26/02/2026
From a pellet gun at 7… to building a shooting community of my own.
Hi, I’m Kyle — and here’s how BirdDown started.
I was introduced to shooting at 7 years old with a pellet gun. For five years, that’s where I learned the basics — patience, discipline, and respect for the craft.
At 13, I went on my first hunt with a .308
At 14, I discovered wingshooting with a 12-gauge pump action — pigeons over mielie fields and yellow-billed ducks over dams.
I won’t lie… my hit rate wasn’t great in the beginning.
But everything changed the day I took my first double on yellow-billed ducks. That moment locked something in. The passion became real.
Years later, after plenty of wingshooting, I gave clay shooting a try — and surprised myself.
At 21 (the legal age to own a firearm in South Africa), I bought my first shotgun. I relocated to Robertson at 23 and quickly realised there weren’t many opportunities for clay pigeon shooting and wingshooting in the area — so instead of waiting for opportunities, I created them.
In 2018, I started connecting with firearm owners and farmers in the area. We ran clay shoots using a manual thrower. Simple setup, big enthusiasm.
In 2022, together with Ian Gird, we invested in 2 automated clay throwers and built a dedicated sporting clay range on his property.
That March, I created a WhatsApp group and hosted the first official BirdDown Clay Pigeon Shoot.
What started as a way to sharpen wingshooting skills has grown into a club that now:
* Hosts four clay shoots annually
* Has access to six wingshooting locations
* Brings together a community of like-minded shooters
BirdDown isn’t just about breaking clays.
It’s about building skill, discipline, and community.
And we’re only getting started.
