public shooting yes or no?

Greenhorn · February 27, 2014

I have permission to shoot pigeon and rabbit with fac air rifle at Preston park in Stockton, BUT it was a complete nightmare. I had all the right perms in writing even phoned the police and informed them of my venture, I had signs posted all over I was hid in a bush waiting for the pigeons to come I noticed a couple walk up to one of my signed in bright yellow (no access allowed authorised pest control in progress) read it and walk past it with not a care in the world. And as I walked the grounds another couple walked up to me asked me what I was doing, I politely told them and then asked them if they had read the sign they had just walked passed, they replied yes but didn't think anything of it.

so shooting in a public place not good unless you can get it completely closed off

Kes · February 27, 2014

I ..................................... (maybe allowing trained bow use in pubic areas?).

Like I suggest a vote on the principle not the details yes or no?

I wouldnt allow it in public areas never mind pubic ones !

scotslad · February 27, 2014

Actually I have, there are some very good FC lads controlling deer and some very, very poor ones. I remember a particular Tillhill lease were the old pro stalker who lost his job when it was let said they would never control it with "amateurs" Dead wrong a large cull was taken from the off bigger by far than his non achieved cull (the ground honestly needed it) and its been well managed by the same group for well over a decade now.

FC leases in Scotland are a nightmare for English stalkers to lease and basically get for want of a better word get poached by the rangers when they know their tenant is not going up that day. I know another spot, an estate with game shooting interests were a number of semi tame fallow are kept. On shoot days as the woods are driven the deer jump the boundaries and enter an FC woodland and get slaughtered by their waiting rangers, claiming damage! I mean if they waited two hours after sunset there wouldn't be a single deer on their ground (not that Fallow do a lot of tree damage to mature spruce). Truth was they got to harvest a load of carcasses. I think it 100% depends on the head ranger in charge.

If it is so hard for english stalkers to lease scottish forest How is it so hard for me to get into local syndicates? I'm surrounded by some of the largest man made forest's in europe/uk yet struggle to get near any snydicate. The ammount of times i have been told 'we don't let locals in' really does ur nut in esp when i was working in the woods at the time, most of the forestry leases round me are all english money and some of it is quite silly money too.

I have eventually got into a few FC syndicates over the years and the rangers i know wouldnae come near syndicate ground, most have far too much off there own ground to manage without going on to anyone elses.

I tend to think the non fc rangers tend to be worse as they often have bonus/number related pay, makes no odds to a fc ranger as his wage is the same anyway as long as meeting his cull, and most good ones do.

Just don't think it would work in this country, the biggest problem being the attiude and lack of education of the majority off people.

I was at a commitee meeting for local wildlife trust the other nite and suggested, shock horror killing some crows, the rest of the commitee looked at me like i had 2 heads, yet out off 50-100 resident mallard can hardly fledge a single youngster, purely due to predation, trying to explain that wildlife comes to reserve to get fatttened up and get eaten by something else. Folk have not got a clue, even killing grey squirells, some of commmitee don't agree wit it despite us still having good numbers of reds :whistling: Like hitting ur head of a brick wall at times

kent · February 28, 2014

If it is so hard for english stalkers to lease scottish forest How is it so hard for me to get into local syndicates? I'm surrounded by some of the largest man made forest's in europe/uk yet struggle to get near any snydicate. The ammount of times i have been told 'we don't let locals in' really does ur nut in esp when i was working in the woods at the time, most of the forestry leases round me are all english money and some of it is quite silly money too.

I have eventually got into a few FC syndicates over the years and the rangers i know wouldnae come near syndicate ground, most have far too much off there own ground to manage without going on to anyone elses.

I tend to think the non fc rangers tend to be worse as they often have bonus/number related pay, makes no odds to a fc ranger as his wage is the same anyway as long as meeting his cull, and most good ones do.

Just don't think it would work in this country, the biggest problem being the attiude and lack of education of the majority off people.

I was at a commitee meeting for local wildlife trust the other nite and suggested, shock horror killing some crows, the rest of the commitee looked at me like i had 2 heads, yet out off 50-100 resident mallard can hardly fledge a single youngster, purely due to predation, trying to explain that wildlife comes to reserve to get fatttened up and get eaten by something else. Folk have not got a clue, even killing grey squirells, some of commmitee don't agree wit it despite us still having good numbers of reds Like hitting ur head of a brick wall at times

Deer leases are a mess everywhere, money exceeds there true worth now and by default is selecting the wrong people to manage the ground. I feel sad you cannot get into your local syndicates purely as you are local- that's wrong and shows clearly they cannot police and manage who is on the ground and fear you will snatch extra time if you know the bookings (all based on suspicion and greed) You are the best man to do counts and liase with other nearby owners on cull planning (I bet their cull plan consists of "if its brown its down" it cannot be based on much fact ). To some extent being one of the few truly rural places yet still within commuting distance of places of high population and associated wealthy people shooting rights for Game and Deer are very high here were I am. I used to stalk ground in the SWest of Scotland on a Game shooting estate, next door was a deer syndicate. Every member other than the boss guy was English all thought it was rarely shot (but it was well known to us on the other side there was someone on it every day of the season) The Scottish boss was likely making a large surplus and with more English newbies queing to join.........................!

VikingRebel · March 6, 2014

Would be great if it was possible.

Unfortunately never going to happen and to be honest that is probably a good thing, to many duckwits nowadays, not enough people being with common sense.

This country is far to overcrowded for it to ever work, likes of USA or NZ were it works well have really vast areas of wilderness where people simply don't go

I think it has the potential work in areas such as Scotland, parts of Wales and maybe even parts of Northern England, where there are still fairly vast and low populated areas of land. It's true the UK has a high population, but don't forget, 80% live in England and nearly 50% of the overall UK population are crammed into Southern England alone. Get outside of those regions and there is a little more room to breathe.

I'm all for public shooting, if it's managed properly and in suitable areas. Like it or not, if shooting is to stand any chance of surviving in this country, then we need to make it more accessible.