stuartyboy Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 Has anyone else noticed a massive increase of the public walking through their permissions since Covid? One piece of ground, I used to see an average of someone out for a walk one time out of ten. Now, everytime I go out, I'm seeing up to a dozen folk out walking in groups of 3 or 4. Another piece of ground, I've got dog walkers, wild swimmers, bird watchers etc etc. I don't mind others enjoying the countryside but I'm having gates left open, rubbish left not to mention good shooting ruined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultrastu Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 (edited) Yep hundreds and hundreds of people all over the place .though since its been so wet of late they are mainly staying to the lanes and bigger paths . The footpaths that cross crop fields are a 20ft wide mud bath. Edited December 30, 2020 by Ultrastu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 2 minutes ago, stuartyboy said: Has anyone else noticed a massive increase of the public walking through their permissions since Covid? One piece of ground, I used to see an average of someone out for a walk one time out of ten. Now, everytime I go out, I'm seeing up to a dozen folk out walking in groups of 3 or 4. Another piece of ground, I've got dog walkers, wild swimmers, bird watchers etc etc. I don't mind others enjoying the countryside but I'm having gates left open, rubbish left not to mention good shooting ruined. This is something we will have to get used to now the public have explored the countryside that was on there doorstep and in the past never had the time to seek it out . Same here , I walk around our estuary wall most days of the week and never go now without seeing someone , even Christmas afternoon there were people going for a walk , mind you they might have thought the same when they saw me . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdad Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 Yep, often where there are no footpaths too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 I went out for a wander about my rough shoot today, as I was pretty sure it would be the last one I could do until who knows when? Didn't see another soul despite it being criss crossed by several public footpaths and bridle paths. It’s not surprising people head for the hills during times such as these, and I can understand why; apparently there is a big uptake in those who can afford to, moving from urban to rural locations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 And every man and his wife have a bloomin dog ! Gone are the nice quiet, peaceful days fly fishing, the peace is constantly broken by yapping and barking mutts ! The reservoir, being surrounded by woodland, is inundated with walkers and cyclists. 3 reservoirs to walk around and they pick the one that is being fished, to swim and bath the dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 Another problem that we have to get used to is the amount of new houses being built on past crop fields on what was farm land so the public are now even nearer to the footpaths , mountain bikes are another problem even though the only hills we have got are Mole hills and certainly no signs of mountains . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Bear Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 14 minutes ago, marsh man said: mountain bikes are another problem Usually on 2 foot wide FOOT paths! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesterse Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 Went beating on Tuesday and the farmer who runs the shoot said he had spent almost the whole Christmas period trying to keep hoards of people off his land and their unruly dogs out of his covers. He had signs everywhere saying private keep out but not only did they ignore them they took the signs as well ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Neal Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 In the first lockdown, over those initial couple of months I must have booted out well in excess of 200 people off the part of our shoot that I keeper. Thankfully not many repeat offenders and I managed to keep it polite (mostly). Biggest problem I had was someone found a couple of my Larsen traps and damaged them to let the call birds out. I moved the traps and hid them better, kept moving them around as you do but they were obviously going out looking for them because they found some in places that you just wouldn't be if you were only walking through. Had to give up on it in the end but still managed to knock out 40-odd maggies and a few crows. The rain and mud helped ease the trespassing problem significantly as the summer turned to autumn, although I still have to deal with more than normal. I think it will start up again in the spring when the weather improves and they won't be getting their trainers so muddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 We moan that people today don’t appreciate the countryside and then when they get out and enjoy it we moan about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartyboy Posted December 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 20 minutes ago, AVB said: We moan that people today don’t appreciate the countryside and then when they get out and enjoy it we moan about it. No problem at all with folk enjoying the countryside in a responsible way. Would appreciate though if they didn't litter, set fires, leave gates open, run dogs off the lead etc. Disturbance of my personal shooting is a nuisance but not much I can really do about. Something I now have to allow for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Neal Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 18 minutes ago, AVB said: We moan that people today don’t appreciate the countryside and then when they get out and enjoy it we moan about it. Who exactly are the "we" you refer to?! Enjoying the countryside is fine if people stick to public rights of way and lawful use of them. Many people during the spring lockdown went out and blatantly disrespected and disregarded landowners' rights not to have all and sundry wandering about uninvited in places they're not permitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVB Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 1 minute ago, Jim Neal said: Who exactly are the "we" you refer to?! Enjoying the countryside is fine if people stick to public rights of way and lawful use of them. Many people during the spring lockdown went out and blatantly disrespected and disregarded landowners' rights not to have all and sundry wandering about uninvited in places they're not permitted. We = the great PW collective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Neal Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 I've certainly never expressed a desire for more people from towns to go wandering in the countryside. As far as I'm concerned they can stay in the town where they won't be such a nuisance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted December 31, 2020 Report Share Posted December 31, 2020 Just need to find the cars of the ones leaving litter and setting fires etc. Block them in and after it's dark kindly explain about respecting others property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centrepin Posted December 31, 2020 Report Share Posted December 31, 2020 We have a bridleway and footpaths on our perm, all abused now. Unregistered motor bikes, cyclists, dog walkers, horse riders all well off the rights of way. Beer cans, pop bottles and other rubbish all needing picking up. Car drivers that truly belive its alright to park in front of farm buildings and then go for a walk. Complaints its too muddy. And last but not least dumping of last weeks rubbish. 9 hours ago, stuartyboy said: Disturbance of my personal shooting is a nuisance but not much I can really do about. Something I now have to allow for. Not forgetting the idiots who don't see you and go to look at your decoys. Or......the muppets who stood right at the side of my hide discussing why two pigeons should be chasing each other round in perfect circles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted December 31, 2020 Report Share Posted December 31, 2020 14 minutes ago, Centrepin said: Not forgetting the idiots who don't see you and go to look at your decoys. Or......the muppets who stood right at the side of my hide discussing why two pigeons should be chasing each other round in perfect circles. They usually jump in surprise and ****** off quickly when I appear over the net with a gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centrepin Posted December 31, 2020 Report Share Posted December 31, 2020 1 minute ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: They usually jump in surprise and ****** off quickly when I appear over the net with a gun. I stood up without gun and spoke to a man with his small daughter. The man ran away leaving his daughter behind. I knelt down talking to the daughter till his wife appeared a couple of minutes later. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be in his shoes later. My son stayed sat down as we didn't want to frighten the girl anymore than she was. We were literally 100s of yards away from any public right of way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted December 31, 2020 Report Share Posted December 31, 2020 32 minutes ago, Centrepin said: I stood up without gun and spoke to a man with his small daughter. The man ran away leaving his daughter behind. I knelt down talking to the daughter till his wife appeared a couple of minutes later. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be in his shoes later. My son stayed sat down as we didn't want to frighten the girl anymore than she was. We were literally 100s of yards away from any public right of way. Usually the conversation gets around to "do you have permission to be here?" When I tell them that I have written permission and that the Farmer is happy for me to be out there. Whereas he does not want the great unwashed walking their dogs across his fields without permission, they then make their excuses and leave. I then send a text to the farmer with details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentalmac Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 I had a similar situation, where I was zeroing my HMR in before dark for some rabbit shooting, on a golf club and farmers fields. Hadn’t seen a soul, and there is no foot paths for at least half a mile in any direction where I was. I scanned around the area before zeroing, and also was Ian a safe position with good backstop etc... ‘Bang’ - then a girly shriek from behind me... I span myself around and see a lad of about 14-15 on a mountain bike CYCLING OVER THE FLIPPING GREEN!!! Must have come from behind the hedge behind me up the hill. He heard a shot and saw a man with a gun and shrieked and I stood up and shouted “hello” and he freaked and threw his bike over the nearest hedge, and then threw himself over (fairly impressive) and ran over the farmers fields holding his bike above his head! I quickly phoned the police non emergency number back (already had alerted them I was out) and told them, just in case he reported it! Then the landowners of course. I was just shocked anyone is silly enough to go over a closed golf course, let alone cycle over putting greens.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centrepin Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 The A57 Snake Pass is notorious for idiots getting stuck in the snow, driving off the edges, getting lost etc. https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/dozens-rescued-snowstorm-snake-pass-19554873 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clodhopper Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 My trail cams they overlook pheasant feeders are also picking up more people wandering hundreds of yards from footpaths. Last week I had a spaniel appear in one of my drives, I could see the owner, who was still on the footpath 400 yards away. They were apologetic when I got over to them and said it had never done that before, they were taken back when I told them they were talking rubbish O had watched them do exactly the same thing a few days prior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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