chrispti Posted May 12, 2012 Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 We all enjoy the sport which our hobbies give us. Shooting pigeons because the are a massive agricultural pest and the fact that they cause £££ worth of damage to crops, is just a bonus for us. we like shooting, farmer needs some pests shot, a match made in heaven! We shoot the pigeons under the terms and conditions set out in the general licence, but as individuals, we can make the outing as sporting as we want to. Some people have rabbits causing damage to crops, and the farmer wants them gone. Some people have rabbits that do not cause damage to crops, therefor you can manage the population giving you year round bunny bashing (lucky you). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anser2 Posted May 12, 2012 Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 (edited) Over much of my pigeon shooting ground all pest control comes to a stop once the pheasants start to nest in April. On my remaining two farms where no pheasant shooting they grow no crops that are likely to be dammaged in late spring\ early summer. So I always give the pigeons a rest until I start shooting them on the stubbles in late July. Got thousands of pigeon around me at them moment on the clover and though I know pigeons breed all the year around it least my spring \ summer break gives them a bit of peace to get a brood or two off. As for rabbits I only ever shoot them if someone asks me for one ( shot about 10 in the last decade i think). Plenty on the ground , but my farmers never seem to worry about them. A one keeper once told me , " its good to have a few rabbits about because when the foxes are after them they are leaving my pheasants alone". Edited May 12, 2012 by anser2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted May 15, 2012 Report Share Posted May 15, 2012 (edited) The issue of leaving pests to breed and shoot them later is surely a decision that must be decided upon by your land owner . Any body involved in pigeon and rabbit shooting will know that farmers see them as the fiends from hell . Many will not realise the out lay to put a crop in the ground . Diesel ,wages ,seed ,fertilizer ,wear and tear on implements and tractors ,a massive outlay . The farmer will then hope for good weather for a good yield to his crops . About the only thing that he has any control over is to keep the pests down . I know for a fact that if I told my farmer friend that I wanted to give the pigeons and rabbits a break so that they could breed he would then be looking for a new pigeon shooter . Just spare a thought for your farmer ,his business is precarious with lots of anomaly's that he has very little control over . If you are there as a pest controller than control the pests all the year round . Unless your farmer says something different. Harnser . Edited May 15, 2012 by Harnser Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted May 15, 2012 Report Share Posted May 15, 2012 thats the thing Harnser some are out to play with their toys more than do pest control. I have a mate who shoots with me the idea of him not shooting every rabbit he sees is an alien one. Same with pigeons its his livelihood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopper Bopper Posted May 15, 2012 Report Share Posted May 15, 2012 I agree with every one that says pest control in the full meaning is a year round job. I enjoy the hunt and the feeling of satisfaction when my land owner is happy with my efforts and results, it makes all the time put in worth it. I shoot what i am asked to target whether they have young or not. at the moment I am working on crows to protect nesting pheasants and pigeons that are still on the rape and murdering it. I dealt with one pair of crows last Saturday and have now been asked to move onto fresh land and do my job there. This is pest control to me, targeted, considered and with purpose but still no let up in my responsibility to my land owner. I only got my shooting permissions for pest control reasons, not to kill aimlessly. that is my two penneth. Happy hunting. HB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul61 Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 Not all Farmers are bent on genocide. I ask what he wants controlled and get told what to leave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzypigeon Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 (edited) Theres alot of differences of opinion on this subject, when I was first starting out shooting both with shotgun and airgun my father told me unless you have too many that they are causing your farmer problems don't shoot them during the months without a "r" the way he explained it to me was, more its a case of manageable numbers rather than eradicating everything on the land, if I didnt travel as extensively with my work I would still go by this rule as I enjoy being out with my gun and my dog regardless of whether I have a shot or not Edited May 16, 2012 by fuzzypigeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smig4373 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Rabbits are a massive agricultural pest, well chance would be a fine thing around here. we have no rabbit, the rabbits have gone AWall, they have changed post code, the gone on there holls. they ant here, they have moved south, they are lost in the wilderness, now are you starting to understand we have no bunnies. Thats why we give them a rest. if we are lucky we see two or three and thats working a springer. so I dont shoot the odd ones we see in the name of pest control threw the summer. if on the other hand we had 100s I to would shoot all year round. These 2 or 3 would be hundreds in no time at all....prob leaving the farmer scratching his head as to where all the rabbitts have come from.... Farmer--"i dont understand it...there was only a few rabbitts in this field in march,now theres 100's"... You---" yeah i know...I saw them so i thought i'd leave them there to breed so i could shoot them in the winter when theres no crops down" Farmer---"BYE.." You---"Dammit" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 (edited) These 2 or 3 would be hundreds in no time at all....prob leaving the farmer scratching his head as to where all the rabbitts have come from.... Farmer--"i dont understand it...there was only a few rabbitts in this field in march,now theres 100's"... You---" yeah i know...I saw them so i thought i'd leave them there to breed so i could shoot them in the winter when theres no crops down" Farmer---"BYE.." You---"Dammit" Depends on your farmers the land and how long you have been shooting the land. On pastureland a few rabbits are not that much of a problem. If its crops then they can be. It all depends on your land and your farmers. It would not do for us all to kill everything in sight now would it, but there again some folk cant see past the end of their Gun Edited May 17, 2012 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smig4373 Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 (edited) Depends on your farmers and how long you have been shooting the land. On pastureland a few rabbits are not that much of a problem. If its crops then they can be. It all depends on your land and your farmers. It would not do for us all to kill everything in sight now would it, but there again some folk cant see past the end of their Gun So when those few become ALOT...hows the farmer going to react when his winter feed bill increase's because of the lack of silage,or his milk yield falls.,or he has to keep his cows in for longer in the winter because those 'few' rabbits are keeping the pasture down...It doesnt really matter what type of farm it is...they all depend on growing stuff...grass,crops etc...either way.rabbits will make a dent in profit,yield... Pests are pests...i dont think its prudent to pick and choose for the sake of "your sport in the winter"..Join a syndicate or something... Does the neighboring farmer share the sentiments of the farmer you shoot for??? PS...I can see past the end of my gun thanks...just far enough to shoot pests.. PPS..i thought Black Beauty was about coal mining...you live and learn.. :lol: Edited May 17, 2012 by smig4373 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpman Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Depends on your farmers the land and how long you have been shooting the land. On pastureland a few rabbits are not that much of a problem. If its crops then they can be. It all depends on your land and your farmers. It would not do for us all to kill everything in sight now would it, but there again some folk cant see past the end of their Gun Rabbits on pasture caused me a lot of problems so far this year, took this video a few weeks ago now, lost a horse due to rabbits too and having constant fencing problems at the mo. Karpman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Actionpigeons Posted May 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 (edited) Rabbits on pasture caused me a lot of problems so far this year, took this video a few weeks ago now, lost a horse due to rabbits too and having constant fencing problems at the mo. Karpman Hedges and stonewalls where I am and no horses on my patch. As I said all the land and farmers are not the same. I lived over in the Cotswolds for a few years, it was an all out war on rabbit because there was so many, and the damage they did. Lots of fun shooting them too which is what its about for me. I don’t think we are all going to agree on this one, there are some for giving the land a rest, some against and some standing on the fence unwilling to say anything because of the Flack it’s a matter of managing the land you have and keeping your farmers happy. If you can do that and give yourself all year round sport well done Edited May 17, 2012 by Actionpigeons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman Mike Posted May 17, 2012 Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 (edited) In the case of wood pigeon...the population is on a never ending upward curve...all year round food stuffs and shooting at the volume we do is no doubt down to this. It seems the more we shoot the more they breed, and survey work carried out nationally for the BTO over the last 15 years or so seems to bear this out. Its obvious that shooting is not having any real effect on Pigeon numbers in the UK and is actually a inefficient way of controlling there numbers and thus protecting crops. I think we have a involuntary close season anyway as generally 6 or 7 months of the year the birds wont be flocked up, wont decoy and just arent interested in foodcrops. Even if one parent is shot the other will raise the brood so there is no stigma attached to shooting during the main breeding season. The widowed adult bird will soon pair up again and be breeding within days. Personally I tend only to shoot pigeons when I get a call saying they are about and a particular nuisance and dont generally go looking for them on a weekly or even daily basis. The rest of the time Ive got plenty of other interesting things to do. As for Rabbits, well they should be taken all year round as they do significant damage other than muching on cereals. That said, if you clean out your fields completely of rabbits and you have nothing left to shoot thats your own fault isnt it.? Edited May 17, 2012 by Fisherman Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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