Is it illegal to shoot Magpies and Crows with a .22?

GreatGayHunter

Hi there,
Is it illegal to shoot Magpies and Crows with a .22 when there on the ground, from a raised shooting point aiming down?
Cheers.

locum-motion

GreatGayHunter wrote: »

Hi there,
Is it illegal to shoot Magpies and Crows with a .22 when there on the ground, from a raised shooting point aiming down?
Cheers.

To the best of my knowledge, it is illegal to shoot any bird with any rifle.
This question has come up before on various threads here, and none of the responses given so far has led me to believe any different.

Rovi

Split off to new thread.

johngalway

Same as above really. Though, IMO, it's absolutely ridiculous that pest and vermin species can't be shot with rifle, provided the usual safe backstop is there.

buckasssailor

I thought since they are vermin they can

I shoot crows with my .22 SSSSShhhhhh

J.R.

Species covered under E.U. Derogation ....rook, magpie, jackdaw, pigeon, greycrow......can be shot with shotgun or rifle if causing damage

http://www.npws.ie/en/media/NPWS/Publications/Legaldocs/September-December%202009%20Leinster.pdf

johngalway

J.R. wrote: »

Species covered under E.U. Derogation ....rook, magpie, jackdaw, pigeon, greycrow......can be shot with shotgun or rifle if causing damage

Thanks JR, learn something new everyday.

Hmmmm...

Just read it for Connacht, seriously, seasons....

buckasssailor

its the grey crow that i shoot
they have killed afew sheep around us

locum-motion

J.R. wrote: »

Species covered under E.U. Derogation ....rook, magpie, jackdaw, pigeon, greycrow......can be shot with shotgun or rifle if causing damage

As John said, you learn something new...

Carsinian Thau

buckasssailor wrote: »

its the grey crow that i shoot
they have killed afew sheep around us

How can a crow kill a sheep?

(Not being "smart", just genuinely curious.)

bunny shooter

If sheep end up on their backs often they can't get themselves back on their feet or they often get tangled in fences etc and grey crows and especially ravens have/will slit their stomachs with their beaks and eat their intestines, pluck out and eat the sheeps eyes and all this often while the sheep is alive :eek:

As you can imagine it can/does lead to a terrible death for the sheep

jap gt

bunny shooter wrote: »

If sheep end up on their backs often they can't get themselves back on their feet or they often get tangled in fences etc and grey crows and especially ravens have/will slit their stomachs with their beaks and eat their intestines, pluck out and eat the sheeps eyes and all this often while the sheep is alive :eek:

As you can imagine it can/does lead to a terrible death for the sheep

also very bad when they have lambs around peck at the eyes

johngalway

Carsinian Thau wrote: »

How can a crow kill a sheep?

(Not being "smart", just genuinely curious.)

I'm a hill sheep farmer.

Greycrows, ravens, and greater black backed seagulls can and will kill fully grown ewes given the right oppertunity. This can happen is the ewe is knocked on her back and can't right herself, from falling and rolling on an awkward bit of ground, from being heavily pregnant, or from being sick with one thing or another.

The first targets are the eyes and the tongue. After that they start working on the soft skin around the anus, often pulling out guts. Also the softer skin inside the back legs on the body side, again exposing guts from the soft easily torn flesh there. They'll also work the brain from the eye holes.

Young lambs left unattended by grazing or meal fed ewes are very easy targets for them. I had a ewe lamb twins in the ruins of an old shed, just the walls left standing. She came out with one lamb so I let them down to the grass. It wasn't until evening I discovered the second fella, a greycrow had removed 3/4 of his tongue. Managed to treat him and reared him on a bottle but as a farm animal he was ruined, never thrived at all, and continually messy about the mouth.

This summer my Dad had a lamb got caught in a stone wall. Their horns are quite flexible, so once they push their head through a gap, the horns spring out again and act like an anchor. He was stuck fast. He wasn't there long until Dad found him. Greycrows had been, bored holes in his back trying to eat him alive, lambs skin is very delicate and easily broken. Nature can be quite cruel. He was treated and saved and made a full recovery.

Magpies will take eyes, I would imagine they also get some brains afterwards. I don't think their beak or body is up to creating as much damage as the other birds mentioned but on their own they will remove the eyes of sheep that are perfectly treatable once discovered.

johngalway

Ferreter wrote: »

Feckers are them Magpies and Greys, I snared over 200 rabbits before christmas and after one week the magpies and greys had caught wind of the line I was snaring, they were there every morning, poking the eyes out of rabbits that were still alive, I actually watched them doing it one morning, I let them go at it for a minute or two and then give it to them from the distance

Funny you should mention snares. Reminds me of a time I snared a hare, quite by accident. There was a lovely fox run where I'd set a wire and catch two maybe three foxes a year in it. Never know any other animal to use that run. Anyway, caught this hare, found him, quite unharmed as he should have been. I picked him up by the scruff of the neck, removed the wire, and while I was giving him a final check over he starts to squeal. I am not exaggerating, literally, two seconds after he starts to squeal there's two greycrows circling overhead. Never let it be said they're ones to miss an easy meal.

J.R.

johngalway wrote: »

I'm a hill sheep farmer.

Greycrows, ravens, and greater black backed seagulls can and will kill fully grown ewes given the right oppertunity.

I can never understand why the lesser black back & greater black back gulls are not included in the EU Derogation list......just as bad, if not worse, than any member of the crow family.

johngalway

J.R. wrote: »

I can never understand why the lesser black back & greater black back gulls are not included in the EU Derogation list......just as bad, if not worse, than any member of the crow family.

AFAIK, you can shoot both species, if they're causing damage, and once other methods have been tried and failed.

Valmont

johngalway wrote: »

I'm a hill sheep farmer.

Greycrows, ravens, and greater black backed seagulls can and will kill fully grown ewes given the right oppertunity. This can happen is the ewe is knocked on her back and can't right herself, from falling and rolling on an awkward bit of ground, from being heavily pregnant, or from being sick with one thing or another.

The first targets are the eyes and the tongue. After that they start working on the soft skin around the anus, often pulling out guts. Also the softer skin inside the back legs on the body side, again exposing guts from the soft easily torn flesh there. They'll also work the brain from the eye holes.

Young lambs left unattended by grazing or meal fed ewes are very easy targets for them. I had a ewe lamb twins in the ruins of an old shed, just the walls left standing. She came out with one lamb so I let them down to the grass. It wasn't until evening I discovered the second fella, a greycrow had removed 3/4 of his tongue. Managed to treat him and reared him on a bottle but as a farm animal he was ruined, never thrived at all, and continually messy about the mouth.

This summer my Dad had a lamb got caught in a stone wall. Their horns are quite flexible, so once they push their head through a gap, the horns spring out again and act like an anchor. He was stuck fast. He wasn't there long until Dad found him. Greycrows had been, bored holes in his back trying to eat him alive, lambs skin is very delicate and easily broken. Nature can be quite cruel. He was treated and saved and made a full recovery.

Magpies will take eyes, I would imagine they also get some brains afterwards. I don't think their beak or body is up to creating as much damage as the other birds mentioned but on their own they will remove the eyes of sheep that are perfectly treatable once discovered.

The most gruesome thing I've ever heard in a while. I'll never look at a greycrow or a raven the same way again!

elius

Ì dont think twice about shooting grey grows. Though i still reckon there wearing bullet proof vests:rolleyes:

Dusty87

elius wrote: »

Ì dont think twice about shooting grey grows. Though i still reckon there wearing bullet proof vests:rolleyes:

I shot a few grey crows, but crows are the worst. I shot one once that folded and dropped. I looked out from the hide and he wasnt moving. I ducked back down as more was coming and when i popped up again, here was the bould crow up and flying sideways. Got him that time. I think the trick is to get under feathers

johngalway

Valmont wrote: »

The most gruesome thing I've ever heard in a while. I'll never look at a greycrow or a raven the same way again!

It's what they do to earn a living I guess. Hard to blame them for it, but they walk a dangerous line around here now.

I'm just laughing to myself here, reminded of something. My girlfriend and I were watching some programme about snakes on some satellite channel over at hers last week. She doesn't like snakes, so I said I'd change it, no, no, she wants to see what happens to a particular female snake they've named and are following. "It dies" says I. I get that look, you know the one, the "you've said too much, stop digging look".

40 minutes later another snake half eats it, then sicks it up.



That's nature. (Eat or be eaten!). Gotta love it though.

Valmont

JohnGalway wrote:

That's nature. (Eat or be eaten!). Gotta love it though.

Absolutely!

E mc kiernan

anyone notice that with with the cold weather the numbers of grey crows out and about are well up,they dont seem to as cautious as usually just shows ya...hungers good sauce ha

No6

Did you ever notice how if you are out and about unarmed the grey's and magpies would nearly sit on your shoulder but if you happen to come out your door with a gun in you hands they dissappear in a flash!! Clever B's.

mikey2010

No6 wrote: »

Did you ever notice how if you are out and about unarmed the grey's and magpies would nearly sit on your shoulder but if you happen to come out your door with a gun in you hands they dissappear in a flash!! Clever B's.

yes your dead right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mikey2010

elius wrote: »

Ì dont think twice about shooting grey grows. Though i still reckon there wearing bullet proof vests:rolleyes:

what do yee think are the best type and size cartridges to use when crow decoying???

johngalway

No6 wrote: »

Did you ever notice how if you are out and about unarmed the grey's and magpies would nearly sit on your shoulder but if you happen to come out your door with a gun in you hands they dissappear in a flash!! Clever B's.

Was out gathering ewes today, greycrow was perched on a high rock and could see me coming from a long way off, not at all bothered. When did he fly off? When I stopped and lifted my arms as if I had a gun.

If only I had

GREY TOM

GreatGayHunter wrote: »

Hi there,
Is it illegal to shoot Magpies and Crows with a .22 when there on the ground, from a raised shooting point aiming down as far as i now its illegal to shoot any birds with a rifle but best of luck with mags and greys

garv123

our luck seems to be like this. if we're out with the shotgun theres deer to be seen like we've never seen them before and rabbits jumping around at 100-150 yards away and nothing else to be seen.
if we have the 22mag theres deer everywhere and foxes sitting down at 200 yards away laughing and crows sitting on poles and trees above your head.
if we have the .243 out theres not a deer nor fox to be seen only rabbits and crows all over the place. :mad:

Grizzly 45

garv123 wrote: »

our luck seems to be like this. if we're out with the shotgun theres deer to be seen like we've never seen them before and rabbits jumping around at 100-150 yards away and nothing else to be seen.
if we have the 22mag theres deer everywhere and foxes sitting down at 200 yards away laughing and crows sitting on poles and trees above your head.
if we have the .243 out theres not a deer nor fox to be seen only rabbits and crows all over the place. :mad:

You need a German Drilling !SXS with a big cal rifle barrel underneath.
Shot in both barrels for bunnies and crows or heavier shot for a fox,and a rifle barrel for long range fox or deer.Quick detach scope for long range shots or the latest fad a holo sight. A great all rounder gun.:D:D

garv123

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

You need a German Drilling !SXS with a big cal rifle barrel underneath.
Shot in both barrels for bunnies and crows or heavier shot for a fox,and a rifle barrel for long range fox or deer.Quick detach scope for long range shots or the latest fad a holo sight. A great all rounder gun.:D:D

I think you're playing too much Call of Duty?:P

Grizzly 45

It s a actual gun.Not some Numpty rubbish made up on a play station game!:rolleyes:
Been used in Germany for over 100 years by hunters,and is considerd the traditonal German hunting gun!!
A google of the words "drilling combination gun " will enlighten you.

Kat1170

Anyone ever hear the saying 'He who takes a Magpies life, will rue the day he takes a wife'.

Know a lot of lads who must have shot a lot of Magpies. Ha Ha :D

johngalway

Kat1170 wrote: »

Anyone ever hear the saying 'He who takes a Magpies life, will rue the day he takes a wife'.

Know a lot of lads who must have shot a lot of Magpies. Ha Ha :D

Did I mention I'm never getting married

No6

johngalway wrote: »

Did I mention I'm never getting married

well you have to us now but have you told the girlfriend??:D

meathstevie

Grizzly 45 wrote: »

It s a actual gun.Not some Numpty rubbish made up on a play station game!:rolleyes:
Been used in Germany for over 100 years by hunters,and is considerd the traditonal German hunting gun!!
A google of the words "drilling combination gun " will enlighten you.

You'll be doing well if you can find one in a half decent state for less than a few grand....

johngalway

No6 wrote: »

well you have to us now but have you told the girlfriend??:D

Don't mention the war

No6

So thats a no then John!!!:D