Residents' anger over rise in rough shooting
Animal lovers living near Stratton-on-the-Fosse say they are outraged after finding numerous dead and dying birds in their gardens that have been shot illegally.
The residents, who have reported the problems to the RSPCA, say pigeons are being shot from the sky and often left to die where they fall. This is known as rough shooting, which is the shooting of any bird seen as a pest.
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Many are found in gardens and at the roadside, making it a harrowing experience for the people who find them.
Now residents are appealing to anyone else who may have seen shooting taking place to report it to the RSPCA in order for prosecutions to be brought about.
Other birds are also being shot because they are mistaken at a distance for pigeons.
Stratton resident Geoff Collins said: "Most are shot ineffectually and left to suffer and die, in the most inhumane of circumstances.
"Several times a week we find dying birds in the road and in our garden."
Rough shooting is heavily restricted and legislated by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the landowners must adhere to restrictions set out in a general licence.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the lethal control or culling of wood pigeons is only permitted if the birds represent a risk to public health and safety.
The landowners must also prove that they have done everything within their power to reduce the population of the birds in a humane way.
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, if a bird is shot and injured, then it must be disposed of in a humane way. However if the bird is left to suffer, then it is illegal and the participant can face prosecution.
In Stratton pigeons have been seen to be lured in by dummy birds and then shot down.
Guy Merchant, from the Pigeon Control Advisory Service, reiterated the residents' call for people to report any instances of illegal culling of birds to the police or the RSPCA when he spoke to the Somerset Guardian.
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by suffolk shooter, suffolk
Friday, March 19 2010, 7:44PM
“It is legal to shoot wood pigeon,feral pigeon,doves if they are damaging crops etc,which is why most of us shooting types shoot them for the farmers(land owner),it is however illegal to shoot them in your back gardens unless they are causing harm to to public through droppings or infestation and other methods to cull them have failed.
Most people who shoot have done so for years and are more than responsible,have to be vetted for the grant of shotgun/fire arms certificate,hold insurance,have carried out a risk assesment,will have full written permission to shoot from the land owner.incedently the same people are probaly shooting,rabbits,hares,fox,muntjac deer,rooks,crows,magpies and any other murdering/pest species.
It would not take you very long to carry out just a little research into vermin species,what is legal to shoot,where and by whom,so why not take the time to look it up before misquoting a misquoted report,it is not illegal to shoot pigeons.
It is a farmers legal responsibility to control rabbits and they could be fined for not doing so,the pigeon does as much harm to crops,but you obviously know nothing about the subject using third hand information.
Reporting people for shooting,when they are in legal possesion and acting lawfully would be a waste of an armed response unit and tax payers money and a potentially dangerous encounter”
by Billy, Harpenden
Friday, March 19 2010, 3:29PM
“Just another ignorant article and ignorant readers.
You should thank the shooters for ensuring your food bills aren't higher, as the crop damage that's caused by pigeons and rabbits would easily push prices up if they were left to eat all they like.”
by STEVE, LOUGHBOROUGH
Friday, March 19 2010, 2:13PM
“Pigeons are not shot for sport they are shot to preserve crops ok so lets leave them to eat all the crops bang goes the british farming community.
It is not illegal to shoot pigeon for crop protection explain how else you intend to keep them off the crops.
thing that annoys me most is people moving into the countryside that think the country way of life is all wrong by the way little fluffy bunnies get shot to”
by Les Moxon, Somerset
Friday, March 19 2010, 1:57PM
“Please report ALL such incidents to your local police wildlife crime officer and to the RSPB Investigations Section. ALL wild birds are protected by the law. We should stop the killing of birds and animals for fun. Steve Harris, Passing through Somerset
Wrong all birds are not protected - if you intend to comment Get the fsacts right- I shoot 100's of Pigeon every week as part of a crop protection scheme fully insured and LEGAL”
by Matt Whitlock, Essex
Friday, March 19 2010, 1:15PM
“THIS PRACTICE IS NOT, I REPEAT, NOT, ILLEGAL. The birds are NOT shot for fun - They are shot to protect crops. The dead birds are colected at the end of the day and sent on into the food chain via game dealers and butchers - Please look on the menu of any decent restaurant and you will more than likely find pigeon on the menu as a starter.
Absolutely no difference between eating a pigeon or a chicken, except that the pigeon has been raised free range and has lived a little unrestricted. Refer back to my first comments - Flocks of pigeons (especially at this time of year) can strip a field in a day - What are the vegetarians going to eat if the veg doesn't grow????”