‘Marksmanship training for Predation management’
As part of our ‘Curlew Connections’ project we have been running ‘Predation Management’ training for all our contracted / volunteer predation officers. All taking part in this training indicated that marksmanship training would be very useful and would help with their efforts.
This is something the trust has not done before so we thought we would bring in the best, enter Bradley Bourner and Charles Cooper. Bradley is an ex Royal Marine sniper (About – Pro Sporting Solutions) and a lifelong deer stalker and manager and currently a senior stalker on a large Scottish estate. Charles is also a lifelong deer manager and also an expert long range rifle competition competitor out to 2 miles!
By the kind permission of Harry Legge-Burke we held the 2 day course at the beautiful Glan Usk estate. 20 participants took part in the weekend which included ‘the principles of marksmanship’ theory in the morning and then time on the range in the afternoon.
All participants left feeling more confident in their shooting ability. One participant who had never shot rifles before but after being involved in the ‘Curlew Connections’ and having curlew nest near her house, wanted to be more active in Curlew conservation. She is now planning on applying for her licence and joined a local gun club.
We are hoping to run the course again in November to upskill another group of Predation managers we are working with.