Alliance bid to get young shooting
The West’s £70 million a year shooting industry faces a ‘demographic timebomb’ with a generation finding it hard to get into the sport.
That was the warning from the Countryside Alliance as they launched a national survey to discover how many youngsters are coming into shooting and why more children aren’t taking it up.
The recruitment drive comes just as the Government is considering tightening up licensing laws which could prohibit under 16s or under 18s holding shotgun licences.
It was revealed earlier this year that 7,071 children under 18 had been given shotgun licences in two years to 2010, including one as young as seven being granted a licence by Gloucestershire police.
The outcry is being tackled by the Alliance, which instead of curbing the number of children with access to guns, wants to encourage more under 18s to get into shooting in a regulated manner.
Last December MPs recommended the same age restrictions that apply to other firearms should apply to shotguns, and in the wake of the Cumbrian shootings, the Government is considering tightening gun laws.
But the Alliance say regulations are tight enough already and they are facing a battle to save the pastime from the passing of age.
“Recognising that shooting faces a demographic timebomb owing to an ageing population and fewer opportunities for youngsters to enjoy the countryside and natural world, the Alliance is running a census to discover how to boost participation,” explained
CA chief executive Alice Barnard said: “More needs to be done to promote shooting. We feel that not enough youngsters are coming into shooting.
“Does shooting suffer from too much regulation? Is it lack of available land? Is it too expensive? Are shooters simply too busy to help?
“Our survey aims to answer these questions and get to the root of the problem.
“The results of the survey will allow us to identify areas which prevent young people entering the sport.
“These can then be specifically targeted to ensure that shooting is an option available to all young people. This also ensures that money and resources are spent in the most effective and efficient ways as possible.”
When the numbers of children obtaining shotgun licences was revealed, the police chief in charge of firearms licensing reassured the public it was not a problem.
“The evidence relating to young people being granted shotgun certificates does not currently give cause for concern,” said Assistant chief constable Adrian Whiting from ACPO.
“Certification enables people to shoot in a supervised environment but it does not allow them to purchase firearms or ammunition.”
2 Comments
by RedFox1965
Wednesday, June 15 2011, 11:57AM
“Why is it that whenever I read about the Countryside Alliance it always involves violence and killing? I thought they were meant to represent the countryside as a whole and not just a small minority that like killing birds and animals in the name of "sport"? You always hear them say "Bring back fox hunting! We need to promote shooting!" Yet it's rare - if ever - that you hear them say "Keep the post office open! Put more buses on that country route! Don't close the much loved village hall!". Now THOSE are real country issues!!!”
by mhayworth
Wednesday, June 15 2011, 8:17AM
“More likely that our young people have a much more civilized view of the world and don't want to be associated with the Countryside Alliance and their absolute obsession with bloodsports. In fact, I can't think of any one group that has made the farmers and the plight of the countryside more unpopular with the general public than the CA.
No doubt, the money once spent on these appalling pastimes will be lavished on more deserving sports and the only ones feeling the pain will be those who have relished in dishing it out to our wildlife for decades.”