Sep 2

From Invictus Gold to Trained Hunter: Jim Wilson Completes his PDS1

Jim Wilson, Invictus Games gold medallist and double amputee, has completed his Proficient Deer Stalker Certificate Level 1 with Approved Verifier Royce Kirkley. His achievement says a great deal about who the qualification is now reaching.
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Jim Wilson joined the British Army in 2008 as a combat engineer. In 2011 he volunteered for a search team in Afghanistan, and 34 days into theatre he stood on an improvised explosive device,  loosing both his legs.

What followed was Headley Court and the long process of learning to walk again, beginning on the short prosthetic legs known as stubbies. Jim set himself a target. He was due to be married the following year, and he intended to stand at his own wedding on a full set of legs. He did exactly that. In 2014 he went on to compete at the very first Invictus Games, where he won gold in powerlifting.
This summer, Jim added a rather different achievement to that list. He completed his PDS1 and became a trained hunter.

From the Range to the Field
Jim had taken up long range target shooting with friends and found he had a natural aptitude for it. It was those same friends who suggested the next step lay in the field. Marksmanship, after all, is one of the elements most newcomers worry about, and Jim already had it in hand.

From this, Jim wanted to develop a greater understanding of deer stalking and everything it involves, while also working towards a clear practical goal: obtaining his Firearm Certificate and purchasing a rifle of his own. To do this, he needed a recognised qualification that demonstrated his competence.

Why the PDS1 Worked
The PDS1 is delivered in two parts. The theory is completed online through the Shooting & Hunting Academy, worked through at the candidate's own pace, at home, with no classroom to attend and no fixed weekend to commit to. The practical assessment is then arranged one to one with an Approved Verifier, at a time and on ground that suits the candidate.

For many learners, that flexibility is simply a convenience. For Jim, it was the difference between being able to complete the qualification and not being able to take it at all. A fixed venue course, with a range day arranged weeks in advance and often some distance from home, can present a genuine barrier for people balancing work, personal circumstances and limited time.

Jim is clear, however, that the real value of the course lay in its content rather than its convenience. The theory gave him a sound working understanding of what is expected of a deer stalker at this stage, providing the knowledge and context needed to approach the practical side with greater confidence.

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Jim was assessed by Approved Verifier Royce Kirkley, himself a former serviceman.

The standing shot from uneven ground is the element that catches out more PDS1 candidates than any other. Jim completed it on his prosthetic legs, having never shot of sticks before and passed the standard required. 
  
This point matters, and the Academy makes no apology for repeating it. Delivery can be adapted. The standard cannot. The PDS1 is accredited end to end by LANTRA and UK Rural Skills, recognised by Natural England, NatureScot and the Forestry Commission, and carries Trained Hunter status. 

Jim now holds that status, along with the foundation of his FAC application.

Accessibility in deer stalking
Ask Jim about the barriers and his answer is a bracing one. There are fewer of them, he says, than most people imagine.

Slopes and uneven going are what personally catch him out, and the remedy is usually equipment rather than sympathy. Different ground calls for different legs, and he will change onto smaller ones when the terrain demands it. Beyond that, it comes down to the guide, whose responsibility it has always been to accommodate whoever they are taking out. Most ground can be worked with. Coming from somebody who has gone out and done it, that is worth hearing.

20% discount for military and emergency services personnel

The Shooting & Hunting Academy offers a 20% discount on the PDS1 to anyone who has served in the armed forces or the emergency services.

The reasoning is straightforward. Service leavers arrive with a great deal of what deer management asks for already in place. Discipline around a firearm, respect for the ground and the rules, patience, and an instinctive understanding of why safety procedures exist. What they frequently lack is a route into the qualification that fits around a posting, a deployment, a resettlement timetable or a period of rehabilitation.
The PDS1 was built to fit around exactly those circumstances, which is why it has become the natural choice for so many from a military background.

If you have served in the armed forces or emergency services, contact the Academy to claim your 20% discount on the PDS1.

If you're interested in watching the interview and stalk with Jim, please watch below. 
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