winnie&bezza Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Afternoon all. I've got a pair of collared doves and wood pigeons that frequent our bird table. Now I can't bring myself to shoot them as they are regulars now and id feel bad doing so. A few years ago I'd of done it without thinking but I must be getting softer as I get older and I Should of shot them on the first day they arrived. Who else becomes less ruthless on the bird table killing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 The only things i would shoot on a bird table if it was safe too do so would be Rat and Magpie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Only creatures I shoot in the garden are rats, squirrels and magpies!.........The rest are safe from me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Why would you want to shoot pigeons in your own garden? I'm sitting here watching a woodie toss a crust of bread around and getting far more entertainment value than I would from shooting it. We encourage and welcome most wildlife to our garden and love seeing it there. The Missus even has me buying apples for the black birds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzy518 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 I like seeing various animals in my garden even those that I would generally shoot whilst in the field. If you do shoot stuff in the garden you still have to justify it under conditions of the general licence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Only creatures I shoot in the garden are rats, squirrels and magpies!.........The rest are safe from me! Dotto. Magpies are scum i hate them. Right when i was a little kid in the 1960s i remember the sparrows used to nest in the gutters at the old farmhouse we had the magpies used to walk up gutters stealing eggs and young. Was always prety good with a catapult, gave this magie my best shot clipped his beak stone went over the house and landed in the back yard smashing a piece of glass in a cold frasme my grandad had round there. More trouble i thought, might as well face the music . Eventualy found my grandad said i had something to tell him, he said that magpie and you broke the glass in that little cold frame didnt you, i said yes how do you know, he said i saw it all you did well shame you did not knock him down. I said am i in trouble he said, never be in trouble for trying to kill magpies, and i got off with the pane of glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Could have put some large mesh around bird table, we did this as at times getting upto 20 doves, still get them but they clear up the finches and small birds waste. As others bird table safe area just magpies jays and rats get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winnie&bezza Posted March 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Why would you want to shoot pigeons in your own garden? I'm sitting here watching a woodie toss a crust of bread around and getting far more entertainment value than I would from shooting it. We encourage and welcome most wildlife to our garden and love seeing it there. The Missus even has me buying apples for the black birds I wasn't actually implying that I would shoot as I wouldn't, I was just seeing who does and who feels the same as I do. I shoot the magpies (one of the most pleasurable to shoot) the odd crow but don't get any rats or squirrels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyB Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Does the open license cover shooting pigeons off bird tables? I'm not sure it does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dob Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Why would you want to shoot pigeons in your own garden? I'm sitting here watching a woodie toss a crust of bread around and getting far more entertainment value than I would from shooting it. We encourage and welcome most wildlife to our garden and love seeing it there. The Missus even has me buying apples for the black birds +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenlivet Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Shoot squirrels round the bird feeder. But the woodies and pheasants live to fly another day :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Does the open license cover shooting pigeons off bird tables? I'm not sure it does. Dont tend shoot them in the yard but its been known, GL applies and is just like everywhere , They are a pest in your area, known to do damage and killing them when youy get the chance near your bird table is a way of controling this pest species. Same as on a field or anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Dont tend shoot them in the yard but its been known, GL applies and is just like everywhere , They are a pest in your area, known to do damage and killing them when youy get the chance near your bird table is a way of controling this pest species. Same as on a field or anywhere. That's not the case, otherwise there would be no GL at all, if it gives carte Blanche permission to kill them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 The only things i would shoot on a bird table if it was safe too do so would be Rat and Magpie.+1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) That's not the case, otherwise there would be no GL at all, if it gives carte Blanche permission to kill them. That's not the case, otherwise there would be no GL at all, if it gives carte Blanche permission to kill them. They are a pest in your area, known to do damage ( in your garden) and killing them when youy get the chance ( stops them damaging your garden produce) near your bird table is a way of controling this pest species. Leting you (grow produce without it being eaten by pests). Gas gun upsets the neighbours crow bangers same rag on a stich (they used them as napkins after feeding. ) Of course you tried everything you wrote the wca 1981 and you have a copy of the GL and know it off by heart osiffer. And remember this is all IF you are LEGALY CHALLENGED. Same as everywhere . Edited March 20, 2016 by TONY R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 They are a pest in your area, known to do damage ( in your garden) and killing them when youy get the chance ( stops them damaging your garden produce) near your bird table is a way of controling this pest species. Leting you (grow produce without it being eaten by pests). Gas gun upsets the neighbours crow bangers same rag on a stich (they used them as napkins after feeding. ) Of course you tried everything you wrote the wca 1981 and you have a copy of the GL and know it off by heart osiffer. And remember this is all IF you are LEGALY CHALLENGED. Same as everywhere . Absolutely agree, but IMO I don't think shooting protected birds because they've eaten the odd cabbage leaf cuts the mustard with the 'spirit' of the GL, I think it's more proposed to significant damage. I say this as there wouldn't be any need whatsoever for the GL if we can justify shooting them for 'minor offences'. There was a chap a while back who had a GL licence to cull seagulls, he shot one in his garden for pooping on his roof, he got jailed. It's there to really stop people pop shooting at the poor bloody things trying to feed and drink in a 50ft square garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Absolutely agree, but IMO I don't think shooting protected birds because they've eaten the odd cabbage leaf cuts the mustard with the 'spirit' of the GL, I think it's more proposed to significant damage. I say this as there wouldn't be any need whatsoever for the GL if we can justify shooting them for 'minor offences'. There was a chap a while back who had a GL licence to cull seagulls, he shot one in his garden for pooping on his roof, he got jailed. It's there to really stop people pop shooting at the poor bloody things trying to feed and drink in a 50ft square garden. I seem to remember someone was successfully prosecuted for shooting pigeons in his back garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) I seem to remember someone was successfully prosecuted for shooting pigeons in his back garden. Well he went in to court ill advised then. Its not a new thing the GL its just it now has the 2007 thats given it some teath, and go near anything with teath without a stick, and you could get bitten, Make sure you take a stick to court with you. BASC give good advice to help sharpen your sticks for free.. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/general-licences-for-wildlife-management Edited March 20, 2016 by TONY R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 I bow to your expert advice and look forward to reading of BASC representing, in court, anyone charged for killing woodpigeons who had the audacity to feed on their bird feeder in their suburban garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Well he went in to court ill advised then. Its not a new thing the GL its just it now has the 2007 thats given it some teath, and go near anything with teath without a stick, and you could get bitten, Make sure you take a stick to court with you. BASC give good advice to help sharpen your sticks for free.. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/general-licences-for-wildlife-management BASC would treat you as if you had Ebola. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Public health covers it. Pigeon droppings are bad for your lungs. Them eating your veg and stuff covers it under crop damage, damage is damage in the eyes of the law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanz Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 i shoot rats, sqizzers n corvids in the garden everything else gets a free meal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) Public health covers it. Pigeon droppings are bad for your lungs. . A household isn't the 'public'. I can't understand why people can't grasp if the GL was so easily circumvented it wouldn't exist! I can just imagine the argument in court, trying to justify the difference from say, a pigeon infestation at a hospital or a food plant to pigeon ****ting in a garden like they do for 10's of millions of other households. You're immune because you own an air rifle? In all honesty I don't care if people shoot pigeon illegally, what gets my goat is how bluntly people misinterpret or flash around the edges of the GL with little understanding. The word often cited in the GL is 'serious' should it be risk or damage, there has to be a context, I know people find 3 cabbages serious to themselves, but in the spirit of the GL it really means serious damage to food production on a 'public' scale. Edited March 20, 2016 by kyska Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 (edited) Caterpillars would do more damage...wonder if they are on the GL... Edited March 20, 2016 by Bazooka Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoot and be safe Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Caterpillars would do more damage...wonder if they are on the GL... Only if the woodies eat them, they can then be shot by default Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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