Canada Geese being flushed from Nature Reserve and shot - is this legal? (1 Viewer)

[Gus Horsley]

What's the point of having a reserve if anything inhabiting it isn't protected? And please get me started on DEFRA's General License - I've got serious problems with it and it's interpretation.

Gus

 

[saluki]

What's the point of having a reserve if anything inhabiting it isn't protected? And please get me started on DEFRA's General License - I've got serious problems with it and it's interpretation.

Gus

Hi Gus,

I see your point, but birds are protected whilst on the reserve - the only option would be to ban shooting altogether if one couldn't shoot the birds once they left the reserve.

One guy once boasted to me how many duck they'd shot on the first day of the season on a shoot he had on the edge of Martin Mere (mallard pouring into stubble fields in the evening can be quite easy to shoot at times). Can't remember exactly how many but do remember being disgusted. Can be counter-productive too, as if one shoots a particular spot too heavily it can stop the remaining duck returning.

Jonathan

 

[lockbreeze926]

I find the law on this interesting and, frankly, bizarre.

Do I understand correctly that I can stand in my garden in the UK (which would be more than 50 feet from a highway) and shoot certain birds that fly over, on the basis that I naturally have my own permission to be there and a shotgun licence? And my neighbors were on vacation, I suppose?

 

[saluki]

I find the law on this interesting and, frankly, bizarre.

Do I understand correctly that I can stand in my garden in the UK (which would be more than 50 feet from a highway) and shoot certain birds that fly over, on the basis that I naturally have my own permission to be there and a shotgun licence? And my neighbors were on vacation, I suppose?

Hi,

I think the police might take a dim view of it, though I suppose a lot depends upon how big ones garden is! Blasting away with a 12 bore at passing pigeons from a terraced house back yard may be viewed in a different light than someone shooting a grey squirrel with a .410 in a rural garden. Falling pellets wouldn't harm anyone but make quite an alarming sound when they fall on a roof!

Jonathan

 

[lockbreeze926]

a lot depends upon how big ones garden is!

Sounds like a yes, then?

I could really loose off at flocks of birds as they fly over? What a prospect as thousands of Canada Geese plummet on the patios of North Bucks. Most curious.

 

[KnockerNorton]

I find the law on this interesting and, frankly, bizarre.

Do I understand correctly that I can stand in my garden in the UK (which would be more than 50 feet from a highway) and shoot certain birds that fly over, on the basis that I naturally have my own permission to be there and a shotgun licence? And my neighbors were on vacation, I suppose?

Yes. You could buy an airgun and start shooting pigeons and doves, or crows and rooks, this afternoon, as you don't need a licence for an airgun and those species fall under the General Licence.

However, there have been test cases (well, at least 1) where the RSPCA has brought a successful prosecution against someone shooting 'pest' species in their garden. The grounds were that there was no need to shoot them, in the fact the bloke was attracting them (starlings) with food to shoot for sport. Starlings are no longer on the General Licence, but they were then. The GL states that you can only shoot birds if you have a valid reason (eg preservation of public health etc), and you have tried alternatives (eg scaring). But these criteria are virtually never enforced. Otherwise, recreational airgun hunting (which is very popular) would be effectively stopped.

 

[StevieEvans]

Hi
Just re-posted this on Birding Day thread in the hope of some response. Thanks.

Canadas are a legitimate quarry species inland from Sept through till end of Jan.
As for the flushing, dont know if its illegal to flush a wild bird outside of breeding season.
Steve

 

[deborah4]

Just an Update

Hi

I had a long conservation with the Membership Secretary of the OS of Sussex last night - he expressed a great deal of concern regarding the incident and will bring the matter up at the next Trustee meeting, possibly post something on the w.site, and will also pass the word to members to be on lookout (many bird Arlington). I advised him to contact SE Water and speak to the Conservation Ranger at Arlington before posting anything on the web.

The Arlington CR phoned me this afternoon and is very very concerned about the incident. He confirmed that SE Water take their Nature Reserves and all the wildlife in it, very seriously indeed. He said it sounded as if there may be illegal poachers targetting the Reserve. He agreed that anyone attempting to flush birds off the Reserve with the intention they be shot or causing any such disturbance, would not be on the land with the implied invitation of the owners (ie SE Water) and in this respect would be regarded as tresspassers. He mentioned the closeness of the shooting to the road (but I did suggest as no one was injured this may be a blind alley etc and suggested follow up with neighbours re: possibility of 'armed trespass') The Ranger said he intended to make inquiries to neighbouring properties (they have a very good relationship there set up) as to whether they had sanctioned shooting on the night in question. He also indicated police involvement and I confirmed I would be happy to make a Statement giving full facts and description of persons in vicinity including the shooter. He felt as strongly as I do, that the Arlington Reserve is a SANCTUARY for the wildlife that use it (his words) and SE Water will do everything in their power to ensure the future safety and welfare of it's avian and animal occupants.

He will email me outcome etc. However, I will be offline from Tuesday til November, so may not be able to feedback here. Will let you know if I hear anything before then.

Cheers

 

[Rob Williams]

let's face it, the law is bizarre FULL STOP.

It's designed by lawyers to be confusing, so that it can be sorted out, by lawyers, at exorbitant rates.


Rob

 

[Gus Horsley]

I find the law on this interesting and, frankly, bizarre.

Do I understand correctly that I can stand in my garden in the UK (which would be more than 50 feet from a highway) and shoot certain birds that fly over, on the basis that I naturally have my own permission to be there and a shotgun licence? And my neighbors were on vacation, I suppose?

No. You're not allowed to discharge a firearm in the vicinity of other dwellings. We found this out when a lad from across the way shot a herring gull off our roof at midnight. On this occasion the police were quick to respond and gave the culprit a blasting of his own! Slightly later we also overheard the second roasting he got from his mother! Good job too.

Gus

 

[deborah4]

Whatever the upshot, well done for reporting this.

Hi Moonshake - it was rude of me not to say hello when I saw your post the other evening! So very big welcome to BF from another Brightonian!!!! :hi: If you want to get in touch do feel free to PM me.

(apologies for going off thread - not many BF's from my home town!!)

 

[Jodd]

Whatever the upshot, well done for reporting this.

Totally agree, well done Deborah

 

[Gerry Hooper]

G'day all,
I was very interested to read this thread as we have a similar situation here, a large number of Canada geese fly over every evening, a couple of weeks ago I heard gunshot as they did. Somebody was shooting them as they flew over, he was in a farmers field shooting towards houses and a childrens playground!
We contacted the police who logged the report..........dunno what they did.
I've phoned the police before when I was woken up by somebody shooting pigeons about 50 yards from our house, the police took action then.A whole van load turned up in flack jackets, surrounded the area and confronted the guy with the gun.
Quite exciting really!!
Whilst I don't have a problem with Canada geese being shot for food in the right place , the thought of people wandering the locality with guns shooting things as long as they're 50 feet from a highway fills me with dread.

 

[DKR]

Why do people shoot canada geese? Do they eat them?

 

[Gill Osborne]

Why do people shoot canada geese? Do they eat them?

The usual story - humans consider them messy and have the need to control their number :C

Mmmm....wonder if I could do this with the Alnwick drunks and chavs LOL

 

[humminbird]

The usual story - humans consider them messy and have the need to control their number :C

Mmmm....wonder if I could do this with the Alnwick drunks and chavs LOL

Many consider them some of the best eating birds.

 

[seawatcher]

Hi
Just re-posted this on Birding Day thread in the hope of some response. Thanks.

There's no easy answer to whether it was legal or not to flush Canada geese from a NR, and then to shoot them. Being a quarry species it is legal to shoot Canadas. Whether there was a breach of the law when the birds were flushed is another matter. Does the warden know about this? I would make sure he / she does know about it. He / she can then decide what action (of any) should be taken. If the shooters have broken the law he may be able to find out who it was so the local police can deal with it. Or the warrden may wish to approach the culprits and give them a ticking off. But one thing is quite clear - it is very very very bad practise to chase birds off a NR just to get a shot at them. If they are not safe on a NR then where are they safe? The person(s) who shot the geese should be downright ashamed of themselves for being so cowardly as to chase the geese from a protected area. Where is the "sport" in that? It's nearly as stupid as throwing pheasants up in the air at the edges of woodland to get a shot at them. Scaring birds to they fly into a wall of guns (be it geese, pheasants or whatever) is a mugs game. Unfortunately there are a lot of mugs out there. Keep an eye out for any more incidents, and let the appropraite authorities / warden no what is going on.

 

[Gill Osborne]

If they ARE going to control their numbers then it's not so bad if they eat them rather than just waste the meat.
Never had goose....had pheasant when we first moved up to Northumberland and our neighbour gave us two from his day's shooting but I wasn't impressed by it. Found it rather boring and tasteless....though that may have just been MY cooking LOL

 

[Mike Pennington]

The usual story - humans consider them messy and have the need to control their number :C

Mmmm....wonder if I could do this with the Alnwick drunks and chavs LOL

No. they're an invasive non-native species and they're damaging native ecosystems.