Kes Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Just to clarify a hedge in Cornwall consists of being over 6ft high, 4-5ft thick built from rock and earth and makes for a very good back stop. I wasnt talking about the excuse for hedges you have up north. Now I really am out. Understood, Ours are thin, spindly things, as narrow as possible to allow the cows more grass, totally unsuitable as backstops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 So what you call a hedge, we call a bank, one is suitable, one isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepasty Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 (edited) we've already established that regions have different hedge styles. Heres a link to educate you... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_hedge Edited September 9, 2013 by thepasty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Richo Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Read the article the dog was found in the bushes to the right of the bungalow in the photo. That is right next to the garden how dangerous is that person to have taken that shot. Could of been a lot worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keg Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Duly educated, is Tintagel like T'internet here in Yorkshire along with T'club, T'pub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoot and be safe Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Sad state of affairs this. No reason to shoot the dog (no livestock being worried). Yes the article says the golf club had had trouble with dogs on the course in the past, but that is no excuse. Can't see how anyone could mistake a dog for a rabbit. Although the article says, "his beloved whippet was mistaken for a rabbit" no one was quoted as saying this, I think this could be the reporter presuming what happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 (edited) I don't buy the 'mistaken' for a rabbit for a second. If that is the excuse the guy's using, I would bet a year's worth of whisky on the real story being he thought it was a fox, but doesn't have perm for that, so would have been in even more trouble if he owned up to shooting beyond his permission. It's far too perfect for it to be a ricochet; this was a 'well aimed' shot. Dreadful thing to happen to a family pet :( Edited September 9, 2013 by chrisjpainter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFC Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 I don't buy the 'mistaken' for a rabbit for a second. If that is the excuse the guy's using, I would bet a year's worth of whisky on the real story being he thought it was a fox, but doesn't have perm for that, so would have been in even more trouble if he owned up to shooting beyond his permission. It's far too perfect for it to be a ricochet; this was a 'well aimed' shot. Dreadful thing to happen to a family pet :( I'm not disputing whether or not it was mistaken for a Rabbit and I don't want to divert the thread into a ' my ricochet was more dramatic' thread but, believe me, there's nothing perfect about a ricochet. Some years ago I whacked a bunny at 50yds with a perfect headshot with a 22lr in good daylight. When the bullet struck there was a double crack that made me wonder. When I picked the Rabbit up I could see that the bullet had entered the side of its head but the exit, or what was left of its head, was at the back of the skull. The second crack had sounded quite solid and five feet, and at right angles to my line of shot, was a derelict shed. I looked around below the window but couldn't see anything. As I straightened up my eyes drifted upwards and I was amazed to see the bullet hole through the window about a foot above my head height. The bullet had ricocheted at right angles off the Rabbit's head and upwards at a steep angle. These days I'm very aware of what is all around my target and not just the backstop directly behind. Anyway, back to the report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Sounds like he mistook it for a fox while it was in cover, you just don't do it. Mistakes can and do happen if you shoot enough but usually its cats, in that scenario no excuse but try a spot miles from houses and a ginger object with a white chest looking back at you from a cover crop ears pricked, I've seen it done and was perfectly happy it was a cub. In this case we have the reporters view not what the the guy that did it and he could well have a reason for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Yep, my money is on he thought it was a fox. Dogs and foxes are out of the same family and through a scope at 100 yards his brain is telling him it's not going to be a dog and so it must be a fox. Indeed, a whippet walking will look like a fox - they do a gliding skip rather than a bound (if that makes any sense). My remaining observation - did he forget to bring a shovel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 (edited) Yep, my money is on he thought it was a fox. Dogs and foxes are out of the same family and through a scope at 100 yards his brain is telling him it's not going to be a dog and so it must be a fox. Indeed, a whippet walking will look like a fox - they do a gliding skip rather than a bound (if that makes any sense). My remaining observation - did he forget to bring a shovel? According to the owner's account on the regional news, he heard the shot and the bullet impact and ran out to find his dog a few yards from the hedge. If that is true the shooter is mindless idiot to be using a noisy rifle very close to a residential garden at a time when people are up and about. The only time I'll shoot that close to someones garden is in the dead of night with NV and a silent .22 and I'll shoot away from the boundary into open ground to avoid any possibility of repercussions. But we may not be hearing the full facts in this case. Time will tell. I have used my unmoderated .222 right next to people's gardens at night, but they were people I knew and I've warned them in advance that there was a fox to be shot in the area and if they heard a shot over the next couple of nights it would be me and no need to be alarmed. But I don't make a habit of it. No point meeting trouble half way. And its common courtesy not to be a nuisance to other people. Edited September 10, 2013 by Gimlet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitfitter Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Playing devils advocate my be he was well aware it was a dog and given the club had trouble from dogs in the past foolishly shot it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 This is not aimed at any particular post but I personally think that the jovial comments on here (and on another shooting forum i frequent) making light of someone's family pet and friend - their dog - either being accidentally or deliberately shot are simply just not cricket. Comments joking about it are in extremely poor taste and so are only going to reflect badly on the shooting fraternity as a whole and would not be difficult for antis to get hold of. Please think before you post jokey comments about this incident, if for some reason you think it is amusing or acceptable, keep quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 All the scenarios been debated on this thread (backstop/rabbit/fox/ricochet) are futile. He should have identified his quarry before pulling the trigger, his fault, & his alone. Be interesting to hear his side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 This is not aimed at any particular post but I personally think that the jovial comments on here (and on another shooting forum i frequent) making light of someone's family pet and friend - their dog - either being accidentally or deliberately shot are simply just not cricket. Comments joking about it are in extremely poor taste and so are only going to reflect badly on the shooting fraternity as a whole and would not be difficult for antis to get hold of. Please think before you post jokey comments about this incident, if for some reason you think it is amusing or acceptable, keep quiet. Is it time to break out the black arm bands? Get a grip and some perspective. It's an accident but it's not a tragic accident. Thousands of dogs and cats get accidentally run over every year - this one got accidentally shot. I can't see any immediate humour in the situation but yes I did laugh at some of the Jimmy Saville jokes that went round and as terrible as it now sounds, when my vegan card carrying anti brother (whom I love dearly) accidentally ran over his own cat, yes I did see some humour in that terrible situation There is no two ways about it, I must be a bad person not to take this as seriously as you might want. I am so sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overandunder2012 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 id be very upset to if that was my dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 id be very upset to if that was my dog They were lamping. It was night time and it was dark. Given that the nights are only now drawing in, I would guess it would have been in the night. I dunno what you do with your dogs of a night time, but my dog is inside at night and during the day I have taken the trouble to fence and gate my garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 Is it time to break out the black arm bands? Get a grip and some perspective. It's an accident but it's not a tragic accident. Thousands of dogs and cats get accidentally run over every year - this one got accidentally shot. I can't see any immediate humour in the situation but yes I did laugh at some of the Jimmy Saville jokes that went round and as terrible as it now sounds, when my vegan card carrying anti brother (whom I love dearly) accidentally ran over his own cat, yes I did see some humour in that terrible situation There is no two ways about it, I must be a bad person not to take this as seriously as you might want. I am so sorry. But that's the important bit - RTAs happen all the time but people are not trying to ban car ownership or drivers...the accidental shooting of a pet dog is not acceptable because the tool who did it clearly isn't safe to have a spud gun never mind a firearm. People are frightened of guns, not frightened of cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overandunder2012 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 They were lamping. It was night time and it was dark. Given that the nights are only now drawing in, I would guess it would have been in the night. I dunno what you do with your dogs of a night time, but my dog is inside at night and during the day I have taken the trouble to fence and gate my garden. mine are in to but if i let them out for a pee outside if i lived on the edge of the golf course and they came home in a body bag id be upset and "sorry i was out lamping" may not pass as an apology as bullets that close to my home killing the dog would be unacceptable to me. its just my opinion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 I think the interesting question would be "has anyone honestly ever shot anything they didn't mean to?" I'm not defening the bloke but I am making an observation. Now then, I have heard of people on driven days accidentally shooting beaters' dogs, black birds, wood peckers and so on. I have also heard of people accidentally shooting deer and other wildlife whilst lamping. In identifying a fox, unless the fox is crystal clear in the scope then I suspect that the brain does not so much "identify" but eliminate the alternatives by a rational process - a whippet that has the shape of a fox, moves like a fox and is out at night when foxes are out and about and whippets ought to be tucked up at home in a fenced garden - well, that's a fox innit. I am uber paranoid about shooting - once the bullet leaves the gun there's no taking it back. I have a mantra that "there will always be another day for this". So, if you're out lamping in the cold for 3 hours with no joy, don't let the red mist descend when you have half a chance (etc). There we go. An interesting one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 It's an emotive press report, says a man has been questioned by police but no arrests made. The FACTS are thin on the ground pending a full investigation. It doesn't look great on the face of it, but lets not leap in too quick! What really gets me is many of the ill considered, irrational and clueless comments after the article! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepasty Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 I think the interesting question would be "has anyone honestly ever shot anything they didn't mean to?" I'm not defening the bloke but I am making an observation. Now then, I have heard of people on driven days accidentally shooting beaters' dogs, black birds, wood peckers and so on. I have also heard of people accidentally shooting deer and other wildlife whilst lamping. In identifying a fox, unless the fox is crystal clear in the scope then I suspect that the brain does not so much "identify" but eliminate the alternatives by a rational process - a whippet that has the shape of a fox, moves like a fox and is out at night when foxes are out and about and whippets ought to be tucked up at home in a fenced garden - well, that's a fox innit. I am uber paranoid about shooting - once the bullet leaves the gun there's no taking it back. I have a mantra that "there will always be another day for this". So, if you're out lamping in the cold for 3 hours with no joy, don't let the red mist descend when you have half a chance (etc). There we go. An interesting one. Finally someone with an open mind, thats pretty much what I was trying to say but I couldnt be bothered to type so much when people clearly could not see anything but their closed view on the subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overandunder2012 Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 the dog owner looks like he's got a few quid i expect he will sue the shooter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 the dog owner looks like he's got a few quid i expect he will sue the shooter. I doubt it. A dog in law is a chattel. 1. if your dog escapes your property it's your problem - I don't know of any dog owners suing motorists when their dog runs into a road 2. what's the replacement monetary value of an old whippet - they are two a penny down any rescue centre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted September 10, 2013 Report Share Posted September 10, 2013 What about emotional distress and things of that ilk? I doubt it. A dog in law is a chattel. 1. if your dog escapes your property it's your problem - I don't know of any dog owners suing motorists when their dog runs into a road 2. what's the replacement monetary value of an old whippet - they are two a penny down any rescue centre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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