Woodpigeon: pest or a quarry species?

[HonestJohn]

Either put up for a wind up - or has never been out of the house

You guys need to get off the island sometimes, think outside of what is ingrained in some of you as Britain is always right culture,…

 

[Liveonce]

also
Crazy … wood pigeon October to January … bonkers

 

[25 Sharps]

In that case, the idea potentially has merit. As it would limit the grey time to just the closed season.

I think this boat he whole point, everyone is focusing on the closed season but the open season would be of real benefit.

IMO the closed season should be 25th of December.

 

[25 Sharps]

Who wrote the article?

He’s got you bang to rights there @Tim.243

 

[jall55]

You guys need to get off the island sometimes, think outside of what is ingrained in some of you as Britain is always right culture,…

And you need to wake up

 

[User00053]

Heresy but to be expected

 

[Brno2e]

I personally believe we should adopt similar seasons to Denmark on a few species, definitely pigeon, we’ll thought out and sensible IMHO

Wow, I can see why we get a lot of Danes coming over to shoot Pigeons and paying good money for it !

 

[StephenToast]

You guys need to get off the island sometimes, think outside of what is ingrained in some of you as Britain is always right culture,…

Not in this case. total bollocks.

 

[User00047]

I think we should only allow pigeon shooting between the hours of 14:00 - 16:00 on the last Thursday of each month between October and January, in odd numbered years.

 

[User00053]

You guys need to get off the island sometimes, think outside of what is ingrained in some of you as Britain is always right culture,…

Would love to get off the island permanently as for culture all depends who you are and which culture.

 

[User00053]

I think we should only allow pigeon shooting between the hours of 14:00 - 16:00 on the last Thursday of each month between October and January, in odd numbered years.

With no6 lead shot and wearing a basque having had the approved training, naturally.

 

[mudman]

The idea of having both the Woodpigeon on a ‘sport’ quarry list (for want of a better description) with a closed season, whilst also at the same time on the General license, with no close season, has great merit. There are some very grey areas currently, ie shooting Woodpigeon on game drives or roost shooting away from arable fields, which have yet to be tested in court. Adding it to a sporting quarry list would remove most of these grey areas.

After all the Canada Goose is on both types of quarry list.

 

[B&W FOX]

Be getting charged £15 a bird to shoot them next and being asked if you wish to take a brace home.
Will of course be stopping half way through proceedings for a spot of lunch and a few drams.
Any one produced ANY scientific evidence on this bollix idea ????

 

[Dunwaters]

Not in this case. total bollocks.

Maybe, but by not having an open season you are relying on the terms of the general license NOT being enforced.
For example, shooting pigeons over stubble is not acceptable, birds on stubble are not causing damage , neither is roost shooting or flighting or taking pigeons flushed during a driven shoot. The use of decoys to lure birds into a kill zone may not be legal.
The only justification for shooting pigeons under your general license is to prevent damage and the onus is on you or the landowner to demonstrate that shooting is the only way that the damage can be prevented.
If you have an open season, a sensible one, say from September through to the end of March, you can bang away during the season and rely on the general licence for the remainder of the year.
I suspect that this is why BASC has raised the issue.

 

[StephenToast]

Maybe, but by not having an open season you are relying on the terms of the general license NOT being enforced.
For example, shooting pigeons over stubble is not acceptable, birds on stubble are not causing damage , neither is roost shooting or flighting or taking pigeons flushed during a driven shoot. The use of decoys to lure birds into a kill zone may not be legal.
The only justification for shooting pigeons under your general license is to prevent damage and the onus is on you or the landowner to demonstrate that shooting is the only way that the damage can be prevented.
If you have an open season, a sensible one, say from September through to the end of March, you can bang away during the season and rely on the general licence for the remainder of the year.
I suspect that this is why BASC has raised the issue.

I've got no problem wirh BASC's proposal. My problem was withe the stupid suggestion that our season shiuld align with Danemark.

 

[JTO]

Will pigeon shooting providers be able to charge for 'sport' shooting?

 

[VSS]

Will pigeon shooting providers be able to charge for 'sport' shooting?

Plenty already are.
This is just one of many:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.woodpigeonhunting.com/&ved=2ahUKEwjuxdWci62EAxVGQUEAHS7mC8EQFnoECDMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1AYRKykuBiSNhvu7F6B7Ir

 

[Siggy]

If something ain't broke.....

Sure BASC has plenty of issues to focus on (lead anyone?) already without needing to make up new ones.

its already broke, thanks to Mr Packham - please explain, under the current general licence how I can roost shoot when I have no crops to protect and have tried any non lethal methods yet?

 

[Heym SR20]

What most forget is that pigeons migrate.

What breeds here in the spring and summer migrates southwards, and the majority of the overwintering flocks will come from Scandinavia.

I find the whole view of treating wild birds and animals as just pests to exterminated pretty distasteful and unhelpful. It’s the same attitude that has resulted in many, many species going extinct.

Many species do gather in large flocks, herds etc. Go to the Bass Rock in the Forth Estuary. It is swarming with Gannets. The SD mentality seems that because its swarming with Gannets there are millions of them so they all must be shot.

However Bass Rock represents a large proportion of the European population.

 

[Liveonce]

What most forget is that pigeons migrate.

What breeds here in the spring and summer migrates southwards, and the majority of the overwintering flocks will come from Scandinavia.

I find the whole view of treating wild birds and animals as just pests to exterminated pretty distasteful and unhelpful. It’s the same attitude that has resulted in many, many species going extinct.

Many species do gather in large flocks, herds etc. Go to the Bass Rock in the Forth Estuary. It is swarming with Gannets. The SD mentality seems that because its swarming with Gannets there are millions of them so they all must be shot.

However Bass Rock represents a large proportion of the European population.

So why do we treat wild deer like pests? to be shot just because they are increasing in numbers? likely due to the damage they do which is the same as wood pigeons.