pidgeon shooting law/rules

dwighet

Hi lads..
Can any one out there give me a link to the current pidgeon shooting laws as the grain fields are starting to look good and im itching to get out amoungst a few woodies when the time arises...And of course i want to did it within the parameters of the law...
Regards
Dwighet

Vegeta

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055330158

pretty much covers it I'd say.

good hunting

dwighet

Vegeta wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055330158

pretty much covers it I'd say.

good hunting

That will do....Thank you very much

cavan shooter

There is abit about this on the NARGC website

J.R.

cavan shooter wrote: »

There is abit about this on the NARGC website

This is it

http://www.nargc.ie
CLARIFICATION ON THE
SHOOTING OF WOODPIGEON

In so far as this Statutory Instrument (S.I.) gives effect to a derogation as permitted under Article 9 of the 79/409 Birds Directive, game shooters should take note of the following important aspects of the S.I.

The First Schedule lists the species to which the derogation applies and the woodpigeon is included in the schedule. The second Schedule lists the means by which the species in the First Schedule may be controlled and this includes for all the listed species killing by shooting with a shotgun.

Section 3(1) states that where the species (including woodpigeon) listed in the First Schedule

(ii) is likely to cause serious damage to crops, livestock,
fisheries or forestry

or

(iii) is likely to cause damage to flora and fauna,

the Minister may declare that such species may be killed by any of the means listed in the Second Schedule in any part of the state or throughout the state.

Game shooters’ should in particular note the wording of the S.I. which states that the species (including woodpigeon) do not have to be actually causing damage but are “likely to cause serious damage…” {see Section 3(1)(ii) and (iii)}. Therefore, it is patently not necessary to observe woodpigeons feeding on crops or to be even close to crops. However, the shooting must take place during a period when crops are in the ground.

It should also be noted that the S.I. allows for the killing to take place “in any part of the state or throughout the state”. The place within or throughout the state is unconditional and nowhere does it state “in any part of the state or throughout the state except over stubble”. These unambiguous provisions are at the heart of a dispute between NARGC and the National Parks & Wildlife Service. The position of NPWS is that the S.I. is to be interpreted as meaning crop protection cannot possibly be undertaken by shooting over stubble. Any reading of the S.I. reveals this to be an incorrect interpretation. It is an interpretation which NPWS has never published and neither is it supported by any legal or statutory provision. Nor does bear any similarity to the explanatory note published with the S.I. Additionally, the control of woodpigeon, crows etc, is by far the most effective when conducted over stubble.

Furthermore, Section 6(1)(b) of the S.I. provides very specifically that an Authorised Officer (Wildlife Ranger) may only approach and seek information from a landowner over whose land the control is taking place. And the information which the Authorised Officer may request is limited to the number of birds killed or captured and the means by which they have been killed or captured. He/she may also seek information pertaining to the type, quantity and frequency of any poisons which have been laid for the purposes of controlling the species. There is no provision permitting any approach to be made to any person who is not the landowner or for the seizure of any property of a person who is not the landowner.


While NPWS disagrees with the aforementioned, the matters referred to in this explanatory note are due to be determined by the courts in the not too distant future. You can download the relevent Statutory Instrument by clicking here.