Originally Posted by
bighit
wyer every time they go shooting. We used to have that, with a good dollop of personal responsibility. Its should be possible that anyone can do a bit of pest control even in their back garden. Is MR Allotment Man not responsible enough...not blue blooded enough?
Last edited by Muskett; Yesterday at 11:47 PM.
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Today, 12:02 AM #534 bighit bighit is offline
Registered User. 223A1 is right, we had a perfectly good method and then the EU came along and forced through a bird lovers protection charter. That policy might be important elsewhere in Europe as many places have shot out, netted, eaten, much of their birdlife, but that doesn't match the UK where pest numbers are excessive. The UK authorities knew this and tried to fudge it, which failed.
Our older system, well understood, needs reinstating as soon as possible before too much damage is done. For the authorities its how to write it up whilst incorporating EU legislation, EU legislation that is incompatible.
DEFRA had no intent to change anything and so ignored what had been written up in law for it was ridiculous. Now that has been tested and the law as written isn't fit for purpose, but its still the law. It will have to be altered to better reflect the UK's situation and practices done.
The difference in damage by different pest species is multiple millions £££'s.
RobF and bighit seem to not have a problem with the EU's approach to birds. The problem I have is with people thinking that the general license allows them to break the law and then use it to fall back on when caught out . it does not allow people to shoot them in the garden as they are covering their decking in poop or their cars ,annoying them as the coo too loudly in the their garden Maybe they are bird lovers? I may be ,I may not be What get me is they provide no practical alternative, I have provided alternatives and you have dismissed them continuously despite admitting you have used one of them in the past. Mr Allotment or mr garden fruit grower can net his produce to stop them eating his produce but you dismiss that every time I mention it nor any real argument against what has been for many years the established methods. I have told you the berry grower near me nets all his fruit rows if it works for him that proves it can work for others An establish combination of methods that includes a large amount of culling by shooting which seems to hit the right balance. In places where other methods may not be practical true For what has been practiced for a long time gives lambs some protection, crops too. Heck, even the little song birds that survive get some from increasing predator numbers.
Often forgotten is the conservation work and thought that is done by the shooters to the benefit of all wildlife. Because most give value to the countryside, to wildlife, and consider themselves custodians. Without interest then wildlife would have no value. luckily for shooting sports to continue and for the next generation to enjoy it too, shooters invest in the future. If you want it to continue then you should be making sure others follow the laws to the letter of the General licenses ,not interpreting it so it suits their own needs which are often unlawful
KFC urban conservationists invest nothing and their commitment goes only as far as ringing the Council if they find a rat in their house. Which is part of the remit when you rent a house from a landlord be it council or private let then you call the landlord to deal with it . do you think everyone in the UK owns a firearm to control pest ? not everyone owns their own home in the uk or pigeon shit on their balcony. Of course the Countryside runs itself and nature should be left to it all
RobF, bighit, what resources have you spent in the countryside, I have told you I have an FAC and I do pest control and i do it in line with the laws that allow me to do so. what conservation work have you actually done? As I said previously I'm hoping loads. I understand the law bit is a mess, but can't understand your point. AS i keep telling you and you fail to get it through your head .
Isn't it sensible to keep Magpie numbers to a sensible level, and does it matter who does that? Its not going to do it by itself
