Strangest Thing Interrupted While Stalking/Shooting

[SaOsborne]

Out one day a couple of years back, in a local wood, working a bank after a couple of munti, I heard a helicopter coming in quite low, so stopped and waited, lo and behold an Army helicopter swoops in above me, decides to check me out from about 50m, sitting there for an eternity, then flies off, only to circle me for the next 10 minuates. I thanked them in sign language and took the shot on a nice munti buck that they pushed out of the undergrowth, at that they departed!

 

[Swedish]

No it isn’t as black and white as that. But that’s not an excuse for any Tom Dick or Harry to do as they please.

For the record, I'm not advocating that. The network of public footpaths in the countryside is very good. I'm simply suggesting the reasons people feel like they do and why they should be allowed to use those paths. How we get the bad ones to behave is probably a matter for a separate thread.

 

[TungaDunga]

Ok it's not stalking but it's a good story. Bear with me. I was wildfowling at Chichester harbour a few years back and after a fruitless hour with the decoys out on a pushing tide with the water lapping my feet, on my return to the car I met an young officer type chap who asked me if I had seen anything out of the ordinary. I said a few curlew and brent but nothing much (quite common at Chichester!). He said that was good as he had some royal marines doing a diving excercise with rebreathers and they had got to within 3 feet of me!! You normally see a few bow waves of mullet and bass feeding around you quite close and this night was nothing different but it was a bit spooky! I had a loaded gun with me too pointing downwards towards the water the whole time thinking I was safe as houses! Imagine if I had let rip at a low teal over the deeks? The marines would have probably loved a bit of Bismuth coming down range as it would have made the excercise that much more realistic (or they would have knifed me!). You never know who is about in this overcrowded Island. The dog wasn't amused either.

 

[Sonicdmb73]

For the record, I'm not advocating that. The network of public footpaths in the countryside is very good. I'm simply suggesting the reasons people feel like they do and why they should be allowed to use those paths. How we get the bad ones to behave is probably a matter for a separate thread.

I have no problem with anyone using the paths.
But the attitude when you try explain that said use doesn’t include their dog/s “playing” off the lead.
I recently made the comment that you were supposed to keep dogs under close control or on a lead. Even the explanation why was not not well received. Apparently you only have to care about red listed birds. When it doesn’t impinge on their dogs playtime.

 

[timbrayford]

In England there is no such thing as trespass ,only trespass with intent or armed trespass .A chap or persons found wandering where there is no footpath has done no wrong unless he has committed a crime whilst doing so .
Too many people thinking they are in positions of authority who don’t actually know **** all where the law is concerned .
I’m not standing up for anyone off piste just stating the law as it stands .

No wrong maybe but putting themselves in danger of serious injury is quite another matter.

 

[Highlandsjohn]

No wrong maybe but putting themselves in danger of serious injury is quite another matter.

True, but it then raises the old chestnut regarding warning signs which can have negative connotations. Sometimes no matter how pi$$ed off we are we just have to suck it. It is beyond ridiculous with some up here at times.

 

[Brigadoon]

Yes 1/3rd of the lamb consumed here is imported, mostly from NZ!! it comes in the form of chilled legs, which because they are getting good money for the premium cut of the carcass they can fly in .Now if the eurocrat in charge of the negotiations at the time had thought to use the phrase 'lamb carcass' instead of just lamb then this would be a different scenario. it wouldn't be an economic proposition for NZ

It costs about 30p per Kg to ship (not fly) any cut of NZ lamb whatever to the UK and since their cost of production is about 50% of ours it will always be a very economic proposition for them. The import is limited by quota to about 80,000 tonnes per year, however since they have better markets in China etc they have not used all that quota for the last several years

 

[kes]

I read this thread for the strange things that happen when you go stalking and you lot talk about some bizzarre scottish 'right' to invade the countryside.
Whilst I am sure foxdropper is correct, if I had my way, there'd be an electrified wire fence around urban areas and the masses entering the countryside would be jazzed - up to the 'problems' of their access before they left their 'normal environment'. There would be fines for illicit sex, litter and dogs and thats after they paid the countryside levy which would go to help farmers.

 

[mudman]

I read this thread for the strange things that happen when you go stalking and you lot talk about some bizzarre scottish 'right' to invade the countryside.
Whilst I am sure foxdropper is correct, if I had my way, there'd be an electrified wire fence around urban areas and the masses entering the countryside would be jazzed - up to the 'problems' of their access before they left their 'normal environment'. There would be fines for illicit sex, litter and dogs and thats after they paid the countryside levy which would go to help farmers.

We do help farmers, our taxes get handed to them by the £billion

 

[User00025]

We do help farmers, our taxes get handed to them by the £billion

That would be the purpose of the Levy, so that us country dwellers didn't have to pay the taxes. If city dwellers want the country let them pay, we have to with lack of amenities in rural areas. And another thing, why should they get loads of MP's in each city, when we probably only get a couple per whole county, Politics would certainly change if it was one MP per city and one per county. Revolution time is here.

 

[potshotpat]

25/30 Years ago me and my sidekick out decoying Pigeons, I get a phone call that turns out to be one of my sidekicks sons asking if I new where his dad was. I tell him that he's with me and is there a problem, well sort of he tells me the other sons just about to get Married. I would add that said son was a serial Bridegroom 3 times I think, and my sidekick had genuinely forgotten all about it.
The same sidekick who I have been shooting with for over 40 years, we where out one night flighting Ducks. Got Married (second time) the next day and never even mentioned it

 

[User00035]

Yeh but none of that happens though. 99.9% of the time there is no issue. People can go where they like in Scotland but are not allowed to cause damage and it works just fine.

I'm totally in agreement with it and think it should be extended even further. No time for landowners denying access for no reason other than they own the land.

Wait till your population density is the same as England's. I absolutely guarantee you'll eat those words.

And it will reach that point at some stage. Mary-Doll Nippy Crankie and her fellow republican nationalists are determined to urbanise the country and they will probably succeed. You won't have a wild Scotland then. You'll have an urban playground and your/our "sort" will not be welcome in it.

 

[Kalahari]

Actually the subsidy for farmers is a bribe to "the masses" so that food prices are held down, politicians see this as a way to buy votes with the voters themselves actually paying the money. The logic is wonderful.

Actually completely free and unfettered access to wild country means that it is not treated with much respect. Why should you respect something that is worthless. It is exactly the same reason paid hunting is a conservation driver.

David.

 

[User00035]

Correct. The countryside is nationalised and has been for decades. Consequently it is now a "resource" to be used and abused.

 

[slider]

Actually the subsidy for farmers is a bribe to "the masses" so that food prices are held down, politicians see this as a way to buy votes with the voters themselves actually paying the money. The logic is wonderful.

Spot on. Many moan about farmers getting subsidies, whereas it is the food they are producing that is actually subsidies.

Yes there are some farmers that drive fancy cars but that is the same with any business. The majority need their 4x4 as a towing vehicles and, certainly in my part of the world, there are very few rich farmers.

 

[Rasputin]

Ok it's not stalking but it's a good story. Bear with me. I was wildfowling at Chichester harbour a few years back and after a fruitless hour with the decoys out on a pushing tide with the water lapping my feet, on my return to the car I met an young officer type chap who asked me if I had seen anything out of the ordinary. I said a few curlew and brent but nothing much (quite common at Chichester!). He said that was good as he had some royal marines doing a diving excercise with rebreathers and they had got to within 3 feet of me!! You normally see a few bow waves of mullet and bass feeding around you quite close and this night was nothing different but it was a bit spooky! I had a loaded gun with me too pointing downwards towards the water the whole time thinking I was safe as houses! Imagine if I had let rip at a low teal over the deeks? The marines would have probably loved a bit of Bismuth coming down range as it would have made the excercise that much more realistic (or they would have knifed me!). You never know who is about in this overcrowded Island. The dog wasn't amused either.

Thats one bad ass story !!!! I always wonder when I get super close to nature and they don't bolt what the chances would be of someone doing the same to me. Crazy times.

 

[BryanDC]

One of the lakes where our hunting club shoots ducks, is shared with winter bathers. (winter bathing does not involve bathing suits).We often say good morning to each other as they walk by on their way to the bathing pontoon.