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Close season


Matt.Tsk
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Should wood pigeons be intitled to a close season  

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  1. 1. Should wood pigeons be intitled to a close season

    • Yes they should
      31
    • No they should'nt
      127


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Guest flightline

I don`t think it`s the right time to discuss a closed season as if we`re some closed debating society. There is a review of the general pest licences under which pigeons are shot being carried out now (see other posts). If you want a legal closed season, now`s the time to ask. You might get it. And then get ready to enjoy a two months` season, as woodpigeons have been shown to breed in most months in the UK. How the farmers will bless you.

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Yes i know they breed all year round as the winters are getting warmer, but im not saying dont shoot them because there are breeding that would be silly. If there were to be a close season it should only be while the majority of young are coming off the nest at there most preductive months. If you had a close season because they were breeding, there would not be any crops left and the farmers a little ****** off i should think. The trouble being that the people who would decide a close season, if there was to be one! like in most cases these days more than likely would not know the **** from their elbow. I say leave it as it is and enforce your own close season if you choose to do so.

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IN ANSWER TO EARS RESPONSE DATED JULY 7th

 

DO WOODPIGEONS PAIR FOR LIFE?

 

I really do not know the answer to that question. All of the research that I have read on the subject has not touched on this subject. Maybe the study would be impossible to carry out anyway.

 

I can only add with a very interesting observation that I made earlier this year.

 

Pair of woodies sat in a tree, definate pair, saw the cock bird mating. What I thought was another cock bird joined this pair and started pestering the first cock bird. I thought that it was trying to drive the bird away from his female. They flew from tree to rooftop several times before the pestering bird lay down and allowed the male from the initial pair to mate.

 

So, the bird that joined the initial pair was a hen that obviously went to great lengths to be mated...

 

DO WOODPIGEONS MATE FOR LIFE?

 

No, I don't think so.

 

All the very best

 

Gary

 

G.I. country sports U.K.

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  • 2 years later...

at the end of the day they are a pest yes do endless damage, i tend to knock it on the head once the rape and wheat get too tall to find the pigeon inside so i jus wait till the rape gets swathed an the wheat gets cut wats that a month or twoshouldnt need a close season however each crop is thats how the act should be taken if its worth shooting go for it, if people want a close season thay should jus put their feet up and enjoy a tea rather than moanin bout it an let other people get on with it.

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  • 1 year later...

I heard last week, that talks are well on to establish a close season for WOODY ?!!?

 

Following research by Natural England discussions have begun between NATURAL ENGLAND, THE NFU, DEFRA AND THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, I believe the RSPB and the BTO are also involved.

The BASC have not been invited and pretend they know nothing about it.

 

Personally I think too much time and effort are wasted on programmes such as this, especially when knife crime and general yob culture are running riot, when it does appear that absolutely sweet fanny adams is being done about bringing in a punishment plan to bring an end to it all.

 

How dare they tell US how where and when we can shoot at the zillions of woodpigeons that plague the countryside and which are now spilling over into the gardens of Joe Public.

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I heard last week, that talks are well on to establish a close season for WOODY ?!!?

 

Following research by Natural England discussions have begun between NATURAL ENGLAND, THE NFU, DEFRA AND THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, I believe the RSPB and the BTO are also involved.

The BASC have not been invited and pretend they know nothing about it.

 

Evidence please

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I have been shooting pigeons for over 50 years and am still shooting as many each year as i did when i first started . There is no shortage of pigeons ,and left to breed throught out the summer with out any shooting would lead to plague proportions . Of course they dont a close season . Harnser .

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WELL I HAVE TO SAY, I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED READING THIS THREAD. THANKS P.W. FOR THE PLEASURE TIME YOU GIVE ME IN MY LEISURE TIME. I HAVE BEEN SHOOTING PIGEONS NOW, ON AND OFF, FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND STILL GET THE THRILL FROM THE CHASE AND THE ADDRENALIN SURGE FROM THE KILL.

 

I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH A CLOSE SEASON, NOT WHILE I SEE FLOCKS THAT MAKE THE SUN WANE WHEN THEY RISE FROM THE FIELD, NOT WHILE I SEE 30 ACRE PLUS, FIELDS OF CROP, COMPLETELY DECIMATED, TO THE POINT WHERE THEY HAVE TO BE PLOUGHED IN, NOT WHILE MY BARRELL GETS SO HOT THAT WHEN YOU SPIT ON IT, THE SPIT SIZZLES. NOT WHILE I CAN SIT AND MARVEL IN DISBELIEF, AS THE BIRDS POUR OUT OF THE CITY FOR 5 HOURS AND MY SHOULDER ACHES IN THE MORNING, LIKE IT DOES NOW. THIS IS WOODIES, NOT FERRALLS.

 

HOW DO YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MALE AND FEMALE WOODIE, IN A TREE DOWN THE GARDEN, UNLESS OF COURSE THEY ARE COPULATING? I HAVE NOT SEEN THE BOOBS FOR THE PIGEON MILK. AM I SHOOTING MALES ONLY?

 

HARNSER, IS SPOT ON AS USUAL. THIN END OF THE WEDGE COMES TO MIND. GET THIS STUPID IDEA LEGISLATED, AND THE REST WILL FOLLOW. A RESOUNDING NO FROM ME...........

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Following research by Natural England discussions have begun between NATURAL ENGLAND, THE NFU, DEFRA AND THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, I believe the RSPB and the BTO are also involved.

The BASC have not been invited and pretend they know nothing about it.

 

 

can anyone from the basc comment on this please.

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Following research by Natural England discussions have begun between NATURAL ENGLAND, THE NFU, DEFRA AND THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, I believe the RSPB and the BTO are also involved.

The BASC have not been invited and pretend they know nothing about it.

 

 

can anyone from the basc comment on this please.

And your source of information that supplied this gem is where exactly?

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Following research by Natural England discussions have begun between NATURAL ENGLAND, THE NFU, DEFRA AND THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, I believe the RSPB and the BTO are also involved.

The BASC have not been invited and pretend they know nothing about it.

 

 

can anyone from the basc comment on this please.

And your source of information that supplied this gem is where exactly?

 

 

Go back a bit in this topic and read it. It's in there somewhere courtesy of someone else.

 

EDIT...Post 59 :angry:

Edited by njc110381
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Hi all,

 

Not a case of BASC pretending not to know- why would we pretend? Think about it!

 

Pigeons are shots as pests- indeed, they can only be shot as pests. How could we possibly have a closed season for pests? We could not as it makes no sense..

 

Closed seasons tend to be based around breeding seasons – pigeons breed all year round – apart from possibly a couple of weeks in December so again how can we have a closed season determined?

 

To introduce a closed season, pigeons would have to be re-classified as non pest species I guess, not sure how the NFU could sell that one to their members!

 

Similarly I cannot see how Defra or N E would want to go down this path- looks like an open door for compensation claims here along similar lines to the Agricultural Holdings Act.

 

I will keep checking but as far as I know this looks like a red herring- I have also looked on the RSPB, BTO, Min Ag, Defra and NE web sites and none of them mention anything about consultations etc on closed seasons for woodpigeons.

 

However, I am assuming that the member who first posted this did not make up this story just to get us posting! I suspect he spoke to someone at BASC who said they knew nothing about this consultation – so perhaps that member can quote his primary source? That would help me to investigate further and faster.

 

David

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Following research by Natural England discussions have begun between NATURAL ENGLAND, THE NFU, DEFRA AND THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, I believe the RSPB and the BTO are also involved.

The BASC have not been invited and pretend they know nothing about it.

 

 

can anyone from the basc comment on this please.

And your source of information that supplied this gem is where exactly?

 

http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...=3772&st=45

 

post 59 bob, do try and keep up old chap.

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Hi all,

 

Not a case of BASC pretending not to know- why would we pretend? Think about it!

 

Pigeons are shots as pests- indeed, they can only be shot as pests. How could we possibly have a closed season for pests? We could not as it makes no sense..

 

Closed seasons tend to be based around breeding seasons …quot; pigeons breed all year round …quot; apart from possibly a couple of weeks in December so again how can we have a closed season determined?

 

To introduce a closed season, pigeons would have to be re-classified as non pest species I guess, not sure how the NFU could sell that one to their members!

 

Similarly I cannot see how Defra or N E would want to go down this path- looks like an open door for compensation claims here along similar lines to the Agricultural Holdings Act.

 

I will keep checking but as far as I know this looks like a red herring- I have also looked on the RSPB, BTO, Min Ag, Defra and NE web sites and none of them mention anything about consultations etc on closed seasons for woodpigeons.

 

However, I am assuming that the member who first posted this did not make up this story just to get us posting! I suspect he spoke to someone at BASC who said they knew nothing about this consultation …quot; so perhaps that member can quote his primary source? That would help me to investigate further and faster.

 

David

 

 

Thanks David, once again above and beyond mate.

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Guys,

 

I have checked with Defra and BTO - they know nothing of this.

 

By the way for my two penneth- I would fight tooth & nail against a close season on pigeon.

 

I know that many of you do not want to shoot them at certain times of the year- fine keep the gun in the cabinet , that is self regulation in practice. We are more than capable to looking after this ourselves – aren’t we?

 

David

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