I totally agree with this.
Much of my fox control work is done fairly near houses, generally where the owner of the land lives. It is extremely rare for them ever to hear either the 243 or the 204.
In several situations, I am probably no more than forty or fifty yards from the house yet they don't hear a thing. It was a bit different in the old days when we would be shooting rabbits at night with a substantial number of shots from a 12 bore, and then quite a few would hear us. With a rifle, it's usually just a single report (hopefully) and it just doesn't seem to register
I would agree with Smelly, with double glazing, TV and the like it's not surprising the odd rifle shot goes unnoticed.
Incidentally, we no longer shoot rabbits at night on most of the farms with the 12 as invariably people, (newcomers mainly) complain or even ring the police. A sad reflection on how the countryside has changed!
Hi Mike
Sign of the times now, one area I help my buddy out, when the fallow season starts in earnest we all ( this season) have a chest camera to keep everything straight and on another whole estate they wear them as soon as they arrive even if it’s just a high seat inspection. ( estate RAMS are the reason - complaint resolving apparently)
Things are slowly turning, noise is one issue, the main one is the culling or practice and to be honest loads of people are fantastic with their right regarding footpath and pooch control and it works, then there’s the others the work in progress

most couldn’t care 2 hoots about environment protection they just kick off because of media brainwash syndrome something you won’t win but work to keep a lid on it
Personally I do try and keep it all respectful and be part of, up to a point, reducing noise is always going to be there, planning on where and what time helps, letting a 22.250 rattle off 2 shots 50 yds from a house midsummer @ 01.30 ain’t gonna be favourable
Using a smaller but suitable caliber helps and a early visit all helps, one place i had a problem with ‘ I’m calling the police” I got a CAD number next time I went there and give this guy a pen and paper showed him the kent police cad on my i pad and told him to ring up the police and give them the number, they will sort you out
I’ve never seen them on the ground since period
Do your bit to help reducing noise, but at the end of the day, you have permission, all legal doing an essential job, just politely stand your ground, everyone can walk a footpath at anytime, try to work it out is a help