Common Land

[Tremo 138]

Advice and opinions please chaps ....

 

The vast majority of my permissions are hilltop farms. All border my local 'Common Land', or as we like to call it around here "The Mountain". On this land there are no public roads or such like, only sheep tracks. I frequently have to move from one field to another that are not adjacent, and this necessitates a short walk over some of this land. To date I have always unloaded my rifle and placed it in the case for the minor journey.

 

My question - is the casing of the rifle necessary? I have no intention of shooting over the land and the rifle would never be loaded.

 

Cheers.

 

Tremo

 

[devon flighter 421]

bit of a thought provoker that ,be interesting seeing the outcome on this !

[Jaggsy 25]

Tremo the common land would still be regarded as a 'public place' and the rules regarding firearms and the transporting or carrying of would apply.

[Tremo 138]

I can only say what I've seen regarding "The Mountain" ...I would seem that all clothing above the waist should be removed apart from a t-shirt that should be worn in a bandana fashion around the head, the rifle should be worn diagonally across the back by the tallest of the group , target should manly consist of beer cans and signs warning of tree disease and anything that relays rules of the common etc. The use of motor cross bikes is frowned upon unless you are only receiving a backie and are able to maintain the rifle across the back. Atb Joe

 

Hey Joe, I see that you are familiar with my neck of the woods then??

Edited April 3, 2016 by Tremo

[Tremo 138]

Tremo the common land would still be regarded as a 'public place' and the rules regarding firearms and the transporting or carrying of would apply.

 

That was my take on it also, but I was hoping that one of the learned few on here would tell me otherwise. . Hey ho, at least I haven't been breaking the law.

[SportingShooter 0]

Common Land is still owned by someone, so if you wanted to try and make things a bit easier you could always seek permission from whoever owns it to simply cross from one piece of permission to the other.

 

The Crown Foreshore is operated on a similar system whereby members of wildfowling clubs where there is an agreement between the members and the Crown that no one will be prosecuted for armed trespass, providing they are still a member which allows them to cross below the Crown owned high water mark and ultimately shoot.

 

You can still carry a loaded firearm in a place where the public have access, like common land with footpaths or bridleways. It relies on having a "reasonable excuse" for doing so and being lawfully allowed on that land by permission of the landowner for shooting or transiting between pieces of land would be reasonable.

[Deker 3,478]

Tremo the common land would still be regarded as a 'public place' and the rules regarding firearms and the transporting or carrying of would apply.

 

[North Briton 31]

pigs tried to do me for just this thing.. out on common land with gun..charged me with armed trespass..I told them to Foff.. I went on trial pleaded 'reasonable excuse' in that the farmer owned the grazing, and had the right to protect his stock from attack by pest, as 'ancillary to the grazing right', regardless of landowners wishes..magistrates agreed with me..not guilty

[Tremo 138]

That is a very good point SS. . I'll look into it.

 

North Briton - My landowners do just that. The majority of heir sheep are released onto the mountain to graze outside the winter months. Thank you for the information.

 

There are a number of wooded areas that are peripheral to this area. I know that they have a number of drives each year up through this woodland with the shooters standing on the common land waiting for the foxes to appear. This activity goes on without any interference from the police whatsoever.