PAGING ALL HUNTERS!

Philip Siddell draws on his background in coaching and training to explain the critical role a hunting journal plays in a hunter’s development

- Philip Siddell

When I first decided that I wanted to get into airgun hunting, I didn’t know anyone else who did it. I had done some target shooting with airguns and understood the basics, and I knew enough to understand that my underpowered second-hand, unbranded air rifle that I’d picked up for £35 at a car boot sale wasn’t suitable for the taking of live quarry. So, I went down to the local gun shop and bought myself a brand-new, budget-line break-barrel in .22 and for some reason that I’m still not completely clear on, a fixed power, fixed parallax rimfire ‘scope. The shopkeeper mounted the ‘scope to the rifle and I think probably zeroed it for me as well; I certainly didn’t know how to set up a sight. Everything about that combo was cheap and difficult to use. I remember the trigger being particularly onerous to let off. I owned that set up for about three months before I was back in the gun shop, ready to part with more of my hard-earned. This was how it went for me in the early years, I learned through my mistakes; it was painful and expensive!

KEEP A JOURNAL

When I came home from that second trip to the gun shop, complete with a second-hand Air Arms TX200 Hunter Carbine and Nikko Stirling scope, I had what I needed in order to start making some real progress. The Internet was still really only in its infancy and wasn’t populated with the wealth of information (and disinformation) that it is today, so I couldn’t turn to professor Google for all my answers. I just had to get out there and have a go.