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Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 05 9:40 am Post subject: Pigeons

When can you shoot pigeons for the pot, legally and ethically?

I gather that pigeons are classed as a pest and can be shot all year round under an open licence (conditions of which have changed a little recently). However, if you are shooting for the pot is there any legal dates that need to be followed?

Also, if you are shooting for the pot then some form of closed season would seem logical but when should this be?

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 05 10:21 am Post subject:
one thing that concerns me about pigeons is the possibility of them eating treated seeds. Is that a likelyhood? How far do they forrage, if one shot one, say 200 yards from a seed source, is it unlikely they would have eaten the seed?

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 05 10:46 am Post subject:
Dunno but hope you've managed to get your bird-scaring practice in!

deerstalker

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 589

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 05 10:00 pm Post subject: Re: Pigeons

Treacodactyl wrote:

When can you shoot pigeons for the pot, legally and ethically?

Legally, anytime of year. Ethically, well that's up to you, but no farmer would thank you for it.

If you have self imposed seasons, you can guarentee the guys on the next farm will shoot them for you!

With regard to them eating treated seed, perhaps, maybe???

That's the trouble with the organic / free range ideal. What is truly freerange and organic. Organic stock still have to me wormed, drenched and treated when they are ill.

Do wild rabbits eat treated fertilised grass?

Is the fodder contaminated with naturally occuring heavy elements?

We live in a small heavily managed landscape. All we can do is our best, and make informed choices.

After all, wherever we live, the air is still contaminated!

A guide to the DEFRA general licence on woodpigeons can be found here:

https://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/gen-licence.htm

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Mar 14, 05 8:20 pm Post subject:
Thanks DS, there seems to be more info about shooting them as pests than for food. If there were ever restrictions on shooting them as pests I wondered how this would affect people shooting for the pot.

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Sun Mar 27, 05 12:52 am Post subject:
No closed season, huge crop damage all year round. Get bangy!!

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Mon Mar 28, 05 10:03 pm Post subject:
Annoying day today, I went down the wood with my 12 guage, to get some pigeon. I saw no pigeon, but two brace of duck and four male pheasant. All of which are in closed season. Went home with empty bag

ian1

Joined: 12 Dec 2004
Posts: 314
Location: essex

Posted: Mon Mar 28, 05 10:49 pm Post subject:
madman ok..empty bag but how cool is it to be able to say "when i went down the wood today" and know its your own! sooo envious, (cant get blumin teddy bears out of my head now)

Lloyd

Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 2699

Posted: Mon Mar 28, 05 10:55 pm Post subject:

I know...I still am trying to get used to the idea, but it's so different to my life up to December last, that I haven't managed to get my head round it!!....Even today when I picked up my shotty, It felt odd that I didn't need to ring anyone to ask permission. I had to remind myself that I can do this, and if I want to take a tent and camp in there, with shotty, or with dogs, I can!!!!...It's going to take a while to get used to this!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 05 4:55 pm Post subject:

Madman wrote:

It's going to take a while to get used to this!

Bet it's great. Happy for you

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 05 4:59 pm Post subject:
Suppose I was to take a wild pigeon without use of a gun... I see fat, tasty looking pigeons within arms reach all around local villages... Naah, scratch that idea. Is it legal though?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 05 5:00 pm Post subject:

cab wrote:

Is it legal though?

That's a good question, if I ever end up buying some land I might buy an air rifle but definitely not a shotgun, how could I legally catch pigeons etc on my land?

Mat S

Joined: 07 Nov 2004
Posts: 282
Location: Leicester

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 05 5:10 pm Post subject:
I've been thinking of leaving a cage-type structure (5 sided box) propped up at one end by a stick tied to a bit of string which I hold - some distance away. Bit of grain in the cage and hello dinner! I'll get round to trying it one of these days...

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 05 5:12 pm Post subject:

Mat S wrote:

I've been thinking of leaving a cage-type structure (5 sided box) propped up at one end by a stick tied to a bit of string which I hold - some distance away.

Hmm sounds a bit Wiley Coyote to me. Anyway is it legal?

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Mar 29, 05 5:56 pm Post subject:
can't you invite madman round to get them for you?

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