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i've just got my first permission and have sent off my FAC for the required variation,
Is it normal procedure for a mentor to be required or is it dependant ...?
(ive hunted with full bore abroad and with shotgun and air rifle in this country )

Postcode lottery :roll:

But... lots of forces insist. It's a bit nuts, but not a mental as this BS about doctors' notes which I am now seeing. America beckons...

ZZ1100 have you seen the recommendations made by ACPO at their last meeting? Some of the shooting organisations circulated the details. Basically ACPO said that only under certain circumstances should a mentoring condition be placed on a certificate holder. Contact your shooting organisation (BASC, NGO,BDS etc) for the details.

Fight any and all demands for a mentor. This is usually most easily achieved by demanding in writing what official qualification someone must hold in order to hold the legal position of mentor. Should they mention DSC1 or 2, remind them that nowhere on these quals nor the issuing bodies does it qualify as a supervisor or training role. The fact is that they are demanding you be supervised by someone who legally doesn't exist and is qualified by means not legally recognized.

Your chances of finding a mentor are slim to none. By assuming the role of mentor means that should you do something stupid or break a law, you also endanger his license and possibly freedom. Also he'd have to increase his insurance to include you, the same as when you are guided by a stalker. Failure to do so would likely mean him loosing his own license. A few shooters to my knowledge have fallen fowl of the insurance catch when incidents have occurred.