Young Shots activity day hits the marks at Carnview

BASC Northern Ireland team held a Young Shots activity day at Carnview Farms Clay Target Complex. Twenty young people attended the event to test their clay and airgun target shooting skills, among other exciting activities.

The team was delighted to see a very high standard of clay target shooting and some great scores. The standard of airgun shooting was also impressive and several of the attendees achieved fantastic results.

An additional layer of competition was added through a fun task to throw gundog training dummies to land inside hoops on the ground; a test of accuracy and skill. This was more challenging than it sounds and was a great way to demonstrate the importance of hand-to-eye coordination when shooting.

Hands-on experience

The day included making duck nest tubes and barn owl boxes, with the latter being donated to Ulster Wildlife.

The young shots also constructed their own BASC-branded bird nesting boxes, which they took home along with BASC goodie bags.

The highlight of the day was Ross McIlwrath from Ulster Wildlife who gave a fascinating presentation on barn owls and red squirrels.

The children learned about both species and their habitats, as well the work being done to support their populations. Everyone got a chance to dissect some owl pellets to try to identify what the birds have been eating. Unsurprisingly, plenty of rodent bones were found inside the pellets, many of them in quite good shape.

Speaking after the event, Ross said: “It was great to collaborate with BASC for the Young Shots day. Everyone was enthusiastic and got stuck into the owl pellet dissection, greatly contributing to our knowledge of owl ecology in Northern Ireland. Our highlight find was a bird’s wing! The barn owl nest boxes built on the day will help support our project, helping one of our rarest birds recover across the landscape.”

A balanced perspective

After the day at Carnview, BASC Northern Ireland director, Tommy Mayne said: “We are always delighted to have the opportunity to introduce young people to clay target and air rifle shooting under the expert supervision of our accredited BASC shotgun coaches and safety staff.

“It is extremely important that young people are provided with a balanced perspective in relation to wildlife management and how shooting benefits conservation.”

BASC extends its thanks and appreciation to James McKeown of Carnview for hosting the event. We also thank Frank Jamison of Jamison’s Garage for sponsoring the event.

Ultimately, this fantastic day could not have happened without the support of our BASC shotgun coaches and our loyal team of volunteers.