idiot neighbour

[Shed tuner]

Turnip and I are just suggesting that there might be an alternative more positive way.

Indeed. I think sometimes people need reminding that building some form of constructive dialogue and at least trying to educate the party involved is the more positive way to handle most situations. After all, he is still your neighbour and you all have to live together. Not making excuses for him.

[Maple]

To fire anything above ground level is potentially very dangerous and for him to shoot so indiscriminately would indicate that he is not aware of backstop safety. These types rarely listen to a valid point being made. I would make every effort to stop him.

[Byronic]

Just report the moron.
101 if not happening right now, then 999 when he does it again.
Make it clear that it is an AIRGUN and give full details.
Just my 2d.

[gsxrman]

seeing my partner upset got me angry and i shouted out to the bloke, asking him what the hell he thinks hes doing. we all have high fences so cant see each other. i never got any answer.
i bagged up the bird, it was a nice clean shot through the head, and binned it, then stormed off to confront the bloke. unfortunately my temperature was up, so i wasnt quiet, and i imagine a few people in the close heard me. the bloke denied it was him, which made me more angry. anyway i left, telling him that if i see him out front with his rifle any more im reporting him.

I personnelly think you did well, confronting the guy face to face and with restraint.
Very good chance this all over already.

[bcham]

I would leave it . he's been warned, if it happens again then call the police

[DM80]

If some idiot did this in my neighbourhood I would not hesitate to report them, clowns like this idiot shouldn't be in possession of an airgun and if someone in the neighbourhood got hurt i think you would regret not reporting his earlier behaviour.

Dave.

[davederrick]

Unsafe & stupid. I'd report it now, not wait for a next time.

[angrybear]

Turnip's suggestion for the apology isn't to apologise for reacting to the deed, but maybe your initial tone and just a way of reopening the door so a superior educational approach could be used to get the desired result. To stop the guy doing what he is doing.

Escalate it into a war and the next thing is some "neighbour" will have the Police on you for carrying your guns to the car. It all gets stupid too easily.

Turnip and I are just suggesting that there might be an alternative more positive way.

You don't exactly need to be Einstein to realise that killing stuff on land other than yours, without permission is not acceptable, especially when it's just shot & left in a neighbours garden.
Were he then taking it for the pot, there could at least be a modicum of excuse, but still a country mile short of justification.

I know some people, even on here, think they can shoot anything they want to,
I remember there were members who refused to accept the terms laid down by the General licence a few years back, even when it was there in writing, in front of their face,
But the law is the law, I have trees across the lane full to bursting with squirrels, but I can't touch them unless/until they come on to my property.

I've had an idiot neighbour lie to the police that during an argument when on my field range, I jumped up & ran over to him waving the gun in his face threatening to shoot him,
Which obviously resulted in a uniformed knock on the door.

Were it a youngster, a bit more education might be in order, but a grown man in his 60's knows right from wrong,
If I was the OP I'd have the left the pigeon where it fell as proof & called the police there & then.

[Muskett]

Of all the guns that can be fired up in the air shotguns and 12ftlbs air rifles are considered reasonably safe. That does not mean pellets should leave leave the boundary of the shooting rights, nor ignore sensible good shooting safety practices.

I agree, poaching across garden boundaries is completely out of order.

I agree the GL is still a mess, and I wouldn't shoot a wood pigeon pest in my garden as it presently would be hard to satisfy the conditions of the GL. If my house was part of the farm then much easier. I can protect my song bird chicks, and do my rabbit control.

Good neighbourly manners goes a long way to better living environment for all. Shooting sports are great and there is a lot to need to know. Its in all shooters interest to share knowledge and educate those who need some further guidance.

As for ringing the Police, then that should be the last resort, not the first.

I find it sad that modern laws don't allow a young teenager to be trusted in the fields with a gun without nanny supervision. That is an erosion of freedoms that were hard won, and been too easily given away.

[xbow]

You don't exactly need to be Einstein to realise that killing stuff on land other than yours, without permission is not acceptable, especially when it's just shot & left in a neighbours garden.
Were he then taking it for the pot, there could at least be a modicum of excuse, but still a country mile short of justification.

I know some people, even on here, think they can shoot anything they want to,
I remember there were members who refused to accept the terms laid down by the General licence a few years back, even when it was there in writing, in front of their face,
But the law is the law, I have trees across the lane full to bursting with squirrels, but I can't touch them unless/until they come on to my property.

I've had an idiot neighbour lie to the police that during an argument when on my field range, I jumped up & ran over to him waving the gun in his face threatening to shoot him,
Which obviously resulted in a uniformed knock on the door.

Were it a youngster, a bit more education might be in order, but a grown man in his 60's knows right from wrong,
If I was the OP I'd have the left the pigeon where it fell as proof & called the police there & then.

Agreed.

Sadly some on here regard anyone that owns an airgun as some kind of Kindred Spirit that should be left to their own devices even if they are breaking the law.

[jcr71]

no more bother from the neighbour, but a couple of curious incidents yesterday.

firstly, washing the cars yesterday morning i noticed a used pellet outside the porch door. i honestly have no idea where its from or even how long its been there. although id like to think that its something id spot quite quickly, but then my eyes arent as sharp as they used to be. i had a look around but couldnt see any obvious damage anywhere, so ill just put it down as a strange coincidence for now

secondly, a post popped up on the local facebook page that my partner is a member of. people have been finding song birds in three of the local roads that have been shot with pellets.
this is absolutely nothing to do with my neighbour im certain, its just another nail in the coffin of gun ownership

[Muskett]

Agreed.

Sadly some on here regard anyone that owns an airgun as some kind of Kindred Spirit that should be left to their own devices even if they are breaking the law.

Who are these people?
I have not seen anyone here suggesting its OK to break the law. Its not.
However, if every time the law was broken the culprit was sent to jail then there wouldn't be anyone left.
All that has been suggested is that some further education might be required for those obviously lacking some in shooting safely, etiquette, and staying within the law.
Forums such as this are to share knowledge and be educational. I learn something new regularly.

Its the case with all sports that certain actions are not acceptable. Its for those in the sport to help make corrections whenever and where ever found so non acceptable behaviour becomes rare. And weed out absolute idiots who refuse to learn.

I want as many people as possible to enjoy shooting sports, its not some exclusive club.

I agree its extremely sad when some idiot shoots song birds because they are bored. Thankfully, its incredibly rare. Easy to fix too if bored looking for a target, To fix just choose a stone or tree knot to prove your marksmanship. When such illegal action is found its as often as not grown ups who should know better. i find young people knowing how privileged they are to be given the responsibility of an air rifle wouldn't dare risk that by shooting something they ought not to. Basically its not the young that is the problem, but the grownups.

Considering the bird carnage on our roads from poor car and lorry design then air rifle abuse is near on non existent. Absolutely nothing compared to cats. If you love birds then target those, not shooting. While you are at it target the pesticides and poor farming practices that deny wildlife any food.

[cjos16]

Cant believe this is 4 pages long, the op’s had his answer regarding the best thing todo, he opted for the nicer route. considering you dont have to be signed in or a member to view all this is ammo enough for the anti’s anyway so its just another nail in the lid for those of us that follow the rules to keep the sport alive.
Sad times when a sport that’s already drowning in laws is pushed under by the people that try to keep it going.

Also to the op
http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....60#post7274060
Post #8 you want to shoot pigeons and jackdaws in your back garden ? I grow veg, fruit, but shooting pigeons and jackdaws on my garden wouldnt be legal, whats diffrent about yours ?

[angrybear]

Cant believe this is 4 pages long, the op’s had his answer regarding the best thing todo, he opted for the nicer route. considering you dont have to be signed in or a member to view all this is ammo enough for the anti’s anyway so its just another nail in the lid for those of us that follow the rules to keep the sport alive.
Sad times when a sport that’s already drowning in laws is pushed under by the people that try to keep it going.

Also to the op
http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....60#post7274060
Post #8 you want to shoot pigeons and jackdaws in your back garden ? I grow veg, fruit, but shooting pigeons and jackdaws on my garden wouldnt be legal, whats diffrent about yours ?

Exactly the opposite is true, any 'anti' would see the vast majority of members taking great offence at irresponsible shooting & illegal killing, wanting the offender to be reported.
the only ones with a foot on the back of a drowning sport, are those who refuse to condemn such stupidity.

[Muskett]

Who is not condemning shooting across boundaries and any of the rest? No one.

No offender has been identified, though someone is suspected. Action has been taken, and the word got about so it all might stop?????

I don't get the "it has to be reported" part of this? Not at this stage.

The Police will log this as an offence just as insurance companies log an accident when an enquiry is made; adds to their stats. The Police probably don't have enough information nor resources to worry too much as no one was threatened with a gun. The fact is it will be another reported unresolved crime.
Have enough of those and its just ammunition for the Police as they are institutionally anti gun.

Antis just see what they want. They don't care further than their crusade.

Sorry, I just find it alien that communities can't work some of this kind of thing out without referring everything to the Police, the Council, someone else, some "higher" authority. Can't anyone show a bit of responsible leadership?
However, I do think at some point certain things should be taken to another level, as some things are too big. But not someone knocking off a flipping pigeon straight off, straight to jail. Yes, it is illegal. Yes, it needs to stop. No one here condones it. But it doesn't warrant the Police kicking down doors straight off as some here seem to suggest it should.
Give it all some proportionality.