ok or not ok to shoot

[basinator 0]

hi all

 

just a query regarding moorhens,as im aware there is a season in which you can shoot them.....my problem is that on my permission they are a real pest to the farmer and he wants them gone,fine by me but not sure where i would stand legally,would they be considered fair game as they are doing real damage to the crops or does the season times stand firm. again the question is ok or not.

 

advise please.

 

hope all was explained so the question was clear,

 

thanks for your time.

[pest hunter 151 15]

hi mate im quite sure that season times stand firm.

[clint 45]

Too small , i leave alone. It not like rabbit, not so many. No shoot. Get gooses instead , many many of them.

[moses 5]

Hi they are stirctly controlled check the bottom of this page for all seasons.

 

List of open seasons

[Colster 1]

Sorry but you need to wait until September, unless you're in Ireland in which case you can't shoot them at all.

 

Come September though, don't bin them off they make good eating as long as you skin them first, the skin makes them taste really bad - very bitter. Without the skin it's much like partridge.

[Deker 3,478]

hi all

 

just a query regarding moorhens,as im aware there is a season in which you can shoot them.....my problem is that on my permission they are a real pest to the farmer and he wants them gone,fine by me but not sure where i would stand legally,would they be considered fair game as they are doing real damage to the crops or does the season times stand firm. again the question is ok or not.

 

advise please.

 

hope all was explained so the question was clear,

 

thanks for your time.

 

Pretty much whatever may have a season, and whatever may or may not be on the General Licence is open to discussion with Natural England.....

 

IF you have a strong enough case they will let you deal with it....

 

It will still be possible to apply for a personal licence. Applications are judged on their merits on a case by case basis. Information on how to apply for such a licence is given on our website.

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/regulation/wildlife/default.aspx

 

You will have to put one almighty good case!!!

[Geoff.C 0]

I've never heard moorhens called a pest before. They are mostly rather solitary and territorial. On a canal walk, you only see one or two every half mile or so. There is a pair on a pond on my permission, no problem at all.

What problems is this farmer having?

[pest hunter 151 15]

I've never heard moorhens called a pest before. They are mostly rather solitary and territorial. On a canal walk, you only see one or two every half mile or so. There is a pair on a pond on my permission, no problem at all.

What problems is this farmer having?

i would not call them pest but at the sailing club i go to there must be at least 20 out at a time. But yes thinking about it that is the only place i have seen them in bulk

[danebrewer10 6]

there is a season from the 1st sept to 31 jan. apart from the fact that you'd be breaking the law by shooting them now, they are nesting so it's not a good idea to leave dependent chicks by shooting the parents. plus I've never seen them fly apart from across a pond to get into some reeds so they're not really sporting targets as they're pretty dumb.. but other than that... what exactly are they doing to cause such a nuisance, rabbits, eating grass & crops, foxes killing young lambs & poultry, deer fraying and eating crops, but moorhens? I've never heard of a plague of moorhens.... I think that your farmer really should have worse things to worry about than moorhens!

[martin 332]

Never heard of moorhens doing any crop damage at all,sounds like someone just wants to shoot something........Martin

[dogsbollocks58 36]

you can shoot a moorhen from sept 1 to jan 31 if that helps

[RicW 67]

Err . . . Moorhens threatening crops? What does this guy grow? Hundreds of acres of watercress? Time for a reality check methinks.

 

Ric

[martin 332]

He has the biggest crop of Canadian Pondweed in the country....... :boogie:

[basinator 0]

thanks for everyones replies positive and negative,it was only a question as i was unsure (to those who made sarcky comments.)

[RicW 67]

No offence intended bro. Seemed a bit odd though!

 

Ric