Size of field on new possible permission. HELP...

[alex89]

Hello all,

 

Possible new permission coming up (rabbits, pigeons, crows, rats) and i just had a few questions really as i am told it is quite a small field:

 

1. What would be the smallest size field i would be able to shoot in (in regards to safety)?

I am just thinking rough shooting at the moment.

2. Where would i stand on the fact there are no crops in the field?

Hay is baled there though be it in very small quantities.

 

I would mainly be using a shotgun 12 bore. Occasional use of a .22 sub 12ftlbs air rifle.

There aren’t any neighbouring houses however the field i am told is surrounded by other fields owned by another farmer/landowner.

 

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

[fenboy]

The smallest field you can shoot is one where any shot or pellets cannot leave the boundary of the field you are shooting , if it does then you are committing a offence .

If its is that small it may be worth having a chat with who owns the surrounding fields I doubt they would have a issue and you may even end up with more permission.

Edited September 10, 2014 by fenboy

[zipdog]

Good advice given above

[neutron619]

Ok - so yesterday I was playing around with some numbers trying to work out exactly this kind of thing.

 

First thing first - look at google maps for the field in question. Right click on the map and use the "measurement" option that appears - you can work out the dimensions of the field pretty accurately. This will tell you what the maximum distance you've got to play with is - combine that with a bit of reconnaissance on foot and you'll soon work out the possibilities.

 

Second thing second - I shoot nothing but #5's these days, so I spent a reasonable length of time yesterday working out the maximum range of those fired from a shotgun at the published MV for the cartridge (1375fps), with a view to working out some safe shooting positions on some new land I hope I might get permission for. (No point making the effort if it's not safe to shoot it.)

 

My poor maths notwithstanding, the maximum range of #5's is apparently about 206 yards - assuming no trailing wind, higher MV or any other factor that will increase the range. I'd double that value for safety's sake, but if you've got 300-400 yards straight line distance, you're not going to have any problems. Interestingly, changes in shot size make less different to that than I thought they would - a #7 will have a maximum range of about 180 yards - probably why they say a minimum of 300 yards "space" for safety at clay grounds.

 

Anyway - combine those numbers with google maps and you'll soon see where you can and can't shoot safely. Just do me a favour - check with someone you trust that the numbers sound ok. Whilst I think I've worked them out right, I could have made a mistake somewhere and I don't want to take the credit for you peppering Mrs Goggins through her windows when she's in the middle of having that nice relaxing bath...

[camojohn]

They say that 300yards is safe for a 12g shotgun. A field 300 yards x 300 yards = 90000 sq yd which is about 18 acres.

This is based on the field being square. In theory your field could be 300yds x 100yds = 6 acres and you could still shoot, as long as you keep the shot inside your area.

[neutron619]

Oh - just one other thought.

 

Assuming that

• your sub-12ftlbs air rifle is giving about 11.5ftlbs at the muzzle, giving an MV of 575fps
• you're using what is arguably the most ballistically efficient projectile available (that I know of) for a .22 air rifle - Air Arms "Field" - with a BC of 0.031 and weight of 15.9gr
• you're not planning to load up your 12ga with SG's and shoot them into the sky

then your air rifle has a greater maximum range than your shotgun, which I calculate to be about 462 yards. Please bear this in mind if you're shooting into trees or above the horizon - the shotgun, with birdshot, is probably the "safer" tool (I use the inverted commas advisedly).

Edited September 11, 2014 by neutron619

[robbiep]

The smallest field you can shoot is one where any shot or pellets cannot leave the boundary of the field you are shooting , if it does then you are committing a offence .

If its is that small it may be worth having a chat with who owns the surrounding fields I doubt they would have a issue and you may even end up with more permission.

 

WRONG.

 

You commit an offence if an air rifle pellet leaves the boundaries. Nothing is said in law about shot from a shotgun.

[srspower]

You also have to cause inconvenience/disruption the pellet leaving the land isn't an offence in itself.

[robbiep]

You also have to cause inconvenience/disruption the pellet leaving the land isn't an offence in itself.

Wrong again.

 

Home office police firearms guidance,

 

7.13 Under Section 21A of the 1968 Act (inserted by the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006) it is an offence for anyone of any age to have with him an air weapon and use it to fire beyond the boundary of the premises where they have permission to shoot.

[alex89]

I have now found out that the field is 96x68 yards at its longest and widest points. Do you think this field is big enough? Also what about the law regarding crop protection?? There aren’t any crops there.

 

Thanks again for all the replies

Edited September 11, 2014 by alex89

[neutron619]

If it were me, I'd say that's probably a bit small given the numbers I quoted for ranges above, particularly for any shots above the horizon. I think that puts avian species out of consideration. Depending on the topography, you may be able to take safe shots somewhere because there's a backstop, however, so if you limited yourself to ground game and shot carefully, there's no reason it can't be safe in theory. Just be aware of ricochets and all the usual considerations.

 

Whatever the law says however, I wouldn't risk putting pellets of any kind over the boundary. Even the suggestion that you have might be enough to lose the permission. On the other hand, if you can gain the surrounding landowners' permission to shoot over / onto their land, you may have more freedom to shoot on your permission, because you'll have a longer distance in which the pellets can fall "legally".

Edited September 12, 2014 by neutron619

[dougall]

airgun with safe backstop to shots fine,shotgun in my view is a no.Go and talk to the landowner who owns all fields around,are these crops?Can you see crows/pigeons on his fields?I would go and introduce myself and say I have permission from Mr XYZ on that field but notice you have a few crows/pigeons?.......I would be wary of letting any projectile whether pellet or shot leave your area of permission....I would presume the owner of your field will know the owner of the others and could easily make the introduction for you/will know if he's pro/anti shooting....