had no choice I had to stalk in to 20 yards to get a clear safe shot, I don’t normally do head shots much preferring a heart and lung shot to the engine room, but alas this buck only presented a head shot, if I tried to make him stand he would bolt so no choice a head shot was all I could take, I steadied my sticks and took careful aim this is were you have to hold your nerve and be a surgeon with a precise shot almost on a 5p, I pushed the safety catch forward on my Browning 243 and squeezed off the shot, the Roe Buck fell with barely a twitch and I breathed a sigh of relief, I was literally soaked to the skin with sweat as the adrenaline coursed through my veins.​

The under keeper joined me in seconds for what had taken me over an hour to stalk took him less than 30 seconds to cover on the quad bike, his words were oh my god seriously I was transfixed watching you and the wildlife it was like watching TV and I was transfixed, watching you was like watching a cheetah stalk a gazelle on the plains of Africa, he was so excited as I sat down exhausted saying calm down boy and go retrieve Buck, the Roe Buck was a beauty and a shame to have taken him but her lady ship gave orders he had to come out,

We loaded him up on the quad bike and took him back to the game larder for processing etc, Her ladyship came out and congratulated me on a job well done, the under keeper excitedly telling her the tail of the wild cat man(me) I did laugh.


I headed out again with the under keeper over to the other side of the estate as there was that small cull buck still to come out, I stalked around to what I call the hill ground that led to the valley meadow knowing where this young buck hung around, I sent the young keeper off for a stalk on the headland to see if he could get onto a young roe buck I glassed, alas it was a long stalk but great knowledge to be gained for this young keeper, unknowingly to the young keeper he stalked right past several doe asleep in the long meadow glass, they stood up looked at him saw no danger walked round in a circle then lay back down for a snooze, the young keeper had no idea of any of this as I watched him from the gateway with my stalking binoculars.


He started to stalked back to tell me his tale, I heard a noise I looked down a squirrel had literally ran up to me not noticing me at all and went about scratching his nuts. I laughed as he looked up at me with his jaw dropping, he hopped up on a fence post looking at me in disbelief the look on his face was priceless and the full story I will tell you over a cider at a game fair one day so ask me if you see me, the young keeper said was that a squirrel by your boot I laughed and said yes, he shook his head and said mucker I swear you are Dr Doolittle.


I laughed and said come on lad I am going to sit in my high seat you can go for a stalk around the hill grounds, blimey as I sat there in the high seat that squirrel joined me, the look on his face was like are you following me around as we came eye to eye and he fell off my high seat, I burst into hysterics as I sat there for its only when you become one with nature you get such moments, I got down as the light was getting to what I call the witching hour to a deer stalker, those that stalk a lot will know what I mean and those that don’t ahhh well you will only learn this with experience.


I met the young keeper by the woodlands edge as he came stalking along, I said you take the low ground I will take the high ground, the Roe buck came out with about 20 mins of the stalk left, I stalked out a simple stalk right out on the hill and took him from 75 yards off the sticks with a perfect engine room shot, quad loaded her ladyships orders filled duty done.
​

I did several rabbit hunts with air rifles and rim fire rifles that month too, I will do a whistle stop bit on that as this has turned into a long article, I headed out on a new contract, this agricultural contract was 100 acres but with a 1000 acres to have if I did a good job.


I decided to use a sub 12ft lb Daystate Regal Huntsman with pcp air rifle in 22, I mounted the new Optisan scope from my ole Mucker Carl At Solware of Tamworth gun shop, I telle I stalked in as close as I could on these rabbits as the race horses were quite jumpy, I used this gun because it had the Hugget Moderator system on and is whisper quiet.


This scope is awesome speak to Carl up at Solware for the one he sent me you can see a fly blink at a 100 yards, I bagged up on the rabbits and the horses never heard a sound.
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The next contract I had to do was on a sports ground with a major rabbit problem, this place was huge with no cover so I opted for the 17hmr just incase I needed a little more range, for a change I went traditional with a Night Master Venom green pill scope mounted lamp on.


I was going to use the NiteSite Eagle Rtec but was more in the mood to try the old school method, I am glad I did as I really enjoyed myself pitting myself against the weary quarry, I must admit I still do enjoy traditional lamping and again I did very well on the rabbits,
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Here at Pass it on Young Sports it is our ethos to quite literally pass our love of field sports on to the next generation, easy to sum up but not so easy to put into practice, the obstacles, the administration, the organisation, equipment, volunteers with skills, etc., etc., I could go on at some length! To describe it as an uphill journey is to understate the drive and passion it takes to make our taster days happen, let alone become the popular success they have become with last Sunday’s event (11th June 2017) being one of the busiest and best yet, attendance was in the hundreds on this lovely sunny Sunday (if a little blowy!) and the families who spared the time to take an interest in country sports were rewarded with an array of activities to try, air rifles, trout and course fishing, archery, bush craft and wild cooking, ferrets, gun dogs as well as the animals at our regular host site, Jackland's Fishing Lakes in Nailsea.​

​Feedback through our Facebook groups has been fantastic, parents are still amazed sometimes that their youngsters can be interested in new exciting pastimes in the great outdoors, but for me there is more to it than just the smiles on the kids’ faces as they hook a fish for the first time or knock down the ducks on the air rifle range, we’re passing on an understanding of country ways and showing them a real food story, food doesn’t just come in
cellophane, it can be caught, killed and cooked on the spot (well the camp fire!) in a matter of minutes, even the fussiest of eaters can’t deny how delicious a fresh trout is, cooked over an open fire, moist and flaky, falling from the bone with a lightly smoked flavour, and very few of the youngsters shy away from the understanding that the fish they caught became food. 

​There is also a responsibility to giving a child in interest in shooting of any type, but particularly with air rifles due to their accessibility and ease of use, we have long taken the serious nature of gun training and youngsters to heart and our instructors are very firm on the safe use of air weapons, we have to get across an important message in a short time to a very young audience but I am always impressed with how the young sports respond to the training and respect what they are told and adapt their behaviour very quickly. It is extremely warming to understand that these youngsters, who we often hear such terrible things of, are capable of responsibility and discipline when it matters. Quality training at an early age is, in this writer’s opinion, the very best way to improve gun safety in society while offering participants the opportunity to partake in a sport which is great fun and can last a lifetime.

​For some time now we at Pass It On have felt that we needed to take things further, move the interest on, reel the youngsters and parents in (if you will forgive the fishing analogy) get them hooked (….again!), so we have worked long and hard to open an air rifle and air pistol shooting range to give access to shooting for all ages. We had our second evening on Tuesday (13th June) at the Ring ‘O Bells in Nailsea, where I was thrilled to see some of the same faces from the Taster
Day the previous Sunday amongst the crowds, I love it when a plan comes together!

​The buzz was amazing, with shooters of all ages mingling and supporting each other, Grandad's teaching their grandchildren, Dads and daughters or sons, coaches and kids all enjoying the sport I love, with a shared enthusiasm and friendly competition. The recurring story of the evening was that the adults had a long since abandoned air rifle in a cupboard that they had dug out to bring for the evenings shooting, now pressed back into service to share the sport with the younger family members, the oldest was a springer from the 1930’s right up to the latest electronic bull pup rifle. It’s great to see forgotten pleasures rekindled and shared.

It was more than simply shooting, it was clear a new bond was being formed between the youngsters and adults which is lacking from so many areas of life, thoroughly rewarding for all the volunteers who make this possible, without whom we could not put on these events, they bring skills, knowledge, equipment and endless patience, giving their time (and often at some cost) to Pass It On! Together they really do inspire!

Chris Park. pr officer for Pass It On Young Sports
www.pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk/
 

The Pass It On Young Sports rifle range opened last night, Tuesday 23rd May, at 6pm and with nervous anticipation we opened the doors of the skittle alley at the Ring-O-Bells in Nailsea, to be met with a crowd of excited young faces accompanied by their mums & dads!

​Each of the four range lanes was full in no time and we were off, the young sports using a selection of air rifles from our sponsors, Air Arms (410 TDR), Walther (AR20ft) and East Midlands Regional Range (Walther AR20) as well as our own selection of range rifles.

​Our team of instructors were kept busy coaching the novice shooters basic gun safety and firearm use, helping them get to grips with air rifles and on target, quickly and safely, using the equipment and targets provided by Jack Pyke as well as the immensely useful Idle-back shooting chair, which provides fantastic support and comfort for novice, experienced and the less able shooter, whilst the more experienced shots were able to enter competitions and hone their skills with advice on technique and target acquisition to improve their skills whilst having fun.

As the youngsters and families departed for the evening with big smiles and some with Air Arms goody bags for first class shooting, Harrison Patience winning the Air Arms junior high score competition with a score of 200/250, the balance of the evening changed a little with the adult session beginning at 8pm for target practice, zeroing and friendly competitions with the instructors available for advice and coaching on all aspects of shooting, as well as offering shooters a chance to try the range of air rifles available in addition to using their own sub 12 FPE air rifles.

The smiling faces, complimentary comments and repeat bookings are truly rewarding and no small indication that we are on the right track in providing a family and junior focused shooting facility alongside the regular Pass It On Young Sports Taster Days, where we encourage and support youngsters into field sports, air rifle and air pistol shooting in a safe, fun and responsible way. The messages of support and encouragement continue to pour in and the upcoming dates will fill up fast, so early booking is advised for the next sessions, dates of which are published on the ranges Facebook page, contact the Pass It On secretary for bookings.

On behalf of Pass It On Young Sports, enormous thanks to our host, Dave Green at the Ring-O-Bells, and sponsors Jack Pyke, Air Arms, Walther, Solware Ltd., East Midlands Regional Range, Idle-back, Really Wild Adventures, Park Property Services and the volunteers who man this worthy venture, without all of their support we would not be able to provide this great facility to inspire the shooters and sporting ambassadors of tomorrow!

The youngsters are the future of the field sports we all love.

TOGETHER WE CAN INSPIRE.

www.pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk

​By Chris Park PIO Publicity Officer

futer range dates below or contact us for more details through our website.