decoying my back garden

[ack-ack]

I got a 'woodie' in the garden the other day..had to cover it with a (small) towel in case the lady next door complained.

 

You should use that dust cap I gave you

[Thunderbird]

You should use that dust cap I gave you

 

It's a kind thought but overly capacious, like waving a banana in a tunnel.

[Hornet 6]

Cheers chris!...

 

Best buy myself a bird table!

 

Better to make your own mate.

That way you can build in a back stop

 

Neil.

[0053cat]

Woodpigeons in the garden, a no no for me.

Shoot hundreds a year out in the fields yet i spend every morning watching them in the garden while having breakfast, wouldn't ever shoot the garden pigeons. But thats maybe just me.

[lap9387]

I now have 8 regular pigeons in my garden... AND 4 jackdaws....

 

Ive grown attached to the pigeons, but the jackdaws make me cringe when I see them eating the pigeons seed (bloody jackdaws, coming over here, taking our seed)

 

I appreciate the pigeons are a no no, but how about the jackdaws?

 

Whats the score with them?

[shootnfish]

I wouldn't shoot them either, they are only eating seed. What harm are they doing really.

[shane2222]

I have this year put up a bird feeder in my garden . I have a video of about 10-15 birds on the ground with a wood pigeon . The woodie cant feed from the feeders but I have seen about 4 sets of them around my garden . Open my barthroon window every morning and there they are , lovly to watch while brushing my teeth.

[mr bangstick]

maybe its time they put cats on the list they are often more damaging to the local bird and amphibian population than anything, i hate these families that at some point feel the need to aquire several kittens and then lose interest with them leaving them to be everybody else's problem ALL TOO SOON they become adults, almost feral rooting through bins, spreading fleas and killing everything in site, in certain towns and village areas its almost epidemic. why cant they just stop breeding them if they are not going to look after them properly, sorry to rant but they are devastating the small bird population i have seen the uneaten carcasses it it makes me really mad

[bruno22rf]

mr bangstick-theres too many lovers of pussy on here to moan about them but I agree with what you say. As for pigeons in my garden, I have a policewoman living next door to me but if I want to shoot a pigeon in my garden then I will. If the law is an *** then why should I be any different, I am sick to death of nosey Yoghurt knitting do-gooders telling me what I can or cannot do. The last pigeon that landed in my garden was sizzling in butter within 5 minutes of its feet touching Terra Firma.

[shane2222]

Like it Bruno22rf

[Asa Bear]

Nice attitude mate , exactly as I see it also , but if I'm honest magpies are a exception

 

[Gunneravi]

It was eating my veggies guv honest!! Prove otherwise!

[stubby]

It was eating my veggies guv honest!! Prove otherwise!

no need to prove, its still illegal, your nicked sunshine

[evo]

just to let the cat amongst the pigeons, I think its the best place to get pigeons for your bouncers :whistling:

[Bobba]

no need to prove, its still illegal, your nicked sunshine

Agreed.

I'm often bemused by the false bravado and bruhaha.

The scenario at worst could be:- shoot pigeon in back garden; one nosey neighbour; visit from plod; nicked; court; LOSS of licence - and try getting it back!

I value my certificate so 4 woodies feed regularly in my garden risk free.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Agreed.

I'm often bemused by the false bravado and bruhaha.

The scenario at worst could be:- shoot pigeon in back garden; one nosey neighbour; visit from plod; nicked; court; LOSS of licence - and try getting it back!

I value my certificate so 4 woodies feed regularly in my garden risk free.

 

 

Nail - Head!

 

Nicely put!!!!

[Gunneravi]

Is it illegal with the air rifle then? The definition of pest is rather loose I feel in this case because eating anything I'm growing still constitutes a pest. I.e legal under general license. Plus I have no neighbours for a good mile or so anyway lol

[stubby]

Is it illegal with the air rifle then? The definition of pest is rather loose I feel in this case because eating anything I'm growing still constitutes a pest. I.e legal under general license. Plus I have no neighbours for a good mile or so anyway lol

no, its not illegal to use an air rifle in your garden,

 

but, in the general licence;

Live quarry shooting

Many people shoot live quarry, either on their own land or where they have permission. The species which you can shoot are limited by the law and by the effective power of an air rifle.

All birds are protected, and although there are seasons when you can legally shoot game, and some wildfowl, they are not suitable quarry for air rifles. However, as long as you are complying with firearms law, you can shoot certain pest bird species. These are covered by general licences which, in simple terms, mean you can shoot the birds listed, provided you have the landowner’s permission and provided you are doing it for one of the reasons allowed by the licence.

These reasons include:

• to prevent serious damage (e.g. to crops and livestock) or to

  prevent disease

• to protect conserve flora and fauna
• to protect public health or safety

BASC recommends that anyone wishing to take bird pest species should read BASC’s advice on general licences, which is available on its website www.basc.org.uk

You can shoot mammal pests at any time provided you have the landowner’s permission. Air rifles are suitable for: brown rats, grey squirrels, stoats, mink and rabbits.

now, if you search further in the general licence, you'll find that veg grown in your garden, does NOT constitute a crop, so you may think, I'll use the "public health" bit instead, but then further reading you'll find that you NEED TO PROVE that all other non lethal methods of control have been covered first, so in the health & safety aspect, which would be a build up of bird droppings, you'd need to have bird spikes everywhere, or pigeon netting, so you have all of that draped over your veg and on the fences, and you shot a woody on the grass, your committing an offence, as you have not proofed the grass have you, can you see where this is going??

as others have said, are you/others really that desperate to shoot something, that even after multiple posts sayings it's illegal, people still think they are excluded from that fact

[955i]

Here is the law as it currently stands from the W&C Act 1981 (as amended)

 

All nesting birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it an offence to kill, injure or take any wild bird or take, damage or destroy its nest whilst in use or being built, or take or destroy its eggs. In addition to this, for some rarer species (listed on Schedule 1 of the Act), it is an offence to disturb them while they are nest building or at or near a nest with eggs or young, or to disturb the dependent young of such a bird.

A number of bird species are also listed as Species of Principal Importance under the provisions of the NERC Act 2006. Circular 06/05 of the National Planning Policy Framework from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister gives guidance on the treatment of such species and states that local authorities should ensure that they are protected from the adverse effects of development, where appropriate, by using planning conditions or obligations.

 

Read into that what you will, but I would say that taking birds you know are nesting is not right

Edited July 10, 2013 by 955i

[Gunneravi]

I don't think it's a case of being 'desperate to shoot' anything. Nor did I think I was exempt from anything. It was merely a question asked to clear up something that to me was slightly hazy. If I had seen the multiple posts I obviously wouldn't have raised an already exhausted subject. It is refreshing to know that we members of the shooting community are such a diverse helpful bunch answering questions with sincerity as opposed to in a condescending I know more than you manner.

[stubby]

as opposed to in a condescending I know more than you manner.

it's nothing of the sort, I have had no further training than you on the general licence, its the same for whoever reads it, anyone who shoots any rifle, anywhere at live quarry, should apart from having insurance, read and know the general licence conditions, if they don't,and I try to point them in the right direction, does that make me a bad person? or them for not bothering to read it themselves

or maybe that gives me the right to be condescending, as I bother to read them

[activeviii]

we have a nest in the willow that the cats and magpies keep raping. the one i can sort out, the others the dogs sort out.

 

Ilike seeing the pigeons in the garden, they come and tidy the bird table up in the winter. nice to see around to tell the truth. doing no real harm.

 

the black stuff how ever, they get it big time. half a dozen a week find there way to floor, on there backs. since i have been removing them we are getting song bids back to the tables.

[955i]

Lol ive got two staffies and i still get the neighbours cat in my back garden, i think it must like adrenalin sports!

Maybe you should train your dogs better

[Edward Imp]

Just pick the cat up and throw it in a bin

I think a lady got in a bit of bother for doing this?-

 

I am not sure if shes come out of hiding just yet?

[dead eye alan]

Cat,s are a scourge on society thy all need that treatment good girl!