My First Qaurry

[ShaggyRS6]

This is a double post as I have posted on another forum. But, I am so excited I had to share it with you.

 

Well,

 

its been a long time comming, some 6 months after i picked up both an Air rifle and then Shotgun, but, the last week I have been watching the local Pigeons hanging around the garden and landing in the trees. I felt that I was not ready to shoot living being, even vermin until I was sure of a one shot kill.

 

I am fortunate because our house back onto a feild that was once an orchard. All kinds of things in their vermin wise (apart from rats), even non vermin such a Pheasants and Duck.

 

So, tonight was the night. 2 Big fat Woodies feeding on some peperami I had left on the front lawn. I watched them for about 3 minutes trying to get a good view of the side of thier head, but that view did not present itself, then they flew into the trees. Perfect, they felt safe and tending not to bob their heads around. I choose the one with the best looking shot and fired. Nothing, left the safety on

 

I took the safety off and waited for it to present its head side on to me. I fired. The distance was about 10 - 12 Metres, from my upstairs bathroom window. As the pellet reached the bird it must have turned its head. It made a sudden noise, flapped once, and dropped to the floor. It did not move. The post mortem revealed that the pellet went in the back of its neck. I dont think it came out.

 

Aero, who is my Springer shooting partner in training was then presented with his first real bird. I threw it for him in the garden. I guess it took 4 attempts and a bit of coaxing, he then picked it up, took it indoors. I called him, gave him the command to sit, and he dropped it in front of me. I have never seen him so excited.

 

I have thrown the Pigeon into the feild. The foxes will eat well tonight.

 

I thought I would share this with you. I am well chuffed. And so is Aero.

[krazykayaker]

Well done, what was wrong with eating it yourself!!!!

[ShaggyRS6]

Well done, what was wrong with eating it yourself!!!!

 

Not got as far as the plucking and gutting bit yet.

[naddan28]

Well done, but prepared to be bashed for shooting it in your garden trees! Do you have permission to shoot the field behind?

[ShaggyRS6]

Well done, but prepared to be bashed for shooting it in your garden trees! Do you have permission to shoot the field behind?

 

 

Technically it was still in my garden as the branch was over hanging onto my land

 

I will have permission to shoot in the feild next week. That feild and the orchards surrounding. They have serious rabbit issues.

[pin]

At the sake of dragging this up again, you can't allow the pellet to leave your property.

 

I think you have done the right thing making sure you can shoot accurately enough before shooting anything with a face, however I don't see the point shooting a woody in your garden just to throw it to the foxes. There are probably issues regards the general license but I won't go there either.

 

I am not getting at you fella, just my point of view.

[ShaggyRS6]

At the sake of dragging this up again, you can't allow the pellet to leave your property.

 

I think you have done the right thing making sure you can shoot accurately enough before shooting anything with a face, however I don't see the point shooting a woody in your garden just to throw it to the foxes. There are probably issues regards the general license but I won't go there either.

 

I am not getting at you fella, just my point of view.

 

 

Its kind of hard to explain. i will take some pictures tomorrow. i know what your getting at, and am not offended.

 

We live at the bottom of a private driveway so the shot, if i shoot away from the main road as it leaves my gun in probably about 70m away from public highway in any direction.

 

I have permission of off the neighbour to shoot onto their land, and I can shoot anyhwere in my garden (as far as I was aware) as long as I abide with the rule I stated above.

 

The Pigeon shot if I missed would have indeed ( on this ocassion) have left my property and gone into trees in the feild (of which I will have permission next week) but again, I know where you are comming from.

 

Why did I chuck it? It was my first quarry. A bit of, not knowing what to do with it, vs not wanting to gut it. I will learn

 

I thought you could shoot woodies?

[naddan28]

Well done, but prepared to be bashed for shooting it in your garden trees! Do you have permission to shoot the field behind?

 

 

Technically it was still in my garden as the branch was over hanging onto my land

 

I will have permission to shoot in the feild next week. That feild and the orchards surrounding. They have serious rabbit issues.

Where abouts in kent are you? You seem to take this permission as granted, have you spoken with the owners allready? Although, technically it was in your garden a) the pellet could have easily missed or gone out the other side of the pigeon and as a pin says their is probably general licence issues. I have ferals all over my back garden and even though they are knicking the songbirds seed I have not shot them. You may want to hang on until you get permission before shooting quarry in the garden.

 

Again, no offence mate just don't want the old bill coming round and seizing your gun!

[ShaggyRS6]

Where abouts in kent are you? You seem to take this permission as granted, have you spoken with the owners allready? Although, technically it was in your garden a) the pellet could have easily missed or gone out the other side of the pigeon and as a pin says their is probably general licence issues. I have ferals all over my back garden and even though they are knicking the songbirds seed I have not shot them. You may want to hang on until you get permission before shooting quarry in the garden.

 

Again, no offence mate just don't want the old bill coming round and seizing your gun!

 

Not taking offence at all. As a newbie to shooting things other than targets I am very much open to advice.

 

To answer your questions....

 

1. I am in North Kent.

2. The permission has been agreed by email, I have sent the slip off to be signed and returned.

 

 

I am interested in the "general licence issues" Can you explain more about that.

[naddan28]

Where abouts in kent are you? You seem to take this permission as granted, have you spoken with the owners allready? Although, technically it was in your garden a) the pellet could have easily missed or gone out the other side of the pigeon and as a pin says their is probably general licence issues. I have ferals all over my back garden and even though they are knicking the songbirds seed I have not shot them. You may want to hang on until you get permission before shooting quarry in the garden.

 

Again, no offence mate just don't want the old bill coming round and seizing your gun!

 

Not taking offence at all. As a newbie to shooting things other than targets I am very much open to advice.

 

To answer your questions....

 

1. I am in North Kent.

2. The permission has been agreed by email, I have sent the slip off to be signed and returned.

 

 

I am interested in the "general licence issues" Can you explain more about that.

Yes thats fine dont mind explaining.

The following link takes you to the DEFRA Licence page

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countrysi...gen-licence.htm

 

Basically although you can shoot pigeons, crows, magpies and rooks the legal reasoning as to why you can shoot them is the fact they are on general licence. The phrase general refers to the fact that you don't need to explicitly apply to get the licence aslong as your the landowner or an agent of the landowner you are entitled to shoot under the terms of the licence.

 

The terms of the licence dictate what you can shoot (i.e. crows etc) and for what reasons. Wood Pigeon can only be shot on the grounds of public safety, preventing the spread of disease and stopping damage to livestock and foodstock.

 

Do you feel when you shoot that woodie it was based on those grounds?? By you own admission you watched them feed (on food you provided) then proceded to shoot them on the edge of your boundary(this I will deal with later). So in which case you could have been deemed to baiting a wildbird and then shooting it (not under conditions of the general licence) and therefore would be in breach of the Wildlife and Countryside act 1981, this can result in a criminal prosecution.

 

As for shooting over your boundaries, techniquely it is only illegal should you be under the age of 14 shooting under the supervision of someone 21+. Taken directly from the Firearms Act:

"23(1)(a) For him to use it for firing any missle beyond those boundaries" the him, it refers to is someone under the age of 17 firing under the supervision of someone 21+. Section 23(1)( later states "for the person under whose supervision he is to allow him so to use it" impling that the 21+ supervisor will also be in breach of the firearms act. Now although I state that techniquely under the FIREARMS ACT it is not illegal assuming you are greater than 17 this does not mean another piece of legislation could not be used against you. For example, you could be deemed to be acting in an anti social manor, which could be used to proscute you.

 

At the end of the day legalities or not you should just stick to the simple rule never to shoot outside your boundaries and view it illegal. In your current situation (should you be shooting under general licence) you would be fine as the pellets would only enter the field which you have permission to shoot over.

 

Hope that helps, Dan

[ShaggyRS6]

Where abouts in kent are you? You seem to take this permission as granted, have you spoken with the owners allready? Although, technically it was in your garden a) the pellet could have easily missed or gone out the other side of the pigeon and as a pin says their is probably general licence issues. I have ferals all over my back garden and even though they are knicking the songbirds seed I have not shot them. You may want to hang on until you get permission before shooting quarry in the garden.

 

Again, no offence mate just don't want the old bill coming round and seizing your gun!

 

Not taking offence at all. As a newbie to shooting things other than targets I am very much open to advice.

 

To answer your questions....

 

1. I am in North Kent.

2. The permission has been agreed by email, I have sent the slip off to be signed and returned.

 

 

I am interested in the "general licence issues" Can you explain more about that.

Yes thats fine dont mind explaining.

The following link takes you to the DEFRA Licence page

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countrysi...gen-licence.htm

 

Basically although you can shoot pigeons, crows, magpies and rooks the legal reasoning as to why you can shoot them is the fact they are on general licence. The phrase general refers to the fact that you don't need to explicitly apply to get the licence aslong as your the landowner or an agent of the landowner you are entitled to shoot under the terms of the licence.

 

The terms of the licence dictate what you can shoot (i.e. crows etc) and for what reasons. Wood Pigeon can only be shot on the grounds of public safety, preventing the spread of disease and stopping damage to livestock and foodstock.

 

Do you feel when you shoot that woodie it was based on those grounds?? By you own admission you watched them feed (on food you provided) then proceded to shoot them on the edge of your boundary(this I will deal with later). So in which case you could have been deemed to baiting a wildbird and then shooting it (not under conditions of the general licence) and therefore would be in breach of the Wildlife and Countryside act 1981, this can result in a criminal prosecution.

 

As for shooting over your boundaries, techniquely it is only illegal should you be under the age of 14 shooting under the supervision of someone 21+. Taken directly from the Firearms Act:

"23(1)(a) For him to use it for firing any missle beyond those boundaries" the him, it refers to is someone under the age of 17 firing under the supervision of someone 21+. Section 23(1)( later states "for the person under whose supervision he is to allow him so to use it" impling that the 21+ supervisor will also be in breach of the firearms act. Now although I state that techniquely under the FIREARMS ACT it is not illegal assuming you are greater than 17 this does not mean another piece of legislation could not be used against you. For example, you could be deemed to be acting in an anti social manor, which could be used to proscute you.

 

At the end of the day legalities or not you should just stick to the simple rule never to shoot outside your boundaries and view it illegal. In your current situation (should you be shooting under general licence) you would be fine as the pellets would only enter the field which you have permission to shoot over.

 

Hope that helps, Dan

 

Yes thanks Dan it does make sense. And thanks so much for posting that. Makes alot of sense. Should I hand myself into the police ? I guess a mistake on my part.

[pin]

Not all all lad, far from it.

 

You have spent time making sure you are proficient, have obviously bothered to get some permission sorted and for that you want saluting

 

We can be a pedantic lot on here, mostly because the antis read this and they will jump on someone if they do something wrong.

 

Sounds like you want to do the right thing, and are well on the way towards it. Try and find mr hoppy and stick to him for now, easier target and good eating too - you don't need to worry about shooting him in your garden - as long as its not her next door's prize rabbit "Mr Fluffles".

 

Look on here for how to dress rabbits and pigeon - eat what you shoot, rabbit and pigeon are both highly prized meat and done right they are both totally delicious!

[ShaggyRS6]

Not all all lad, far from it.

 

You have spent time making sure you are proficient, have obviously bothered to get some permission sorted and for that you want saluting

 

We can be a pedantic lot on here, mostly because the antis read this and they will jump on someone if they do something wrong.

 

Sounds like you want to do the right thing, and are well on the way towards it. Try and find mr hoppy and stick to him for now, easier target and good eating too - you don't need to worry about shooting him in your garden - as long as its not her next door's prize rabbit "Mr Fluffles".

 

Look on here for how to dress rabbits and pigeon - eat what you shoot, rabbit and pigeon are both highly prized meat and done right they are both totally delicious!

 

Ok Phew, So the bottom line is I am ok Shooting him in "my" Garden, or the feild, if I have permission.

 

The Rabbits will be great. Everytime i go in the Orchard there are at least 200 on view. The best thing? there is a deralict farm house to shoot from

 

Thanks for all the advice

[naddan28]

Dont hand yourself in and don't worry about it. I didn't mean to make you feel like you were some murderous criminal all I was doing just ensuring you knew the laws and were aware of everything! Don't worry mate we all had to start somewhere and now you are fully aware of the laws you won't make the same mistake again.

 

I actually want to second what pin has said and congratulate you for taking the time to shoot targets and get permission (inc formal wrote up slips). Also from your write up we can see you are a responsible shooter with parts like "i waited for the shot to present itself"! As pin says if you see a rabbit in the garden don't think twice the whole of england (except london and the channel island) is designated a rabbit clearance zone! No licence issues there regarding species and reasoning.

 

Wish you all the best and looking forward to hearing some of your future exploits,

Dan

 

Not all all lad, far from it.

 

You have spent time making sure you are proficient, have obviously bothered to get some permission sorted and for that you want saluting

 

We can be a pedantic lot on here, mostly because the antis read this and they will jump on someone if they do something wrong.

 

Sounds like you want to do the right thing, and are well on the way towards it. Try and find mr hoppy and stick to him for now, easier target and good eating too - you don't need to worry about shooting him in your garden - as long as its not her next door's prize rabbit "Mr Fluffles".

 

Look on here for how to dress rabbits and pigeon - eat what you shoot, rabbit and pigeon are both highly prized meat and done right they are both totally delicious!

 

Ok Phew, So the bottom line is I am ok Shooting him in "my" Garden, or the feild, if I have permission.

 

The Rabbits will be great. Everytime i go in the Orchard there are at least 200 on view. The best thing? there is a deralict farm house to shoot from

 

Thanks for all the advice

your ok shooting anything in the garden as long as its within the general licence or is a rabbit or rat (not sure on squirrel! dont get them on my shoot or the garden)

[ShaggyRS6]

Cheers Once again guys.

[pin]

Shoot as many grey squirrels as you can lad, give those songbirds a chance!

[dusk2dawn]

This is a double post as I have posted on another forum. But, I am so excited I had to share it with you.

 

Well,

 

its been a long time comming, some 6 months after i picked up both an Air rifle and then Shotgun, but, the last week I have been watching the local Pigeons hanging around the garden and landing in the trees. I felt that I was not ready to shoot living being, even vermin until I was sure of a one shot kill.

 

I am fortunate because our house back onto a feild that was once an orchard. All kinds of things in their vermin wise (apart from rats), even non vermin such a Pheasants and Duck.

 

So, tonight was the night. 2 Big fat Woodies feeding on some peperami I had left on the front lawn. I watched them for about 3 minutes trying to get a good view of the side of thier head, but that view did not present itself, then they flew into the trees. Perfect, they felt safe and tending not to bob their heads around. I choose the one with the best looking shot and fired. Nothing, left the safety on

 

I took the safety off and waited for it to present its head side on to me. I fired. The distance was about 10 - 12 Metres, from my upstairs bathroom window. As the pellet reached the bird it must have turned its head. It made a sudden noise, flapped once, and dropped to the floor. It did not move. The post mortem revealed that the pellet went in the back of its neck. I dont think it came out.

 

Aero, who is my Springer shooting partner in training was then presented with his first real bird. I threw it for him in the garden. I guess it took 4 attempts and a bit of coaxing, he then picked it up, took it indoors. I called him, gave him the command to sit, and he dropped it in front of me. I have never seen him so excited.

 

I have thrown the Pigeon into the feild. The foxes will eat well tonight.

 

I thought I would share this with you. I am well chuffed. And so is Aero.

 

 

Hi, nice to hear your joining us as a shooter, I would advise you to be very carefull with your young springer it is not a good idea to introduce him to retrieving with loose feathered birds like woodpigeon as some dogs are awkward at first picking up and can be put off by a mouthfull of breast feathers which can stick in the throat and cause problems, best to put the bird in a ladies popsock to contain the feathers for the first few days until he is used to picking them up.

 

D2D

[SNAKEBITE]

Welcome aboard Cupraman.

Don't worry about what you did, as long as you don't tell anyone you'll be fine

The thing is you are now looking into the rules and regulations side of things which can be both confusing and contradictory not to mention open to interpritation. However percivere and don't worry about askiing any questions, no matter how silly they seem. I can assuure you between the lot of us we have made every mistake it is possible to make. Twice .

[ShaggyRS6]

Thanks once again for the advice chaps. Thanks also for the advice aout my dog

 

As soon as the permission comes through the post for the Orchard I shall be bunny hunting.

 

Just another Question,

 

Birds that are deemed vermin other than Pigeons, i.e. Magpies and Crows, are you allowed to bait them?

[naddan28]

Thanks once again for the advice chaps. Thanks also for the advice aout my dog

 

As soon as the permission comes through the post for the Orchard I shall be bunny hunting.

 

Just another Question,

 

Birds that are deemed vermin other than Pigeons, i.e. Magpies and Crows, are you allowed to bait them?

Baiting corvids is fine (cracked egg with a normal egg esp around a fake birds nest is brill!!) and i think pigeons is 'legal' but considered unsporting. However, if its the most effective method then its up to you.

[ShaggyRS6]

Thanks once again for the advice chaps. Thanks also for the advice aout my dog

 

As soon as the permission comes through the post for the Orchard I shall be bunny hunting.

 

Just another Question,

 

Birds that are deemed vermin other than Pigeons, i.e. Magpies and Crows, are you allowed to bait them?

Baiting corvids is fine (cracked egg with a normal egg esp around a fake birds nest is brill!!) and i think pigeons is 'legal' but considered unsporting. However, if its the most effective method then its up to you.

 

 

Ok great, thanks. invaluable information. Glad I posted.

[BSA Shaun]

I think the point to make here is that you have to have a reason to shoot any of the animals in the list, and popping woody off in your back garden just wont wash.

 

But hey we all make mistakes just take time to think about the consequences before you squeeze the trigger and remember there are always more opportunities, so don't be rushed into it either.

 

Glad you are practising before you go out and do the real thing, that makes a lot of sense.

 

And finally.....good shooting

[Tony9r]

Once again, some great advice from a top forum!

[ShaggyRS6]

Please see here http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...showtopic=32987

[dead-eye]

great advice guys i learnt a lot what about foxes do you need a special licence to shoot them?