what is the Law with regards to shooting pheasant with an air rifle?

[sunndog]

I have to laugh at the irony of people who say shooting pheasants in the head with an adequately powered airgun at a sensible range is unethical but that it is acceptable with pigeons.Is the pheasant more deserving of a more noble() fate?
Remember that the pheasant was imported and bred for the purpose of being shot for goodness sake.For every pheasant 'dead in the air' with a shotgun how many hit the ground running with a broken wing or continue flying with several pellets in the rump or gut ?
Now I am not knocking any kind of shooting,since,as a participant,it would be very hypocritical of me but I would suggest that people have a good think before getting on their moral high horse.--Shaun.

as a life long hunter and ex keeper. this say's it all IMHO.....well put fella

[Slurm]

ive shot a small number of pheasants with my air rifle, alway a headshot. I have no qualms about admitting if the landowner doesnt mind and I am able to ensure a headshot I will kill one, sorry to say but its my favourite meat.

[Geoffc]

As I put in my earlier post, if it's a good headshot, and I have permission then I'm happy to take a Pheasant with an air rifle. 'Sporting shot' doesn't come into it for me. I want to eat the bloody thing not stroke my vanity as a hunter. That also means I want to walk over and pick it up, I don't want it running into an overgrown bramble ditch with a pellet in the breast. Pointless.