Hunting near Swords

Hunter man

Hi Everybody,

I've recently caught the hunting bug!. I've bought a CZ452 .22 rifle and have already obtained my license. However, I don't know where I can go hunting!

I live in Swords, North Co. Dublin and as far as I can see, there are plenty of places to go hunting in the locality, so how do I get started?

Do I need to get permission from a land owner? This seems highly improbable!
Is there a place where people just go hunting without permission?
Is there a hunting club near Swords which makes it easier to go hunting? etc.

All your advice is appreciated!

Hunter Man

IRLConor

Hunter man wrote: »

Do I need to get permission from a land owner? This seems highly improbable!

Yes, absolutely. You must get permission from the land owner. If someone sees you wandering across their land with a firearm the best you can hope for is a bollocking, and at worst a prosecution for trespass which considering you were holding a firearm would be unlikely to end well.

Hunter man wrote: »

Is there a place where people just go hunting without permission?

I don't think so. That would require either that the land has no owner (I don't think there's any unowned land in Ireland) or that the land owner has given explicit blanket permission for anyone to hunt on his/her land.

Sparks

Hunter, how exactly did you get a licence for a .22 to go hunting without having permission from a land owner in the first place?

Degsy

Sparks wrote: »

Hunter, how exactly did you get a licence for a .22 to go hunting without having permission from a land owner in the first place?

Probably through a club.However there are very few farmers will let you on thier land in that area with a rifle,you're too close to roads,animals and the airport.Co Wicklow is a far better venue to try.Alternatley,get a shotgun licence and you'll find its much easier to get permisission.

whitser

all the land around north county dublin is gun club. north county farmers can be difficult to get permission off. theres a club in lusk advertising for members. lusk pheasant club had an add in the fingal independent looking for members. other wise get in touch with the nargc for contact details for gun clubs around swords, but be warned these clubs are difficult to get in. good luck.

mallards

I sent you a PM Whitser.

Mallards.

BryanL

sounds to me like he's more into fishin than shooting.

whitser

mallards wrote: »

I sent you a PM Whitser.

Mallards.

sent you a pm mallards/

cavan shooter

Contact NARGC, Rollestown and Balhearey are on your door step. Also a good lot of lads from swords are also members in Courtlough. I know it is not hunting but Courtlough does have a 22 range open to the public spend time up their and you will get to know.

cavan shooter

whitser wrote: »

all the land around north county dublin is gun club. north county farmers can be difficult to get permission off. theres a club in lusk advertising for members. lusk pheasant club had an add in the fingal independent looking for members. other wise get in touch with the nargc for contact details for gun clubs around swords, but be warned these clubs are difficult to get in. good luck.

Caveat Empor Lads Caveat Empor

Why is a gun club in north County Dublin screaming out for members

whitser

as far as i know its a new club that was formed when it broke away from the rush and lusk gun club.
what does caveat empor mean?

It wasn't me!

whitser wrote: »

as far as i know its a new club that was formed when it broke away from the rush and lusk gun club.
what does caveat empor mean?

It's "caveat emptor" and it means "may the buyer beware".

whitser

cavan shooter just cos a club isnt acting like some sort of secret society, that you need a letter from the pope to get in (like most of them) doesnt meen its dodgy. its a new club looking for new members. im not a member by the way and have no intention of joining any club.

cavan shooter

true whitser, very true, it is difficult to get past the parochial attitudes that do exist. In defence to the NARGC they do encourage an open door it tends to be at local level the blocks are thrown. In my own parish club I only got in by 1 vote and yes it got very heated by all accounts between the pros and the cons for my membership.

Funny thing I lived in the general area 10 years and was a member of two other clubs. However, I can also see why one needs to be known and have a proposer and a seconder. The only other rule is that you have a link to the parish. Don't rule out getting into a club there are good benefits. Unfortunately most clubs in North County Dublin are fairly full have a waiting list and are loosing land from house building left right and centre

"it wasn't me" thanks for correcting the spelling, my latin isn't what it used to be:o

whitser

cavan im not intersted in joinong a club,never have been. but two friends of mine have tried to join different clubs around and the grief and bull-sith they put up with is un-real. there are lads on this forum all the time saying how local clubs are a total closed shop to new members,un-less your well connected etc.... fact is new members will probably put in more work in the off season then the lads in the little click that made it so hard for them to join in the first place.
clubs,wether it be a gun club,hunting club,coursing club.........should be activly encourageing people into the sport not turning them off with local politics and secert society nonsense.

bitemybanger

Couldnt agree with whistler more.

It wasn't me!

cavan shooter wrote: »

"it wasn't me" thanks for correcting the spelling, my latin isn't what it used to be:o

hey, I consider it my study for upcoming college exams.

mallards

I never understood why people didnt want to muck in. If you get a good team of lads, the craic is good and sure half the fun of a shoot is being involved in it outside the shooting months! I can't think of anything better than dogging in some poults or going for a thirst quenching pint with the lads after putting the feeders out. Or even the satisfaction of releasing birds into a pen you help create for them or other habitat. I always looked forward to my week checking the pens, filling the feeders watching how far on the poults where. You can loose hours just watching them go up to roost!

Mallards.

cavan shooter

I know how annoying it is especially when half of all so called members of clubs do faf all yet they will be the loudest when new members try to get in. However most clubs run similiar entrance requirements.

whitser

mallards wrote: »

I never understood why people didnt want to muck in. If you get a good team of lads, the craic is good and sure half the fun of a shoot is being involved in it outside the shooting months! I can't think of anything better than dogging in some poults or going for a thirst quenching pint with the lads after putting the feeders out. Or even the satisfaction of releasing birds into a pen you help create for them or other habitat. I always looked forward to my week checking the pens, filling the feeders watching how far on the poults where. You can loose hours just watching them go up to roost!

Mallards.[/quot
according to friends its the same probably 10-20% of clubs members who do all the work in spring and summer. most other lads are only in the fields 3 months a year. same faces at the pens and vermin shoots etc.. while others are at the beach or in a beer garden. yet these are the ones giving out about new members getting in and shooting their roosters!

Sparks

If it's 10-20% of the people doing the work, you're doing well - over the last decade or so, it's been my experience that between 2% and 5% of the people do all the work...

whitser

your numbers are more realistic sparks. some clubs are probably better then others but its generally the same faces doing all the work.

Sparks

I wish they weren't whitser, but...

fathersymes

A club I was in a few years ago had a simple method of dealing with those who did no work. They weren't allowed shoot! This worked because it was a very active club and and disciplinary proceedings would be brought against those who didn't abide by the rules or misbehaved. Shooting the duck ponds outside of an organised shoot would result in suspension for example.

They are also open to new members as they know the importance of bringing in youngsters, although you'll not be allowed to carry a gun for the first year, until you've proved yourself by out of season work and safety.

kakashka

How did this chap get a licence in first place?????
(glad it's not 223!!!)