“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”

“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.”

“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”

“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”

“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????”

“Just a note to say, as a rough shooter and pigeon decoyer, that the birds shot are shot within a lethal distance and every effort is made for a quick, clean kill. As far as wastage goes, the dead birds go in my freezer to feed my family. If there is a surplus, they are sold to game dealers and appear, generally as a very nice starter, in restaurants. If you do manage to find a dead shot bird, open its crop (The piece between head and chest) and watch the seeds come pouring out. A flock of pigeons can and do decimate a field of crops in a day.

The activity is not illegal.”

“pls note that shooting of any bird under general licence is at the point of which u have tried all other means and to which point u can obtain a general licence to shoot these birds. If the shooting of these birds is under licence it is not ilegal it is illegal to shoot birds not on the general licence but wood pidgeon and collered dove can both be shot with a general licence, this does not forgive the triger happy shooters who can not and probably dont want to distinguish the difference of other birds. as you would be shooting birds past the safe clean kill zone of 40 mtrs which is the range most shooters would not think of passing as past 55 yards winging and cliping of a bird is possible. As for non pidgeon and collerd dove wounds and kills there field craft is beyond a joke there only two birds you could get confused with these being rock doves and stock doves and from the letter i take its it is not these rare birds being targeted prob more blackbird and thrushes and i would have no qualm in phoneing the rspb and the local police first for crimes under the wildlife act as in killing of wild birds ie b bird and thush rough shooting is the legal shooting of raised and wild bird in a legal manner so pls remember there are shooters who do a good job legaly and for the right reasons either for the game meat or pest control.as for the findings of a cold winter would kill the same numbers when did we last have the cold winters of yester year and as for no food in the fields with winter rape and 367 day planting pidgeons have more of a choice than before this is why there numbers are in the millions nearing 45 million at last survey they are a rpoblem and it needs address but as for the few who shot indiscrimatly they should be arrested the guns revoked and heavy fines given ,”

“I think Lenny from Warminster has totally misinterpreted the article. The fact of the matter is that shooting of pigeons is illegal. Unless all other non lethal methods of control have been tried and failed, shooting of pigeons is illegal. It is contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and if pigeons are not killed immediately and humanely, they are caused unnecessary suffering, which is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Many other species of birds are caught up in shooting and have been found dead or dying including collared doves, who can be mistaken for pigeons. (Ref. Animal Aid website).

Decoy birds are used to encourage pigeons to land for food in order that they may be shot. Decoys are not used as a method of control, purely to attract other pigeons.

According to the ADAS bulletin No. 183 (Feb 1987) produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under the section entitled 'Woodpigeons - how to live with them' under a sub-heading entitled 'Control'.
I quote "attempts to reduce the size of a woodpigeon population by killing are a wasted effort. Natural winter mortality is the most significant factor in determining the size of a population so most of the birds shot would probably have died anyway. Scaring is the most effective way of avoiding severe damage but this must be planned to give its fullest effect."

The conclusion is that pigeon shooting is not for protection of crops, or for food as many birds are dumped in hedges, or done to reduce numbers, but purely for pleasure and fun.

And however you look at it, it is illegal.”

“whether it is a pigeon or not the point seems to be missed here. IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE to shoot ANY bird, be it a pigeon or otherwise!!!! after spending a day out and about yesterday i was disgusted to see a range rover with a sticker saying "keep shooting" on it. obviously certain people have no concious with regard to the lives of animals and birds and it is truly sickening. The fact that people are disturbed by seeing the animals in a half dead state is not the point either. its not about how upset they feel about it! someone please do something about shooting birds & hunting in ANY form. it is NOT necessary and is wrong!!! people dont do it to protect their crops or stock, they do it for sport and nothing else.”

“I can see no reason why these birds are being killed, except for social reasons. If the birds aren't being killed for food either, the logical conclusion would be that the birds are being killed or injured purely for pleasure. This is, in my opinion, the realistic reason for this indiscriminate killing. The pigeons wouldn't be damaging crops at this time of year as the fields are empty, so is this killing is just for pleasure because it is totally unnecessary? Now I know also, that it is illegal and should be stopped.”