Dead pigeons just left

[al4x]

codes of practice are funny things and I guess apply in theory, I have to say the guy I saw the other day perched in the roadside hedge on the B656 next to the rusty gun, magnet 20 yards off the road was not going by many codes of practice or codes of common sense. It was that idiotic had it been quieter I'd have stopped and taken a picture

[solz]

I went to a farm I shoot yesterday to have a go at the pigeons piling into the wheat. On arrival, the place was devoid of pigeons which was very odd as there where large numbers when I reccy'd it two days earlier. After sitting in the truck for some time watching for a flightline to develop, I had a wander down the tram lines to a bare area in the centre of some 80x80 yards. The reasons for the lack of pigeons became apparent. Strewn all over the place were pigeon carcasses, just rotting and fly blown.

I could rant from all angles on this one, but in short, what's the point? Killing for the sake of it? If its the excitement of discharging a shotgun, clays are there for all to enjoy. I had a mixture of emotions from anger to great sadness seeing these most sporting of birds just rotting where they fell. There are so many off us that use skills, equipment and field craft to bag a few birds and put them to good use and it sickens me to know there are others that don't operate by the same principal but have access to carry out such abhorrent behaviour. I did take some pics, but you all know what a dead pigeon looks like and to be honest, it would have been quite distasteful to post them.

Just had to get it off my chest!!

 

i have been asked for to leave dead pigeons in the fields so it does scare away the others. and as you said the "lack of pigeons" was due to the dead carcasses, maybe in the farmers eye this was a good thing.

 

however i do try and pick all the birds i can, but in some situations you can do more damage to the crop looking for dead pigeons.

Edited July 23, 2013 by solz

[bakerboy]

 

 

Terry...

 

You were are asking for honest answers...what are your views on the BASC codes of practice regarding pigeon shooting?

 

 

 

TEH

I was asking for an honest answer to this statement:

 

"Would you sit in a field and shoot in the air to scare off pigeons for a Farmer?"

 

motty offered his opinion, which I totally accept.

 

I do not and will not get into an argument that brings BASC into the ring.

 

This thread started with someone leaving pigeons in an open area that "could and should have been picked" something I would always do in that circumstance, not with the situation that I was faced with on the day.

I will always be open and honest, hence the topic relating to what happened to me on the day, I did not state that I did not pick any birds, if I recall I said the "majority" could not be picked.

 

When faced with a situation, and a request by the Farmer, a decision has to be made: motty's reply clearly describes what the shooter should do, "make the decision whether to shoot or not".

[dead eye alan]

Just having a phone call from my game dealer telling me that with out a licence to sell game he will not take any more pigeons from me! I think this could become a more common problem, I pick as many birds as is possible with out causing damage to crops, but I have a freezer half full of birds and no out let at the moment, so any ideas on my next cause of action will be much deprecated. One thing is for sure I will not stop shooting!

[al4x]

get yourself booked on the small game meat hygiene course would seem the obvious one, or check different dealers requirements

[Bloggs]

Just having a phone call from my game dealer telling me that with out a licence to sell game he will not take any more pigeons from me! I think this could become a more common problem, I pick as many birds as is possible with out causing damage to crops, but I have a freezer half full of birds and no out let at the moment, so any ideas on my next cause of action will be much deprecated. One thing is for sure I will not stop shooting!

You could always do what has already been suggested - just shoot into the air and scare the birds off, sorry that didn't really help did it...?

Taxi...!

Lol

[dead eye alan]

Thanks Bloggs but I do that often but not on purpose!

[chrispti]

T33, how many birds where left?

 

Could it have been a case of the shooter just left the birds he/she used as decoys?

[turbo33]

T33, how many birds where left?

 

Could it have been a case of the shooter just left the birds he/she used as decoys?

 

Around 20 odd Chris. It's possible they were using them as decoys. But still not an excuse. As you and I do, they could have whipped the breasts off them. I use real birds as decoys too. But usually in the summer, there's no need as they usually come confidently to the plastic deeks, and therefore as I mentioned above, I get them away from the flies. Half a dozen birds are enough to use for decoys imho.

Edited July 23, 2013 by turbo33

[Grandalf]

Harvesting will start around here within the next week or so.

I will then start foxing to protect several farmers livestock - ducks, geese and sheep - and pheasants and partridges over the next year. There is no commercial value of any part of a fox that I know of. They will be shot - they will be disposed of in a manner that does not cause distress to passers by or a health risk to locals or other wildlife.

But, I will also start shooting rabbits. Sometimes a hundred plus on a night if they have had a good breeding year. This is to protect the same several farmers arable crops. Now you can, and I do, eat rabbit. It is delicious. However, I cannot eat them on an industrial scale.

Local game dealers are non existent - they have all closed down. I can give some away sometimes - half a dozen maybe.

Now should I not shoot the rest because I can't eat, give, or sell them?

I don't think my farmer hosts would be very pleased with that decision.

Now I know pigeon shooting is a 'sport' to many of you. But it is only allowed under crop protection when you have tried all other methods. So it is not a 'sport' in the eyes of the law.

They are shot because they need to be shot to protect the crops they are feeding on. Full stop.

That is the only legal way you can go pigeon shooting these day.

So stop banging on about all this 'sporting' and 'quarry respect' nonsense and enjoy your 'sport' if that's what you want to do.

I do agree that they could have been disposed of somewhat more sensitively but they were shot because they needed to be shot.

Crop protection is crop protection.

[solz]

Harvesting will start around here within the next week or so.

I will then start foxing to protect several farmers livestock - ducks, geese and sheep - and pheasants and partridges over the next year. There is no commercial value of any part of a fox that I know of. They will be shot - they will be disposed of in a manner that does not cause distress to passers by or a health risk to locals or other wildlife.

But, I will also start shooting rabbits. Sometimes a hundred plus on a night if they have had a good breeding year. This is to protect the same several farmers arable crops. Now you can, and I do, eat rabbit. It is delicious. However, I cannot eat them on an industrial scale.

Local game dealers are non existent - they have all closed down. I can give some away sometimes - half a dozen maybe.

Now should I not shoot the rest because I can't eat, give, or sell them?

I don't think my farmer hosts would be very pleased with that decision.

Now I know pigeon shooting is a 'sport' to many of you. But it is only allowed under crop protection when you have tried all other methods. So it is not a 'sport' in the eyes of the law.

They are shot because they need to be shot to protect the crops they are feeding on. Full stop.

That is the only legal way you can go pigeon shooting these day.

So stop banging on about all this 'sporting' and 'quarry respect' nonsense and enjoy your 'sport' if that's what you want to do.

I do agree that they could have been disposed of somewhat more sensitively but they were shot because they needed to be shot.

Crop protection is crop protection.

 

+1

[kyska]

 

But it is only allowed under crop protection when you have tried all other methods.

That is the only legal way you can go pigeon shooting these day.

 

 

The spirit of this statement is right, but technically, other methods only have to be 'considered' and deemed unsuitable.

 

This stops people claiming they couldn't stop 2 pigeons eating his carrots in his backgarden was justification to blat it with an air gun.

[Grandalf]

Last winter the pigeons were at biblical plague proportions in East Anglia.

I am a part-time keeper (and Shoot Captain) for the local estate. It is a big farm and we also rent land from neighbours. Of this about one third was down to rape.

Scarecrows, gas bangers, kites, flags, streamers, rope bangers and rockets would not keep the pests away from the crop - or that of our neighbours. The boss and myself toured the area from dawn to dusk shooting over them and at them - every other farmer was doing the same. We had shooters out on most days and roosts were hammered as soon as the pheasant shooting was over.

The cost of all of this - plus the diesel is frightening.

In our area it is pest control to protect crops - Purely and simply.

Yes, I still enjoy decoying or roost shooting the same as I enjoy lamping for foxes, but there is a serious side to it too.

Had two pigeon breasts for dinner last night - delicious.

[motty]

Harvesting will start around here within the next week or so.

I will then start foxing to protect several farmers livestock - ducks, geese and sheep - and pheasants and partridges over the next year. There is no commercial value of any part of a fox that I know of. They will be shot - they will be disposed of in a manner that does not cause distress to passers by or a health risk to locals or other wildlife.

But, I will also start shooting rabbits. Sometimes a hundred plus on a night if they have had a good breeding year. This is to protect the same several farmers arable crops. Now you can, and I do, eat rabbit. It is delicious. However, I cannot eat them on an industrial scale.

Local game dealers are non existent - they have all closed down. I can give some away sometimes - half a dozen maybe.

Now should I not shoot the rest because I can't eat, give, or sell them?

I don't think my farmer hosts would be very pleased with that decision.

Now I know pigeon shooting is a 'sport' to many of you. But it is only allowed under crop protection when you have tried all other methods. So it is not a 'sport' in the eyes of the law.

They are shot because they need to be shot to protect the crops they are feeding on. Full stop.

That is the only legal way you can go pigeon shooting these day.

So stop banging on about all this 'sporting' and 'quarry respect' nonsense and enjoy your 'sport' if that's what you want to do.

I do agree that they could have been disposed of somewhat more sensitively but they were shot because they needed to be shot.

Crop protection is crop protection.

Surely you're not too far away from Bambridges at Watton. They were paying 50p a rabbit last time i took some. Certainly worth a visit after a few nights rabbit shooting.

[fabarm gamma boy]

codes of practice are funny things and I guess apply in theory, I have to say the guy I saw the other day perched in the roadside hedge on the B656 next to the rusty gun, magnet 20 yards off the road was not going by many codes of practice or codes of common sense. It was that idiotic had it been quieter I'd have stopped and taken a picture

 

how far was the guy off the road??

[al4x]

about 10 feet if that, in the roadside bushes, absolutely ridiculous

[fabarm gamma boy]

Harvesting will start around here within the next week or so.

I will then start foxing to protect several farmers livestock - ducks, geese and sheep - and pheasants and partridges over the next year. There is no commercial value of any part of a fox that I know of. They will be shot - they will be disposed of in a manner that does not cause distress to passers by or a health risk to locals or other wildlife.

But, I will also start shooting rabbits. Sometimes a hundred plus on a night if they have had a good breeding year. This is to protect the same several farmers arable crops. Now you can, and I do, eat rabbit. It is delicious. However, I cannot eat them on an industrial scale.

Local game dealers are non existent - they have all closed down. I can give some away sometimes - half a dozen maybe.

Now should I not shoot the rest because I can't eat, give, or sell them?

I don't think my farmer hosts would be very pleased with that decision.

Now I know pigeon shooting is a 'sport' to many of you. But it is only allowed under crop protection when you have tried all other methods. So it is not a 'sport' in the eyes of the law.

They are shot because they need to be shot to protect the crops they are feeding on. Full stop.

That is the only legal way you can go pigeon shooting these day.

So stop banging on about all this 'sporting' and 'quarry respect' nonsense and enjoy your 'sport' if that's what you want to do.

I do agree that they could have been disposed of somewhat more sensitively but they were shot because they needed to be shot.

Crop protection is crop protection.

well said mate! i think thats the best answer to this dilemma!

[Grandalf]

Surely you're not too far away from Bambridges at Watton. They were paying 50p a rabbit last time i took some. Certainly worth a visit after a few nights rabbit shooting.

30 miles from Watton - Round trip of 60. A mornings job - more or less. Price of diesel. Cant store them for several days in the summer.

Price will fall through the floor once the harvest has started. Rabbit is a winter food. I know the difficulties of trying to sell large numbers of rabbits in the summer - I used to be a rabbit farmer with about 16,000 head. Even our main markets, France and Belgium, didn't want them in the summer months.

[motty]

30 miles from Watton - Round trip of 60. A mornings job - more or less. Price of diesel. Cant store them for several days in the summer.

Price will fall through the floor once the harvest has started. Rabbit is a winter food. I know the difficulties of trying to sell large numbers of rabbits in the summer - I used to be a rabbit farmer with about 16,000 head. Even our main markets, France and Belgium, didn't want them in the summer months.

Fair enough. I just think it's such a shame that more people don't use what they've shot. I have a chest freezer for my pigeons and another fridge-freezer in the outhouse, too. It would be easier for everyone to leave shot quarry in the field and it is a ball ache to get a load of pigeons to the gamedealer but i think it's worth it.

If i shoot a couple of hundred pigeons on a field, first i've got to pick them all. If the gamedealer is shut at that time i would then sack all the birds up and take them home. Then i'd crate them all up (maybe put a load in the fridge) and leave them to cool overnight. The next day i'd have to sack them all up again, and then upon getting to the dealer, unload them all. For the effort (and diesel - it's about a 60 mile round trip for me,too), it hardly seems worth it for 30p a bird, but for me, it's just the right thing to do.

[ollie]

Fair enough. I just think it's such a shame that more people don't use what they've shot. I have a chest freezer for my pigeons and another fridge-freezer in the outhouse, too. It would be easier for everyone to leave shot quarry in the field and it is a ball ache to get a load of pigeons to the gamedealer but i think it's worth it.

If i shoot a couple of hundred pigeons on a field, first i've got to pick them all. If the gamedealer is shut at that time i would then sack all the birds up and take them home. Then i'd crate them all up (maybe put a load in the fridge) and leave them to cool overnight. The next day i'd have to sack them all up again, and then upon getting to the dealer, unload them all. For the effort (and diesel - it's about a 60 mile round trip for me,too), it hardly seems worth it for 30p a bird, but for me, it's just the right thing to do.

 

+1 mate. Showing respect to the quarry.

[Grandalf]

Nothing shot is ever left on the ground on the estate I keeper. Vermin attraction is not a thing I want to encourage.

But one then still has the disposal problem. Muck heap or a dead pit being the options on offer if you can't give them to some person who is going to eat them.

As I said before - they have got to be shot.

Vermin is vermin.

What do you do with rats?