Breaking the Law?

[justabloke 6]

Walking home past some fields where someone is obviously pigeon shooting on the other side of the hedge. Two shot birds sitting on the road. As we passed by two shots rang out and a bird above our head and clearly above the road takes a hit.

I yelled at the unseen shooters to stop shooting over the road. No response and a few minutes later more shots ring out.

In two minds about what to do. They clearly SHOULDN'T be shooting at birds flying over the road. They also should make sure the trajectory of shot birds doesn't take them onto a road. What if the birds had hit a car, bike or walker?

I have the registration details for a vehicle parked at the entrance to the field. 

Advice please.. 

 

[Stavross 15,541]

Do you know who owns the field, I can imagine them been to happy about them shooting roadside 

[justabloke 6]

No, I don't know who owns it. It might be the owners shooting from the hedge along the roadside...in which case they'll probably tell me to sling my hook. Still, they are endangering a lot of unseen people through some fairly basic mistakes. Police report or not? Adverse attention or not? 

 

[Stavross 15,541]

It’s a gray area, as far as I know there is no distance you have to be from a boundary, they can be arrested for endangering people or “ interrupting “ both can be interpreted in a number of different ways, dropping pigeons onto a road may be considered both of these, if it continued to happen I’d be having a word with them and see where that got me

[Meece 1,957]

25 ft from the centre of the carriageway. (Corrected ) Shot not supposed to leave the property.  It  might be a bit edgy but are you some sort of anti? Whats it to you if the pigeon are shot there or maybe 35 foot further away? Plod won't get involved unless there are several complaints and an obvious danger. I personally wouldn't shoot there just for the situation of coming into conflict with the General public. It's about the same as shooting a 12 bore in the back garden and winding the neighbourhood up. Still if you feel that strongly about it go have a word with the land owner. Probably some kid with a gun. Probably gone home now. Have you done anything about it?

I found this,》》》 I  wouldn't get involved its nothing to do with you.

http://www.ishootmag.com/features/countryside-law/shooting-near-the-highway/

Edited July 14, 2018 by Meece

[forest of dean redneck 11,590]

Sit back and take the free pigeons

[walshie 2,804]

How do you know the birds weren't over the field when shot and just came down in the road?

I'd mind my own business. 

[The one 8,475]

Sounds like dangerous shooting but its up to you how far you want to push it 

[Welsh_red 4,644]

Shouldn't be thinking about the police at all if im honest , either get in touch with the landowner , few local knocked doors "just wondering who owns that field over there" or wait up by their car until they get back. "alright lads , just to let you know I got caught by one of your pigeons , I can't tell you what to do boys your grown men but the wrong person sees these birds hit the road you'll have old bill down here sticking their noses in . You know how spitefull the antis can be " . 

If your even considering something is bad enough to grass someone up for you should try every possible angle first before you pick up the phone . Personally if the first thought is to take registration and contemplate phoning cops on someone before you give them a chance to explain then I don't know what to say . Im no expert in gun licenses (I've only got shotgun one) but I was told when I got it " any problems come in about you and your gun I'll take your license from you" 

If you snitched on someone and they had their licenses taken because you didn't try sort it yourself then your to quick going to cops.  Personally if I was you and I was that worried about it I'd have written a note and put it under the wipers "watch where your birds are landing" . Could have just been a honest mistake 

[terryd 8,411]

Just let them crack on sure there not there every day blasting away. As said I would been inclined to swipe the pigeons for me dinner lol

[Meece 1,957]

Is this some sort of troll/anti exercise? I just noticed that the op has only 22 posts. If you are going shòoting pigeon what's it matter where they are shot? The op hasn't been ba k on this thread.

[justabloke 6]

12 minutes ago, Meece said:

Is this some sort of troll/anti exercise? I just noticed that the op has only 22 posts. If you are going shòoting pigeon what's it matter where they are shot? The op hasn't been ba k on this thread.

Right, I haven't been back on this thread because I've been out for the evening and I only have 22 posts because I've only been a member for a short time. Second, because I question something that I think is dangerous and not strictly in accordance with the law at a time when shooting in general is coming under increased scrutiny does not make me an anti. It makes me concerned and willing to ask the question of a forum containing like-minded people. Third, the pigeon was hit above the highway - witnessed by myself and my wife. No question about it. They obviously followed it over the hedge and took the shot when the pigeon was over the road. Fourth, both myself and the wife are ex-military with more than 30 years combined service between us (27 for me) so I enjoy shooting and would not wish to bring adverse attention to the sport.

However, the law is the law and we should all be doing our best to see that it is upheld. If we turn a blind eye to a few rogues then plod and the general non-shooting community will be up in arms, baying for blood and an end to this cruel sport.

So rather than questioning my motivation and asking some inflammatory questions - are you an anti; where have you been since posting the thread etc, why not answer the question posed? I intend to follow the serious advice given and approach the farm next to the fields to see if they were shooting or had given permission and I will point out the problem with shooting birds above the road.

Oh, and next time I will take the pigeons for the pot...

[justabloke 6]

2 hours ago, Meece said:

25 ft from the centre of the carriageway. (Corrected ) Shot not supposed to leave the property.  It  might be a bit edgy but are you some sort of anti? Whats it to you if the pigeon are shot there or maybe 35 foot further away? Plod won't get involved unless there are several complaints and an obvious danger. I personally wouldn't shoot there just for the situation of coming into conflict with the General public. It's about the same as shooting a 12 bore in the back garden and winding the neighbourhood up. Still if you feel that strongly about it go have a word with the land owner. Probably some kid with a gun. Probably gone home now. Have you done anything about it?

I found this,》》》 I  wouldn't get involved its nothing to do with you.

http://www.ishootmag.com/features/countryside-law/shooting-near-the-highway/

Good read, but some of the facts are a bit different. The pigeons being shot came from the property they were shooting on. Also I wasn't worried about how close to the road they were. I'm pretty sure they had a hide in the hedge as the report was quite loud. What concerned me was they shot over the road, and a fairly well used road at that, not a narrow lane. Dual lanes in fact.

 

[Meece 1,957]

Thanks for reply. Don't worry too much about the law because the law aren't  too concerned about the law and tend to make it up as they go along to suit their own purpose as illustrated in that linked article. And from my experience basc are as bad and don't fight the shooters case as vigorously as they perhaps could and should. Ok the shooters were being a  bIt silly and edgy by sitting up so close to the road but all it would do is cause you a load of agro. The landowner might tell you that the crops were being damaged at that point and there was no other option and that it was none of your business. Anyway that's all in the past so let sleeping dogs sleep.