countrysportsuk

Hi, I have just recently read this book and can highly recommend it as a short interesting and thought provoking book. It speaks out well about what is happening in the countryside and the threat to shooting sports. I would love to hear the opinions of others about it. The Shrew

Yes, me too. Totally unrelated to shooting too!

I have just read this book and I can highly recommend it. Its the `Wither this land` of shooting in many ways, but easier to read. The Shrew

Things that are illegal are an offence and vice versa. The good lawyer 'getting you off' is all part of that the game that our legal system describes as 'justice'. This is also greatly influenced by the 'gravity' or seriousness of the offence, money available to pay him/her and other matters. I personally have the well held belief that the words 'justice' and 'the law' are two very different things most if not all of the time. And to finish on a lighter note...... What is Jim Henson doing about all this? Taking the title of this \topic into consideration...

No it's not, read again the WHOLE wording of the law NOT just the bits SG printed... Your SG post...'The law states that it is illegal to discharge a firearm within 50 feet of the centre of a highway. A highway is defined as being designated for vehicle use and a footpath doesn't count.' The wording of the law...Section 161 of the Highways Act 1980 (England & Wales) makes it an offence to discharge a firearm within 50 ft of the centre of a public highway having vehicular access without lawful authority or excuse, IF as a result a user of the highway is injured, interupted or endangered. It doesn't say you can't discharge a firearm just that IF you do and IF you don't have lawful authority or excuse and IF someone using said highway is injured etc etc... I rest my case So what are you and SS doing about it? Well, the definition of 'highway' varies from one act to another and usually has a specific meaning for each act. Having brought a sucessful prosecution under the Firearms Act 1968 for just such an offence, I am quite happy with the older definition of highway( i.e footpath, bridleway, green lane etc) applying to this one. Like most laws they only have to be used when theres a need and most times can be left to lie in the interest of fairness where no one has been put at risk etc. During the big anti hunt protests in Cheshire prior to the ban, the justice of the peace act of 1367 was wheeled out and used too good purpose, theres always a bit of law still on the books that can be interpreted in the right way to suit a purpose. Heres a quote from BASC guidlines on air rifle use, and before theres any more argument yes an air weapon is defined as a firearm, but not as a section 1 firearm that the FAC applies to. "It is an offence to fire an airgun within 50 feet of the centre of a public highway, if by doing so you cause any member of the public using that highway to be injured, interrupted or endangered. This applies even if you are on private property adjacent the highway. Public highways include roads, bridleways and public footpaths." The legal arguments re endangered etc are the thing that lawyers make their money from, but the mere suggestion that some one is irresponsible enough to act in the way that was originally described is more than enough for FAC to be revoked and weapons seized. At least theres a lively debate going on here, far better than my site where all went quite after the Hunting Act was forced through by Blair (also a lawyer by trade ..lol) and Co. Cheers all Nige

Hi, well I thnk you all have already managed to say what I was about to add. There are numerous legal issues here, all of which would at even the slightest suggestion cause these people to have there FAC suspended or removed and quite rightly so. There behaviour is appaling by any decent persons standards, let alone those of a sporting community under siege and under scrutiny by all. Our practices are difficult enough for the uninitiated to accept even when all is done correctly, but these guys dont seem to care at all. On the information that has been given I have serious doubts if they even posess an FAC they are hard enough to come by and encourage the holders to protect them. If the local police dont take action or sufficient action to completely remove this dangerous problem( although I think this unlikely in the present climate and from personal experience of such matters), then you need to keep taking it higher up, as a duty to all concerned especially shooting's survival as a sport and public safety. I know by now I have stated the obvious and repeated what has already been said and I apologise for that, but I do have a good legal knowledge and inside contacts re these matters if the problem does not get resolved. Discharging firearms within 50m( dont quote me on the exact distance but its somthing like that in its wording) of a footpath is a good start to all the offences that could be listed. Hope you get to grips with this. Regards Nige

Hi, Just rejoined the group (I think) I may have been a member sometime ago and have forgotten log in etc, but thats age for you. If theres anyone on here from North Shrops/Cheshire/North Wales sort of area I would be pleased to hear from you. I have been shooting for longer than I care to remember, but I have now decided to increase my shooting due to the cessation of some other sporting activities that divided my time in the past. I have been a beater/picker up on a local shoot for the past 11 seasons and have had some great guest and beaters days over the years in return for my services. I am now looking to shoot throughout the year aswell as just during the game and wildfowl season, most probably at pigeons and rabbits. Some past years have seen the shotguns go into the cabinet at the end of the game season and not reappear until the following November due to lack of time. I am also toying with the idea of finding a syndicate not too far away and purchasing the odd days shooting too etc. I think the enjoyment of all this would be greatly enhanced if a suitably like minded soul or two could be found in the local area to join in both socially and for sporting purposes. This saturday sees the start of the short pigeon roost shooting month that always follows at the end of the season. So at least the next two weekends hold the promise of a bit of shooting and an afternoon out for the Labradors in familiar woods. I think the ones remaining may be a problem due to that old adversary to our sprting activities commonly called 'work'. Well I wish you all well and hope that you have had a good past season and that this new year's sporting activities go well. Nige