Terry Doe on the “enemy within”

This column is powered by a heady mix of anger, despair and head-shaking astonishment. I shouldn’t have to write what you’re about to suffer, but I’m afraid there are people out there that call themselves airgunners who really need to read it.

I recently read a thread on social media that developed around a question from a newcomer to our sport. That thread has since been deleted, but the question was basically, “I want to join an airgun club, but would I be able to enjoy shooting there with my springer and basic scope?”

Poor form on Facebook

It’s a perfectly valid enquiry, and one I’ve answered many times, along the lines of, “Of course you’ll enjoy it. You’ll learn so much from your fellow members, and you’ll be able to shoot safely, legally and in a great environment, with like-minded people. Welcome to our sport!” It’s a standard response, but an extremely important one, because we were all newbies once, and how we were treated when we were introduced to this amazing hobby was often a make-or-break situation for us.

Some of the responses I saw on that thread were the exact opposite of welcoming or encouraging. I read replies that made me sick to my stomach. “Don’t bother turning up with crap kit”, and “You’ll get laughed at with that outfit”, and even, “These days, if you’re not prepared to get yourself a competitive outfit, you’re in the wrong sport, mate!” These aren’t exact quotes, because the thread was deleted when a few of us made our thoughts known, but the message in those idiotic responses is precisely what you just read.

Without support, airgunning will die

My message to the elitists is simply this: who the bloody hell do you think you are? Who gave you the right to misrepresent our sport in such a destructive and disgraceful way? How the hell have you forgotten when you were that newcomer, taking those first nervous steps in our sport, when the encouragement and friendship of your new clubmates meant the world to you?

I’ll never forget the welcome I was given, and how it anchored me to this sport for a rewarding lifetime, and neither should any of us. That elitist rubbish undermines everything so many good people have worked hard to achieve over the years, especially during those times when all airgunners were regarded as inferior by the stupid, self-proclaimed elitists that once infested the sport of shooting.

Airgunners should support each other

My message to newcomers is simply this: first, please take no notice of the few tragic morons who spout elitist cobblers. As long as you conduct yourself safely and legally, you’ll have a fantastic time shooting at any airgun club worthy of the name. Furthermore, you’ll experience aspects of this sport you never thought possible, and if you want to upgrade your hardware, or your ambitions, you’ll be in the perfect place to make the best decisions possible.

Finally, a good airgun club is more than a great place to shoot. It’s the foundation of a sporting fellowship, and so often the start of genuine friendships that last for years. Please, go along to that club and discover these things for yourself, and once you become part of our precious sport, always play your part in welcoming others.