rjimmer

I have found that the best bait for a Larsen trap to catch the first call bird is baby rabbits (dead). Crows and magpies can't resist the little pink bodies.

Perhaps, if you were out ferreting and were in the habit of carrying your ferret in a wire cage about the same size as a larsen trap, you might put it down somewhere while you had your naaffi break. While sitting under the hedge enjoying your munchies with a gun by your side, you might happen to shoot a crow that was flying by. You would, of course, have all your other ferreting gear alongside you, ready to start again after eating.

Perhaps they were digging then!!!

A cheaper method would be to tether a white ferret, as long as you don't get caught!!!

If they are that far away that you can only see their eyes, I would suggest they are too far away for a reliable kill. Lamp-shy foxes are foxes that have been missed. Dead foxes aren't lamp-shy. If you are in the habit of chasing foxes at night with a vehicle, of course they will become lamp-shy!!! We often have to shout at charlie to stop him running in too close. We don't use a filter. If you are near a road network, your foxes will be used to the white light of road vehicles. We can often shoot 2 or 3 a night without going off the road. We don't even need to get out of the vehicle in lots of cases, only to pick up the carcase. Just after tea in the winter is as good a time as any.

There was mention on the news tonight that two lads in Scotland were being done for hunting foxes with dogs. No traditional hunt was involved so I assume that the lamp picked up a fox and lurchers went after it. Nice soft target for the antis to get a first conviction, I supect. Anybody here know more about it?

I saw the vermin records of our last keeper from about 10 years ago, it included over 4,000 rabbits (Half of them down to me) 224 foxes (about 50 down to me) and 27 cats (1 down to me). The rabbits have now all but disappeared due to VHD.

Shows how long it is since I bought one!

Subsonic .22rf ammo is about 90 ft lbs I think. If he uses bullets that are lighter (as inferred) than rf ammo, then they are going to break the sound barrier and cause a 'crack' which is rather pointless. What is the accuracy like?

Sorry! Still not convinced. I have written to the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) for clarification. It could be that the 1954 provisions have been superceded by the 1981 act. but without a statutory permit from someone like DEFRA or the EA, I wouldn't risk it.

Your answer from the local bobby is similar to the explanation I got from our local bobby more than 20 years ago. I had asked how come it had been reprted in the press that some poachers had been done for shooting rabbits without a game license. "If you are a poacher, everything is classed as game" He replied. Poachers must be doing it for sport, I suppose!! If you pay for rabbit shooting or, I suppose, pigeon shooting, you should have a Game license, apparently. They run from the time you take them out until August 31st, I believe, but it's a long time since I bothered with one. OOOPS!!! What have I said?

These chaps have a lot of experience with all sorts of airguns. http://www.southdorset.ftc.btinternet.co.uk/ These started on my place but have now got somewhere more suitable. They should be able to put you in touch with someone in your area if you don't want to travel far.

An engineering lecturer at our local college was heavily into any form of shooting and as he got older it was airgunning with a precharged pneumatic. He once told me that it was pointless trying to put more power behind the pellets because they (at that time anyway) would not be stable enough to maintain accuracy. As has been said, if you can get a certificate for a .22 rimfire then get one of those. It will be quieter than a spring air rifle if you get a moderator. Don't forget to have the moderator put on the certificate. I know you can buy the same ones for an air rifle, but you will need it on your certificate to put it on a rimfire weapon.

I would have to do some research but, I don't think that the police had the authority to give your dad any such permission, but I may be wrong. I would have thought it would have to come from some other agency or other and be issued under the 1954 Protection of birds act. Perhaps you could scan in a copy of the permit (hiding any names and addresses) and post it here. I am allowed to used my rifles wherever I think it is safe, but I wouldn't risk shooting wildfowl with them.

Dorset

I think you will find it is against the law to shoot any wildfowl with a rifle.

Does anyone know of a dealer who can supply a Remington 40XB in .223? The prices that I have seen so far seem a bit high!

I think I've see Cranfield elsewhere!!

The owner of the crops that you are protecting will not be best pleased if you suddenly pack up and go home, with pigeons still coming in on his livelihood, because you think you have shot enough. At least, run out of cartridges, or say you have. Equally, if you are called out to shoot over a crop, you don't go away and wait for numbers to build up in order to get a bigger bag. Nice to find you, Brian!!