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The police phoned me today during home clay shoot


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I held a clay shoot this morning with some shooting friends, basic set up of one trap and one person shooting at a time. 

We'd been shooting for about 45 minutes when my mobile rang. It was a private number which I ignored. It rang back almost right away so I answered and it was the police.

The woman on the other end asked me if I was shooting my own gun/s on my own land as they had received a call about it. I said yes I'm having a clay shoot. She said that's fine no problem and that they had checked the address and saw on record that I was a SGC holder. She explained they had phoned me rather than have to send someone out. That was that and we carried on shooting. 

Now I'm not sure if this was a complaint about the shooting/noise by a neighbour (I have my suspicions as to who that could be) or a genuinely concerned citizen. If the latter how did the police know to phone me? I'll add at this point that the police must've already tried to call the landline at the house (we live on a farm) as my mother was in but she chose not to answer since it came up with-held number.  

I will add as a side note that where we shot today was in a different location to the previous few years. We were on higher elevation today and the wind was carrying the noise, rather than where we normally shoot which is low down and shielded in a kind of valley. 

This is the first complaint I've had regarding shooting. 

As far as shooting goes I intend to continue having friends round to shoot as I have done for the past 14 years. The actual number of occasions we shoot clays is not many - only 4 or 5 times in 2018 for instance. 

What do others who may have been in a similar situation think? I don't want this ruining my occasional enjoyment. 

 

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The police will have your phone number on record. Like you say, they checked the address, could see you were a shotgun certificate holder and decided to ring you. Hats off to them I say. All seemed quite amicable.

Carry in as you always have, and enjoy. I wish my garden was big enough to do it.

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1 minute ago, Mighty Ruler said:

Next time you have a shoot you should consider moving location, as near to the person who complained as possible.

As I said I have my suspicions, but that's all they are.

In actual fact the lower area I mentioned in my OP is nearer to the person who I suspect but much lower down in elevation. 

It must be someone who knows where the shooting was coming from (even the address). If it had been a random person calling the police saying they've heard gunfire how would they know who was shooting? 

Indeed I think the police deserve some credit for calling me rather than sending someone out.  

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22 minutes ago, billytheghillie said:

take the semi-auto 7 shot next time and blast away.

That might not be too clever as i suspect he will have the condition the FAC shotgun is for pest or vermin and as a clay pigeon is neither he could end up in bother.

Edited by sportsbob
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We had this on a basc young shot, a neighbour called to complain, but called us direct, saying her horse spooked and that we weren't in the countryside, we we in the middle of a 300 acre farm thats surrounded by other farms. Ic it was me, next time just tell neighbours that it's happening and ask if they not contact police if they hear multiple shotgun shots on that day? 

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28 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

I think that the police calling you on your mobile is brilliant. What a fantastic way of quickly and safely getting the info they meed with minimum of disruption to you or them . They HAVE to follow up the complaint. That couldnt have been done better .

Quite. My FEO reccommended me phoning to advise police of any time I’m out shooting near towns, what with townies more likely to phone in a report of ‘man with a gun’- which they obviously have to follow up, despite 99% of these calls being obviously legally held guns being used legally. If Police can resolve it with a quick phone call, or already know it’s you out shooting, they are more than happy. Makes sense to me. 

Re the OP, not much you can do really. Can’t imagine the neighbours want to join you, but an invite would be a polite, neighbourly gesture - unless you fear that backfiring with an acceptance! 

 

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Your location is North-west, if that is Lancashire Constabulary then I must second that as a good example of clear thinking control room staff. One of my permissions requires me to call before shooting in the Lancs Area. Always very friendly when I ring for a log number and very occasionally they call my mobile if they have a query whilst I am out. Police sometimes get a bad press but my experience in Lancashire and Merseyside are very good.

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