Pigeon Season

s-cogan

can someone tell me if pigeon can be shot all year round in ROI?
also if the age for a firearm is 18 as i assume it is?

IRLConor

Moved out of the photo thread.

Not sure about the season for pigeons but I think there is one.

The youngest you can get a firearm certificate is 16, not 18, as far as I know.

It wasn't me!

Pigeons have a season from 1st November to 31st January. Outside of this season, they can be shot under a vermin derogation (not sure if this is currently signed and in force - if not, they can *not* be shot at the moment) but only in defence of crops and livelihood, and it has to be over the crops, not in adjacent fields.

.50 (MOA)

It wasn't me! wrote: »

Pigeons have a season from 1st November to 31st January. Outside of this season, they can be shot under a vermin derogation (not sure if this is currently signed and in force - if not, they can *not* be shot at the moment) but only in defence of crops and livelihood, and it has to be over the crops, not in adjacent fields.

how does this apply to pigeons around farm buildings where there is no actual crops for them to be shot over, but where the feathered rats are spreading diseases and eating stored grain.

I have been told in the past that there were/are two counter-indicative eu laws applying to pigeons;
one that says you cannot kill birds during their breeding season.
the other saying that you must kill vermin.

but since pigeons can be breeding all year round, and are considered vermin, it is impossible to ever be able to shoot pigeons.

It wasn't me!

I'm not sure to be honest, so best wait for one of our resident rangers to point you in the right direction. In fact, I'd give my local NPWS representative a phone call and ask about that if I were you just to make sure.

Vegeta

From the NARGC website

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.

jwshooter

.50 (MOA) wrote: »

how does this apply to pigeons around farm buildings where there is no actual crops for them to be shot over, but where the feathered rats are spreading diseases and eating stored grain.

I have been told in the past that there were/are two counter-indicative eu laws applying to pigeons;
one that says you cannot kill birds during their breeding season.
the other saying that you must kill vermin.

but since pigeons can be breeding all year round, and are considered vermin, it is impossible to ever be able to shoot pigeons.

feral pigeons are a different matter there not wood pigeons

s-cogan

it is feral pigeons i am talking about
sorry for the confusion.

Dusty87

Im not eating anymore ''feathered rats'':(:(

deeksofdoom

So you can only shoot pigeons where there are crops in the ground and where they are going to cause damage, but the most effective time to shoot them is just after the crop has been cut and its illegal to do this.

So do I shoot away like mad or hold fire until this whole thing is sorted between the NARGC and the NPWS?

s-cogan

also i was wondering is there anything about the gender of birds shot i.e. can hen be shot as readily as cock or is there any difference?

i only asked coz i know that some female deer cannot be shot for certain reasons

sound
cogan

pullandbang

You might have a bit of a job on your hands trying to identify a cock or hen pigeon 50 yards out going past at 60 miles an hour with the wind up his arse! You can shoot either.