Packham & Co at it again

[Steve Valentine]

Well, that nasty men can't shoot birds in their garden while claiming it's covered by the general licence.

For my sins I’m a member of a couple of air rifle groups on Facebook. The amount of folks that shoot wildlife coming to visit the feeders they put up in their town gardens is astonishing. Citing no other reason than ‘because I can’

These pigeons and doves they shoot arent decimating farmers crops, and as far as I can see they have made no other attempt to keep them away.

Living where I do on the outer edge of Wakefield it’s a pleasure to be able to observe ANY form of wildlife that visits my feeders, be it squirrels, pigeons, doves, starling or great/blue tits.

Shooting pigeons that visit in their hundreds to a farmers crop field is a completely different matter to a couple of fat woodies in a housing estate garden.

[xbow]

For my sins I’m a member of a couple of air rifle groups on Facebook. The amount of folks that shoot wildlife coming to visit the feeders they put up in their town gardens is astonishing. Citing no other reason than ‘because I can’

These pigeons and doves they shoot arent decimating farmers crops, and as far as I can see they have made no other attempt to keep them away.

Living where I do on the outer edge of Wakefield it’s a pleasure to be able to observe ANY form of wildlife that visits my feeders, be it squirrels, pigeons, doves, starling or great/blue tits.

Shooting pigeons that visit in their hundreds to a farmers crop field is a completely different matter to a couple of fat woodies in a housing estate garden.

Yes I agree. There are too many killing birds just because they can.

[Steyr]

For my sins I’m a member of a couple of air rifle groups on Facebook. The amount of folks that shoot wildlife coming to visit the feeders they put up in their town gardens is astonishing. Citing no other reason than ‘because I can’

These pigeons and doves they shoot arent decimating farmers crops, and as far as I can see they have made no other attempt to keep them away.

Living where I do on the outer edge of Wakefield it’s a pleasure to be able to observe ANY form of wildlife that visits my feeders, be it squirrels, pigeons, doves, starling or great/blue tits.

Shooting pigeons that visit in their hundreds to a farmers crop field is a completely different matter to a couple of fat woodies in a housing estate garden.

Are you stating that the woodies that visit your garden....and even that of neighbours only feed from there 24/7 365 & hat their offspring also do the same.

That they dont fly outside of an exclusion zone and they are...to all intentse and purposes domesticated.

As far as I am aware...... pigeon will utilise any food resource they can and no single woodie is going to ignore a farmers field just because the nut feeders in No. 21 and 25 are overflowing.

They will eat what they want where they want when they want.... and thats going to include crop damage as they make there way across the lands.

Now I appreciate woodies....I think they are gorgeous birds up close. I have never seen a scruffy manky woodie apart from a couple that were clearly very ill indeed. but the damage they do is far beyond ones garden and they are fair game to be on the GL.

As for scaring...well OK......thats fine but I challenge anyone tomshow conclusive proof that they have succesfully scared off some of the pest species we are asked to control under GL.

Dont forget that the REASON for GL is the economic damage that is done to crop yields and it is the will odlf the people who have this issue that the GL system exists.

its there because the people need it. its notna licence to select full auto and shoot any and all. its very specific and select and reacts to issues if a species becomes a problem and removes them when numbers are under an acceptable level of control.

I would shoot pigeons as they feed and when they roost and when they lay up in the trees after their 1st meal. if there are other reasons why their prescenc causes issues such as health and safety and if it is not against the terms of the GL then thats doable when all other factors are considered.

[robby]

Have they ever see the size of those wood pigeon's poop?, what happen if children stepped on it and run into their home?, big health hazard to say the least.

[Steve Valentine]

Are you stating that the woodies that visit your garden....and even that of neighbours only feed from there 24/7 365 & hat their offspring also do the same.

That they dont fly outside of an exclusion zone and they are...to all intentse and purposes domesticated.

As far as I am aware...... pigeon will utilise any food resource they can and no single woodie is going to ignore a farmers field just because the nut feeders in No. 21 and 25 are overflowing.

They will eat what they want where they want when they want.... and thats going to include crop damage as they make there way across the lands.

Now I appreciate woodies....I think they are gorgeous birds up close. I have never seen a scruffy manky woodie apart from a couple that were clearly very ill indeed. but the damage they do is far beyond ones garden and they are fair game to be on the GL.

As for scaring...well OK......thats fine but I challenge anyone tomshow conclusive proof that they have succesfully scared off some of the pest species we are asked to control under GL.

Dont forget that the REASON for GL is the economic damage that is done to crop yields and it is the will odlf the people who have this issue that the GL system exists.

its there because the people need it. its notna licence to select full auto and shoot any and all. its very specific and select and reacts to issues if a species becomes a problem and removes them when numbers are under an acceptable level of control.

I would shoot pigeons as they feed and when they roost and when they lay up in the trees after their 1st meal. if there are other reasons why their prescenc causes issues such as health and safety and if it is not against the terms of the GL then thats doable when all other factors are considered.

So you’re saying I can legally shoot the wood pigeons that visit my garden, because they may or may not be eating a farmers crops 5 miles away? A farmer that I don’t know nor has he asked me to control their numbers?

To be honest, if you don’t get what I am saying in my post, then I don’t possess enough crayons to explain it to you further.

[robby]

Saw a couple in my back garden,i tend to leave them alone, great to admire them rather than shooting them.

[angrybear]

Are you stating that the woodies that visit your garden....and even that of neighbours only feed from there 24/7 365 & hat their offspring also do the same.

That they dont fly outside of an exclusion zone and they are...to all intentse and purposes domesticated.

As far as I am aware...... pigeon will utilise any food resource they can and no single woodie is going to ignore a farmers field just because the nut feeders in No. 21 and 25 are overflowing.

They will eat what they want where they want when they want.... and thats going to include crop damage as they make there way across the lands.

Now I appreciate woodies....I think they are gorgeous birds up close. I have never seen a scruffy manky woodie apart from a couple that were clearly very ill indeed. but the damage they do is far beyond ones garden and they are fair game to be on the GL.

As for scaring...well OK......thats fine but I challenge anyone tomshow conclusive proof that they have succesfully scared off some of the pest species we are asked to control under GL.

Dont forget that the REASON for GL is the economic damage that is done to crop yields and it is the will odlf the people who have this issue that the GL system exists.

its there because the people need it. its notna licence to select full auto and shoot any and all. its very specific and select and reacts to issues if a species becomes a problem and removes them when numbers are under an acceptable level of control.

I would shoot pigeons as they feed and when they roost and when they lay up in the trees after their 1st meal. if there are other reasons why their prescenc causes issues such as health and safety and if it is not against the terms of the GL then thats doable when all other factors are considered.

To play devils advocate, unless you provide crop protection & can prove that those pigeons were on your protected land then it's no business of yours what they do elsewhere so the GL probably doesn't cover you to shoot them in your garden.

[poison dwarf]

Will Justice are also pushing for decoying to be banned as it constitutes "entrapment"

[poison dwarf]

Have they ever see the size of those wood pigeon's poop?, what happen if children stepped on it and run into their home?, big health hazard to say the least.

Does that mean I can shoot dogs legally?

[Steve Valentine]

To play devils advocate, unless you provide crop protection & can prove that those pigeons were on your protected land then it's no business of yours what they do elsewhere so the GL probably doesn't cover you to shoot them in your garden.

That was exactly the point of my post. Perhaps I used the wrong colour crayons?

[xbow]

So you’re saying I can legally shoot the wood pigeons that visit my garden, because they may or may not be eating a farmers crops 5 miles away? A farmer that I don’t know nor has he asked me to control their numbers?

To be honest, if you don’t get what I am saying in my post, then I don’t possess enough crayons to explain it to you further.

Bit harsh, but fair!

[RobF]

Will Justice are also pushing for decoying to be banned as it constitutes "entrapment"

I guess if they otherwise don't come onto the shooting ground then I can see how that's easily argued. You couldn't use the reason of pest control if said pest didn't turn up because you didn't put decoys out for said pest.

It's like saying you need to shoot the squirrels because they steal the bird food. You don't, all you need to do is prevent their access to it. Then they don't turn up. It's not like the animal kingdom has nothing better to do than hang around and work out difficult feeder puzzles. If it's too difficult they move to an easier source. It's a simple energy in vs energy out, and if they get it wrong they end up starving. Pests turn up because we make the enviroment ripe for them to do so. Shooting is a latter resort because it doesn't solve the problem, you cull, it creates a vacuum, more turn up to replace them.

[SuffolkRifle]

Saw a couple in my back garden,i tend to leave them alone, great to admire them rather than shooting them.

I tend to as well - though I often get upwards of 6 going over the garden (also shows when the grass needs cutting - if I can't see them, then I'll reluctantly get the mower out!) same with the rabbits that visit the garden - the more they eat, the less I've got to cut (and the less they eat off the fields around here) besides which - I'm not keen on pigeon or rabbit meat - the squizzers around here have found their way of bribing me not to 'cull' them - they supply me with 'wet walnuts' from the trees down the road (whether it'd work if we'd got a population of reds in the area is possibly a different question)