What would you have done?

[Evil Elvis]

I was walking the dogs tonight and Purdey was playing up on the lead so I was concentrating on her, Harlie(my eldest) was walking ahead with phred my jack russell, we were walking through a nature reserve at Stanford-le-hope, just past the lakes i fish. I looked up to see Harlie about 40 yards ahead of me, and about another 10yards further on saw a blackman come out of the bushes with a rifle in his hand, Im not sure if he saw us or not, but he walked ahead another 20 yards and fired at something, Im failry sure it was an air rifle but it was dusk, it was very quiet and I didnt see a mod.

 

Harlie was quite frightened by this camoed idiot walking out of the bushes, she came hurtling abck to where i was.; I decided that it was unsafe for him to be shooting there, I wasnt the only dog walker around either, so i called the police and reported him.

 

When I got in Lisa has a go at me for NOT having a go at him, i just thought in light or recent events it was best not to approach him but to let the authorities handle it.

 

They did take it seriously as they phoned back 5 mins later for an exact location.

 

Would you have approached him or rung it in?

Edited June 4, 2010 by Evil Elvis

[ziplex]

I think you did the right thing.....

[shot shot]

I was walking the dogs tonight and Purdey was playing up on the lead so I was concentrating on her, Harlie(my eldest) was walking ahead with phred my jack russell, we were walking through a nature reserve at Stanford-le-hope, just past the lakes i fish. I looked up to see Harlie about 40 yards ahead of me, and about another 10yards further on saw a blackman come out of the bushes with a rifle in his hand, Im not sure if he saw us or not, but he walked ahead another 20 yards and fired at something, Im failry sure it was an air rifle but it was dusk, it was very quiet and I didnt see a mod.

 

Harlie was quite frightened by this camoed idiot walking out of the bushes, she came hurtling abck to where i was.; I decided that it was unsafe for him to be shooting there, I wasnt the only dog walker around either, so i called the police and reported him.

 

When I got in Lisa has a go at me for NOT having a go at him, i just thought in light or recent events it was best not to approach him but to let the authorities handle it.

 

They did take it seriously as they phoned back 5 mins later for an exact location.

 

Would you have approached him or rung it in?

It really depends on location, but in this case, I would have rung it in

 

there aint nobody that's allowed to have a gun on a nature reserve, so he aint meant to be there

[apache]

I too think you did the right thing.

 

[still loving the avatar BTW ]

[vole]

You did the right thing. To get involved in a punch up to protect maybe some ducks would not be worth the risk to you or your FAC. You probably would be done for assault if he had a go and you battered him. Especially important to ring the police with a kiddie in tow. PS. Like the name Phred !

[stevethevanman]

You did the right thing, but if you braw blood I tihnk they can press for GBH now ...thats definately an FAC killer

 

Steve

[HW682]

YOU were the one there with your daughter. I am sure that at the time her safety and well being were your priority. If you think you did the right thing at the time then no one else who wasn't there can say any different

[jmooney]

Your first priority was the safety of you, your child, and your dogs. I don't think it wise to have a go at an unknown man with a gun. You did the right thing.

[Bombadil]

If for some strange reason you were completely mistaken, he was shooting very safely and had perfect reason for being there, then surely he would have no problems explaining that to the police?

 

And confronting him just means you would be undergoing a task which you are not prepared for if the worst comes out of it.

 

Took the best course of action in my opinion

[apache]

There's a little bit of me that thinks this thread cold have gone a very different way.

 

Imagine if the OP was telling us how he was controlling rats or rabbits damaging a nature reserve with the owners permission. He was there keeping a low profile, minding his own business when a number of armed policemen turn up and do a lot of frisking!

 

I would have phoned the police, but this thread could have been very different from the other side.......

 

[shot shot]

There's a little bit of me that thinks this thread cold have gone a very different way.

 

Imagine if the OP was telling us how he was controlling rats or rabbits damaging a nature reserve with the owners permission. He was there keeping a low profile, minding his own business when a number of armed policemen turn up and do a lot of frisking!

 

I would have phoned the police, but this thread could have been very different from the other side.......

 

nothing to hide, nothing to fear...

[Ricko]

Always err on the side of caution.

Correct decision made.

[DIVERD]

i think calling the cops is the right course of action. I cannot see any point in risking my FAC, health or wellbeing in challenging anyone who has any form of firearm. Depending on the situation i (think) i may stay close and survey them with binos, collecting information but to actually challenge, not my job, we pay people to do this for us, let them do it.

 

Just my take on it.

[Frenchieboy]

There's a little bit of me that thinks this thread cold have gone a very different way.

 

Imagine if the OP was telling us how he was controlling rats or rabbits damaging a nature reserve with the owners permission. He was there keeping a low profile, minding his own business when a number of armed policemen turn up and do a lot of frisking!

 

I would have phoned the police, but this thread could have been very different from the other side.......

 

Good point but that is a situation where if that were the case he should have phoned up and let the police know he would be out shooting in a place where the public were likely to put a report in about him. Phoning in to let the police know would save a lot of hastle if the situation of him being reported by a "concerned member of the publis".

As it is I believe that a quick phone call to the police was the safest course of action, especially in light of the recent tragic situation in Cumbria!

[cowboy1403]

i asked my feo if i should phone in when i go out shooting,he said i could if i wanted to but it makes no diff if someone rings to say they have seen someone out with a gun they send arv to check.who`s to say it you there ringing about.

[Evil Elvis]

Thanks for all the comments guys.

 

Depending on the situation i (think) i may stay close and survey them with binos, collecting information but to actually challenge, not my job, we pay people to do this for us, let them do it.

 

i did that, I watched where he went and gave the police his where abouts to within a few yards.

 

There's a little bit of me that thinks this thread cold have gone a very different way.

 

Imagine if the OP was telling us how he was controlling rats or rabbits damaging a nature reserve with the owners permission. He was there keeping a low profile, minding his own business when a number of armed policemen turn up and do a lot of frisking!

 

I would have phoned the police, but this thread could have been very different from the other side.......

 

Not a chance in Hell, this is a nature reserve, funded by the rspb, lots of cuckoo, bearded warblers and other rare birds including advocets and the odd great bittern...there is NO WAY anyone would be allowed to control anything, its also a nature trail, there are many different colour rabbits, badgers, foxes galore, adders, grass snakes, Shield ducks, blue eyed ruddy ducks and a whole diversity of other animals, i heard a muntjack barking there the other day...............so Im 99.99% certain.....he wasnt supposed to be there.........

Edited June 5, 2010 by Evil Elvis

[jonno 357]

Was there children there too?

[Evil Elvis]

Yes my daughter.........

[chris64]

Did the right thing,

[Numble]

Did the right thing,

[jonno 357]

Yes my daughter.........

 

Ah re read it again. I wasn't sure who was what Jack Purdey or Harlie

 

Reminded me of guns and motorcycles

[Guest rimotu66]

100% correct choice of action You had your daughter with you to think of apart from your own safety. I would be very interested to hear the outcome of this.

[Lez325]

Black man, Rifle, Nature reserve- something dont add up -

 

You did exactly what I would have done - even more so in light of recent events If as said he had a legitimate reason to be there, the Police would have no issue with him or him with them

 

well done fella

 

Les

[Evil Elvis]

Im going to ring up this morning and find out.

 

Purdey= visla

Jack russel = phred

Harlie = daughter.

[njc110381]

I'd have done exactly what you did. No point confronting him and leaving yourself or your child open to danger if he took it the wrong way. Getting in scuffles is something that any FAC holder should avoid like the plague too so unless you were directly in danger I wouldn't want to risk getting into a "his word against yours" situation complete with bruises.

 

It should be noted that shooting does take place on reserves like that. It's kept very quiet but sometimes if a certain species is seen as priority then some of its competition is eliminated. When I worked for the Glos trust we once cut down the biggest Beech tree I'd ever seen because it was shading out the flowers that a rare butterfly fed on. This tree had to be a few hundred years old and looked amazing in the middle of the small field but it still had to go as there were less butterflies than Beech trees!

 

If the police will tell you the outcome let us know because it would be interesting to hear. As others have said if he had the right to be there it will be cleared up quickly without putting him out too much if he's calm and helpful about it.