Oly Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Just wondering what people's experiences are of shooting air rifles in back gardens in relatively built up areas? I don't want to upset the neighbours, but I want to reduce the number of jackdaws in the area. I'm also looking at trapping them but was wondering what others experiences of shooting was in this environment? My back garden has a 7ft wall around it that nobody can really see into, I just don't want the neighbours, or worse the police (after my licence!) coming round knocking on my door! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibbz2000 Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Youd have to be seriously careful shooting there then! Only shoot into a garenteed backstop on your property, should the pellet travel into anyone elses property or worse onto a public highway youd be right in it! Trapping would be the safest bet in a built up area!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 There are a lott of threads that have covered this subject. Have a dig round and see what you come up with. Anything that you are not sure of then just shout and I'm sure someone can help you out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 I would be VERY weary of shooting Jackdaws or crows in your garden as i beleive under the terms of the general licence shooting them for no reason is unlawful. A guy was done not long back (a Doc if i remember) for shooting Seaguls at his home! Garden shooting is best all round if you just plink a few cans and targets etc it's not worth the hassle if your hauled up in front of a Beak If you have GENUINE reason to shoot them (a small holding or they are damaging crops) then fine. I was warned for shooting wood pigeons even though they WERE causing damage in my Veg patch which was quite a size. It wasn't worth pushing my luck with the local beat after all i can go to the farm to shoot Crows LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted December 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 I would be VERY weary of shooting Jackdaws or crows in your garden as i beleive under the terms of the general licence shooting them for no reason is unlawful. A guy was done not long back (a Doc if i remember) for shooting Seaguls at his home! Garden shooting is best all round if you just plink a few cans and targets etc it's not worth the hassle if your hauled up in front of a Beak If you have GENUINE reason to shoot them (a small holding or they are damaging crops) then fine. I was warned for shooting wood pigeons even though they WERE causing damage in my Veg patch which was quite a size. It wasn't worth pushing my luck with the local beat after all i can go to the farm to shoot Crows LG Surely in the interests of conservation of the smaller birds would be reason enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Squirrel Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 Just wondering what people's experiences are of shooting air rifles in back gardens in relatively built up areas? I don't want to upset the neighbours, but I want to reduce the number of jackdaws in the area. I'm also looking at trapping them but was wondering what others experiences of shooting was in this environment? My back garden has a 7ft wall around it that nobody can really see into, I just don't want the neighbours, or worse the police (after my licence!) coming round knocking on my door! 1. Target shooting in your own back garden is fine, you're legally entitled to do so. 2. Jackdaws are corvids, and as corvids are on the general licence this year, they're on the quarry list. HOWEVER 3. Local byelaws may prohibit you from taking animals (even vermin) with air weapons in built-up areas. Check this first. I would also check with the police and get an incident number having confirmed with them the area (marked on a map) in which you intend to shoot. I have such documentation and have no problems with the neighbours after the first time they complained; I called the police and gave the incident number, handed the phone over to the neighbour who was told by the firearms officer to stop wasting his time! 4. Make sure if you are cleared to take jackdaws/other vermin, that you have adequate backstops and that your pellets do not stray beyond your boundaries. FWIW, getting clearance to shoot land by the landowner does not limit you to the quarry list - ANY animal that the landowner deems a pest to his livelihood becomes a viable target if you have the bore/power for it. Hare is good eating this time of year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted December 13, 2006 Report Share Posted December 13, 2006 No pun intended but that won't fly in court I was shooting on Health and Safety grounds (bird droppings all over my crops "for human consumption" and the birds eating my Crops) and as i say i was TOLD to stop. I chose never to press the issue. I did read an article where you need a GENUINE reason to shoot pest species. As i say be VERY careful LG Just wondering what people's experiences are of shooting air rifles in back gardens in relatively built up areas? I don't want to upset the neighbours, but I want to reduce the number of jackdaws in the area. I'm also looking at trapping them but was wondering what others experiences of shooting was in this environment? My back garden has a 7ft wall around it that nobody can really see into, I just don't want the neighbours, or worse the police (after my licence!) coming round knocking on my door! 1. Target shooting in your own back garden is fine, you're legally entitled to do so. 2. Jackdaws are corvids, and as corvids are on the general licence this year, they're on the quarry list. HOWEVER 3. Local byelaws may prohibit you from taking animals (even vermin) with air weapons in built-up areas. Check this first. I would also check with the police and get an incident number having confirmed with them the area (marked on a map) in which you intend to shoot. I have such documentation and have no problems with the neighbours after the first time they complained; I called the police and gave the incident number, handed the phone over to the neighbour who was told by the firearms officer to stop wasting his time! 4. Make sure if you are cleared to take jackdaws/other vermin, that you have adequate backstops and that your pellets do not stray beyond your boundaries. FWIW, getting clearance to shoot land by the landowner does not limit you to the quarry list - ANY animal that the landowner deems a pest to his livelihood becomes a viable target if you have the bore/power for it. Hare is good eating this time of year. Thats not entirely true either Again we come to the Genuine reason to shoot. Lets take for instance a Dog roaming near or on a farmers land (public footpath) with the owner nearby. It can become awkward in court if there is no evidence to show the dog was a concern to the Sheep or other livestock even IF the farmer tells you it's ok to shoot it! If a farmer asks you to shoot a Bird of Prey because it's having a go at his chickens then your in DEEP crud. Again Read your quarry list and be SURE you know what your shooting at even if the farmer tells you to kill it make sure your not going to end up in court for it a Nod from the farmer doesn't give you free reign to shoot everything LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P03 Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 General licence WLF 10087 "Permits authorised persons to kill or take certain birds, including the taking, damaging or destruction of their nests or the taking or destruction of their eggs for the purposes of conserving wild birds." Your problem is convincing local plod that you are "conserving wild birds". It's not something that I would personally advocate but you can legally shoot Jackdaws in your back garden, just as legally as you can plink at tin cans. But if you must, then take precautions; make sure you have a solid backstop with no chance of ricochet, stay out of sight-what the neighbours don't see they can't complain about and stay quiet use a moderated airrifle and most importantly shoot only birds on the ground make damned sure that any birds you do shoot stay within your property - nothing will upset Mrs Miggins more than having a Jackdaw with half its head missing bleeding all over her washing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Do it on the QT. Get something with a silencer. Shooting in your garden is always going to be a problem if you handle it badly, however, my personal view is that we owe a duty to the songbird population to do all we can to thin out corvids and grey squirrels. Talk to your neighbours, most people with half a brain dislike corvids anyway. Getting acceptance to knock off squirrels can be an issue though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted December 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Lots of info to go at there!! I think I may check with my firearms officer, and there's no worries about neighbours seeing and inadequate backstops - like I was saying a 7ft high wall does wonders! I have a moderated springer, so it's not the quietest, but it's not the worst either. I might get my brother to fire it while I'm out beyond the garden, then I can judge whether I think it's too loud. If it is I may just check with the neighbours first! If they're are any more views/eperiences/knowledge it would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 General licence WLF 10087 "Permits authorised persons to kill or take certain birds, including the taking, damaging or destruction of their nests or the taking or destruction of their eggs for the purposes of conserving wild birds." Your problem is convincing local plod that you are "conserving wild birds". It's not something that I would personally advocate but you can legally shoot Jackdaws in your back garden, just as legally as you can plink at tin cans. But if you must, then take precautions; make sure you have a solid backstop with no chance of ricochet, stay out of sight-what the neighbours don't see they can't complain about and stay quiet use a moderated airrifle and most importantly shoot only birds on the ground make damned sure that any birds you do shoot stay within your property - nothing will upset Mrs Miggins more than having a Jackdaw with half its head missing bleeding all over her washing. Elaborate on AUTHORISED! This is the GREY area where you are most likely to get hung up in when it comes to trying to explain this to the local plod who comes knocking on your door and ALSO for some possible wildlife group like the RSPCA to jump on the band waggon if they get a report about someone shooting wild birds in their garden. As i say i would be VERY dubious about it. I am glad to hear your going to approach your Firearms officer and i hope HE can clarify the situation for you. LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30-6 Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 One thing to watch is that you kill it right away, jackdaws can be noisy if wounded and that would bring attention. There are far too many jackdaws about - good shooting if you go for it. :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theskyfox Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 Some interesting points here. I would say if you really must shoot them, then be very subtle about it. Use a moderated air rifle, make it a clean kill, clean up and bag the quarry quickly and quietly and don't make it obvious what your doing. Bear in mind that you do so at your own risk, if you can get private farm land or somewhere else to shoot it would be much better for you and you'd have much more land to play with and less hastle from neighbours etc. -Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 my boys do it all the time.flo said it was fine two do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 my boys do it all the time.flo said it was fine two do it. Ask your FLO if he will transfer to the Nort East "PLEASE" :blink: LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabid bunny Posted December 14, 2006 Report Share Posted December 14, 2006 General licence WLF 10087 "Permits authorised persons to kill or take certain birds, including the taking, damaging or destruction of their nests or the taking or destruction of their eggs for the purposes of conserving wild birds." Your problem is convincing local plod that you are "conserving wild birds". It's not something that I would personally advocate but you can legally shoot Jackdaws in your back garden, just as legally as you can plink at tin cans. But if you must, then take precautions; make sure you have a solid backstop with no chance of ricochet, stay out of sight-what the neighbours don't see they can't complain about and stay quiet use a moderated airrifle and most importantly shoot only birds on the ground make damned sure that any birds you do shoot stay within your property - nothing will upset Mrs Miggins more than having a Jackdaw with half its head missing bleeding all over her washing. Elaborate on AUTHORISED! This is the GREY area where you are most likely to get hung up in when it comes to trying to explain this to the local plod who comes knocking on your door and ALSO for some possible wildlife group like the RSPCA to jump on the band waggon if they get a report about someone shooting wild birds in their garden. As i say i would be VERY dubious about it. I am glad to hear your going to approach your Firearms officer and i hope HE can clarify the situation for you. LG An "authorised person" is someone given permission from the land owner or occupier to shoot legal quarry on their land. :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 General licence WLF 10087 "Permits authorised persons to kill or take certain birds, including the taking, damaging or destruction of their nests or the taking or destruction of their eggs for the purposes of conserving wild birds." Your problem is convincing local plod that you are "conserving wild birds". It's not something that I would personally advocate but you can legally shoot Jackdaws in your back garden, just as legally as you can plink at tin cans. But if you must, then take precautions; make sure you have a solid backstop with no chance of ricochet, stay out of sight-what the neighbours don't see they can't complain about and stay quiet use a moderated airrifle and most importantly shoot only birds on the ground make damned sure that any birds you do shoot stay within your property - nothing will upset Mrs Miggins more than having a Jackdaw with half its head missing bleeding all over her washing. Elaborate on AUTHORISED! This is the GREY area where you are most likely to get hung up in when it comes to trying to explain this to the local plod who comes knocking on your door and ALSO for some possible wildlife group like the RSPCA to jump on the band waggon if they get a report about someone shooting wild birds in their garden. As i say i would be VERY dubious about it. I am glad to hear your going to approach your Firearms officer and i hope HE can clarify the situation for you. LG An "authorised person" is someone given permission from the land owner or occupier to shoot legal quarry on their land. The reason i ask is IF your a council tenant you are NOT the land owner and DONT have permission unless asked for and that is a highly unlikely as councils wont have anyone other than a qualified and insured pest control officer IF you are the house owner perhaps you have a legal right to shoot Corvids i would still have a word with the FLO to be sure but as a council tenant i would seriously doubt you will have a leg to stand on :unsure: LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabid bunny Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 General licence WLF 10087 "Permits authorised persons to kill or take certain birds, including the taking, damaging or destruction of their nests or the taking or destruction of their eggs for the purposes of conserving wild birds." Your problem is convincing local plod that you are "conserving wild birds". It's not something that I would personally advocate but you can legally shoot Jackdaws in your back garden, just as legally as you can plink at tin cans. But if you must, then take precautions; make sure you have a solid backstop with no chance of ricochet, stay out of sight-what the neighbours don't see they can't complain about and stay quiet use a moderated airrifle and most importantly shoot only birds on the ground make damned sure that any birds you do shoot stay within your property - nothing will upset Mrs Miggins more than having a Jackdaw with half its head missing bleeding all over her washing. Elaborate on AUTHORISED! This is the GREY area where you are most likely to get hung up in when it comes to trying to explain this to the local plod who comes knocking on your door and ALSO for some possible wildlife group like the RSPCA to jump on the band waggon if they get a report about someone shooting wild birds in their garden. As i say i would be VERY dubious about it. I am glad to hear your going to approach your Firearms officer and i hope HE can clarify the situation for you. LG An "authorised person" is someone given permission from the land owner or occupier to shoot legal quarry on their land. The reason i ask is IF your a council tenant you are NOT the land owner and DONT have permission unless asked for and that is a highly unlikely as councils wont have anyone other than a qualified and insured pest control officer IF you are the house owner perhaps you have a legal right to shoot Corvids i would still have a word with the FLO to be sure but as a council tenant i would seriously doubt you will have a leg to stand on :unsure: LG it is not only a land owner who can give permission to shoot on private land. An occupier is also allowed to do this. If you occupy a council house with a back garden, then you can authorise yourself to shoot there, or even a front garden for that matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 All this going to and fro is getting nowhere. This question comes up time and time again, and EVERY time we still do not get a defianative answer. It is all down to speculation and "my mate down the pub says......" why not just let it lie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabid bunny Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 All this going to and fro is getting nowhere. This question comes up time and time again, and EVERY time we still do not get a defianative answer. It is all down to speculation and "my mate down the pub says......" why not just let it lie? which question are you refering to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oly Posted December 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 Had a chat to my flo in Cumbria and he said that there is nothing stopping me...only ensure that rounds do not leave your land. I'll have to run this by the flo in Shropshire though when I finally get down there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 All this going to and fro is getting nowhere. This question comes up time and time again, and EVERY time we still do not get a defianative answer. It is all down to speculation and "my mate down the pub says......" why not just let it lie? which question are you refering to? The "Can I shoot in my back garden?" question. It is so subjective and there is no definative answer. It is all down to common sense and the situation you are in. But even if someone says this there is always a come back or an excuse or a "My (insert suitable candidater) says it is o.k." answer. All it does is cloud the already muddy waters. I don't know about you but I wouldn't shhot in my back garden on a regular basis. (I have taken the odd sighting shot) as I back onto a school playing field. I COULD plink in my garden as I have a 6' fence and would ensure no pellet left the boundry but I DON'T do it as it could cause problems. All the chest puffing and "I am legally entitled to do so" bobbins when the plod arrive is not going to help. I have said this before and will no doubt be repeating myself in a month or so when the question gets asked again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabid bunny Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 All this going to and fro is getting nowhere. This question comes up time and time again, and EVERY time we still do not get a defianative answer. It is all down to speculation and "my mate down the pub says......" why not just let it lie? which question are you refering to? The "Can I shoot in my back garden?" question. It is so subjective and there is no definative answer. It is all down to common sense and the situation you are in. But even if someone says this there is always a come back or an excuse or a "My (insert suitable candidater) says it is o.k." answer. All it does is cloud the already muddy waters. I don't know about you but I wouldn't shhot in my back garden on a regular basis. (I have taken the odd sighting shot) as I back onto a school playing field. I COULD plink in my garden as I have a 6' fence and would ensure no pellet left the boundry but I DON'T do it as it could cause problems. All the chest puffing and "I am legally entitled to do so" bobbins when the plod arrive is not going to help.I have said this before and will no doubt be repeating myself in a month or so when the question gets asked again. as an aside to our "opinions", we are all legally entitled to shoot in our gardens, so long as no member of the public within 50 feet feels threatened, gets injured or is forced to detour. The pellet not allowed to leave your boundary only applies if you are under 17 years old at this time. That's pretty clear and straight foward to understand. If plod comes a calling, tell him your rights and take no nonsense from him. I say know you rights within the law and remind the police of that when they say otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 All this going to and fro is getting nowhere. This question comes up time and time again, and EVERY time we still do not get a defianative answer. It is all down to speculation and "my mate down the pub says......" why not just let it lie? which question are you refering to? The "Can I shoot in my back garden?" question. It is so subjective and there is no definative answer. It is all down to common sense and the situation you are in. But even if someone says this there is always a come back or an excuse or a "My (insert suitable candidater) says it is o.k." answer. All it does is cloud the already muddy waters. I don't know about you but I wouldn't shhot in my back garden on a regular basis. (I have taken the odd sighting shot) as I back onto a school playing field. I COULD plink in my garden as I have a 6' fence and would ensure no pellet left the boundry but I DON'T do it as it could cause problems. All the chest puffing and "I am legally entitled to do so" bobbins when the plod arrive is not going to help.I have said this before and will no doubt be repeating myself in a month or so when the question gets asked again. as an aside to our "opinions", we are all legally entitled to shoot in our gardens, so long as no member of the public within 50 feet feels threatened, gets injured or is forced to detour. The pellet not allowed to leave your boundary only applies if you are under 17 years old at this time. That's pretty clear and straight foward to understand. If plod comes a calling, tell him your rights and take no nonsense from him. I say know you rights within the law and remind the police of that when they say otherwise. Thats not right either as the way you put it in words makes it sound as though it's fine for anyone OVER 17 to allow a pellet to travel over the boundary of their property. I would say you need to go back and read again before you end up in DEEP **** the pellet should not pass the boundary of your property no matter WHAT your age. It "becomes" an offence the moment they can prove your pellet or pellets crossed your boundary into neighbouring land. LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 My advice LG is drop this one with RB, its one of his favourite points. The law does seem to infer, depending on how you read it, that it is ok for the pellet to land outside your boundry [if you are over 17] Now, I don't for a second think a badly worded piece of legislation is going to make one bit of difference if you try and hide behind it. They will either 1) overturn the law on appeal to a higher court or 2) do you with loads of other things Now, this has come up too many times and won't go anywhere. The law is being amended as we speak to make it clearer and easier to prosecute people for this offence. I for one think it very unwise to offer advice that its ok to do this considering the above. According to some obscure, un-repealed laws you can do some crazy things according to the statute books. Involving longbows on certain days of the year from certain places. Nobody would be daft enough to go and do it to see if you would get away with it, same difference here. Problem is RB likes arguing this point and has trolled a few before with this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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