Hunting (with a rifle) where to start??

di11on

Hi folks,

I'm really interested in hunting (with a rifle) and have no idea where to start.

I have some, but not a huge amount of experience with firearms and marksmanship.

I am open so far as what I shoot is concerned... I suppose I should start with something less challegning and work up from there.

I don't have my own rifle and I know that you need permission from a landowner and a firearms certificate etc.

Are there hunting clubs?

Thanks in advance,

Di11on

di11on

bumptiy bump...

No-one have any info on deer hunting in Ireland?

Are there clubs?

Vegeta

the best place to start is a small calibre rifle such as a .22lr. Join both a gun club and a rifle club first and learn how to shoot from experienced safe instructors and you'll have made a solid start.

There is no way you would enjoy deer shooting as your first hunting experience. Fair enough there is a great sense of achievement when you successfully stalk and shoot a deer but the work only begins when you pull the trigger. It is tough, messy and skilled work turning a dead deer into food. You need a pretty strong stomach for this.

I would suggest joining a rifle club near you, learn to shoot (i.e. take lessons from an instructor) and when the instructor deems you safe, get a .22lr or a .22wmr and shoot rabbits, foxes and targets. This is an inexpensive way to get into shooting before paying a fortune for a scope and rifle to hunt deer which is very tough work and may not be to your liking

di11on

Thanks for that. Appreciate the insight!

Anyone know of any rifle clubs in Co. Wicklow/ South Dublin?

Cheers,

Di11on

Sparks

East Coast Shooting, Rathdrum Rifle and Pistol Club, Hilltop, Balinteer Rifle Club, Dublin Rifle Club - there are several Di11on, can you be more specific as to what area?

Umiq88

theresa club just outside newtown mount kennedy which does .22lr and pistol and has a good lot of guns there also does quads and stuff

as vegeta says best way to get into it is to start small you'll find it very hard to get licenced for a fullbore rifle first time round with no experience. Shooting with a .22 or any other rimfire will teach you all the basics at a short range like bullet compenstaion and wind drift

theres 4 rimfire callibres you'll find other threads with info on them or search the web if this is the route you decide to go then people will give you more information

if you join a club that does fillbore shooting as well it will mean you can try that as well and purchase a cf rifle at a latter stage but a rimfire is the way to start out anyone i know that has a rifle started out on a rimfire cartridge

Rovi

psittacosis wrote:

theresa club just outside newtown mount kennedy which does .22lr and pistol and has a good lot of guns there also does quads and stuff

That's Hilltop Quad, as mentioned by Sparks.

KarlR

Sparks wrote:

Balinteer Rifle Club

i dont supose thats balinteer as in around the dundrum area