Hassled while out pigeon shooting

[Toombsy]

I knew, at some point, I'd get grief from someone while I'm out out shooting - just for going shooting. You know, some old dear, or a walker, or someone who decides to vent their spleen while you're getting all your gear out the car. You just know that it's going to happen at some point.

 

Well today it did, but not from an anti or a member of the public - from another pigeon shooter.

 

When I got permission to shoot on land a couple of years back I met this bloke and his son while I was setting up my decoys. He gave me hell telling me to go find some other land and basically to **** off. That's fine, but what I didn't like was the fact that his closed and loaded gun was over his shoulder and pointing at me all the time while he was having his rant.

 

Then this morning I arrived at a rape field at 5. There's two sets of pallets for us to use as hides. I headed for the one closest to where I've been seeing the pigeons feed, set up the 20 decoys and settled in.

 

I never had a shot for two hours, but it looked promising with plenty of birds starting to move and I'd got all day so there's no rush.

 

In the distance I saw this bloke's van driving back and forth, then half hour later he pulls up across the other side of the field, two blokes got out and and they headed for the other pallet (about 600 yards away).

 

They set up and honest to God within 10 minutes of getting in the hide they had at least 12 shots. I couldn't believe it as I hadn't even lifted the gun for hours - but good on 'em I thought - they had got it right, I hadn't. Simple as that.

 

So the day went on and they were firing every 10-15 minutes, but I couldn't see whether they were hitting anything because of the trees and the background behind them. They had a clear view of me. Then the penny dropped...

 

I noticed two birds coming my way, well out of their range, but getting closer to me. Bang! They let a barrel rip. The birds spooked and flew off. The same happened again, and again. From their hide they could clearly see the birds heading my way far further than I could and they were basically spooking them intentionally.

 

I couldn't be doing with it - you can't compete with that sort of thing so I packed up and as luck would have it I had to walk closer to their hide on the way back to the car. Then all hell erupted. He started shouting and screaming all sorts of abuse.

 

Like I said, I knew one day it would happen, but it takes the **** when it's from another pigeon shooter - and this one actually works on the farm where I shoot.

 

What a tosspot!

Edited March 27, 2010 by Toombsy

[sambu13]

i wonder what the land owner would think about him stopping to killing pigeon that are eating his crop?

[Cranfield]

If he works on the Farm then you are likely to be the loser if you go to see the Farmer.

All of us have had to share land over the years and had some uncooperative "pigeon shooters" to contend with.

Its best to try to avoid them and if it gets too bad, then look for somewhere else.

The alternatives are really not worth the bother.

[unapalomablanca]

Its funny you say that cos i encountered a miserable nasty piece of work the only time i crossed the path of a fellow shooter. I just asumed it would be friendly banter but he was a **** There is definetly a clicky element in shooting and surprisingly it seems to be at the working class end of the sport. I love rough shooting but when i went into it i thought there may be a social side to it you know little drinks between friends, but i think it is a loners sport and although i love it its a shame the friendliness isnt there like i expected. Never mind i'll chat to some pigeons!!

[Lez325]

i wonder what the land owner would think about him stopping to killing pigeon that are eating his crop?

 

 

The pigeons he spooked would be no threat to the farmer as they didnt eat any of his crop- as they didnt get the chance to land

 

I still think the blokes a ***** though and as said - the farmer may well back his employee- you'll never know what he said about you Toombsy- chalk it up for experience mate

 

Les

[sharpeyhunt]

id have asked him nicely to get his boxing gloves on (lets have it)

[Toombsy]

If he works on the Farm then you are likely to be the loser if you go to see the Farmer.

All of us have had to share land over the years and had some uncooperative "pigeon shooters" to contend with.

Its best to try to avoid them and if it gets too bad, then look for somewhere else.

The alternatives are really not worth the bother.

 

Yeah - you're spot on there mate. I knew it wouldn't be worth arguing about, so I just packed up and walked away.

 

No real harm done though - the pigeons will be back and so will I

[Cookiemonsterandmerlin.]

Snap I had a pigeon guide do this to me but I had the the last laugh in the end after two years of waiting the tenant farmer lease was ended due to sorry state of affairs.

 

What goes around comes around IMO OTH

[sitsinhedges]

Talking to the farmer is the only option isn't it.

 

If it's that bad I would also consider talking to the chaps FEO aswell.

[J@mes]

I wouldn't go snitching to anyone, just accept that the guy is a bit of a fruit and avoid!

[chrispti]

Go and have a chat with them!

 

I had a man who has been shooting a farm years before I showed up. He was an awkward ***** to say the least! Used to park his motor behind my hide/hedgerow so as to scare the birds away from me, shoot in my direction so I got rained on with lead and was generally abusive.

 

To cut a long story short, I went and had a chat with him the next time he turned up at the farm, alright initially it was a bit of a slanging match, but I kept my cool (just!) and we parted shaking hands with no hard feelings.

 

Now, every time either of us turns up at the farm and see's the other already shooting, we exchange a wave and sod off to let the shooter get on with it.

 

Happy days all round

Edited March 27, 2010 by chrispti

[hyflier]

I have a bloke near me who behaves like this, I've left him to make a fool of himself, and true to form he has done just that.

 

I used to get sworn at and threatened with his "big gun." Outwardly I would remain polite but inside I was seething. These so called "responsible firearm owners" will always trip themselves up, but will in the process give fuel to the anti's

 

I don't know what to suggest, this has worked in my case, but to go to the Farmer may backfire, try reasoning with the bloke in a local pub over a pint one evening?

[Vipa]

I know you have exchanged words but has he told you exactly what his beef is with you?

[gsm1968]

I had a similar experience with a fellow shooter. Had a chat with the farmer, who then put a rule in place where the guy had to phone me before shooting. Coward always phoned during working hours and left a message.

 

The problem was the farmer,like most of them, was not a shooter and giving permission to Tom,**** and Harry to protect his crops. Once aware of the etiquete and safety of shooting He sorted it out and never a problem since.

[mossy835]

this happened 30 years ago,i was out with a mate shooting on his land,same thing happened, young chap shouting his mouth off, my mate went up to him and beat the the day lights out of him.he had 2 black eyes split nose,broken teeth.but never again did he shoot his mouth off.good lesson.

[Toombsy]

I know you have exchanged words but has he told you exactly what his beef is with you?

 

Yeah - it's simply this - that I have permission to shoot on the land that he shoots over. That's it.

 

He reckons he pays to shoot on that land. Which I reckon is absolute rubbish, as he works there - have you ever heard of a farm hand paying his boss to shoot over the land he works?

 

Basically he's just an over-protective idiot who ought to step back and think about it for a moment as we have over 1000 acres to shoot over and one bloke who works there full time can't deal with it all.

 

 

What happened earlier today is water under the bridge now. I'm not going to wind him up, I'm not going to talk to the farmer about it and I'm not going to do anything about it - I just posted the story that's all.

[starlight32]

Yeah - it's simply this - that I have permission to shoot on the land that he shoots over. That's it.

 

He reckons he pays to shoot on that land. Which I reckon is absolute rubbish, as he works there - have you ever heard of a farm hand paying his boss to shoot over the land he works?

 

Basically he's just an over-protective idiot who ought to step back and think about it for a moment as we have over 1000 acres to shoot over and one bloke who works there full time can't deal with it all.

 

 

What happened earlier today is water under the bridge now. I'm not going to wind him up, I'm not going to talk to the farmer about it and I'm not going to do anything about it - I just posted the story that's all.

 

Good point regarding not taking the matter further, but what you have to consider is if he starts spreading the poison with the farmer which can put you unfairly in a bad light.

 

I probably would tackle it if that situation arises, and stick to your current thought of letting it go.

 

I have met plenty of these farm hands who think they have the untold rights to the farm shooting, but in reality it never lasts,seen it all before.

 

I just say to the minority of these so called smart alecs when I do encounter them- 'Run along fella, it ain't my problem you did'nt listen at school'

[mossy835]

well good for you taken it like you have

[cocker3]

pritty sad when a fellow shooter acts like this .but i would have a wee word with the farmer and say that i dont have a problem with him shooting on the same field as me but you wont tolarate him shouting abuse at you .then if he is shouting off to the farmer youve got your side of the story over as well . or just leave it and see if he does it again .then knock **** out of him only joking violance does t solve any thing :lol:but ti sure makes you feel better

Edited March 28, 2010 by cocker3

[activeviii]

wish i could afford to stand there shoot carts at nothing. i think im in the wrong job here.

 

good on you sir for keeping your cool, but me, well i would, next time you see the farmer, just drop in to a conversation and say that there was an idiot there shooting very dangerously the other day, don't know who he was but more than once did shot fall on you, got a little worrying at times as he wasn't shooting at pigeons but just mucking around and that it was a very poor show of gun etiquette. leave it at that and see if its enough to sort out, if not then you need to go chat to him as he gonna think he can do it all the time.

 

 

i hate to say it but i like the mid week shooting s very few problems then.

 

 

all the best to you sir

 

Phil.

[richg]

Hi Toombsy,

I had a similar encounter many years ago, i was on an estate i had shot for many years and i was just packing up at the end of a good day when a car pulls into the gate and this guy gets out and asks if i have permission, i tell him i have, but who's asking. He told me his name and said he was new to the area and also had permission on the estate. He was quite abrasive, so i said thats fine, see you around, and i left. This guy got permission on most of the farms that i shot.

Within a month i had phone calls from two farmers saying i was not to shoot on their land again, with no explanation given.

I made some enquiries and it turned out this guy was bad mouthing me to anyone who would listen, i spoke to another farmer who was a good friend, and he phoned a farmer who had banned me to ask why. It turns out this other shooter is a serving police officer, and though he had not made direct accusations about me, he just hint'ed that i was know to them, and it might not be a good idea to be associated with me. This was enough to get me barred from a number of farms as mud sticks. he of course denied any wrong doing. This "bad reputation" followed me for years after. The fact is that his word as a serving police officer carried more weight than mine, and few farmers like to upset the local police. i did make a complaint to his cheif constable but it was dismissed so i just had to live with it.

My advice to you is, speak to his employer along the lines of, I may have offended one of your men recently as i was shooting on your land and he was not happy about it. If you don't, you run the risk of him bad mouthing you behind your back. I hope you get it sorted/

RICHG

[Guest beechris]

My advice to you is, speak to his employer along the lines of, I may have offended one of your men recently as i was shooting on your land and he was not happy about it. If you don't, you run the risk of him bad mouthing you behind your back. I hope you get it sorted/

RICHG

 

 

Ive got to agree, i would mention it to the farmer when you speak next, Where i shoot we had some new shooters who was not using common sense, so i told the farmer that there was a bloke in so and so field doing this and that it was NOT me. when the ploice turned up once , the shooter was gone.

[Pepe]

Do not use violence. If you get done for GBH, you may have difficulties getting your license and guns back. Carry on shooting if you have permission. If you know the farmer well, just mention the other guy got upset you were shooting and leave it to that. I shoot in a estate and we are used to sharing. See how it goes, with time you may get to know each other and come to some sort of arrangement, when he realises you are there for the long haul. I always find it better if there is people out on other fields as it keeps the birds moving.

[Pippin pup]

Had an interesting meeting with a fellow ( and I use the team Lightly),shooter while out pigeon shooting recently.

I was stood in a hedge under a good line of pigeons on a very windy day and the sport (sorry, Crop Protection!), was rapid.

Saw a guy walking along the hedge towards me semi- auto under his arm and occasionly stopping and knealing which i soon realised he was checking some already set snares. Anyway he came right up to me and i did not reconise him but thought i would be polite and ask if he had Caught any rabbits?.

Strait away he asked if i had permision to shoot pigeons on this land? and i replied that i had.

You Carnt have he said as he did all the rabbits and Pigeons on this land and i had to leave strait away!

He also added thad he had shot there for years and no one else had permission.

Who gave you Permission he asked?

The Land owner i said!

Well thats not right he said and i must leave before he rings the Police.

Ring them I said! but before you do, i added ,you better check out who the landowner is?

Whos that he said Sharply?

Me I Said.

 

He suddenly became very quite and went very pale.

He then added, But are you sure youve got permison to shoot the rabbits and pigeons?

Well yes I Said, I Supose if you own the land and have done for the past 12 years I expect the Ive Earned the right to shoot on the land!

 

Well im not happy he said and the marched off!

 

Not seen him since but noticed his snares have gone!.

 

Also if he had asked probly would have let him snare and shoot anyway but maybe not now!

 

Best wishes and Happy hunting

 

Pippin Pup

Edited March 29, 2010 by Pippin pup

[Pepe]

Had an interesting meeting with a fellow ( and I use the team Lightly),shooter while out pigeon shooting recently.

I was stood in a hedge under a good line of pigeons on a very windy day and the sport was rapid.

Saw a guy walking along the hedge towards me semi- auto under his arm and occasionly stopping and knealing which i soon realised he was checking some already set snares. Anyway he came right up to me and i did not reconise him but thought i would be polite and ask if he had Caught any rabbits?.

Strait away he asked if i had permision to shoot pigeons on this land? and i replied that i had.

You Carnt have he said as he did all the rabbits and Pigeons on this land and i had to leave strait away!

He also added thad he had shot there for years and no one else had permission.

Who gave you Permission he asked?

The Land owner i said!

Well thats not right he said and i must leave before he rings the Police.

Ring them I said! but before you do, i added ,you better check out who the landowner is?

Whos that he said Sharply?

Me I Said.

 

He suddenly became very quite and went very pale.

He then added, But are you sure youve got permison to shoot the rabbits and pigeons?

Well yes I Said, I Supose if you own the land and have done for the past 12 years I expect the Ive Earned the right to shoot on the land!

 

Well im not happy he said and the marched off!

 

Not seen him since but noticed his snares have gone!.

 

Also if he had asked probly would have let him snare and shoot anyway but maybe not now!

 

Best wishes and Happy hunting

 

Pippin Pup

:unsure: What a cheeky ******.