Pheasant and .22

Neophyte

Greetings all,
I'm joining my local gun club, I wish to shoot .22 as I have a preference for rifle due to previous experience elsewhere. I have been sold on the idea of self supplementation and see a rifle as being a good all rounder for bagging different species. A question has been brought up by the membership on my wish to bag pheasant, on the ground, with .22.

Is there a legal reason why I can't?

There was a comment about 'sportsmanship' but I see scaring things into that air and hitting them with a broad spray as equal to or even perhaps less sporting. Prior to me even going near the club there was pressure to go the shotgun route. I had lengthy chats with members of a neighbouring club and there was no such objections.
Is this just a local level thing? What's the national take on this?

Neophyte.

bunny shooter

It is illegal to shoot game, which incudes pheasant, with a rifle.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1976/en/act/pub/0039/sec0033.html#zza39y1976s33

I draw your attention to Section 33 (1) (b)

Sparks

Not to mention that there's such a strong social stigma attached to so doing (even in states where it might be legal) that there was a fairly well-known libel case taken a few years back where person A said in the local bar that person B had shot a pheasant with a .22 rifle. Person B was awarded damages in the five-figure range from person A by the High Court, and this was back in the days of punts when five figures was the price of a normal house...

bunny shooter

There was a whisper of it happening in my area last year. There was a lot of bad feeling over it among the shooting & non shooting community :eek:

I seen a lad mention it in a conversation a few years ago during a bit of banter between lifelong friends and the mood changed very quickly :eek:

Neophyte

Thanks for the swift reply guys. It's not easy to take in all the laws and rules in one go. Hence going to a club and asking here, than going it alone.

Any idea why that is so...not that there is a way round it, but....

Is a 'game bird' introduced for hunting 'protected' at that stage? Does that not apply to birds that shouldn't be shot at all, like Swans etc. rather than, well, game birds?

Neophyte.

bunny shooter

All animals & birds are protected under 1976 Wildlife Act.

All "game" has an "open season" when you can shoot it with appropiate firearm/s.

All "vermin" eg foxes, magpies etc are culled under a derogation, which is issued by the Minister for the Environment periodically which basically exempts them from the protection of the 1976 Wildlife Act for the period covered by the derogation.

Everything else comes under 1976 Wildlife Act eg swans, robins, birds of prey, swallows etc

Here is a link that you need to look at http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055315625 Bit of light reading for ya

4gun

get you self a shot gun and you'll find plenty of other types of game to shoo at...Ducks, snipe etc. It'll give you a greater variety of supplementition.

deeksofdoom

4gun wrote: »

get you self a shot gun and you'll find plenty of other types of game to shoo at...Ducks, snipe etc. It'll give you a greater variety of supplementition.

a good dog helps aswell!

4gun

deeksofdoom wrote: »

a good dog helps aswell!

True, if the poster is Asian

LostCovey

4gun wrote: »

True, if the poster is Asian

That's a bit wuff.

Feargal as Luimneach

bunny shooter wrote: »

It is illegal to shoot game, which incudes pheasant, with a rifle.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1976/en/act/pub/0039/sec0033.html#zza39y1976s33

I draw your attention to Section 33 (1) (b)

Why is it illegal?

cavan shooter

Because it is...... would be the cheeky answer.:p

The moral answer is also because its not ethical or sporting.

If we were all to "Pot hunt" well what chance would the pheasant have.

75-100 yards is no probs with the 22 what chance would the pheasant have

get a shotgun for birds and stick with a 22 for rabbits and vermin

4gun

cavan shooter wrote: »

Because it is...... would be the cheeky answer.:p

The moral answer is also because its not ethical or sporting.

If we were all to "Pot hunt" well what chance would the pheasant have.

75-100 yards is no probs with the 22 what chance would the pheasant have

get a shotgun for birds and stick with a 22 for rabbits and vermin

even at 200 or 300 yards...they would be sitting ducks to a reasonable shot

foxer 204

i had a dog before and a couple of times she caught the pheasant in cover but she would release them to the gun , even she understood the sporting concept :D:D

Neophyte

I'm just astounded that this major fact didn't come up in the whole year + I've been looking into getting into this. That's talking to local hunters, owner of the gun shop and club membership officers for two local clubs. Only comes up after I've been cleared my the existing membership as ok to join and when there's a membership fee to collect.

The locals all said to go for shotgun but not one of them mentioned legal anything with regards to rifle. I took their push for shotgun to be a farmer thing or fear of rifle or something.

I don't mind learning what's what but I've been left feeling an eejit.

As regards ethics, I take all points but I suppose I'm thinking hunting while others are thinking sport.

I'm thinking I mightn't bother and just breed whatever for the pot.

Neophyte.

bunny shooter

I find it very hard to believe you spoke to gun clubs lads about shooting pheasants with a .22 and they didn't advise you that it wasn't allowed

Mention in my clubs and you will be "advised" very quickly what people think of it :eek:

I reckon them advising you to go for a shotgun was a strong hint?

I don't see what the big problem here is?

Why don't you raise chickens? Be a lot less hassle tbh.

clivej

Forget the pheasants and hunt the rabbits.
There's good sport to be had with them, and they don't just sit there waiting you know, you have to stalk up to the little critters.
This is knowing your rifle plays it's part and the drop with different ranges. The 22lr is not an easy gun to shoot as reguads the bullet drop at the longer ranges.

Tackleberrywho

clivej wrote: »

Forget the pheasants and hunt the rabbits.
There's good sport to be had with them, and they don't just sit there waiting you know, you have to stalk up to the little critters.
This is knowing your rifle plays it's part and the drop with different ranges. The 22lr is not an easy gun to shoot as reguads the bullet drop at the longer ranges.

Its all about disicipline IMvHO
I was out after pidge on Sat evening, a Huge Cock pheasant lifted from almost under my foot in the barley field.

OP
I could have shot the Pheasant, but as he was out of season i let him off, but I winked to tell him I'd see him again.(BTW I near shi* myself with the shock )

Rifles are for large game or vermin.(deer & Foxes rabbits and the odd grey crow or magger if you can get them)

Buy a Shotty if you want to shoot Mostly Birds
Rifle if you want Mostly bunnys & foxes
Shotty's are for small game & Birds. (bolting Rabbits, Grey Squirrels Phezzie, magger, Pidgie's Duck etc)

Valmont

The only hunting I've ever done was a few months hunting spruce grouse with a .22. I honestly see no good reason why that should be banned. What a stupid law.

landkeeper

to be honest it's probably a hang over from the game laws something else designed to be able to throw at a lad when he was caught poaching pheasants with a rifle
don't cha know old chap and all that, it's just not cricket you know shooting pheasants on the ground :P:P:P:P

johngalway

bunny shooter wrote: »

I find it very hard to believe you spoke to gun clubs lads about shooting pheasants with a .22 and they didn't advise you that it wasn't allowed

Mention in my clubs and you will be "advised" very quickly what people think of it :eek:

I reckon them advising you to go for a shotgun was a strong hint?

I don't see what the big problem here is?

Why don't you raise chickens? Be a lot less hassle tbh.

They tried to restart the gun club here. I went to a few meetings. Asked one night how much land they had, got told none Well how or where do ye propose to go shooting so? "We'll just have to go where we like and not get caught".

Absolutely not joking. Yet the same crowd wouldn't let semi's at the clay shoot.

Point being, depends on the people in the "club".

I left.

ronn

I was out for a stroll last year, gun and no dog looked over a ditch to see a beautiful scotch cock looking back at me, The sh!t wouldnt get up i lobbed a stone at him and he just walked off,,
would of been a beauty to get stuffed,:mad:
just another unwritten rule ah well ill bring the dog with me this year:D

bunny shooter

johngalway wrote: »

They tried to restart the gun club here. I went to a few meetings. Asked one night how much land they had, got told none Well how or where do ye propose to go shooting so? "We'll just have to go where we like and not get caught".

Absolutely not joking. Yet the same crowd wouldn't let semi's at the clay shoot.

Point being, depends on the people in the "club".

I left.

Now that I think about it it wouldn't surprise me :P

Neophyte

So, it's not just me. I imagine there is a certain amount of unethical hunting goes on and that's why no one was quick to condemn it. I was just told "There was a question about....".

Information in my area has been nothing but conflicting. I was told by a member of the group in question that there was no rabbit in the area at all. From a member of the neighbouring gun club I was given the town land to go to 10 miles away. Something smells and I've no time for any cloak and dagger rubbish.

On the law; it might just be to reduce accidents from eejits discharging into cover which won't stop a rifle round. At least you have the reduced distance going for the shot gun. The reduction of poaching of bread 'sport' stocks would be motive for such a law and the fact that caged pheasant will let you walk right up to them.

This reduces the usefulness of a 22 rifle for me. I'd be into a bit of target shooting as well so maybe it would be better to go shot gun for the broader species selection and get a 22 air rifle for plinking entertainment. It's that or cut to something bigger (308 or something) and just go for deer. More meat to bullet ratio but less outings per year. (I've tanned the hides in the past so nothing gets wasted with deer).

Hmmm....most shotguns cost twice as much as the .22 I was going for as well.

Tackleberrywho

Neophyte wrote: »

So, it's not just me. I imagine there is a certain amount of unethical hunting goes on and that's why no one was quick to condemn it. I was just told "There was a question about....".

Information in my area has been nothing but conflicting. I was told by a member of the group in question that there was no rabbit in the area at all. From a member of the neighbouring gun club I was given the town land to go to 10 miles away. Something smells and I've no time for any cloak and dagger rubbish.

On the law; it might just be to reduce accidents from eejits discharging into cover which won't stop a rifle round. At least you have the reduced distance going for the shot gun. The reduction of poaching of bread 'sport' stocks would be motive for such a law and the fact that caged pheasant will let you walk right up to them.

This reduces the usefulness of a 22 rifle for me. I'd be into a bit of target shooting as well so maybe it would be better to go shot gun for the broader species selection and get a 22 air rifle for plinking entertainment. It's that or cut to something bigger (308 or something) and just go for deer. More meat to bullet ratio but less outings per year. (I've tanned the hides in the past so nothing gets wasted with deer).

Hmmm....most shotguns cost twice as much as the .22 I was going for as well.

Shotgun can be used all year round in various forms, a rifle is less useful in winter (.22lr) unless competing
A huge jump to go from no gun to a .308. And a lot of expense.

A Baikal double barrel or lumar will get you shotty shooting under €500 or perhaps much less.
That would be my advice, apply now and if you are lucky you will have your licence for Sept 1st or 1st Nov at latest!!

Neophyte

Would you have any website address of any Irish firearms dealers? They seem not to do the internet so much. I was shopping with Duffy's in Galway for the 22 (it helped they had a website) but their shotguns are coming in over the prices suggested above.

Cheers.

Dusty87

Google irishguntrader. Some good bargains on shotguns.

Neophyte

Sound. Gives me an idea of prices out there.

I'll see if there is anything going fro within the club as well.

Tackleberrywho

Dusty87 wrote: »

Google irishguntrader. Some good bargains on shotguns.

http://irishguntrader.openseason.ie/

rugerman

whole idea of shooting phesant is to eat it wouldnt b much left if shot with rifle shotgun u leave him off a certain edible distance if i heard of anyone roundmy way usin rifle on phesant i be dug outa him or (her)

ssl

rugerman wrote: »

whole idea of shooting phesant is to eat it wouldnt b much left if shot with rifle shotgun u leave him off a certain edible distance if i heard of anyone roundmy way usin rifle on phesant i be dug outa him or (her)

It would be tricky to get a headshot on one alright. Phesant that is

Tackleberrywho

ssl wrote: »

It would be tricky to get a headshot on one alright. Phesant that is

I'm adding fuel to the fire, but I have head shot magpies

When nothing else was visible in a clump of nettles

But No.6 is the man for Phezzies