I am an animal lover. I am morally opposed to hunting (though have not yet managed to find the moral fortitude to become morally opposed to Cheeseburgers, much as I recognise the hypocrisy…)
However, in ones resolution to experience the ‘everything’ that presents itself, one purchased this wowcher deal for a virtual hunting experience at the Smokey Barrel’s pub in Fulham.
Firstly I would like to remark upon the exemplary customer service. I purchased this deal before Covid-19 hit, and the voucher was long expired by the time we re-emerged from hiding. New management had taken over by that time, but they honoured the expired vouchers without question and kindly pointed me in the direction of their new location in Fulham.
I took my friend Matt with me for the experience.
Upon attendance to the bar we were taken past an interior golf driving range (apparently another activity available on site) down into a small private room with a wall sized television, fur lined wooden furnishings and a couple of fake rifles.
On the side wall was a touchscreen monitor on which we were able to choose the game to hunt - Boar, Deer, Ducks, etc - and the environment in which to hunt them. My favourite setting was hunting boar on a snow covered forest (they were easier to spot. Ducks were too small and fast and Deer just made me think of Bambi) but we also tried hunting ducks on a grassy river, and deer in a summer forest.
Before the hunt started we calibrated the rifles by shooting an X on the screen, then we set to it. I was with one of my few competitive friends for this experience, so the games took of in earnest fairly quickly. You got higher points for scoring a kill shot (through the eye, head or heart) and each round summarised each players best shots, quantity of hits and overall score. My companion generally won. My excuse is that I am morally adverse even to virtual hunting and I’m sticking to it. The reality was probably more attached to ineptitude and being 3 pints down by the 30 minute interval.
The bar staff popped in to take drinks orders often enough for us to not get thirsty, without being remotely bothersome as we got caught up in the contest.
At the end of the game we ate on site from the fairly limited and pricey menu but if I were to return for the gaming I would probably eat elsewhere, for budget and selection, but by no means was anything about this experience a disappointment.
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