hcap

underthetumb

anyone doin the hcap rande test on sat

underthetumb

i mean range, sorry lads

jwshooter

just make sure you shoot your target ,is all

seanybiker

one of me mates is doing it saturday alright.

underthetumb

heard stories of lads shooting the wrong targets, can easily happen seemingly

seanybiker

heard that meself alright. Bit mad really. Be some balls to fail because of that.

Cass

Be sure of your target before firing. All the target boards are numbered. If you didn't hear or are unsure of the target board you are to be shooting at, put the hand up and ask. Don't be shy, embarassed, etc. As said already...........

seanybiker wrote: »

........ Be some balls to fail because of that.

........would be some doing to fail for not asking a question.

clivej

And bring any rest that you have to shoot off.
ie bi-pods and sticks, not a good idea to shoot off rucksacks or the like IMO

Tackleberrywho

clivej wrote: »

And bring any rest that you have to shoot off.
ie bi-pods and sticks, not a good idea to shoot off rucksacks or the like IMO

And make sure you have your rifle Zero'd and ready to shoot.
More lads forget the basics. Use what you use in the field and you will be fine

So don't worry about it!;);)

jwshooter

it was my second time ever on a formal range and the first time was many years ago at a IDS pre season competition .

i came close to shooting the wrong target at the Hcap .until i noticed how big the group was .

iwsf

going there too this saturday.
don't have tripod so bought one , it is stuck somewhere in the UK so won't get it on time :mad: Will pay a visit to woodies for some garden sticks.
It will be a long day, many many going there

widespread

watch for the lads taking the stickers off the targets. I was there a couple of years ago and the lad beside me walked up and removed the stickers from the target. You don't get a new target. there is only one set of targets used on the day.

DR6.5

Id second what the lads have said about shooting the right target, the day i was there a lad put all his shots on the target next to his, he had to redo the test in the afternoon.

dr6.5

Double Barrel

You have some good heads-up info there from the lads.
Don't over think the situation, focus and .... remember .... to .... breath .... . You will do just fine.

seanybiker

My mate is number 25, shoot him if you can lol. As long as you go for the right target, it seems pretty straight forward. Best of luck everyone.

jwshooter

its a 4" group at 100m and less .

not exactly the Wimbledon cup .

It wasn't me!

jwshooter wrote: »

its a 4" group at 100m and less .

not exactly the Wimbledon cup .

I always thought it was a little... unambitious... Even half that wouldn't be beyond the capabilities of anyone who's serious about it.

Tackleberrywho

It wasn't me! wrote: »

I always thought it was a little... unambitious... Even half that wouldn't be beyond the capabilities of anyone who's serious about it.

Well if you pull a shot you might be glad of the 4 inches:D:D:D
That sounds rude lol
Learn about deer as the shooting is the easiest part !

From what i have heard. I never did the HCAP as I do not shoot Coillte, Rip off if you ask me. €100 per head bid for a tender is what U have heard is ~ what one would have to pay to secure a letting.

Not saying a test is wrong, I like tests
I just don't like having to pay for the privilege to shoot deer Coillte see as a nuisance eating into their profits!;):pac::pac::pac::pac:

underthetumb

thanks for all the info, it will help settle the nerves,

badshot

slightly off topic
anyone know where you can do the theory test?

Steyr243Hunter

For a hundred euro its fairly good, the classes went on for weeks. Something to do during the week and good to meat other stalkers. I will be there on Sat, Never even been on range i may get some practice in.

ejg

No harm investing in a bit of theorie doing the hcap. I'll be helping a friend on Saturday at the range who's doing the test. Might also be able to check grouping at 300m with my two hunting rifles. Long old trip for us.
edi

iwsf

i can understand underthetumb being nervous, i am too !
4" @ 100m is easy but some lads (like me) do not like tests.

Nico13

morning all!

thanks for the support guys, not really a big fan of test, was there last sat for recon and i do agree that it is easy to shoot the wrong target . should be there this saturday with clive if they let me take the test. cross finger!!;)

underthetumb

same as that iwsf, have no problem with the task set out, my rifle is zereod at 150 bang on and grouping nicely. but i hate exams, always did. however they have to be done

iwsf

badshot, check http://deeralliance.blogspot.com for dateS
26 of May is the next one.

underthetumb, good luck with the test.

Nico13

it will be fine will have a good laugh and maybe a couple of tins to celebrate afterward:D:D

dwighet

Nico13 wrote: »

it will be fine will have a good laugh and maybe a couple of tins to celebrate afterward:D:D

Your shout Nico????

Nico13

i should digwet but it doesnt look good for me , im raging:mad::mad::mad:

Nico13

cider?, lager? or stout?:D:D:D

dwighet

Nico13 wrote: »

cider?, lager? or stout?:D:D:D

All three and it that order;)
Is digwet how my my name is spelt in France:D

Nico13

sorry for the miss spell;), what kind of name is that anyway??:D:D:D will call u skippy for now on:D

dwighet

Nico13 wrote: »

sorry for the miss spell;), what kind of name is that anyway??:D:D:D will call u skippy for now on:D

Dwighet is Australian for Great white hunter....Slayer of many buxom blonde women.... also loosly translated in Irish I think it means" Day dreaming bollocks";)

You can call me Skippy if I can call you "French Fry";)

jwshooter

dwighet wrote: »

Dwighet is Australian for Great white hunter....Slayer of many buxom blonde women.... also loosly translated in Irish I think it means" Day dreaming bollocks";)

You can call me Skippy if I can call you "French Fry";)

you having a few tinnies there , mate;)

Nico13

brilliant :D:D:D have no problem with that skippy, i keep the beer in the fridge for sat take care

dwighet

jwshooter wrote: »

you having a few tinnies there , mate;)

I am actually....No flies on you buddy;)

Nico13

i hope so i might get thirsty with all that sand around

dwighet

Nico13 wrote: »

brilliant :D:D:D have no problem with that skippy, i keep the beer in the fridge for sat take care

No worries...

sfakiaman

dwighet wrote: »

Dwighet is Australian for Great white hunter....Slayer of many buxom blonde women....

Amazing how blonde those pitjantjatjara lubras are, especially after a few tinnies of XXXX. :D:D

dwighet

sfakiaman wrote: »

Amazing how blonde those pitjantjatjara lubras are, especially after a few tinnies of XXXX. :D:D

They get gourgeous as the night gets on......:eek:Thats the Four xxxx im talking about now
Are you australian?

sfakiaman

dwighet wrote: »

They get gourgeous as the night gets on......:eek:Thats the Four xxxx im talking about now
Are you australian?

No, but worked on a cattle station south of the Alice for a while.

dwighet

sfakiaman wrote: »

No, but worked on a cattle station south of the Alice for a while.

Nice one......
In the territoty or centrel Queensland..?
I did 4 yrs in a gold mine in central queensland south of mount isa....
Tough bit of the world out there.

jwshooter

dwighet wrote: »

Nice one......
In the territoty or centrel Queensland..?
I did 4 yrs in a gold mine in central queensland south of mount isa....
Tough bit of the world out there.

did they let you out for good behaviour ,

dwighet

jwshooter wrote: »

did they let you out for good behaviour ,

I gave a plee of insanity and they sent me here;)

sfakiaman

dwighet wrote: »

Nice one......
In the territoty or centrel Queensland..?
I did 4 yrs in a gold mine in central queensland south of mount isa....
Tough bit of the world out there.

In the territory on the edge of the Simson where the men are men and the women would be glad of it if there were any :D

seanybiker

best of luck everyone. Let us know how ye get on.

underthetumb

well what did ye think lads, hope we are all happy.
headin for a few scoops now. thanks for all the advice

BELOWaverageIQ

I thought it was very well run to be honest considering there was 120 lads doing it !
It was much easier than I expected.
Once you were in on the ranging target, properly zeroed at 100, the deer target was a piece is pi55.
I think nerves was a problem for some lads..... 200 eyes looking at you and all that.

jwshooter

BELOWaverageIQ wrote: »

I thought it was very well run to be honest considering there was 120 lads doing it !
It was much easier than I expected.
Once you were in on the ranging target, properly zeroed at 100, the deer target was a piece is pi55.
I think nerves was a problem for some lads..... 200 eyes looking at you and all that.

you guys that just done the hcap , what did you bring from it ,what part of will stand to you in the field .ie.

shot reaction ,do you now know how a deer will move after been hit in different parts of the body .
when to follow when not to ,did you learn first hand about training and handl working a dog for deer.

how to track a animal that is not leaving much of a blood trail .

did it help you under stand deer managemant .do you now know what is the best animal to take from a group of deer .

BELOWaverageIQ

S.F.A. Is the answer to your question JW , but the fact that I shoot with a guy with over 20 years experience is a rather more important learning tool.

The hcap is just something that needs to be done to shoot on Coillte lands as you well know, besides I believe it may be manditory in the future.
No big deal to do it to be honest.

Steyr243Hunter

I agree nerves or not zero-in the gun or not bothering to do little practice during the week,

I got through after little bit of messin with the target at the start, seen a chancer trying to move a sticker and getting a slap on the wrist and to come back later. Got a good laugh out of that,

We studied reaction to shot placement during the study sessions.

No first hand experience with dogs either, just book passed around on training tracking dogs. Discussions on training dogs with experienced people is a start.

On deer management
The key points that i took where to:
Shoot calf before hind
Shooting stags/bucks will have very little effect on the overall population so for effective deer management cull ratio should be 2:1

Overall i found it very good as a starting point for stalkers opposed to lads jumping straight in, for experienced lads most likely very basic stuff but yet important.

JW i reckon you know the story and don 't reckon HCAP is up to much but what would you suggest?