flytie Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I have just come back from walking the dog down by the river on the edge of Pershore. Being dusk, and slightly damp there were no other dog walkers about, they seem to be fair weather dog owners round here. Suddenly there was a crack and something clattered in the trees beside me. It had sounded like an air rifle to me, so I called the dog to heel and walked gently on, whistling! There were two lads with air rifles just along the bank. They were presentable sorts and looked to have nice rifles so i stopped and admired them. I then asked if they knew whose land they were on. They didn't. I asked if they had written permission to be there. They didn't, but I knew that because i know whose land it is. I also asked if they knew who owned the field by the bridge where they had come from, that was a, "no", too. Did they know whose field the next one was, "no". The one after that, "no". I asked them what they were shooting at, they said, "ducks and pigeons"! So very quietly I explained although I was a shooter myself, that they were commiting armed tresspass, had discharged their rifles endangering people on the footpath by firing where they could not see, just missing me. And were going to be breaking the law, poaching, for which their rifles could be seized and any vehicle they had come in. This did scare them! Now i could have phoned the old bill, but we have all been young and silly in our time. Did i do the right thing? ft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I think you have explained things to them quite clearly, lets hope they learn from it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 Spot on imho.Educate them,and if it happens again further action is needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I think you did the right thing. There is a chance that they didn't realise how bad their actions actually were. If they looked respectable and were out after what I would consider legitimate quarry (ie not just shooting at anything that moves) then they just needed educating. Not enough information is given to people who buy air guns. I know they should look into it themselves but not everyone does. At least they know the deal now and hopefully will go about things differently. This kind of activity doesn't need police intervention in my view. The fact that they stopped and talked to you rather than legging it shows they're not bad lads. It's not like they were shooting at you or your dog and as you say we all do silly things sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I know ignorance is no excuse when the law is concerned and its likely they were unaware about permission etc,but i think you did the right thing.A good scare like what you gave them often works and teaches them a lesson.Should the Police have gotten involved they would have had that around their necks forever should they had been convicted.This might just encourage them to go about things the right way. However,i'd keep an eye out for them in future and treat this as their one & only warning.Next time would be the Police. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flytie Posted November 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I know ignorance is no excuse when the law is concerned and its likely they were unaware about permission etc,but i think you did the right thing.A good scare like what you gave them often works and teaches them a lesson.Should the Police have gotten involved they would have had that around their necks forever should they had been convicted.This might just encourage them to go about things the right way. However,i'd keep an eye out for them in future and treat this as their one & only warning.Next time would be the Police. My thoughts exactly. That's why I did what I did, unfortunately I have just had one of the landowners on the phone asking if I had seen them. I said I had, and she wanted to know why i hadn't called the police. She is a bit irascible at the best of times and although i tried to explain to her why i did what I did, she's not happy. Fortunately I do not have shooting access on her land (she's a rabid anti) so I will not suffer long term for my actions. To think she very nearly became my mother in law I have had a chat to the other three landowners and they are fine with what happened. They just want me to keep my eyes open. It is a tempting bit of land with three pheasant shoots close by and loads of ducks on the river. They should know better now though. ft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I still think you did the right thing. These lads are a perfect picture of me when I was a kid. I never meant any harm to anyone but now that I know what I do I understand how it could have been an issue. It's not up to you to call the police. You sent them on their way and in my view that's good enough. Some people are never happy, I wouldn't worry about it. Thank god you came to your senses and didn't marry into it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbly Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 Good call Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 (edited) you did right, i shudder to think of some of the things i did when i first started hunting Edited November 27, 2009 by babbyc1000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonk Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 I think your actions were an excellent response to what could have been a terrible ending for the two lads if someone else would have found them. Hopefully they will go off and learn more They may even end up posting on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexr Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 good call Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek.snr Posted November 27, 2009 Report Share Posted November 27, 2009 a fellow shooters common sense,the armed old bill phoned by some concerned citizen ,another accident,i shudder at the thought of it ,well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasper3 Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 we were all young and did things we shouldn't of.. I think what you did will last a long time with those lads, a good explanation can work better than a official telling off I know some youngsters look at a police warning as a trophy...your warning showed them respect as said..we were all young once ................ just find it hard to remember that long ago jasp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveB916 Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 Well done Sir, the Police would have been overkill, they should have thanked you, and one day they will appreciate the advice you gave them. I bet there are not many on here who haven't taken a shot at a woody in the local woods when they were a kid ? Dave B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flytie Posted November 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 we were all young once ................ just find it hard to remember that long ago jasp No, i can remember being young! It's what happened last night that's a bit fuzzy ft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordieh Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 Hi flytie 3 questions for you in order of importance 1) How much land has she got 2)where does she live 3)What does the daughter look like, if the daugher is married and she has over 2000 acres with deer on it what does the mother look like, if she has over 5000 acres has she got any pretty brothers Cheers Geordie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 The trouble today is that there are to many stupid people about who think that air guns are toys and that they will just sting the back of your legs . I will bet that they had just bought the guns and wanted to try them out somewhere and being stupid shot them on land that they did not have permission on . Had I been there I would proberbly have said the same thing to them . Had they became trucculent ,then a phone call to the cops . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev 1 Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 Good on ya for showing a bit of deplomacy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 yes you did the right thing, good on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COACH Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 Excellent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christy Posted November 28, 2009 Report Share Posted November 28, 2009 Totally agree with your considered approach. I carried an airgun in an old sack walking through my town 1965 (Airspoter .22). I was 10. Old bill pulled up 4.45am and insisted I tied it up next time we meet. I did. Some kids listen! We didn't need permission in those days. Well the rabbits didn't ask so why would we. Well done-good man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flytie Posted November 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 Hi flytie3 questions for you in order of importance 1) How much land has she got 2)where does she live 3)What does the daughter look like, if the daugher is married and she has over 2000 acres with deer on it what does the mother look like, if she has over 5000 acres has she got any pretty brothers Cheers Geordie nice one Geordie Believe me, you do not want to go there The old man was a good sort, well liked in the local community, but his wife is a different kettle of fish She would need a good sized farm/estate to make it worth the risk and it's only a bit of a smallholding. The old man was a grower (veg), but since he died she just lets the land out to a contract farmer. She has a telescope in the house, and woe betide any young lad who tries fishing on her bit of riverbank, let alone shooting on her land :look: The daughter is a lawyer, and you know the old joke about the shooter trapped in a cage with a bear, a tiger and a lawyer. He only had two round of ammo, so he shot the lawyer twice just to make sure! Enough said ft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjobill Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 dont just dismiss the idea, but if you see the lads again and they seem, a second time round, nice sensible lads, perhaps, and i dont know your circumstances, offer them to go out for a bit of shooting with you or you can give them contact details of a landowner who may be happy to give them permission especially if they have an experienced person with them the first few times. This in my opinion can do no harm and they may make good responsible shots. if the police had been involved things coud have been very tricky for them. flytie you did exactly what a responsible person should have done, and you dont know these lads situation they may not have a dad to do that for them. BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Mule Posted November 29, 2009 Report Share Posted November 29, 2009 offer them to go out for a bit of shooting with you or you can give them contact details of a landowner who may be happy to give them permission especially if they have an experienced person with them the first few times. I'm looking for a bit of permission, my lot has been hard hit by mixi and all I'm hunting these days is grass. 'Permission' is as rare as chicken's teeth too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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