pigeonbasher1 Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 anyone know the legalities regarding shooting cormorants please, atb ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 They aren't on the GL. You need to prove to Natural England that you've exhausted all other means of scaring them off. If you can prove this, they will issue a special licence to shoot them. I think they have a season though too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 As above special licence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 The licence will only cover you to shoot a small amount too. Not sure how it stands with shooting them with lead , I would think perhaps non toxic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 As above, basically. It is an absolute pain to get a licence (or it was in Wales a few years ago, when administered by the Environment Agency). You've got to have a very good idea on current numbers, and the licence will only authorise you to shoot a certain number, which all have to be logged when shot, after which you'll probably have to have them surveyed again to show that the numbers haven't dropped too far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 I used to shoot them on special licence when I was a river keeper. The big one is actually shooting the permitted number and getting the forms in. Fail to get the number or the paperwork done and you won't get another Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewulf Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 A friend of mine has a problem with them on a fishing lake he owns,basically they keep eating all his carp! He didnt have any issue getting the special license ,but he is only allowed to shoot about 5 a year in season. Trouble is,the ground is only suitable for air rifle,there are too many nearby buildings and roads. He did try scarers to no avail and they are a wary bird,so he has not actually bagged one yet. What I find strange is the fact they allowed him to (attempt) cull them with a sub 12ft lb air rifle when he can rarely get within 70 yds of them ? The situation has improved though, as less of them are frequenting since he started stalking them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samboy Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 I cover 2 lake lakes to shoot Cormorants but am only allowed to take 6 per lake per season. Every bird i shoot has to be recorded. And can only be shot with a shotgun. This is after all other methods to clear them has failed. They are cunning little rascals too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted August 14, 2015 Report Share Posted August 14, 2015 Yes, they certainly wise up. Which lakes if I may ask? PM if preferred. I cover 2 lake lakes to shoot Cormorants but am only allowed to take 6 per lake per season. Every bird i shoot has to be recorded. And can only be shot with a shotgun. This is after all other methods to clear them has failed. They are cunning little rascals too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorpius Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 Those b***** cormorants, in the last week I have removed 4 dead carp, the best being 18lb all showed signs of bird damage. In the last 2 days I have watched a large bird circling, this one seems to be a regular visitor. If I adhere to my licence conditions I cannot shoot it because they can only be shot if in pairs or more, and then only with a shot gun, the chances of getting within 50yds of it are nil, but I am not permitted to use the HMR.It's impossible to police the water during all daylight hours. Scare crows don't work. Advice please, the advice given by the Environment Agency is to string wires across the lake 3½ acres, or float wooden pallets on the water and attach stock fencing to them, giving the fish a refuge from the birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 It is about management of cormorant numbers. If you've only got 1 in the area, then it's not really a problem. Try being on a major fishery with a couple of dozen sitting there, waiting for you to go home ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishing Richie Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Is your water is leased by an angling club who are members of the Angling Trust ? My local water has a licence to shoot 7 Cormorant and as you advise getting within shotgun range is next to impossible. We have issues with a lot of public access making our problem even worse. The AT cormorant officers came out and gave us several sensible options to try including using a high powered laser torch (Agrilaser) and installing manikins to scare the birds off. I appreciate scareing is not killing but the main point the AT made was that you are not going to destroy all the birds but the techniques described will keep them moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 I've stretched 30lb fishing nylon about every 5-10 yrds across one narrow lake and that seems to work. They get used to CDs blowing in the wind. When I got the original form, you could also apply to shoot Herons with it, but if you have steep banks, they can't reach much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fse10 Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 If you can make a hide wait for them to land on the water when they dive run down to the peg or the next peg up & when they pop up i find AAA'S or a RC 50 no3 does the trick if you hit one the other will prob not come back. Had five on the lake on boxing day three on the water when i walked on & two in the air came right above me had a lovely left & right and yes i have a licence from NE to shoot them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith rippin Posted January 8, 2020 Report Share Posted January 8, 2020 What is the authority for saying (as a number have said on this site) that a shotgun has to be used to cull cormorants - I have a NE licence to cull on a local fishery and had intended to use a .17 HMR (rifle) when the birds resurface after catching a fish at which time they are not so likely to take off. There is nothing on my licence requiring a shotgun to be used and I would think it unlikely that there is much, if any, variation in the conditions of the relevant licences issued for the purpose. I am not an expert but on a cursory reading of the Wildlife and Countryside Act I could see no requirement to use a shotgun and no prohibition on the use of a rifle - I stand to be corrected if anyone can quote the relevant authority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davewh100 Posted January 19, 2020 Report Share Posted January 19, 2020 (edited) On 08/01/2020 at 17:50, keith rippin said: What is the authority for saying (as a number have said on this site) that a shotgun has to be used to cull cormorants - I have a NE licence to cull on a local fishery and had intended to use a .17 HMR (rifle) when the birds resurface after catching a fish at which time they are not so likely to take off. There is nothing on my licence requiring a shotgun to be used and I would think it unlikely that there is much, if any, variation in the conditions of the relevant licences issued for the purpose. I am not an expert but on a cursory reading of the Wildlife and Countryside Act I could see no requirement to use a shotgun and no prohibition on the use of a rifle - I stand to be corrected if anyone can quote the relevant authority. my natural england license says shotgun only, wen i went to a meeting in Birmingham for n/e license holders for cormmarant & gooesander they said they would not permit firearms over water and two licenses had been revoked for this reason i would check with n/e or Richard bamforth from the angling trust my license clearly says shotgun only Edited January 19, 2020 by davewh100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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