Outdoorsman Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 So just got back home from an intresting night had a police van stop behind my car parked at the entrance to a field, ended up having to have a good old chat one of them was being a tad cheeky but i have a feeling this was fishing for information. They suggested that procedure is for me to call 101 before going shooting to let them know im there. So the question is whats peoples thoughts on this, does any one do it, is it a faf on. I dont have an issue with being stopped because at the end of the day there doing there job its just time consuming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesj Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 That question has been asked before on here. My view is that why should i call them, what business is it of the police if i go out shooting or not. Would you call the police to tell them you are going pigeon shooting or clay shooting? and I think you would find that even if you tell them if they get a call they will still come out. I think the problem is if the police get a call from some member of the public saying there is a man with a gun out in a field they think terrorist rather than pest controller! The only time I would call them is if i was shooting somewhere that i think someone is going to call then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 dont call them its not law, yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 dont call them its not law, yet There is little point in calling them ahead of any outing, if they get a report from anyone they are duty bound to investigate - after all the person reported by a member of the public could be anyone, not necessarily any person who has phoned in to say they will be out? If you are (as I expect) on a permission legitimately you have no reason to concern yourself? The police have guidance from the Home Office which tells them how to behave towards the public with firearms - I haven't seen anything in that which suggests you should call the police before an outing? If anyone can point such a suggestion out in that, please let me know I'd like to be advised? There is definitely no such requirement in the Firearms Act or its various amendments! This could become just another bureaucratic formality that everyone has to deal with if you encourage it. I recall a thread on this subject on another forum, where someone who had been encouraged to do this had been interrupted on his permission by ground units and a helicopter and found himself staring down the wrong end of an MP5 even though he had called in his outing. He swore he would never bother informing them again? Please don't encourage this un-necessary bureaucracy.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Absolutely not. I had the police some years ago follow me into a field where I was lawfully shooting my longbow with permission from the landowner. No public footpaths, private land yet still I was harassed. They said that a "concerned member of the public" had seen me firing a bow and that I should phone them before hand to tell them I intend to shoot to which they were very firmly but politely told that it wasn't the law and that I wasn't about to call them any time soon, and I demanded to know what laws that I was breaking...they seemed genuinely confused and obviously hadn't a clue. Therein lies part of the issue, in that many of the younger policemen & women who are not connected with the licencing teams seem to lack basic knowledge and resort to using things like "weapons in a public place". They ought to have told the caller who complained that it was none of their business and that it was perfectly lawful for me to be shooting where I was. They did tell me that carrying the bow too and from my car, parked on the verge, was seen as carrying a weapon in a public place. I laughed that one off as I stored the bow in the car. Never had any trouble again as they knew it was likely to be me if the same nosy parker caller reported it again. As said above, the only time that I would call the police is where it was likely that the public might report any shooting activity, just to save the hassle to all concerned, but to call every time I go shooting? This insistence that they need to know where you are at all times if shooting may well save them some effort but it's not the law and it is objectionable to have this big brother mentality foisted upon us when we are about are lawful business. It is equally objectionable to have this accepted as some sort of "norm" by shooters themselves (unless of course their shooting venues make it a sensible call). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoorsman Posted July 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Last night i think it was a case that they were just driving past and saw the car it was 1 in the morning and i had only been on that particular part for 10 minuits or so, so no one could have reported me. My thought was ringing the 101 number might result in getting stopped all the time by noisy coppers in a quiet area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesj Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Another thing to think about , what happens if you call them to to say you are going shooting at a,b and c and they say NO! Ok they have no right to stop you but if you go and they turn up it could be seen as you not following a request from a copper, not something you need come renewal time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoorsman Posted July 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 Never thought of that, think ill just keep doing what ive bin doing for a few year now and just inform the land owner. I will be however making sure i always have my permission letter with me at all times, even though the guy last night said well anyone could write that, even asked me if i was a traveller lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muddy Funker Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 So just got back home from an intresting night had a police van stop behind my car parked at the entrance to a field, ended up having to have a good old chat one of them was being a tad cheeky but i have a feeling this was fishing for information. They suggested that procedure is for me to call 101 before going shooting to let them know im there. So the question is whats peoples thoughts on this, does any one do it, is it a faf on. I dont have an issue with being stopped because at the end of the day there doing there job its just time consuming. It's not procedure, however I'd let common sense dictate when it might be appropriate rather than being militant like some on this site. If you're doing pest control in an area likely to be overlooked by public then to me common sense would say phone in. That way when joe public phones in stating there's a man with a sniper rifle at the back of my house the response will likely be very different than if you hadn't given them the heads up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 I wouldn't bother, if they get a phone call from the public they'd still have to turn up anyway, just to ascertain if it was you or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 i used to but not any longer, i run a shoot in an area with a lot of deer poaching. And to be fair to the polis they were trying there best to get on top of it, so i informed them to try and help them out. Dunno how it is elswhere but i used to have the number to local switch board and if u phone up a bit ur name must come up with the number as quite often the switch board lass would say hello jim befoire i had even said who i was, was just a simple off out on x, y and z till roughly x o clock. Some of the lasses would get a bit of a craic with u and tell u to get a life Never had any bother with coppers coming out for a look and actually know of 1 lad the switchboard phoned him when he was out as a squad car was stuck in snow near some of the farms he was on at silly o clock in morning so he went and towed it out. But polis are generally pretty decent in this area When they closed the local switchboard with this polis scotland budget cuts, get asked more questions etc so now don't bother and to be fair poaching has quietened down a bit too. Like a lot of things it a bit iof common sense, if ur in a sensitive area it makes sense to call, but there is always the risk off them trying to make it compulsory which no one wants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 I wouldn't bother, if they get a phone call from the public they'd still have to turn up anyway, just to ascertain if it was you or not. Not so, on the occasions that I have informed the Control Room of my shooting intentions and given them my mobile number, if there is a problem they just ring me. Once I have informed them (and I only do that if I believe there could be a problem), I have NEVER had them come out to check on me. I also phone them and quote the log number when I am leaving the shoot. This just avoids wasting their time, BUT more to the point my shooting time. Entirely your decision, just do not complain on here if it goes thingies up and you spend an hour explaining 'your rights'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1066 Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 I read recently that the police are overwhelmed with calls to 101 - the advice they have been given to "cure" the problem is to make the recorded message so long and confusing that most people will hang up. No longer allowed to follow unlicensed, uninsured juveniles who are mugging people in broad daylight on stolen mopeds, move on trespassing travelers or shut down an illegal, drug fuelled yardy rave in a quiet residential street but wanting to know when you are going about your legal and private business. Yes, I can see the point in the odd situation, but as a general rule no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkfanz Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 never done it and dont intend to,,unless it bocomes law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 I read recently that the police are overwhelmed with calls to 101 - the advice they have been given to "cure" the problem is to make the recorded message so long and confusing that most people will hang up. Yes, I can see the point in the odd situation, but as a general rule no. That reminds me - a few weeks ago I car I was following the driver appeared drunk / stoned, all over the road, so I called 101 on the hands-free. When I finally went a different route to the person 8 miles later, I was still on hold, and hadn't managed to speak to a person. I hung up at that point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted July 30, 2016 Report Share Posted July 30, 2016 I shoot in some VERY public areas and the Land owners have a code of practice that includes informing the police and obtaining a URN before shooting - it's always a Civvy that answers the phone and they are always a good laugh - even at 4 in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElvisThePelvis Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 I have called in a few times, each time 101 are hugely confused, haven't bothered this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 Ages to get through and how do you describe the half dozen places over different police counties and different villages and so on and so on waste of time and effort. Nonsensical just like the police system of verifying land for shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornfree Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 All my foxing is well away from any housing so I never bother to call them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roadkill Posted July 31, 2016 Report Share Posted July 31, 2016 I'm in the middle of nowhere, so never needed to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoorsman Posted August 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 Well it all seems a bit fluffed up really im not sure whether to bother or not, the land i shoot is practically the middle of nowhere, its the first time it's happened and a lot of the time i have the land owner with me as he enjoys it aswell hmmmm food for thought anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 How on earth could they handle everyone calling them before they went out shooting at night. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted August 1, 2016 Report Share Posted August 1, 2016 How on earth could they handle everyone calling them before they went out shooting at night. ? Well they couldn't, which is, I guess, one of the reasons why our police don't want people to do so. It's all a bit of a pointless exercise unless of course, you are shooting in Downing Street or some other sensitive area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedge Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 As has been said - there are valid (and sensible times) to tell plod. They can and will tailor their response if they know someone is shooting in an area that they receive reports of `men with guns` etc. Of course they'll turn out but the response may well be more proportionate. Of course, the common sense approach varies from force to force. The bigger issue is that there appears to be no coherent, consistent way to do that. Firearms law is a specialist subject and most shooters will know their rights better than your average copper. Who do we tell? How do they log it? Will it make a difference? Last time this was discussed, we had several `I can shoot where I like, it's private land and I have permission` type responses. "I'll never notify the police". Well done you. We'll just alienate ourselves from the police and public because that really enhances the image of shooting. Doesn't mean some do-gooder or over zealous (or mis-informed) copper isn't going to ruin your day. I'm not for a nanny state but I do think that if we want to be seen as responsible shooters then we need to (sometimes) make the effort. Everyone's situation is different and you'll won't get a single policy that suits us all. I know that Leicestershire launched an email address to cut out the phone faff but I'm not exactly sure if that is still in place or how it worked (i.e what they did with the information). Most coppers are sensible but also have guidelines on how to deal with firearms `incidents`. The least we can do is try to work with them so we don't appear to be part of the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted August 3, 2016 Report Share Posted August 3, 2016 I live in Cumbria; it is vast, and the areas I have permission to shoot over are wide and varied. I rang in once simply because I quite like my FEO and he'd asked me to consider giving it a go. When I phoned I was asked what time I would be setting out and if I would be on my own, and what time we planned to return. What firearms we would be taking and where. I could only answer two of her questions with any certainty and it became apparent it wasn't practical and wasn't going to work. If the police responded to every shot they heard around here they wouldn't have time for much else. A retired copper who runs a shoot locally once told me that given the size of Cumbria and the numbers of cars patrolling, anyone shooting could have packed up and gone home long before the coppers arrived to investigate. I always inform the landowner but never the police. The only time someone has responded to a complaint about us shooting, took place the following day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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