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jays


col s10
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These are probably more vicious than magpies, and are more common than you think. on one shoot just at the end of Jan,I stood on a peg in the woods and watched five adults fly past me. I didn't shoot as I was stunned to see that many in one go. I did get a shot off though when the neighbouring gun fired and they turned back.

 

The reason they're on the license is because of the damage they do to the Song and Game bird population, and the fact that they are common and widespread in large numbers in some areas.

 

SS :)

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Yep, Jays prefer Deciduous or mixed woodland although you will still find them in fir plantations and along hedgrows. Magpies tend to go wherever, hence why you see them in city and town centres.

 

My experience of Jays is that unlike Magpies, they love to eat fruit/berries as well as eggs, scavange, young chicks etc.

 

I have witnessed three mobbing a little white ball of fluff in a tree that turned out to be a Tawney Owl chick, it was fun to watch when Mum or Dad came back and saw them off. Like all corvids their big and brave when in groups, but on their own or in small numbers they're cowards.

 

At the end of the day, it is your choice whether or not you should hsoot them. If you don't feel comfortably, then don't do it. We're not here to wipe out all of the vermin because if we did, we would have a very unbalanced ecosystem.

 

SS :)

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easy put the cross hairs on it control yourself squeeze of an air arms field job done.

 

 

Bit clinical, but true. On the flip side of that col s10, as you're a twitcher as well, see if this one or more are causing problems in the vicinity and then decide what action you're going to take.

 

Slightly harder to trick than magpies, hence shotgun is better as the ******* can be got whilst flying.

 

SS :)

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I'm also a bit of a birdwatcher. :):lol: Jays will take chicks etc. but also you have to bare in mind all the good they do planting Oak trees as all the acorns that they stash they don't remember where every one was placed so the are responsible for many new Oaks every year. Having said that my area is hardly over run with them so I don't shoot them.

 

FM :lol:

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Onl you know if there is a balance on your shoot o not. I have only seen 2 Jays on my shoots, so no I'm not going to take them as they are in balance with the enviroment.

 

As for magpies a rabbit with it's guts showing will attract them. There are loads of threads on here going into great detaol so have a search. :lol:

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The woods that back on to my garden literally have no song birds.

 

When you walk though them there are thousands of squirrels, jays, crows and magpies at the periphery, which is why im sure the song birds are down.

 

Along with a massive rabbit population, theres a fair few pheasants (not too sure of legality?). Im currently tracing the land owners as these woods get treated as public owned, but a family own them but seem to have no interest in upkeep.

 

Id happily cull the pests!

 

Pete

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The woods that back on to my garden literally have no song birds.

 

When you walk though them there are thousands of squirrels, jays, crows and magpies at the periphery, which is why im sure the song birds are down.

 

Along with a massive rabbit population, theres a fair few pheasants (not too sure of legality?). Im currently tracing the land owners as these woods get treated as public owned, but a family own them but seem to have no interest in upkeep.

 

Id happily cull the pests!

 

Pete

Hey pete, I will happily help you if need any! In process of getting my girlfriend's mum to ask her boss if she needs anyone/more+ on her land. I know she has a lot with horses on so rabbits aplenty im guessing!

 

As regards to pheasants, they have a game season so cant be shot out of that. Also, althou i think legal using an air rifle on a pheasant is wrong. Not the right level of power for the job. Check the BASC code of practice for suitable quarry for a 12ftlbs air rifle.

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