Going after a piggy in the city

Al Gabriel heads along to The West London Shooting School to learn to take on driven wild boar

When you think of driven wild boar, London wouldn’t be the first place that comes to mind. But that is exactly where I went for a practice session on running wild boar. I had only been in the city for 24 hours and I was already exhausted. Every train seemed to be running late, and meandering in tunnels with subterranean Londoners was draining. As I got close to West Ruislip tube station, the concrete jungle gave way to some green space, and the scenery improved dramatically the closer I got to the West London Shooting School.

The school is nestled in what resembles the countryside, while still being inside the M25. It was a novelty shooting in smart trousers and a shirt, but given that I had to travel via the tube, turning up in full camo kit didn’t seem like a good idea.

I checked in at the reception and was greeted by a friendly staff member. While waiting to meet Steve, my instructor for the day, I couldn’t help but enjoy some of the artwork and trophies displayed on the ground floor. After meeting Steve, I was asked to select my calibre of choice for the day.

I wasn’t going to miss the chance to get my hands on something large, so I ended up opting for the Mauser 9.3x62. It was unmoderated with a wooden stock, impressive action and a classic driven shooting scope. It was loaded with Hornady 286-gr — dangerous game ammunition. My adrenaline was pumping.