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Shooting Forum - Firearms licencing information


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Looking to join a Gun Club

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  • 29-10-2014 9:24am
    #1
    1jay1
    Registered Users Posts: 232 ✭✭


    Does anyone know of any Gun Clubs in Dublin / West Dublin surrounding areas taking new members? I'm finding it impossible to find one.

    I'd be happy to shoot vermin only for the first probationary year and as vermin shooting is my primary interest I wont be slacking off in the following years.

    I'm a member of a couple of ranges and so far anyone I speak to says the same - not taking any new members!

    I've contacted NARGC and met with a sound lad who proposed me for membership of his club but I didn't get in (not taking new members), he explained to me they took 7 new members this year but hes confident that I'll get in next April when they have their AGM though. I'd hate to wait patiently until next year only to get knocked back again but no other options for me at the moment.

    I understand members/committee wanting to "protect" their land/club but how is someone expected to get involved? I know I could seek my own permissions but for someone brand new looking to learn surely the best way is joining their local gun club. One club I inquired about told me it would be frowned upon to seek permission to shoot any club land and would hinder any future prospect of joining the club.....where do you go from there??

    Any help or suggestions would be very welcome.

    Thanks in advance!

    Time to get ready and head off for a morning session of clays :)


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    #2
    k31
    Registered Users Posts: 40 ✭k31


    To be honest with you a lot of Gun Clubs have a policy of only accepting for membership persons who are resident in the local area. This can be down to the members themselves but I know of several clubs who had to bring in this rule because some of their landowners did not want strangers shooting on their land. Also there is generally a cut of date prior to the AGM for receipt of new applications. If you miss this your application will not go before the AGM that year. In my own club we have a capping on the number of members in the club. I have known local lads who had to wait several years to get in. Hopefully someone in your locality will be able to help you out but if not you may have to be patient .Best of luck with your search.


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    #3
    snipe49
    Registered Users Posts: 735 ✭✭✭snipe49


    1jay1 wrote: »
    Does anyone know of any Gun Clubs in Dublin / West Dublin surrounding areas taking new members? I'm finding it impossible to find one.

    I'd be happy to shoot vermin only for the first probationary year and as vermin shooting is my primary interest I wont be slacking off in the following years.

    I'm a member of a couple of ranges and so far anyone I speak to says the same - not taking any new members!

    I've contacted NARGC and met with a sound lad who proposed me for membership of his club but I didn't get in (not taking new members), he explained to me they took 7 new members this year but hes confident that I'll get in next April when they have their AGM though. I'd hate to wait patiently until next year only to get knocked back again but no other options for me at the moment.

    I understand members/committee wanting to "protect" their land/club but how is someone expected to get involved? I know I could seek my own permissions but for someone brand new looking to learn surely the best way is joining their local gun club. One club I inquired about told me it would be frowned upon to seek permission to shoot any club land and would hinder any future prospect of joining the club.....where do you go from there??

    Any help or suggestions would be very welcome.

    Thanks in advance!

    Time to get ready and head off for a morning session of clays :)

    Have u asked any farmers in your area for permission to shoot on there land' if u get your own insurance from the NARGC u can then fire away. excuse the pun.


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    #4
    Buggs
    Registered Users Posts: 106 ✭✭Buggs


    Don't think he'll be able to get insurance from the NARGC, as it's restricted to gun club members only.
    He'll have no problem joining Countryside Alliance or IFA Countryside etc.


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    #5
    snipe49
    Registered Users Posts: 735 ✭✭✭snipe49


    Buggs wrote: »
    Don't think he'll be able to get insurance from the NARGC, as it's restricted to gun club members only.
    He'll have no problem joining Countryside Alliance or IFA Countryside etc.
    He could go that way then.


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    #6
    1jay1
    Registered Users Posts: 232 ✭✭1jay1


    I have insurance with Countryside Alliance so I could seek permissions but would have preferred to join a club, there's no substitute for being shown the ropes by someone.

    I do go out lamping with a lad who I've learned a great deal from and was hoping to learn from members had I managed to join a club.

    Looks like the only way forward now is to seek permissions and possibly end up standing on toes of lads who are members of a club and hope that I get in next year.


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    #7
    1jay1
    Registered Users Posts: 232 ✭✭1jay1


    I forgot to add that I'm from Cork and have a few permissions down there for vermin shooting but I live in Dublin now, only permission I have up here is a golf course - plenty of rabbits for the HMR but nothing for the shottie.


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    #8
    Birdnuts
    Registered Users Posts: 9,641 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    1jay1 wrote: »
    I forgot to add that I'm from Cork and have a few permissions down there for vermin shooting but I live in Dublin now, only permission I have up here is a golf course - plenty of rabbits for the HMR but nothing for the shottie.

    You've actually done well to get even that permission. I know in the Blessington area there's a long waiting list to get into any of the game/gun clubs and I suspect its a similar story in the rest of the greater Dublin area. Unfortunately demand usually outstrips supply when it comes to getting permissions within a reasonable travelling distance of most large urban centres:(


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    #9
    J.R.
    Registered Users Posts: 2,334 ✭✭✭J.R.


    Sorry to disappoint you but:

    It can be very difficult to get game / pheasant shooting in the Dublin region and surrounding counties.

    The fact that Dublin is so built up & a lot of land in surrounding areas has been lost to motorways / dual-carriageways / Luas lines / Dart lines /large housing estates in the surburbs (built during the boom) means lots of clubs have lost large tracts of land - plus land still in gun clubs territory beside motorways is practically useless and unshootable (for safety reasons) means that many clubs have limited membership & many are full at present.

    Many lads residing in Dublin are in clubs in Meath, Kildare & Wicklow but these are now beginnning to restrict membership due to demand & loss of shooting land also.

    I don't know what part of Dublin you are in but North County Dublin has the most land available at present in the county (East, West & South are built up) so it may be worth making enquiries there if it's convenient.

    Although I'm in Dublin myself I'm a member of a club in Kildare at present (no vacancies due to loss of large tracts of land – long waiting list to join and a vacancy will only arise when someone leaves).

    I have a few friends who have tried to join clubs in Dublin & Dublin's surrounding areas for years but are still on a waiting list (preference given to locals on list living in these areas, which is only fair, I suppose)

    You did well to get the golf club for rabbit shooting…….at least you can get out each weekend. If you are in Courtlough or Hilltop at the clays you may be lucky and be able to swap someone a days out at the rabbits for a days rough shooting. Many a lot in Dublin would love some rabbit shooting with a rifle as rabbits are scarce in many areas.

    Good luck with the search…………as you’ll see from previous threads it’s an ongoing problem.


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=62816330

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=60206324

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=78273387

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=72479026

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=70394303


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    #10
    peterk19
    Registered Users Posts: 2,278 ✭✭✭peterk19


    hi 1jay1 as J.R. and others have pointed out it is very difficult to get club membership in Dublin and surrounding areas I have been trying for a few years now I have a list of club contact details for the Dublin Area if you want I could send it to you just PM me your Email address, I would love to have access to rabbit shooting land close to home my permissions are completely empty of rabbits the past 2 years due to myxi so you are very lucky to have that,


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    #11
    Big Davey
    Registered Users Posts: 778 ✭✭✭Big Davey


    Is it obvious when a rabbit has myxi? What happens if a person eats a rabbit with it ?
    I thought it was gone from years ago but obviously not.




    peterk19 wrote: »
    hi 1jay1 as J.R. and others have pointed out it is very difficult to get club membership in Dublin and surrounding areas I have been trying for a few years now I have a list of club contact details for the Dublin Area if you want I could send it to you just PM me your Email address, I would love to have access to rabbit shooting land close to home my permissions are completely empty of rabbits the past 2 years due to myxi so you are very lucky to have that,


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    #12
    dodderangler
    Registered Users Posts: 9,204 ✭✭✭dodderangler


    Big Davey wrote: »
    Is it obvious when a rabbit has myxi? What happens if a person eats a rabbit with it ?
    I thought it was gone from years ago but obviously not.

    Obvious signs are eyes swollen, really slow moving and almost a slight arch in the back. Fur falling off is another.
    Nothing wrong with eating a rabbit that has mixxy but it's mind over matter really.
    If you shoot a lovely healthy rabbit and shoot a mixxy rabbit which would you rather eat.?
    also I've found with mixxy rabbits that the colour of the skin and insides are slight different( maybe I'm on my own here)


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    #13
    Big Davey
    Registered Users Posts: 778 ✭✭✭Big Davey


    dodderangler wrote: »
    Obvious signs are eyes swollen, really slow moving and almost a slight arch in the back. Fur falling off is another.
    Nothing wrong with eating a rabbit that has mixxy but it's mind over matter really.
    If you shoot a lovely healthy rabbit and shoot a mixxy rabbit which would you rather eat.?
    also I've found with mixxy rabbits that the colour of the skin and insides are slight different( maybe I'm on my own here)
    Thanks


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