is there anything you choose not to shoot?

[WGD]

As far as game is concerned, I won't shoot it if I, or somebody else, isn't going to eat it. I don't shoot snipe because there's so little eating on them.

 

As far as vermin is concerned, if I'm out looking for it then I'm there for a reason so if it finds itself on the end of the bead or in the cross then there's a fair chance it's going to end up dead, or at least have a near miss

[tomhw100]

i cant believe some people have said magpies! they are one of the worst vermin species around! after watching them destroy a black birds nest ill never stop shooting them,never i say! i haven't shot hares for years and i dont think i would again,i definitely wouldn't shoot a grey partridge if i ever see one. I dont shoot young rabbits either (less than half grown) or rabbits that we get to close to when lamping in a motor-get some stick there head up at like 5-10 yards. we let them run a bit then shoot them if they stop before they go in the hedge/hole. Normally works!. Also i dont shoot pigeons or doves or any game sitting-i suppose that goes with out saying tho!

Edited March 24, 2010 by tomhw100

[Vince Green]

I wouldn't shoot them anyway because I like them but would we be allowed to shoot the green parrots that seem to be growing in numbers round here? Years ago there used to be huge flocks of starlings but they seem to be in decine now. The way things are going the parrots will take over from them in a few years time.

We used to shoot the starlings at dusk as they flew into the woods to roost. The air would be black with them and it was a game to see how many you could bring down with both barrels. We would then cut the wings off and sell them to a company called Venniards who would give you money for them.

Edited March 24, 2010 by Vince Green

[flytie]

Even if i could afford to go to Africa, I do not think I would shoot a big cat for a trophy. If it was necessary I would, but not for fun.

 

A mate of mine shot an elephant in Zim, seemingly the locals from miles around got the meat to eat and were very grateful indeed. As part of a management plan, yes I would shoot one, but, again, not for fun.

 

I would shoot, buffalo but it would have to be really, really close. So close you could smell his breath. Plainsgame.....yes. Rhino, no!

 

I would love a bearskin, so I suppose I would shoot a bear.

 

On the UK game list I do not shoot, jack snipe, snipe or grey partridge. I will shoot hares where there is a good population and I do like to eat them. I have no problem shooting any vermin at any time.

 

ft

[groach1234]

Even if i could afford to go to Africa, I do not think I would shoot a big cat for a trophy. If it was necessary I would, but not for fun.

 

A mate of mine shot an elephant in Zim, seemingly the locals from miles around got the meat to eat and were very grateful indeed. As part of a management plan, yes I would shoot one, but, again, not for fun.

 

I would shoot, buffalo but it would have to be really, really close. So close you could smell his breath. Plainsgame.....yes. Rhino, no!

 

I would love a bearskin, so I suppose I would shoot a bear.

 

On the UK game list I do not shoot, jack snipe, snipe or grey partridge. I will shoot hares where there is a good population and I do like to eat them. I have no problem shooting any vermin at any time.

 

ft

 

Im with you on this would never shoot a big cat, would take an elephant out as part of a cull and it is one of my top life aims to shoot a buffalo and its something i have wanted to do long before i showed any real interest in shooting just always wanted one on the wall as my granddad had one and such things rub off on you :o also a Kudu is pretty high on the list but would never shoot a warthog i think the lion king has got to me

 

George

[ollie]

Even if i could afford to go to Africa, I do not think I would shoot a big cat for a trophy. If it was necessary I would, but not for fun.

 

A mate of mine shot an elephant in Zim, seemingly the locals from miles around got the meat to eat and were very grateful indeed. As part of a management plan, yes I would shoot one, but, again, not for fun.

 

I would shoot, buffalo but it would have to be really, really close. So close you could smell his breath. Plainsgame.....yes. Rhino, no!

 

I would love a bearskin, so I suppose I would shoot a bear.

 

On the UK game list I do not shoot, jack snipe, snipe or grey partridge. I will shoot hares where there is a good population and I do like to eat them. I have no problem shooting any vermin at any time.

 

ft

 

Because it is illegal for you to shoot them in England, although in Northern Ireland it is legal.

[christy]

I could no longer shoot a hare. Seems many on here won't shoot em either. There are plenty around here. I like watching them and calling them. Some come so close you could shoot them with your boot!

Can't see much point in shooting snipe for all the reasons previously mentioned. But I do recall several forays across the bog in Connemara, walking for miles trying to hit one. Because they are so quick I guess there is a sense of achievment, but an anti climax when you see how tiny it is. Think I'll leave them go to. Woodcock are to cool to shoot imo.

[Ozzy Fudd]

just something to think about. quite a few people saying they wouldnt shoot big cats, etc. why? most happily shoot pheasants, crows, etc. now i dont understand this. ok, you cant eat lions (like crows), but in some places in africa theyre classed as pests (like crows), so whats the difference between shooting them and crows? surely a lion should be more acceptable to shoot, as its got a "sporting" chance of ripping you to shreds if you mess up, whereas a crow will simply fly off??

[GW80]

I won't shoot Hares and have stopped shooting widgeon as there numbers have dwindled so much where i am due to overwintering Brent Geese.

[pegasus bridge]

i will shoot the very occasional hare - to order, i LOVE shooting magpies !

i wouldnt shoot - moorhen and coot - just dont see the point - i would only shoot fox if i was asked specifically to do this (i'm not on my permissions)

[Dave-G]

Cats.

[Colster]

i wouldnt shoot - moorhen and coot - just dont see the point - i would only shoot fox if i was asked specifically to do this (i'm not on my permissions)

 

I remember reading somewhere that moorhen was quite good to eat as long as you skin it first, roasted in it's skin it's supposed to be really bitter.

[Wesman]

Even if it was free it's simply disgusting. I, and I believe most of us here, shoot to control pests and for the pot - or the odd farmed pheasant as a sporting source of meat - to help songbirds and protect crops.

 

Shooting a Lion or Elephant etc is just a trophy kill to account for small manhood.

 

that's a narrow minded statement if ever I heard one. Almost as good as the antis cry of "shooters kill everything".

 

Big game hunting provides sport and income to people and areas that have no source of income. The species hunted are in abundance and very much like the evil people who murder bambis mum, the animals taken are the weaker members of the pack/herd etc. Having gamekeepers in these areas reduces poaching which devastated the elephant population up until 20 years ago and yes, as strange as it may be, the locals eat the deer/buffalo/elephant meat.

 

Ooh, elephants destroy crops and when in the mating season, have been known to attack humans and destroy homes.

 

Pull your head out of your backside mate

[Popgun]

I never shoot English Partridges or Quail we have a few of each on the estate and as far as i'm concered there safe,

[George1990]

If you are right about gamekeepers taking only weak ones then go for it.

 

But from what I have seen, someone goes out into Africa, finds any old elephant/lion etc and shoots it. This can't be right, as they are endagered species, unlike deer over here.

 

Red Kites can be classed as a pest, but they are protected and quite rightly so.

Lions are endangered, so should be protected too.

[Dekers]

Even if it was free it's simply disgusting. I, and I believe most of us here, shoot to control pests and for the pot - or the odd farmed pheasant as a sporting source of meat - to help songbirds and protect crops.

 

Shooting a Lion or Elephant etc is just a trophy kill to account for small manhood.

 

 

We all have our views and we all have a boundary, that's what forums are about.

 

Not quite sure when a Farmed pheasant stops being that and becomes wild, I think it would be difficult in many cases to show a great history of parentage these days.

 

..and that last bit seems to have caused some interest

 

ATB!!

[CZ550Kevlar]

I got a sniff at a new permission yesterday but had what i suppose you could call an interesting conversation about when i can shoot the rabbits, the owner wants them controlled properly due to holes in lawns etc but he doesn`t want them shot during the summer due to leaving baby rabbits to starve in the warrens, this kind of fits into this category so what are your opinions?

[Wesman]

If you are right about gamekeepers taking only weak ones then go for it.

 

But from what I have seen, someone goes out into Africa, finds any old elephant/lion etc and shoots it. This can't be right, as they are endagered species, unlike deer over here.

 

Red Kites can be classed as a pest, but they are protected and quite rightly so.

Lions are endangered, so should be protected too.

 

sorry for sounding like an **** but it really boils my blood. Shooters are under the cosh from commies yet we bash our own. Lions aren't endangered and never have been as far as I am aware. They're efficient hunters and have a structured hierarchy like a wolf too so litters are very successful. The main reason they are shot is to protect cattle or preserve human life. If the local makes £10k to spread through the village because someone wants to pay to thin out the population rather than the farmer do it himself, I'm all for it. Beats foreign aid being blindly given to African dictators

[Tank]

sorry for sounding like an **** but it really boils my blood. Shooters are under the cosh from commies yet we bash our own. Lions aren't endangered and never have been as far as I am aware. They're efficient hunters and have a structured hierarchy like a wolf too so litters are very successful. The main reason they are shot is to protect cattle or preserve human life. If the local makes £10k to spread through the village because someone wants to pay to thin out the population rather than the farmer do it himself, I'm all for it. Beats foreign aid being blindly given to African dictators

 

Got to agree with Wesman here. I recently got back from visiting my cousin in Malawi having been on safari in Zambia and the populations of Lion and Elephant are certainly strong in these regions. We were shown huge areas that used to be forest that are now just savannah with tree stumps due to the elephants. If someone wants to spend the money then great, it usually goes to the local people. The only problem comes when everyone goes for the HUGE bull elephants so effectively you end up with natural selection meaning the smallest are the most likely to survive (not get shot) so the population becomes small (in stature, not numbers). Most of the elephants in South Luanga National Park are munchkins (although I still got out of the way when they came through camp) because of this.

[deny essex]

I now shoot predomonantly pigeon, ive shot for 30 years and taken my fair share of pigeon, rabbits etc and whatever species is a problem on my permissions I am equiped for and as requested by the landowner, unless its a pest or its numbers are becoming a problem I rarely bother with anything else unless its one for the pot.

Ive shot one fox in my shooting life in the early days an opportunist shot , but on my permissions they have never been a problem and unless requested i never bother with them.

I have had plenty of chances to drop a fox, had quite a few stalk into pigeon patterns whilst decoying but enjoy this country entertainment of another "hunter" doing his thing, and if i know a foxes domain or badger set i will often leave a cpl of pigeon behind for them as a snack.

I rarely take anything down even if its on the list if in my area its numbers present no problem, in my early days it was a little different but as i have grown older and questionably more mature I feel unless there is a problem with a legitimate species i will let it get on with its life till its number get to the point of needed control.

At the moment we are fairly self controled as to when and what we shoot that is within the law and restrictions allowed, no responsible shooter likes "cowboy" guns and its sites like this that we can educate and help those that wish to pick up a gun and become responsible respectable members of the shooting fraternity irrispective of their selctive quarry, the constructive posts and discusions on here can help create a more responsible attitude to those just starting out to help us keep what shooting freedom we have at the moment.

So keep the newbies informed with the wealth of knowlege and wisdom that many of you display on here

[benelli montefeltro]

dont shoot hares, jackdaws or rooks. il shoot a magpie or greyback crow if they offer the chance when im out after pigeons or woodcock, but wont set out to specifically target them. also dont shoot pheasants, never shot one in my life, ive seen more pheasants running than flying so i see them as a tame kind of bird, and of course as someone said earlier they are just like a farmed species. oh and i havent shot anything since last week in january and i wont till september, and that includes the maggies and hoodies, unless of course they rip apart a songbird nest outside my window and they are asking for it. as for the snipe and woodcock i shoot them in real moderation, and by moderation i mean i shot 11 in total last season. i detest any shooter who would go out and shoot large bags of these birds as they come from far and wide to this shores and are truly a wild bird. shows a real lack of respect for them. also shot 1 jack snipe in my life, and that was a mistake, and will never shoot another. though i disagree with the things said bout snipe being to small, yes they may be small but they are packed with flavour, and work wonders in a pot of soup alongside 3 or 4 pigeons and a woodcock

[anser2]

I do only shoot quarry for use for on the table , sell to game dealers or birds that are causing crop \ game damage such as crows. Its rare for me to shoot any mammal though on one shoot they do a lot of damage to a market garden flower grower so i am obliged to shoot hares there.

Edited March 25, 2010 by anser2

[George1990]

dont shoot hares, jackdaws or rooks. il shoot a magpie or greyback crow if they offer the chance when im out after pigeons or woodcock, but wont set out to specifically target them. also dont shoot pheasants, never shot one in my life, ive seen more pheasants running than flying so i see them as a tame kind of bird, and of course as someone said earlier they are just like a farmed species. oh and i havent shot anything since last week in january and i wont till september, and that includes the maggies and hoodies, unless of course they rip apart a songbird nest outside my window and they are asking for it. as for the snipe and woodcock i shoot them in real moderation, and by moderation i mean i shot 11 in total last season. i detest any shooter who would go out and shoot large bags of these birds as they come from far and wide to this shores and are truly a wild bird. shows a real lack of respect for them. also shot 1 jack snipe in my life, and that was a mistake, and will never shoot another. though i disagree with the things said bout snipe being to small, yes they may be small but they are packed with flavour, and work wonders in a pot of soup alongside 3 or 4 pigeons and a woodcock

 

Now is the most important time to shoot magpies isn't it

[benelli montefeltro]

Now is the most important time to shoot magpies isn't it

maybe for you, not for me

[flytie]

Because it is illegal for you to shoot them in England, although in Northern Ireland it is legal.

Ollie, I'm sorry, I should have said, "I did not shoot them when it was legal". I am afraid I have seen them shot by mistake, one of the resons I stopped shooting snipe a long time ago. There are places round here where you still see them regularly.

 

It is so long since anyone shot them round here on the shoots I beat/shoot on, I regressed. I imposed a voluntary ban many, many years ago. I am afraid once you get past 50 time tends to blur and I keep having CRAFT moments, more and more regularly.

 

Your ashamedly, ft