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Attracting Wood pigeons


Steve_in_Devon
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I was wondering how easy it is to attract wood pigeons into a field. I have a grass field behind me, that I am able to use to shoot pigeons if I can get them there. I have seem a few flying around and in the woods at the top of the field.

I was wondering how easy it is the get them into the field. I have though about putting some of my chicken feed down.

 

Any advice would be great, as I am new to this. I would be looking to shoot them with an air rifle.

 

 

 

 

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its great to see that someone wants to shoot and has read the terms of the general licence and seen that its against the law to use seed to attract birds down, and that wood pigeons can ONLY be shot as pest control and not for sport, oopp's, no you aint done that :no:

Edited by stubby
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Good that you asked the question as thats the main reason these forums are here.

 

Unfortunately as already said you cant feed them in.

 

The best thing is to either find a flight line you can get underneath or find what fields they are feeding on and try to get on there.

 

Good chance the keeper won't want you shooting anywhere near his feed rides, cover crops or woods where he has birds so its a tricky situation.

 

I'm sure there are some folk that feed the pigeons as it were but it is a big no no so i wouldn't advise it.

 

Good Luck

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My advice would be to go on the BASC website and check the terms of the general licence to keep you legal, and to avoid any spikey responses on forums.

 

Shooting laws can be a bit odd so it's best to be informed, even if they seem a bit random like; you can't entice a wild pigeon with food but you can entice wild ducks, you can't shoot a pigeon to eat but you can shoot a goose, that may be arriving after flying thousands of miles, for no reason at all, and no shooting certain species on Sundays etc.

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its great to see that someone wants to shoot and has read the terms of the general licence and seen that its against the law to use seed to attract birds down, and that wood pigeons can ONLY be shot as pest control and not for sport, oopp's, no you aint done that :no:

I think you're being a little harsh here, as I've read it.

The poor guy is only asking for advice. Thats what we're here for isn't it, to help out newbies and advise where we can.

I'd be curious to know how many people on here took up the sport, and read all the laws and rules etc, and knew exactly what they were doing before firing a shot.

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I have read the General licences for protection of crops and for Protection of Public Health and I cannot find any statement in those licences that forbids the use of grain or seeds to attract Woodpigeon to be shot.

It does not state that the crop, or land, should be specified i.e the Woodpigeon will, at some point, cause damage to a crop albeit on a property other than the one I am shooting over and that is sufficient.

 

I may be wrong about this and, if I am, I would like to be pointed to the specific legislation.

 

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/wml-gl04_tcm6-24149.pdf

 

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/regulation/wildlife/licences/generallicences.aspx

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I think you're being a little harsh here, as I've read it.

The poor guy is only asking for advice. Thats what we're here for isn't it, to help out newbies and advise where we can.

I'd be curious to know how many people on here took up the sport, and read all the laws and rules etc, and knew exactly what they were doing before firing a shot.

++1

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its great to see that someone wants to shoot and has read the terms of the general licence and seen that its against the law to use seed to attract birds down, and that wood pigeons can ONLY be shot as pest control and not for sport, oopp's, no you aint done that :no:

 

Oh give it a break, the sarcasm is completely unnecessary. The OP asked a perfectly reasonable novice question and gets a childish response.

 

Steve-in-devon..... With regard to shooting pigeons and anything else on the general licence, you have to comply with the terms of it. There are three sections to the licence that allow you to kill birds. in the case of woodpigeons, the first two are relevant. See here and have a thorough read.

1)

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/wml-gl04_tcm6-24149.pdf

2)

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/wml-gl05_tcm6-24150.pdf

3)

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/wml-gl06_tcm6-24151.pdf

 

You have to work within the criteria contained above to be legally shooting pigeons or any other quarry on the list. Also technically you are not allowed to shoot them for sporting purposes, only fulfilling the above licence criteria. This is where in all honesty, it gets iffy at best. Most pigeon shooters do it because they enjoy it. With maybe the exception of the odd farmer that has to do it, when he has better things to do with his day. There is an argument that in roost shooting, decoying on stubble, flighting them etc,etc, whilst they are not causing damage to crops, you can shoot them on the basis you are preventing them from doing so. (Licence 1 above) .

 

So in short, baiting them you can't do. However, you are fully entitled to shoot them to:

"Prevent serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing

timber, fisheries or inland waters, and (ii) Prevent the spread of disease"

 

Again, technically, there isn't a heading here on the licence that specifies you can shoot them on the gamekeepers feeders, however, you would be able to under the "prevent" term

 

Well done for asking, hope this helps and welcome to the forum :good:

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I think you're being a little harsh here, as I've read it.

The poor guy is only asking for advice. Thats what we're here for isn't it, to help out newbies and advise where we can.

I'd be curious to know how many people on here took up the sport, and read all the laws and rules etc, and knew exactly what they were doing before firing a shot.

 

+ 1

 

Spot on Ceasar ,

 

The smart Alec self righteous members just love to show there superiority to new members, it's really helpfull NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Atb

 

Flynny

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