PEOPLE can improve both their shooting and shoot management skills at a course run by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT).
A Shooting for the Future course will be held at the Allerton Project Visitor Centre in Loddington, Leicestershire, on 6th and 7th May 2016.
The first day will concentrate on shooting and the second day on shoot management. The shooting element of the course is designed to improve technique and success in the field and caters for all skill levels. The habitat management day will help to maximise the broader conservation benefits of game management and will be of interest to anybody who is involved in managing a pheasant shoot.
On the first day there will be a number of practical activities including a shooting skill exercise, range-judging and a patterning workshop. The afternoon session will focus on how to improve your shooting. BASC-accredited shotgun coaches will help participants work on their shooting skills and give them an introduction to the ST-2 shotgun simulator.
Day two will start with a presentation on guidelines to help shoots to maintain the health and welfare of their birds. The presentation will cover predator control, cover crops and best practice for releasing game birds and will be followed by a visit to a shoot to see how to put the guidelines into practice.
Gary Ashton, BASC’s director of firearms operations, said: “This is a flagship course run by experts in their field to help you improve your shooting and improve your shot management. Feedback from previous attendees has been excellent.”
The two-day course will cost £150, which includes clays, cartridges, lunch and refreshments. A single day will cost £85. Places are limited, please book early to avoid disappointment.
For more information and to book, visit www.gwct.org.uk or phone the GWCT on 01425 651013. For other information call BASC on 01244 573018.