Voluntary restraint call for shooting ducks, geese and waders due to severe weather

[Conor O'Gorman]

Due to the widespread severe weather BASC is calling for all shooters in the UK to exercise restraint, wherever it is needed, in the shooting of ducks, geese and waders.

The call is being made following seven days of severe weather. The species affected are geese, wild duck, released duck, woodcock, snipe, golden plover, coot and moorhen.

Voluntary restraint in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales should continue to apply until three consecutive thaw days or until a statutory suspension is enacted following 14 days of severe weather.

BASC’s head of wildfowling James Green said: “BASC issues a call for voluntary restraint in shooting ducks, geese and waders when it is clear that birds could be affected by the weather, but ahead of any statutory suspension of shooting.

“We would also call on other countryside users, such as dog-walkers, ramblers and bird-watchers to take care not to cause unnecessary disturbance to birds which may be struggling in the severe conditions.”

He added: “The decision to show restraint in shooting should be made by individuals where feeding or roosting is affected by snow or ice. It should be based on local observations of the condition of the birds and their habitats.”

If freezing conditions persist, statutory suspension of waterfowl shooting could take effect from day 14. Statutory suspensions normally last for 14 days but would be reviewed after seven days and could be lifted if conditions have improved. All dates are subject to change according to prevailing weather conditions.

Click here for more information on severe weather procedures, voluntary restraint and updates on the situation in all parts of the UK.

[Walker570]

Back to normal winter weather as from Sunday with above freezing temps.  To be honest we have not had a 'severe' weather problem, just the media winding everyone up.

HOWEVER T support the BASC in drawing attention to being thoughtful.

[marsh man]

1 hour ago, Walker570 said:

Back to normal winter weather as from Sunday with above freezing temps.  To be honest we have not had a 'severe' weather problem, just the media winding everyone up.

HOWEVER T support the BASC in drawing attention to being thoughtful.

In the past when we have had a restraint it was often to give the fowl a break in areas that had escaped most of the severe weather , at the moment the geese have moved off the frozen fields and the estuary is full of duck , I walked around it this morning in lovely bright conditions and the duck were nearly uncountable , with very easy access for the public it wouldn't look good if anyone was trying to take advantage of them , this time next week we should be back to the milder weather and we can resume where we left off .

[HantsRob]

Sorry, people are killing birds for sport and to eat.

Why does it become distasteful just because they are nesting or feeding in bad weather? 

Genuine Q, as it seems...... odd.... to give birds a chance in inclement weather. I don't shoot birds so genuinely have no idea. I get their natural feeding areas are potentially frozen, but surely that just means skinnier birds, I don't get why it then becomes unfair? Are they flying more so greater chance to be shot? Not a BASC bash, just learning...

[Old farrier]

37 minutes ago, HantsRob said:

Sorry, people are killing birds for sport and to eat.

Why does it become distasteful just because they are nesting or feeding in bad weather? 

Genuine Q, as it seems...... odd.... to give birds a chance in inclement weather. I don't shoot birds so genuinely have no idea. I get their natural feeding areas are potentially frozen, but surely that just means skinnier birds, I don't get why it then becomes unfair? Are they flying more so greater chance to be shot? Not a BASC bash, just learning...

They tend to bunch up more in my area and when hungry they get almost suicidal going to the only open water or food source 

in my opinion not sporting to shoot them and not worth it as there skinny

however they can geese especially be a problem for farmers crops 

although the weather has been cold so far the ducks have not shown any signs of being affected by the weather locally maybe bigger flights than normal but with a bag limit it’s not really a problem 

for most a couple of brace is enough on a morning or evening flight

other areas will be different I’m sure along with opinions 

I’m sure that other views will come along shortly 😊

[HantsRob]

I am learning that this ‘not sporting’ thing is quite a subjective thing with varying responses. I appreciate your thought process and helping clear it up from your viewpoint. 
 

interesting that they bunch up and act so differently also! 

[Dave at kelton]

Difficult one this. Restraint doesn’t mean stop in my eyes but use your discretion. We now have all the geese back on the shore and despite the hard weather they are finding plenty of feeding on tattie beds or grass. There is no sign of out of condition birds so I suspect many will continue to shoot but not take advantage. It does have to be down to personal decision making having regard to all the facts locally.

I will personally not be shooting on Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve.

[Weihrauch17]

BASC have not a single ounce of credibility on anything.

[Weihrauch17]

7 hours ago, Conor O'Gorman said:

Due to the widespread severe weather BASC is calling for all shooters in the UK to exercise restraint, wherever it is needed, in the shooting of ducks, geese and waders.

The call is being made following seven days of severe weather. The species affected are geese, wild duck, released duck, woodcock, snipe, golden plover, coot and moorhen.

Voluntary restraint in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales should continue to apply until three consecutive thaw days or until a statutory suspension is enacted following 14 days of severe weather.

BASC’s head of wildfowling James Green said: “BASC issues a call for voluntary restraint in shooting ducks, geese and waders when it is clear that birds could be affected by the weather, but ahead of any statutory suspension of shooting.

“We would also call on other countryside users, such as dog-walkers, ramblers and bird-watchers to take care not to cause unnecessary disturbance to birds which may be struggling in the severe conditions.”

He added: “The decision to show restraint in shooting should be made by individuals where feeding or roosting is affected by snow or ice. It should be based on local observations of the condition of the birds and their habitats.”

If freezing conditions persist, statutory suspension of waterfowl shooting could take effect from day 14. Statutory suspensions normally last for 14 days but would be reviewed after seven days and could be lifted if conditions have improved. All dates are subject to change according to prevailing weather conditions.

Click here for more information on severe weather procedures, voluntary restraint and updates on the situation in all parts of the UK.

How about you serve your members and not commercial shoots, please go away.

[Scully]

8 hours ago, Weihrauch17 said:

How about you serve your members and not commercial shoots, please go away.

Commercial shoots ARE members, as well as individuals. 

[WalkedUp]

I have got to decide before the shoot briefing on Saturday what to do. We get low numbers of teal, mallard and woodcock. They are only shot walked up by those guns who will take them themselves to eat them. I am leaning towards imposing the temporary ban out of respect for the quarry, but I’m not sure our small, sustainable harvest has any negative effect overall. I’d rather shoot and eat the birds than see them starve. I shoot a marsh too and suspect that will be closed off due to the message too, but that will allow the birds to settle on feeding available feeding grounds rather than being pursued off them. 

[marsh man]

I was out with my dog ( no gun ) this morning and the wildfowl were showing the effect of this long cold spell , there was very little movement with ducks flying about  as no doubt they were reserving there energy , and yes there were the odd shot going off on the distant marshes and not on the estuary where most of the wildfowl are to be found now the inland waterways and the Broads are frozen over.

Am I right in saying that this restraint is voluntary and not enforced by the government unlike some of the bans have been in the past which would had normally been enforced after 14 days of below freezing temps and no shooting wildfowl for a min of seven days ,

This currant spell should all be over for most of us by Sunday with next week well into double figures , some good shooting should be had but PLEASE only take what you need .   

[Bigbob]

If the hard weather affects the wildfowl condition are they more susceptible to wild bird flu ? If so are they better being shot or dying from that ?>

[222mark]

I woudn't call a few days of frost severe weather, unless of course you listen to the media who wind everything up. As for BASC the obviously think shooting people are all brainless and need to be told what to do all the time. unless of course they are trying to justify their existance. Common sense prevails  and i'm sure everyone will use it without BASC's interferance.

[Conor O'Gorman]

43 minutes ago, 222mark said:

I woudn't call a few days of frost severe weather, unless of course you listen to the media who wind everything up. As for BASC the obviously think shooting people are all brainless and need to be told what to do all the time. unless of course they are trying to justify their existance. Common sense prevails  and i'm sure everyone will use it without BASC's interferance.

This is a long established formal procedure based on data from weather stations and not media reporting. Ministers have the power to impose temporary shooting bans for severe weather. The procedure all have agreed to provides some flexibility in approach and avoids a one-size fits all approach nationwide with voluntary restraint being a starting point and awareness raising from BASC and the other shooting organisations demonstrates a responsible approach from all. The following video may help (its from a few years ago bit still relevant)

 

More information here:

https://basc.org.uk/advice/severe-weather-and-waterfowl-shooting/

[PeterHenry]

5 hours ago, Conor O'Gorman said:

This is a long established formal procedure based on data from weather stations and not media reporting. Ministers have the power to impose temporary shooting bans for severe weather. The procedure all have agreed to provides some flexibility in approach and avoids a one-size fits all approach nationwide with voluntary restraint being a starting point and awareness raising from BASC and the other shooting organisations demonstrates a responsible approach from all. The following video may help (its from a few years ago bit still relevant)

 

More information here:

https://basc.org.uk/advice/severe-weather-and-waterfowl-shooting/

Watched the video - seems perfectly sensible to me 👍

[8 shot]

8 hours ago, Bigbob said:

If the hard weather affects the wildfowl condition are they more susceptible to wild bird flu ? If so are they better being shot or dying from that ?>

That was my next question, large concentrations of birds can't be good.

[marsh man]

40 minutes ago, 8 shot said:

That was my next question, large concentrations of birds can't be good.

That may be so , but would you be happy in shooting in the public view on one of only a few places where wildfowl can get some respite from the freezing conditions ? , I know I wouldn't .

[Fellside]

Don’t worry, all good in a couple of days, according to the Met Office. 

[8 shot]

1 hour ago, marsh man said:

That may be so , but would you be happy in shooting in the public view on one of only a few places where wildfowl can get some respite from the freezing conditions ? , I know I wouldn't .

No I wouldn't, but i don;t shoot any wildfowl anyway. I've fed are few game covers the last two days and the increase in small birds feeding on them has increased massively the last week or so, just seems the perfect storm for Bird flu to spread.

[marsh man]

11 hours ago, 8 shot said:

No I wouldn't, but i don;t shoot any wildfowl anyway. I've fed are few game covers the last two days and the increase in small birds feeding on them has increased massively the last week or so, just seems the perfect storm for Bird flu to spread.

We already had a lot of wildfowl on the estuary before the onset of the freezing conditions , now the inland waterways are frozen over the numbers have vastly increased and yet there haven't been one report of any numbers found dead or dying , I walk around parts of the South side daily and I haven't seen any dead stuff floating about , of course you will get the odd wounded one , or the odd one that have reached the end through old age , the bird flu crisis have gone quite around here since Swans were found dead on the Broads and hopefully it will stay like that .

[jall25]

Keep feeding the wild birds in the covers - they bunch up anyway and stand a better chance of fighting infections if they are fitter 

On 15/12/2022 at 08:54, WalkedUp said:

I have got to decide before the shoot briefing on Saturday what to do. We get low numbers of teal, mallard and woodcock. They are only shot walked up by those guns who will take them themselves to eat them. I am leaning towards imposing the temporary ban out of respect for the quarry, but I’m not sure our small, sustainable harvest has any negative effect overall. I’d rather shoot and eat the birds than see them starve. I shoot a marsh too and suspect that will be closed off due to the message too, but that will allow the birds to settle on feeding available feeding grounds rather than being pursued off them. 

I would suggest not shooting them - i have been watching woodcock feeding during the middle of the day as so much of the land is frozen - its not their "typical" behaviour and the chances of flushing and therefore shooting higher numbers increases as they are not in their usual covers 

[jall25]

On 14/12/2022 at 21:49, HantsRob said:

I am learning that this ‘not sporting’ thing is quite a subjective thing with varying responses. I appreciate your thought process and helping clear it up from your viewpoint. 
 

interesting that they bunch up and act so differently also! 

Rob - its sounds like you are relatively new to our way of life. During times like this cold snap it can be better to get out and about without the gun and see how animals behave - eg flocking together , feeding at totally different times of the day utilising different food and water sources. 

[HantsRob]

1 hour ago, jall25 said:

Rob - its sounds like you are relatively new to our way of life. During times like this cold snap it can be better to get out and about without the gun and see how animals behave - eg flocking together , feeding at totally different times of the day utilising different food and water sources. 

Jall, I am just a clay shooter trying to understand the other side of the fence. Good reply, thankyou

[jall25]

Glad to have you over this side Rob

I think like so many things in life the more you understand and appreciate things the more ultimately you will enjoy your time in the field

46 minutes ago, HantsRob said:

Jall, I am just a clay shooter trying to understand the other side of the fence. Good reply, thankyou