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The power of pest control


the_haganizer
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I have been waiting quite a while to get a chance to test the Bisley Pest Control pellets I have in .22 as when I have been shooting with them at targets they seem to drop quite a bit after 20yrds (rifle is currently zeroed @ 30yrds for Accupell pellets), so when this pigeon droped down in the garden I knew I couldn't miss the chance. The first photo shows the window from which it was shot (right hand one of the main house in the picure..) and in the second you can see the extent of the damage done by the pellet.. I haven't moved any of the feathers to make it any more impressive, and was really shocked when I saw it through the scope! The third picture you should be able to see the exit hole from the original shot, and if you look at the top of the head in the fourth then you may be able to see the extent of the second shot I took just to make sure that the bird was finished with the minimal amount of stress..

 

I am wondering what the internal damage of the bird will be, so will have a good look when I go and cook it!

 

Robo

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Edited by the_haganizer
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Just for you intrest.

 

 

What you just did, was illegal.

 

All UK birds are protected, but, there exists the general licence.

 

This, as written in the wildlife and countryside act (1988) says that you can shoot, and control certain species of birds for various reasons.

 

This - is to prevent ''serious damage'' to property, foodstuffs, crops (etc), aswell as protecting public health and airspace.

 

 

It is illegal, to shoot a bird, pest species or not, just because it ''is there'', this also goes for wanting to shooting it for food.

 

 

Please, read up on the Wildlife and Countryside act. and don't get caught out.

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Hi

 

Guy got a fine of 1200.00 for allowing his son to do that and I think he got a suspended jail sentence to.

I would love to shoot the magies with my air rifle in my garden but if caught would likely loose SGC & FAC so not really worth it

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Just for you intrest.

 

 

What you just did, was illegal.

 

 

Hi

 

Guy got a fine of 1200.00 for allowing his son to do that and I think he got a suspended jail sentence to.

I would love to shoot the magies with my air rifle in my garden but if caught would likely loose SGC & FAC so not really worth it

 

I've been thinking about this and I'd like to see the legal arguments from Hogey's quote... Is there a suggestion that, as pigeon-shooters, we have to somehow 'catch them at it' (damaging crops I mean :no: ) in order to meet the terms of the licence? If a farmer asks us to protect his crops (I'm assuming he's already taken non-lethal precautions for the sake of this argument) are we entitled to only shoot the pigeons that have been damaging those crops? What if we successfully decoy and shoot a woodie that was 'just passing'? Surely there has to be some assumption that that woodie had been doing some damage somewhere else, or was going on to do some damage somewhere? In which case, what's the difference with the_haganizer's actions and what we do legally under the terms of the general licence? What it comes down to is the argument that all woodies do some damage to some crops at some time and it is reasonable to assume that all farmers take some non-lethal measures to protect those crops, but they are not always effective, therefore, shooting woodies must be permissable at any time or place... surely?

 

On both my permissions (both growing winter rape, winter wheat and some fruit trees) there is very little pigeon activity at the moment (they're either on neighbouring drillings or clover), so my farmer's crops are spared; does that mean I cannot shoot them even if I successfully decoy them into range? Of course not, because the assumption is that they are doing damage to those neighbouring crops and the_haganizer has done the same thing: protecting neighbouring crops from damage whilst in the confines of his 'permission'.

 

I rest the case for the Defence :w00t:

 

Hub.

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I've found the case where the guy got fined: http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/01/06/j...on-shot-pigeon/ . It looks to me like there was more to it than just shooting a wood pigeon in your back garden - notably the humane aspect. Had he made a better job of it (like the_haganizer) he may have been able to summon-up a better defence.

 

I might run this past BASC and see what they have to say.

 

Hub.

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Thanks to all the support, and the rifle was a Webley Raider 10. Well the thing is that my Nans's field is at the bottom of my garden, and the pigeons are on there all the time! So he was just a'wandering... and as for the townie pigeons, this'uns a real country-bumpkin! :no:

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A very important issue this- we must remember that pigeons are shot and can only be shot under the terms of the open general licence. This is very important.

 

In this case the guy did not comply with the OGL so left himself wide open.

 

Also, he allegedly failed to kill the animal, and left it wounded to die some time later- hence the RSPCA I suspect came in with a cruelty charge.

 

The judges’ comments about the boy shooting are, in my opinion, purely subjective and not part of the judgement.

 

Had he shot the bird and killed it immediately or ensured it was dead immediately after, AND when questioned he had confirmed the reasons he shot it complied with the OGL he would have been OK.

 

David

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Thanks for the clarification David.

 

Should this be a sticky as a warning to all those airgunners operating in their back yards?

 

You can shoot pigeon there, but it is only justified under the terms of the OGL: if you comply with it and can quote from it, you can avoid unnecessary unpleasantness. That goes for the rest of us too.

 

Hub.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On both my permissions (both growing winter rape, winter wheat and some fruit trees) there is very little pigeon activity at the moment (they're either on neighbouring drillings or clover), so my farmer's crops are spared; does that mean I cannot shoot them even if I successfully decoy them into range? Of course not, because the assumption is that they are doing damage to those neighbouring crops and the_haganizer has done the same thing: protecting neighbouring crops from damage whilst in the confines of his 'permission'.

 

I rest the case for the Defence :D

 

Well - this is the where the stupid burocraucy of the general licence comes into play.

 

What you have to understand, it that the general licenece is poorly written at best - alot of it is up to interterpation by the courts.

 

It says you have to take both messures to prevent damage other than shooting the birds, and proof that they are causing the damage for it to be legal to shoot said speicies.

 

You can't claim the ''might go on to cause damage'' or they ''have caused damage in the past'' but it has to be ''they are causing damage to me right now''.

 

Futhermore you can't claim you a shooting a bird, that ''might go on to eat someone elses crops'' you HAVE to know that THIS bird is damaging the crops. This is easy to prove if he's flying above a crop of peas with wide eyes - but alot harder to prove when he's sitting on your garden fence.

 

 

 

I'm not trying to argue you out of shooting pigeons, but rather understand why the general licence is - a bit confusing at best.

Edited by Bleeh
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first off nice shooting

 

just wondering if i were to shoot a pidgin im my mates garden who has veg growing, peas beans etc etc am i cover by the open lience ?

 

again nice shot and im thinking about getting a box for close range's

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first off nice shooting

 

just wondering if i were to shoot a pidgin im my mates garden who has veg growing, peas beans etc etc am i cover by the open lience ?

 

again nice shot and im thinking about getting a box for close range's

 

a box of what?

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