Any Lifers who may be interested in getting yourselves or your kids involved in country pursuits; Rob Collins a good friend, runs an organisation that hold events across the country to introduce new people to the scene. You can have a go at almost all of the activities connected to country pursuits including fishing, shooting, falconry, archery, ferreting etc. They also have officers across the country to advise on where to go and how to get involved. Have a butchers at the link bellow for more information..
http://www.pass-it-on-young-sports.org.uk/ 
Comments
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@Anna_Kissed said "One hopes that the majority of readers on this forum would see "country pursuits" as including walking, cycling and nature conservation, rather than the abuse, maiming and killing of UK wildlife"
Nature conservation is a massive part of Pass It On! Sorry I forgot to mention there's stick making and map reading lessons and also field craft courses included on the Taster Days too; and I'm sure there's one or two cycling clubs you can join if that’s your choice! I have never abused or maimed an animal and for you to suggest I have, I take offence too. Some would argue that to leave animals to over populate and die from hunger or disease is abuse in its self.
@Anna_Kissed said "It has long puzzled me how dairy farmers, shooters, fox/ deer/ stag hunters, hare coursers, terrier men, badger-baiters, etc, etc, see themselves as the "guardians of the countryside"."
Not quite sure where you're getting hare coursing and badger baiting from, but I'm afraid farmers and the shooting/angling industry (including shooting estates) does look after most of our countryside, take them away and you'll have an over populated forest with disease ridden animals in it where it would be pretty impossible to walk or ride your bike. Np I hate badger baiting meself so you may as well leave that to one side.
@Anna_Kissed said "As for those owners of Land Rovers with a BASC (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) sticker in the rear window; What has injury or death to do with conservation?"
There is no predator for the likes of deer, so we (Humans) need to step in to balance things out, the fact we eat venison is a bonus! The other main quarry in the UK are either shot/caught for food or as pest species, so as you can see, it's all MASSIVELY linked to conservation!
Why not come along to the next taster day and you'll see for yourself what its all really about......?
"Field sports cover an expansive list of country pursuits including to name but a few, fishing, clay pigeon shooting, and archery. The Olympics acknowledge that many of these "hobbies" are worthy enough to reach the heights of being classified as a sport so to whitewash and decry field sports entirely is to take a very ill-informed decision. If you speak to most field sports enthusiasts/participants they will confirm vehemently that they do not condone the intentional maiming and torture of animals, this is just another of the inaccurate visions portrayed by the media for many years and the sort of knee jerk reaction adopted by the extremists. Any responsible field sports participants would find acts of this nature abhorrent as their over riding aim and passion is to support the growth of the countryside and ensure it prospers, allowing the traditional field sports arts to survive for many years to come. As you will undoubtedly accept, there is always a minority that will attempt to bring disrepute and discredit any form of activity. However, this minority should not overshadow the benefits that field sports offer to the countryside and the many people who participate.
Before you pass final judgment on such worthwhile pastimes we invite you to take the time to actually attend, as a guest, one of the many agricultural sporting venues where you will see for yourself first hand, the activities you are so quick to condone. Sports such as the ones listed above encourage young people not to go down the route of drugs and crime and there are huge social and economical benefits drawn from shooting, fishing or the many other country pastimes included within this remit. The youth of today are forever witness to extremely graphic and very often obscene images via the media in particular the virtual world that has been created via the gaming industry. Surely activities that attempt to introduce youngsters to the wondrous beauty and benefits the countryside has to offer should be embraced and not castigated.
Regarding nature and conservation, one of our fields designated for shooting and paid for and run by us is now better 18 times over for wildife fauna insects and migratory birds as proven by a study from the local senior school biology class, Our conservation efforts down there trapping mink and promoting habbitat have in the last 5 years brought back water voles previously extinct in that area for some 20 years as well as pee wits nesting there for the first time in 20 years we have barn owls/tawney owls and little owls now making it their home in our nest boxes as well as many other song birds making use of the habitat we have created as well as a multitude of wildfowl, And all because we took it over for shooting and conservation instead of leaving it as a desolate landscape only fit for crows and rats."
"Fish-ing" ?
So, hunting for a Dog is "Dog-ing" ?