can I shoot Barnacle Geese

[mark_brodie 0]

I have many many Barnacle Geese that seem to be spending the winter on my local estuary.

Is it OK to shoot and eat these or are they a protected species?

[Big bald beautiful 1,231]

http://www.powhillonfarm.co.uk/shootingtrl.htm

[wag 13]

simply answer is "NO" THEY ARE PROTECTED

 

 

 

http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/scottish/w...;g/so4barny.htm

[tom1cameron 1]

Short answer. No. They are "rightly" protected. The powhillon farm case website is a little bias, allthough quite accurate. It omits that fact that borders fowlers practically eliminated the Svalbard-Solway population of Barnacle geese. That is why they got such protection and support from the WWT. I have posted elsewhere that a PVA of that population shows that even limited hunting pressures will lead to a long-term decline in that population of Barnacle geese (See Scottish Parliament Goose managemnet advisoryt group reports).

 

However, the Islay and Ireland population tend to be from Greenland, this population can sustain hunting pressures (larger unlimited breeding population unlike limited and restricted range Svalbard population) and it is currently being disscussed in the Scottish parliament if a pay-to-hunt scheme can be set up to cover the costs of control and grazing management of the Islay populations that is currently costing the Scottish Parliament thousands of pounds.

 

So, there may be a basis for an application for a licence to "scare" barnacles using shooting (without actually killng them) or indeed to shoot them, if they are the greenland Barnacles and you use the Scottish Parliament commissioned reports as evidence in your application.

 

Do they taste good? Well I certainly could not say having never accidently taken the only one that happned to be in a very close range pack of 2000 pinks, but probably!

[Guest john5]

blast away mate , tell anyone who asks that you thought they were small canada geese

[tom1cameron 1]

blast away mate , tell anyone who asks that you thought they were small canada geese

 

As the HL is google searchable I dont think that'll work now!

 

Anyway, it has allready been shown not to be a "just" reason to claim it was an accident when it comes to shooting Barnacles, and there are very few small Canada race birds in the UK.

 

Mark, on an estuary, you have NO hope. Just learn their calls and avoid shooting at them.

[yorksjt 0]

These are the consequences of mistaken ID, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/6033701.stm

[selvey 2]

These are the consequences of mistaken ID, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/6033701.stm

 

 

There is no mistaken these birds so the answer is dont shoot near them are at them or you could lose your guns and certificate.

[rhillco 0]

You could always ask one of the local farmers if they have an issue with Barnacle geese and they could apply for a licence and employ your services to shoot them. Farmers can obtain the licences under the derogations that exist in the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 to shoot to prevent serious damage to agricultural crops. In the past the Government refused farmers these licences but growing pressure and the fact that the Svalbard Barnacle Goose population numbers have exploded from 1350 in 1947 to over 23000 today means you'll be allowed to shoot a limited number. You won't be allowed to eat them though as each bird shot has to be recorded and collected by the authorities.

Edited November 19, 2009 by rhillco

[clay man 0]

hi look at this

http://www.irishfieldsports.com/fowling/geese.htm