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12ga mixed bag with a police presence!


boratsonator
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So I went out this morning with the over and under for a very quick mooch about before the GF wanted to head off to town :/ I popped out the back door and took the first rook out of a nice high beech tree, the other couple took to the air and the next was soon to hit the ground, 2 shots, 2 rooks. The thud of one hitting the shed roof was welcoming as some parts are covered with Perspex sheets, the rest of the day would've been spent fixing it!! I walked off into the field to try and get a better position on the rooks flightline next door, but enroute i saw and took a nice chunky hen pheasant. (This years are still a wee bit too small for my liking). As time was now moving along it was probably best that I made my way back; about to walk around the side of the house, mr rook No3 came in high and straight. Missed with the first, led a tad with the second and yet another thud of a different shed!!

 

A "hair cut, brisket joint and some bones for the dog" later, I tried my luck again, took the next crow from the same high tree as the first. With no sight of any more corvid friends nearby I had to broaden my search and walk to another permission I have, just a 300m walk down the road to a farm shed where they usually sit about. For reference, these roads are in the middle of no where, very rural and rarely and cars use it, single track etc. About 30m before the farm lane i hear a car pull out of the turning behind and stops, reverses and then drives my way. I turn around and it's the blues and twos. :/ I'm the most straight up kinda guy but it put the fear of god into me when your looking at a police officer holding a 12ga!!!! He asked to see my licence and checked it over thoroughly before asking what I was shooting, I said that I was shooting rooks as they were causing damage to the farmers crops where I was heading and they effect the lambs. He said that it needs to be classed as significant crop damage etc to be allowed. He checked the ammo I was using making sure it was modified into slugs or anything suspicious. Turns out he's working closely with the Environment Agency in a current join operation to catch poachers in the area. I tried to help as much as I could and pointed him in the right direction of where they usually operate and we ended on a good note. He did say i really should put it in a sling whilst carrying it on the road, which im definately going to do now!! Just a tad scary when he pulled up at first, having never been stopped before, for anything by a police officer!!!

 

I returned home after a fruitless session at the farm shed and walked up through the small wood next door. A few squirrels later and as darkness approached it was time to call it a day.

 

4 rooks, 3 squirrels, 1 pheasant, and a police interrogation later it's been a good mixed bag!!

 

Happy hunting :)

post-71922-0-86824000-1416681352_thumb.jpg

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Nice bag matey and well done with the police sounds like he was a good officer just doing his job. I had a police helicopter over my head and armed rep once come into the field. I was told to unload my weapon and step away from it and told to lay on my front. I just cooperated as I had done nothing wrong. Once I proved who I was and showed my licence and the farmer came over to confirm permission and my alibi they set me free. Turns out there was a armed man on the run from a robbery and they put two and two together. At the time I was a bit annoyed on how they talked to me but looking back if I was in there shoes and they were facing a man with a loaded gun I would of probably been worse

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Pardon!

???

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/363016/Guidance_on_Firearms_Licensing_Law_v10_-_Oct_2014.pdfPage 184

 

 

Carrying firearms in a public place (section 19 of the 1968 Act)

22.15 Section 19 of the 1968 Act makes it an offence to have in a public place without lawful
authority or reasonable excuse (the proof of which lies on the accused) a loaded shotgun,
an air weapon (whether loaded or not), any other firearm (whether loaded or not) together
with ammunition suitable for use in that firearm, or an imitation firearm.
22.16 Section 57(6) of the 1968 Act includes a definition of “loaded” in relation to shotguns
and air weapons. An air weapon is to be treated as loaded if there is ammunition in the
chamber or barrel or in any magazine or other device which is in such a position that the
ammunition can be fed into the chamber or barrel by the manual or automatic operation of
some part of the gun or weapon.

 

 

As long as it isn't loaded it nothing wrong with it.

Edited by HDAV
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Spot on.Drive the sideroads here on a Saturday and you will see plenty of guns walking on the road pre or post drive.

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I think the officer was just giving advIce TBH, he said about shooting fox with a 12ga and how if done incorrectly could come under animal cruelty and amongst a few other useful things to know. Like someone's said before, I don't think I was breaking the law, but it makes it more black and white by carrying in a case to any person/officer who doesn't understand the law, also reduces people calling the police saying the next 'Raoul Moat' is on the loose!!

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I think the officer was just giving advIce TBH, he said about shooting fox with a 12ga and how if done incorrectly could come under animal cruelty and amongst a few other useful things to know. Like someone's said before, I don't think I was breaking the law, but it makes it more black and white by carrying in a case to any person/officer who doesn't understand the law, also reduces people calling the police saying the next 'Raoul Moat' is on the loose!!

Get a roll up slip they are about a tenner....I have to park and walk to one bit of ground...they take up very little room and weigh nothing....saves loads of hassle...

I also use it when out on the marsh as I can lay the gun on it if I need to....

 

TEH

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I think the officer was just giving advIce TBH, he said about shooting fox with a 12ga and how if done incorrectly could come under animal cruelty and amongst a few other useful things to know.

 

Not sure how good his advice was, shooting any animal with any calibre type of weapon leaves you open to Animal cruelty prosecution if done inhumanely........

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i had a bitter of bother once and the police raided my house.(mistaken identity honest) you should have seen the officers face turn red when he wanted the keys to my gun safe and I said no. I said I was told by my firearms liaison officer that I was only to hand my keys or gun over to a firearms officer. After 30minutes of him yelling every obstruction at me and that I would looking at so many years and I would never get my guns back a polite fire arms officer turned up and asked him if he could show him his firearms ticket. When he said he didn't have one he then said well then you have no right to demand I hand it over and that I was fully compling by the law. He didn't like it either when he told him it was for firearms to decide if I would be given them back.

I'm sorry but I had to laugh.

The firearms officer did as well.

All sorted though now and I got a nice apology...

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