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Pest and predator night shooting certificate
The purpose of this certificate is to allow you to demonstrate that you have the skills and knowledge to cull safely, humanely and legally at night.
Due to the skillset involved in shooting at night, you must have a pre-existing base knowledge to undertake this course.Â
Candidates must have a zeroed rifle, with either a rifle-mounted thermal imaging scope or night vision scope, or a daytime scope and hand-held / rifle-mounted lamp.
Pest and predator night shooting certificate
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Learning outcomes
There are three main learning outcomes to this certificate. By gaining the qualification holders will:
- Be able to identify legal quarry and carry out night shooting safely and humanely.
- Understand legal framework that covers night shooting.
- Understand different methods and associated equipment used in night shooting.
Assessment
1. Written
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This has 20 multiple choice questions which are taken from a bank of written questions. To pass, at least 16 questions must be answered correctly.
2. Visual
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The visual identification assessment consists of 10 photographic images, to be identified a target or non-target species.
Images are to be shown only once to the candidate during the assessment. There is no time limit for the visual paper, but normally 10 to 15 minutes will suffice. The pass mark for this test is 80 per cent (8/10 marks).
3. Safety Assessment
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Candidates are walked around a safety assessment path at night during which they are shown four pest or predator targets and asked to specify whether they would shoot at them or not. Candidates are additionally asked other questions on safety and all must be answered correctly to obtain a pass. Each candidate will be assessed one-on-one by the assessor.
Each candidate will be assessed on:
- Safe target ID
- Range estimation
- Firearms handling
Safe target ID
The candidate will be expected to identify four silhouettes; three pest or predators and one non-pest or predator target, clearly stating what the silhouette is and if it would be safe to shoot or not safe to shoot.
Range estimation
During the walk through of safety targets, the candidate will be expected to also give an estimation of range, ie. within range (100 meters or below) or out of range (over 100 meters).
Firearms handling
During the safety assessment the candidate will be expected to have their rifle with them.
4. Shooting assessment
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This section requires candidates to undertake and pass a shooting assessment using your choice of either a thermal scope, a night vision scope, or a daylight scope and a lamp.
The night shooting test will consist of:
- An optional three shots at a zeroing target at 100m
- Two shots from 100m (prone) into a fox target
- Two shots from 100m from a vehicle into a fox target
- Two shots from 70m off sticks into a fox target
Achieving this will demonstrate competency across most night shooting scenarios.
5. Certification
After the pest or predator test papers are assessed, they are internally verified. Following successful completion of this process you will then be issued with your certificate by BASC.
Course length
- Two days, including night time assessments.
Cost
BASC members: £150
If you are not a BASC member please contact the training & education department on 01244 573018 for more information or click here to join.
Should there be insufficient bookings, BASC reserves the right to cancel the course. In the interests of fairness, BASC will aim to provide candidates with notification of cancellation as soon as possible prior to the advertised start date.
We strongly recommend that fees for any accommodation you book are refundable as BASC will not be responsible for any losses incurred by candidates.
If for any reason you cancel your place on the course then the following scale of charges may apply:
| Â |
Charge |
Charge |
| Reallocation to another course (only available eight weeks or more before the course start date) |
£25 |
£25 |
| Second reallocation to another course (only available eight weeks or more before the course start date AND only in exceptional circumstances) |
£50 |
£50 |
| Cancellation more than eight weeks before the course start date |
40% |
30% |
| Cancellation less than eight weeks but more than four weeks before the course start date |
75% |
60% |
| Cancellation less than four weeks before the course start date |
100% |
100% |
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