Wolfy Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 Hi all, newbie here. I have been browsing this forum for several weeks now and have picked up some very good tips, particularly with regard to woody recipes and preparation, ta very much. I only recently got back into shooting, have bought myself a fairly decent Springer (.22), joined a shooting range/club, registered with an air-shooting organisation and got myself some insurance. I am fortunate to live in a rural area and plan to also apply for my shotgun cert (there is a clay pigeon shoot just a couple of minutes walk from my house) and get myself a gun if accepted. My question relates to the legality of the following- I have private, enclosed garden with high fencing surrounding it. There are no houses to one side but the house is a Semi-Detached so there is another house to my right. At the end of my garden there’s nothing but fields. There are an abundance of wood pigeons around the area, I have set up a feeding table in my garden and the woodys are regular visitors. It would be quite simple to pick them off and enjoy a pigeon inspired dish now and again. Can anyone offer some advice on this, would I be breaking the law by shooting the pigeon in my own garden? Any advice would be very much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InGen Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 as long as the pellets dont leave your property then you will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 Wrong. You have to shoot woodpigeons within the general licence to prevent them damaging crops etc. Luring them into your garden on a bird table is not good enough reason to shoot them within the law. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InGen Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 lol my bad i meant shooting is ok as long as the pellets dont leave his property i did not pay attention to what he was going to shoot my bad and sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfy Posted April 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 Ok, thanks. Best not to then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ph5172 Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 The genral Licence is a bit of a hit and miss affair and in most circumstances is 'unworkable' to say the least , it leaves a lot of scope for interpretation under Schedule 2 Part II of the Act, permit the killing or taking of these birds for the purposes of: ‘preventing serious damage to livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters’ or for ‘protecting any collection of wild birds’ or for ‘preserving public health or public air safety’. Ruddy duck (*) has recently been added to this list but for England only. - Carrion crow - Magpie - Collared dove - Feral pigeon - Great black - backed gull - Rook - Lesser black-backed gull - Ruddy duck* - Herring gull - House sparrow - Jackdaw - Starling - Jay - Woodpigeon So are you protecting wild birds or protecting your ' public ' health by removing them to prevent droppings on your garden table? It is a very hit and miss affair but no one has yet been prosecuted under the general licence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 I would say not as you could easily stop them being there by with drawing the food source. Someone was prosecuted for shooting starlings on a bird feeder when they were on the general licence. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfy Posted April 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 In which case, what if the 'feeding table' is not a feeding table but a section of decking that you throw scraps on occasionally. This decking area also has a picnic bench and is used for family meals / bbq's. Would you be within the law to shoot the pigeon because you felt it represented a risk to your family's health? (that's a rhetorical question btw, I guess each will have their own view on this). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MK38 Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 I doubt you would be within the law, because you can prevent them having anything to feed on and find some way to scare them off if they are a problem. Why do you want to shoot them in your garden anyway ? When they are on the fields they are legitimate quarry as they are a pest species, but they are not a pest in the average garden. Why not just let them use it and get pleasure from watching them.... you don't have to kill everything just cause you can. Get them in a field over decoys or flying into roost or a sitty tree and enjoy the sport they can give, plus the meal they can provide afterwards . It's gotta be more enjoyable than potting a half tame bird ........ Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob300w Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 Course, if you plant a lettuce in your garden, it would come under crop protection........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 The genral Licence is a bit of a hit and miss affair and in most circumstances is 'unworkable' to say the least , it leaves a lot of scope for interpretation under Schedule 2 Part II of the Act, permit the killing or taking of these birds for the purposes of: ‘preventing serious damage to livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters’ or for ‘protecting any collection of wild birds’ or for ‘preserving public health or public air safety’. Ruddy duck (*) has recently been added to this list but for England only. - Carrion crow - Magpie - Collared dove - Feral pigeon - Great black - backed gull - Rook - Lesser black-backed gull - Ruddy duck* - Herring gull - House sparrow - Jackdaw - Starling - Jay - Woodpigeon So are you protecting wild birds or protecting your ' public ' health by removing them to prevent droppings on your garden table? It is a very hit and miss affair but no one has yet been prosecuted under the general licence. Here ya go Ph... Doctor shot seagull for dropping somat in his wifes salad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 Course, if you plant a lettuce in your garden, it would come under crop protection........ Or a few rows of peas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignoel Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 i was lead to belive that the starling was protected again i am wrong ? we have heaps nicking pig meal can i now let rip ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InGen Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Or a few rows of peas peas are crops. so maby that would work lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 There's an old adage that goes 'if in doubt, leave it out! The General Licence can sometimes be seen as disfunctional in it's wording but let's just say your neighbour/s disliked you shooting and made a complaint. IMO you'd certainly, at best, get a lot of grief from some authority or another and at worse you could find yourself in court with the possible loss of your licence/s. Which way do you want to play it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 :( That just about sums up my thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 I'd love to hear from anyone on here who hasn't shot a pigeon with an air gun in their garden?? If roost shooting is allowable because its controlling birds causing damage elsewhere then it must cover shooting pigeons on your own property that are causing damage and a health niisance by crapping everywhere. On a side issue i'd love to see a general bobby picking through the technicalities of the General license as i'm sure they haven't got a clue about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfy Posted April 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 (edited) Despite the temptation, I am of the same thinking as Highlander & AXE. Too much to risk just for a bit of lazy shooting. al4x makes a good point though, let he without sin etc...... :( Edited April 18, 2008 by Wolfy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshirelad Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Hi all, newbie here. I have been browsing this forum for several weeks now and have picked up some very good tips, particularly with regard to woody recipes and preparation, ta very much. I only recently got back into shooting, have bought myself a fairly decent Springer (.22), joined a shooting range/club, registered with an air-shooting organisation and got myself some insurance. I am fortunate to live in a rural area and plan to also apply for my shotgun cert (there is a clay pigeon shoot just a couple of minutes walk from my house) and get myself a gun if accepted. My question relates to the legality of the following- I have private, enclosed garden with high fencing surrounding it. There are no houses to one side but the house is a Semi-Detached so there is another house to my right. At the end of my garden there’s nothing but fields. There are an abundance of wood pigeons around the area, I have set up a feeding table in my garden and the woodys are regular visitors. It would be quite simple to pick them off and enjoy a pigeon inspired dish now and again. Can anyone offer some advice on this, would I be breaking the law by shooting the pigeon in my own garden? :( Any advice would be very much appreciated. if you have fields to the rear then try for permission there it will get you out and you may get some rabbit to play chef with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Starlings are NOT on the general license !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 I think the comment about roost shooting is interesting as the birds are not damaging crops as they are going in for a nights roost. Surely if that falls under crop protection under the GL then why cant shooting them in the garden if you are in the general vicinity of crops and farmland. I fail to see the difference tbh. Just my thought Steve b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axe Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 But surely, if you don't have permission to shoot on the land that contains the crop, you do not have a just cause to shoot them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo57 Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Wrong. You have to shoot woodpigeons within the general licence to prevent them damaging crops etc. Luring them into your garden on a bird table is not good enough reason to shoot them within the law. FM That's wrong. The BASC advice on this is very clear. The General Licence allows you to kill woodpigeons even although they are not damaging crops locally. You can kill them anywhere you have permission to shoot. Using an airgun in a garden is generally OK as long as you are not endangering anyone. Using a rimfire .22 or any other FAC firearm would depend upon the location having been approved on your FAC. No such restrictions on SC but, again, safety would be an issue, as would noise and disturbance of neighbours. But, assuming you are a BASC member, give their office a ring and get a definitive answer to your specific situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Bear in mind also that if you were to be challenged you would have to justify that other, non lethal methods had been tried and were inappropriate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfy Posted April 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2008 It would appear eveyone has an opinion on this, some contrasting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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