Going after a piggy in the city

Al Gabriel heads along to The West London Shooting School to learn to take on driven wild boar

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When you think of driven wild boar, London wouldn’t be the first place that comes to mind. But that is exactly where I went for a practice session on running wild boar. I had only been in the city for 24 hours and I was already exhausted. Every train seemed to be running late, and meandering in tunnels with subterranean Londoners was draining. As I got close to West Ruislip tube station, the concrete jungle gave way to some green space, and the scenery improved dramatically the closer I got to the West London Shooting School.

The school is nestled in what resembles the countryside, while still being inside the M25. It was a novelty shooting in smart trousers and a shirt, but given that I had to travel via the tube, turning up in full camo kit didn’t seem like a good idea.

I checked in at the reception and was greeted by a friendly staff member. While waiting to meet Steve, my instructor for the day, I couldn’t help but enjoy some of the artwork and trophies displayed on the ground floor. After meeting Steve, I was asked to select my calibre of choice for the day.

I wasn’t going to miss the chance to get my hands on something large, so I ended up opting for the Mauser 9.3x62. It was unmoderated with a wooden stock, impressive action and a classic driven shooting scope. It was loaded with Hornady 286-gr — dangerous game ammunition. My adrenaline was pumping.