Highlander Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 These quotes come directly from NE. YOU have been warned... “In the short-term, we (NE) are going to allow woodpigeon shot under licence to be sold, and will work with DEFRA, BASC and other interested parties to find a suitable long-term solution.” The operative words here are 'suitable long-term solution. What's wrong with the so called 'short-term one? “If people believe that the woodpigeon is a legitimate quarry species, it’s legal status needs to be revised. This could be achieved by adding it to Schedule 2 Part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, alongside woodcock and wigeon.” And giving it a closed season no doubt! The problem we all (I mean all citizens not just hunters) face with burocrats is they must keep meddling in affairs simply to justify their jobsworth status. What has stood the test of time no long applies as somewhere someone is thinking of what they can come up with next to guarantee their climb up the job ladder. Things will change whether there’s a need for them to do so or not so the one thing we can be certain of is more burocracy against shooting. I sincerley hope BASC, CA et al are keeping a weather eye on the situation and it would be interesting to know what their (various) stances are on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toka_shigazu Posted October 26, 2009 Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 can you smell another costly course on its way?....perhaps they will want all pellets removed prior to sale? i am sure BASC and others will be keeping an eye out...i think there was another post re this recently and David assured us they would be doing their bit!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbivvy Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 hunting either just before or during the breeding season is not sustainable and this is why European legislation has a ban on spring hunting that applies in ALL member states. its coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 My belief is that the woodpigeon and the rabbit are major agricultural pests, more so than any other creatures. To suspend their control during the "breeding season" would be an economic disaster for a lot of Farmers. It would also be interesting to determine what is the "breeding season". With our milder climate, both rabbits and pigeons have extended their natural breeding season from a few months of the year to nearer eight or nine months. I read Natural England's comment to only refer to the sale of woodpigeon, not their control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikee Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 My belief is that the woodpigeon and the rabbit are major agricultural pests, more so than any other creatures.To suspend their control during the "breeding season" would be an economic disaster for a lot of Farmers. It would also be interesting to determine what is the "breeding season". With our milder climate, both rabbits and pigeons have extended their natural breeding season from a few months of the year to nearer eight or nine months. I read Natural England's comment to only refer to the sale of woodpigeon, not their control. i agree cranfield, only 2 weeks ago i sat watching out of the window as a wood pigeon flew back and forth to my neigbours conifer hedge with bits of twig and straw to build a nest, they breed pretty much year round if the weather is mild mikee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Why not have it on the quarry list without a close season, like rabbit? Surely it's worthy of proper quarry status? That way there would be no need to "prove" you were protecting crops, or that you'd tried other non lethal means as currently required. And no annual licence renewal by NE numpties needed (thus no chance to for them to cock it up, or even decide not to renew). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toka_shigazu Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 (edited) i would have thought in these days of seemingly endless bureaucracy i am sure that if they do end up with a closed season..then any farmers with a 'big' problem will be able to apply for yet another licence to allow them to be shot..... or summat like this!!!! wooooopppss...almost forgot you may have to pass a test to get the licence to show that you can kill them cleanly - and dont forget a food hygiene test!!! Edited October 27, 2009 by toka_shigazu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6shot Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 they wont be happy untill its illegal to swat flys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsowatts Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 What document are you all referring to? I have looked on the Natural England web site and drawn a blank. If there is a chance to comment directly to Natural England I would like to be able to do so, but would need to know which document I'm commenting on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 (edited) Phew! that's OK if it's all we have to worry about. I was thinking more about the fact that (in political terms) a general election is imminent. Recent news tells us that the Crown Prosecution Service cannot afford to action all the cases it should due to lack of funds (and possibly not afford to pay the staff salaries). Seeing little scroats not getting the punishment they deserve will not be a vote winner with the largely law abiding and arguably already dissatisfied general public. Neither will the fact that Home Office provisional figures reflect that the number of people killed or injured by a gun has doubled in the 10 years to 2008. Some "fast action" will be needed by the government if it wishes to stay in power. "Fast action"? We know it better under a different name; knee jerk having already suffered from it twice in recent years. We remain the easiest target; the people that the government knows have guns. Toka mentioned having to take a test. How long does anyone think that we can remain isolated from the majority of Europe in this respect? There, that's better; end of rant Edited October 28, 2009 by wymberley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graylag Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 I agree with cranfield if natural england put these rules in place what will we do with all shot pigeons some pigeon shooters get hundreds of birds as for me i find that selling my birds gos a little way to pay for the cartridges i think this rule would put me and a lot of other keen pigeon shooters off altogether because we will be lumberd with a load of dead birds my ferrets will only eat so many Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted October 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2009 I agree with cranfield if natural england put these rules in place what will we do with all shot pigeons some pigeon shooters get hundreds of birds as for me i find that selling my birds gos a little way to pay for the cartridges i think this rule would put me and a lot of other keen pigeon shooters off altogether because we will be lumberd with a load of dead birds my ferrets will only eat so many And just as with all things shooting the more difficult they make it the less people will do it until we’re such a minority when they ban it altogether there won’t be anyone left to complain! BTW for those who asked; the answers given by NE came from questions put by a ST journalist to Dr Edel McGurk and Dr Matthew Heydon both working for NE. You can read all about it in the 21st October edition of ST. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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