Shooting Deer in a 3 Acre Garden

I've have just had a request to shoot some red deer which are causing extensive damage to a friends garden, his house borders a moor!

Can I legally shoot these deer in his Garden?

1. I have an Open Certificate.
2. The garden has a safe backstop, the round will not exit the property.
3. I have his written permission to do so.
4. My rifle is moderated.
5. His house is far enough away from neighboring properties not to cause any alarm.
6. I shoot the deer within the legal seasons.

I would value your opinions here guys.:)

Yes.
 
deer in season and shot with appropriate (moderated) rifle calibres there should be no issue, would advise a good highseat or depending how nice the property owner is an upstairs bedroom window with tea and scones!
 
I can see one problem.
You wouldn't be able to walk back far enough to take the mandatory 400 yard shot
 
The only real reservation that I would have is whether adjoining landowners would let you retrieve the carcases of any shot deer that have run off your permission, best to get their approval first if possible.

atb Tim
 
The only real reservation that I would have is whether adjoining landowners would let you retrieve the carcases of any shot deer that have run off your permission, best to get their approval first if possible.

atb Tim

Wouldn,t that just pee you off, you made all the arrangements, shot the Deer and it ran off the property onto the neighbours where it expired and who decided not to allow you to retrieve it keeping the carcase for themselves doooh!!

WB
 
Thanks chaps, it sounds like I'm good to go. Any recommendations on suitable high seats (Portable) I can fit in the car. PS - Spoke to BASC today, they are happy with it also.
 
Sako Hunter - okay you've asked the audience (The SD massif), you've phoned a friend (BASC), and thought about a 50-50, (calling the cops). And you've got the answer. But you've used up all your lives now.
 
I'm increasingly drawn to that element of the membership with a true grasp of what's required to ensure meaningful management of of that as may succumb to a well placed bullet. As let's be frank, gralloching and indeed full in-the-field butchering of a red sized carcass while there is several inches of snow on the ground is one thing but, when Spring-like temperatures hit, the more attuned will know the pain that is limited freezer space!

K
 
I'll check out the panther, is that the Bushwear made high seat? Thanks for the offer Steyer, ill advise if more property owners come on board.
 
I should jolly well think BASC ARE "happy with it". You are not planning on doing anything illegal. You have nevertheless taken a sensible and reasoned approach to ensuring that you will be carrying it out legally (and lawfully). If anyone complains, they won't have a leg to stand on. If you want to go "belt and braces" you could create a written risk assessment to put in your file, with your permission letter, to show how you've chosen your shooting spot and how you intend to carry out the work, but that's by no means necessary.
 
Got no problem with letting the local plod know but I wouldn't be asking for advice but telling them my intentions. As it is such a small area of land it is more than possible that some neighbour will phone the Police and report hearing a gunshot and the Police will have to investigate. Trouble now will be armed response going through their procedures upon finding you when all you had to do was get your intentions logged and the Police would inform the concerned member of public that someone was carrying out a lawful activity. A high seat I would say would be a must. I have the open condition but one piece of land I manage over Bristol/Bath area the Police have stated that the land can only be shot safely with the use of a high seat due to the land size and roads/houses which border it. This came about after complaints from neighbours and the Police turning up, firstly overhead in a helicopter and then in a vehicle.

Don't forget that although your certificate is open and the onus is on you to decide if the shot is safe or not, the Police still have the power to revoke a certificate if they are called to a site where you are shooting and it is clearly unsafe to use firearms on or if you f..k up in any way,shape or form. I was zeroing a rifle on land that was quite flat but there was a bit of a hill which made a safe backstop and was stopped by the Police who turned up and asked me why I was shooting at a badger earth. The badger earth was about 150 mtrs up on the top of the hill, but some walkers had phoned the Police to say someone was shooting badgers, and after trying to explain for some while another Police car turned up which now contained firearms officers who immediately could see that I had a zero target at the bottom of the hill and was indeed zeroing my rifle at the safest location.
 
Elmer, I agree. Yes, I will call the local plod and get an incident number before I start, don't fancy a little red dot dancing across my chest whilst I explain myself.
 
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