Actionpigeons Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) Here is a good shooting tip. If the pigeon and rabbits are not causing a problem on your patch leave them alone from the end of March until the end of June. Every thing needs a rest and time to breed. So many people shoot right threw the year and wonder why they don’t get much sport threw the true season. We seem to have lost the closed season, and yes I can hear lots of you saying now there is no closed season on Rabbits and Pigeon, crows etc, and yes your right, but there used to be. Remember the saying “don’t eat a rabbit unless there is an R in the month” The same was said of the pigeon. This is what prompted me to post in the 1st place. I was driving home the other day and spotted a mate of mine walking off his shooting patch. I pulled over for a chat as you do. Any luck I said as I could see he was carrying his gun. He took one rabbit (A milky doe) from his bag and threw it in the back of his Landrove, that will do for the ferrets. Nothing about, not really worth the walk but I need to get the dog out he said. If there is not much about why shoot your breeding stock Just my opinion, you can shoot me down now Edited May 11, 2012 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Pigeon and rabbits are major agricultural pests. If they're feeding/causing damage they need dealing with. You mention sport and a true 'season', but that doesn't come into the equation. It is purely and simply pest control. If however they are not causing a problem, as you mentioned in your post, then they won't be around to shoot anyway!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) Pigeon and rabbits are major agricultural pests. If they're feeding/causing damage they need dealing with. You mention sport and a true 'season', but that doesn't come into the equation. It is purely and simply pest control. If however they are not causing a problem, as you mentioned in your post, then they won't be around to shoot anyway!! Pigeon are not in big flocks now and they a spread out all over the country with so much for them to eat at the min. so they are not causing any real problems unless they find some drilling. We don’t have a problem with rabbits in this area so to shoot the ones that are here and breeding would be a little foolish. As I said if they are not causing a problem on your patch. If they are, you have them in numbers that do need dealing with Edited May 11, 2012 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 With birds and animals on the General Licence being recognised as agricultural pests, that suggests that they cause agricultural damage all year, a suggestion I agree with. Just because there is not a flock of 500 pigeons causing damage in one area, that does not mean that 500 pigeons are not causing the same amount of damage. Rabbits don't stop eating when they are breeding. You also have the fact that milder Winters mean that breeding seasons have extended for most species to cover almost the whole year. I have never heard of there ever being a season for pigeons, rooks and rabbits, or the expression "don’t eat a rabbit unless there is an R in the month". Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and to adjust their shooting ethics accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 With birds and animals on the General Licence being recognised as agricultural pests, that suggests that they cause agricultural damage all year, a suggestion I agree with. Just because there is not a flock of 500 pigeons causing damage in one area, that does not mean that 500 pigeons are not causing the same amount of damage. Rabbits don't stop eating when they are breeding. You also have the fact that milder Winters mean that breeding seasons have extended for most species to cover almost the whole year. I have never heard of there ever being a season for pigeons, rooks and rabbits, or the expression "don’t eat a rabbit unless there is an R in the month". Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and to adjust their shooting ethics accordingly. "don’t eat a rabbit unless there is an R in the month". Is a very old country saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougall Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I always thought that saying was to do with fish,sardines I believe.Never heard it in connection with farming/rural/countryside...learn something everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) I always thought that saying was to do with fish,sardines I believe.Never heard it in connection with farming/rural/countryside...learn something everyday. Your thinking of oysters but the same applies to Rabbits. Its just an old saying you can eat rabbits or oysters anytime as we all know Edited May 11, 2012 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpman Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 We were pulling rabbits with kits and young uns whilst out with the ferts in December, try telling the rabbits about the close season..... If the farmer rings says he has pigeons I go to at least try to shoot them any time of year, pest are pest and to preserve my sport I have to keep at em otherwise I would have no land to shoot over. A particular farm is mauled out with black stuff at the minute and I simply can't get there enough for him due to commitments so he has found another keen lad who can keep at em in the week and rightly so, if I tried to impose a close season I would be off the land for sure. Karpman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 We were pulling rabbits with kits and young uns whilst out with the ferts in December, try telling the rabbits about the close season..... If the farmer rings says he has pigeons I go to at least try to shoot them any time of year, pest are pest and to preserve my sport I have to keep at em otherwise I would have no land to shoot over. A particular farm is mauled out with black stuff at the minute and I simply can't get there enough for him due to commitments so he has found another keen lad who can keep at em in the week and rightly so, if I tried to impose a close season I would be off the land for sure. Karpman As I said if they are not causing a problem on your patch. If they are, you have them in numbers that do need dealing with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huffhuff Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 "don’t eat a rabbit unless there is an R in the month". Is a very old country saying. They also say that about oysters, shellfish and pork. In fact, you can say it about anything. It means nothing. I like the old adage of, don't listen to old farmers tales on a day that has a Y in it. You are shooting rabbit and pigeon because they are pests causing damage. In East Anglia alone, pigeons were responsible for £52 million in crop damage last year! Rabbits are estimated to cause up to £100 million in damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpman Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 As I said if they are not causing a problem on your patch. If they are, you have them in numbers that do need dealing with Don't need to be causing a problem round here mate, if you can see em they want you at em. If the farmer sees 2 it always 20 lol. Karpman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter.123 Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Lol I got told a few weeks ago there is rabbits everywhere and he wasn't lying, but he has also said iv got a field of pigeons and il go down there and 2 will take off never seeing any. Farmers have all sorts of tails to tell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Pigeon and rabbits are major agricultural pests. If they're feeding/causing damage they need dealing with. You mention sport and a true 'season', but that doesn't come into the equation. It is purely and simply pest control. If however they are not causing a problem, as you mentioned in your post, then they won't be around to shoot anyway!! Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) nice if folk read the post before giving an opinion. As I said, If they are causing a problem on your patch, you have them in numbers that do need dealing with. we dont have rabbits in any real numbers around here so I dont shoot them in what I call out of season. thats be-tween end of march untill the end of June for you that have not read the post Shooting is not just about purely and simply pest control as one PW member has said, its about concevaiotion too. I for one would not be happy walking across my patch and not seeing any Rabbits no matter how happy it would make the Farmer Edited May 11, 2012 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpman Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 nice if folk read the post before giving an opinion. As I said, If they are causing a problem on your patch, you have them in numbers that do need dealing with. we dont have rabbits in any real numbers around here so I dont shoot them in what I call out of season. thats be-tween end of march untill the end of June for you that have not read the post Shooting is not just about purely and simply pest control as one PW member has said, its about concevaiotion too. I for one would not be happy walking across my patch and not seeing any Rabbits no matter how happy it would make the Farmer I read the post, what I get is your calling for a close season as there used to be. But your trying not to upset anyone and stay neutral by putting it across as a tip. This has all ready been done to death so people just browse the first post I guess because is just normally the same rubbish, its your patch do what you like I try to do my utmost to keep the farmers happy to keep my prolonged sport. I haven't wiped the rabbits out yet so doubt I will. I short for sport in the name of pest control all year round. Cheers Karpman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castletyne Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Think its a bad tip myself to stop shooting between them months On the other hand there would be plenty of permissions available if we did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) Think its a bad tip myself to stop shooting between them months On the other hand there would be plenty of permissions available if we did Really need to read the 1st post "This is what prompted me to post in the 1st place" Edited May 11, 2012 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polester Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 We have very few rabbits round here. As soon as you get to see 20 in a field mixxy seams to come and then you wont see any for a couple of years. As there is so few we don't shoot them much just in the middle of winter if we happen to see any while out foxing. All other vermin is shot whenever we can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) We have very few rabbits round here. As soon as you get to see 20 in a field mixxy seams to come and then you wont see any for a couple of years. As there is so few we don't shoot them much just in the middle of winter if we happen to see any while out foxing. All other vermin is shot whenever we can. AT LAST A PM MEMBER WHO GETS WHAT IM ON ABOUT. why shoot them when you have so few, leave them for the true season Edited May 11, 2012 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpentermark Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) AT LAST A PM MEMBER WHO GETS WHAT IM ON ABOUT. why shoot them when you have so few, leave them for the true season Pigeons and Rabbits are agricultural pests, not game and therefore NO season should or does exist. I will shoot them all year round. But just in case i'm wrong, when is the "true season" for Rats, Squirrels, Magpies, Jays and Crows??? Edited May 11, 2012 by carpentermark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yickdaz Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Pigeon and rabbits are major agricultural pests. If they're feeding/causing damage they need dealing with. You mention sport and a true 'season', but that doesn't come into the equation. It is purely and simply pest control. If however they are not causing a problem, as you mentioned in your post, then they won't be around to shoot anyway!! spot on. also just because the pigeons are not on your patch at the min dosn,t mean that they won,t be a few months from now, most of our land hasn,t got a lot of birds showing not enough for decoying so don,t bother with them but give them 5 weeks from now they will be everywhere on it, just the way it happens around us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Shooting is not just about purely and simply pest control as one PW member has said, its about concevaiotion too. Of course not ALL shooting is about pest control. The shooting of rabbit and pigeons is however nothing but pest control. It really is that simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 Of course not ALL shooting is about pest control. The shooting of rabbit and pigeons is however nothing but pest control. It really is that simple. [/quot : so if you have very few rabbits on you patch you would shoot them all and have no sport in the winter months? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 so if you have very few rabbits on you patch you would shoot them all and have no sport in the winter months? I don't see many rabbits on my 'patch' but I don't go looking for them, I'm mainly after pigeon. However, if I were to stumble across the odd rabbit I would shoot it. That's what's expected of me. The farmers on the land I shoot over don't give us permission to shoot for our sport. They give it so we can kill the pests on their land. If I were to take a walk round and only see half a dozen pigeons all day long, would I shoot them? Absolutely. How do you think the landowner would react if I let them fly by so they could reproduce and create a problem later in the year? I'm interested to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpentermark Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 I don't see many rabbits on my 'patch' but I don't go looking for them, I'm mainly after pigeon. However, if I were to stumble across the odd rabbit I would shoot it. That's what's expected of me. The farmers on the land I shoot over don't give us permission to shoot for our sport. They give it so we can kill the pests on their land. If I were to take a walk round and only see half a dozen pigeons all day long, would I shoot them? Absolutely. How do you think the landowner would react if I let them fly by so they could reproduce and create a problem later in the year? I'm interested to know. Absolutely 100% spot on my friend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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