Woodpigeon: pest or a quarry species?

[25 Sharps]

You’re already skating on very thin ice.
Under the EU birds directive ( of which you are still signatories ) you are obliged to provide protection for all birds during the breeding season, for woodies that’s practically all year round.
As a pest species they can be controlled, but it’s questionable if the UK’s rather liberal interpretation of what’s permissible, effectively any pigeon anywhere anytime whether or not damage is actually being done, would withstand a challenge.
If they are a designated quarry species, they would have the protection of a closed season.
Shooting during the closed season would require a special license and could be limited to particular areas and methods.
If you want to see how messy dealing with pest bird species can become, have a look at the Irish NPWS regulations.

You’re not really aware of what’s gone on with the general licences and challenges in the UK over the last 3 years, are you?

 

[25 Sharps]

Wood pigeons on a stalking forum. Really @Conor O'Gorman you are scraping the barrel.

Many of us shoot more than just deer!!

If not interested why even comment?

 

[25 Sharps]

There should be a closed season while they are breeding especially at peak times
Letting young die in the nest of starvation and thirst is fu....g cruel

But that is pest control, they do huge amounts of damage to crops and every effort should be made to reduce the population.

As above there are other species people cull year round and people don’t bat an eyelid.

Where are the (your) cries of indignation when people post write ups or photos on here of a munty buck and doe shot together. Almost certainly meaning the doe is in oestrus and had a young dependant tucked away somewhere??

 

[25 Sharps]

If it goes onto the quarry list does that mean steel shot only

Why?

Not a requirement for pheasants, partridge, grouse….

 

[Benelli m2]

Utter morons

Can only sum up people who leave young pigeon to die in the Nest of hunger and thirst when both adults been shot utter morons

 

[25 Sharps]

Can only sum up people who leave young pigeon to die in the Nest of hunger and thirst when both adults been shot utter morons

So, by your argument and considering the fact pigeons breed all year round, they couldn’t and shouldn’t be controlled at all then?

 

[25 Sharps]

From how I see things Conor, if you are selling or promoting something then you should know the subject inside out.
You can't make a good referee unless you understand ALL the rules....
Do you know where the use of a scarecrow came from in the use of a non lethal deterrent for pigeons?
It is part of the GL.
Tim

Of course he does!!

 

[big ears]

Many of us shoot more than just deer!!

If not interested why even comment?

Post it on the pigeon shooting forum then not here. This is for deer stalkers….allegedly

 

[VSS]

Post it on the pigeon shooting forum then not here. This is for deer stalkers….allegedly

I thought this was primarily a site for political commentators, military experts and professors in epidemiology
It's nice when we get some deer stuff as well though.

 

[Dunwaters]

You’re not really aware of what’s gone on with the general licences and challenges in the UK over the last 3 years, are you?

I am yes.
Next phase of the challenge to the legality of the general license will most likely be an appeal to Europe, local avenues of appeal
must be exhausted before that can happen.
Do you really think that Wild Justice has just given up ?

 

[25 Sharps]

I am yes.
Next phase of the challenge to the legality of the general license will most likely be an appeal to Europe, local avenues of appeal
must be exhausted before that can happen.
Do you really think that Wild Justice has just given up ?

So why post that in the UK ‘effectively any pigeon anywhere anytime whether or not damage is actually being done’?

When that is simply not the case!

 

[Liveonce]

@Conor O'Gorman may be ask on a farming forum also

edit to add

most of the farmer i do crop protection for hate woodpigeons if they see say five on the field they phone you and say they have a problem, so I think they will have a very strong opinions about this.
Then are not crops planted at different times geographically across the U.K. due to different climate and even within one part of the country the weather impacts almost annually on when they can plant.
So we could have a closed season at the very time pigeons are doing the most damage.

 

[25 Sharps]

Post it on the pigeon shooting forum then not here. This is for deer stalkers….allegedly

This is a shooting forum and has subsections for types of shooting other than deer stalking. As I said, if it bother you just do t read it!

 

[big ears]

This is a shooting forum and has subsections for types of shooting other than deer stalking. As I said, if it bother you just do t read it!

Clues in the name mate. STALKING DIRECTORY.

 

[Liveonce]

Clues in the name mate. STALKING DIRECTORY.

Indeed it is, however there must be many members who do not stalk, like myself as sadly have no ground for stalking on but do shoot for crop protection, rabbits and foxes. Why a member of SD you may ask? because of the large number of members with experience and expertise and moderators who moderate in a very sensible and fair way.

To see the consequences that over controlling moderators can have on a forum, look at Pigeon Watch it hardly gets used these days. Thanks Zap.

 

[User00047]

Well it would help if you had some experience on the subject but you just resort to name calling
While we are on we might as well have a close season for rabbits too

I have plenty of experience on the subject thanks. And no I don’t need to post a photo of a pile of dead wood pigeons to substantiate my claims Wind yer neck in snowy.
Who ever suggested a close season?
That’s certainly not what I proposed.
I don’t know why you all get in such a flap about wood pigeons.

 

[jall55]

I thought this was primarily a site for political commentators, military experts and professors in epidemiology
It's nice when we get some deer stuff as well though.

Dont forget snipers !

 

[Dunwaters]

So why post that in the UK ‘effectively any pigeon anywhere anytime whether or not damage is actually being done’?

When that is simply not the case!

Because that’s exactly how your general license seems to operate.
No close seasons for pest species, in the case of wood pigeons they are shot all year round whether or not they’re actually doing any damage, same thing with magpies and crows.
Your shooting publications are full of articles and photos of birds legally taken during the breeding season that couldn’t even remotely be described as causing damage at the time of their demise.
Pest control is essential, but surely the whole point of it is to prevent damage, or to keep it within acceptable limits, not
just shoot at every specimen of the target species as opportunity or whim dictates regardless of season or location?

 

[StephenToast]

Rather than campaign for a season for pigeons. I'd rather BASC campaigned for the removal of close seasons for deer.

 

[Nickb]

Dont forget snipers !

Or Packham supporters