Shooting crows- what’s legal nowadays?

[Shabz]

Hi all,

I just bought an air rifle today (tx200 to remind me of my youth!) and was thinking about what I’m going to use it for.

I used to shoot a lot of branchers when I was younger but I’m not sure what’s legal since Chris Packham’s legal challenge of the general licences. Are you allowed to shoot young crows nowadays? What’s the justification? Preemptive crop protection? Do I need to try other methods of control first? I’m in Scotland if that matters.

Thanks in advance

 

[timbrayford]

Hi all,

I just bought an air rifle today (tx200 to remind me of my youth!) and was thinking about what I’m going to use it for.

I used to shoot a lot of branchers when I was younger but I’m not sure what’s legal since Chris Packham’s legal challenge of the general licences. Are you allowed to shoot young crows nowadays? What’s the justification? Preemptive crop protection? Do I need to try other methods of control first? I’m in Scotland if that matters.

Thanks in advance

General licence 42 specifies crow shooting circumstances

 

[Shabz]

General licence 42 specifies crow shooting circumstances

That one is for England. The NatureScot one doesn’t seem to have the ‘try non lethal methods first’ condition that GL42 has. This is why I’m asking.
Does that condition make it legally impossible to shoot branchers in England or is there a tried and tested reason to justify it?

 

[Smellydog]

Britain, the only land where an unelected vegan out powers government....

 

[Dunwaters]

Why do it at all?
You can’t claim that the branchers are doing any harm, you don’t seem to be eating them, so what’s the justification?
If you were shooting rooks on cattle food or a pig farm you would have justification, but I don’t see any here.

 

[finnbear270]

Britain, the only land where an unelected vegan out powers government....

Smelly, on the current strength of Government, it is not much of a contest.

 

[Smellydog]

Smelly, on the current strength of Government, it is not much of a contest.

Exactly. What a joke of an island.

 

[Heym SR20]

Must admit haven’t looked at the most recent versions, but earlier ones were - “need to consider alternative methods of control”.

So:

Could put up a larsen trap - not really viable, breath out and squeeze the trigger.

As for shooting youngsters - well Packham is all for shooting young deer as they soon grow into bigger ones, and crows raid nests to feed young crows on baby song birds.

 

[jall55]

Hi all,

I just bought an air rifle today (tx200 to remind me of my youth!) and was thinking about what I’m going to use it for.

I used to shoot a lot of branchers when I was younger but I’m not sure what’s legal since Chris Packham’s legal challenge of the general licences. Are you allowed to shoot young crows nowadays? What’s the justification? Preemptive crop protection? Do I need to try other methods of control first? I’m in Scotland if that matters.

Thanks in advance

Branchers ? Were you not shooting rooks then ?

Go on BASC website and it gives you all details of what and why you can shoot and when

 

[One on top of two]

Its the same situation with Roost shooting , just a big grey area .

 

[enfieldspares]

Are we talking crows? Or are we talking rooks? As frankly I am confused.

 

[Heym SR20]

Having looked at the general licences for both Scotland and England, they both have a licence to shoot certain species (Including magpies and crows) for the purpose of protecting wild birds and animals.

At this time of year lots of birds are nesting. Crows and Magpies rob lots of nests and are actively out looking for such nests.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Why do it at all?
You can’t claim that the branchers are doing any harm, you don’t seem to be eating them, so what’s the justification?
If you were shooting rooks on cattle food or a pig farm you would have justification, but I don’t see any here.

Pure numbers control

I have to do it on some places yearly, or they would be overrun come summer

 

[Nickb]

I presume you mean rooks mentioning branchers.

The General licence covers you to destroy nests , eggs and birds to prevent serious damage to crops.

It doesn't matter if the birds are young or old so just crack on.

 

[HonestJohn]

I presume you mean rooks mentioning branchers.

The General licence covers you to destroy nests , eggs and birds to prevent serious damage to crops.

It doesn't matter if the birds are young or old so just crack on.

Assuming there are crops to be damaged or protected that is. Know a couple sheep farms with just grazing that have asked about knocking a few crows and rooks off, just because they’re there.. well, curtain twitcher Susan in the cottages would be the first on the phone to the powers if I got the old 22 out for the branchers and crows.

In today’s society it’s worth considering ‘why’
Before squeezing the trigger. The old days are long gone where you could shoot pigeons on a flight line, a few branchers and this and that, then enjoy a nice stew over the weekend.

 

[Mike1979]

Ignoring the fact that you cant shoot rooks in Wales on the GL the fact is that control needs to be for one of the specified reasons in the GL such as damage to crops or feedstuffs (jackdaws ripping holes in silage clamp sheeting, eating maize kernels in the silage, eating cattle feed etc and the same for rooks and carrions in England) or livestock direct attack - carrions, magpies etc.

The idea that you can only shoot corvids or pigeons directly on where the damage is happening is nonsense and impractical.

I shoot a few corvids each year (generally 1000+) and have never been challenged whilst doing it

 

[Nickb]

Assuming there are crops to be damaged or protected that is. Know a couple sheep farms with just grazing that have asked about knocking a few crows and rooks off, just because they’re there.. well, curtain twitcher Susan in the cottages would be the first on the phone to the powers if I got the old 22 out for the branchers and crows.

Livestock attack and damage to feedstuffs

 

[Mike1979]

Livestock attack and damage to feedstuffs

Bit more concise then my ramblings

 

[tarponhead]

Exactly. What a joke of an island.

Island(s)…, although we do seem to have islands for sale, so we’ll be down to just the one, in due course. Watching the SD classified lists in case one comes up that I can afford…maybe Cwiss would like one?

 

[Heym SR20]

As with all things, in particular shooting related don’t rely on the views on forums, nor rely on what the farmer or land owner says. Work on the basis that Susan the curtain twitcher will report you and you have to justify your actions.

First read and fully understand the wording of the general licences that apply to you.

BASC has helpfully corralled them all in one place here

General licences

All the latest news and advice concerning general licences and how they affect you.

basc.org.uk

Then go through each licence and think through how it relates to you and the land that you are shooting over. I know that we have lapwings, grey partridges, skylarks and many other ground nesting birds on the land. I have sat and watched crows raiding their nests. There are sheep on the ground. The crows follow them closely and have seen attacking sheep as they are in the process of lambing. I have observed the crows at this time of year congregating around the ponds where frogs and newts are spawning and they are feeding on the frogs and tadpoles. Being very clear and succinct in observations, reasoning and justification.

There are just too many bloody crows won’t be sufficient.

Make sure you can tell the difference between a carrion crow and a raven.

If you do have problems with say Buzzards, badgers or Ravens, collect the evidence and apply for a special licence.

At the end of the day its your FAC that is at risk, so make sure in your own mind you can fully justify your actions.

Then line up the crow with the 270, 7x57 or 300 win mag and squeeze the trigger.