crows and magpie bounty

ace86

A friend of mind told me from a fellow that he was listening to the derek mooney show and they are thinking of introducing a bounty for crows and things bcos there numbers are out of control in areas???
anyone else hear this wonder what you would get in a bounty:rolleyes:?

pistonbroke

They're definitely breeding like mad here in Roscommon. Never seen so many magpies and crows.

pistonbroke

They're definitely breeding like mad here in Roscommon. Never seen so many magpies and crows.

mallards

ace86 wrote: »

wonder what you would get in a bounty:rolleyes:?

Coconut and chocolate I heard


They could do with introducing it up my way. I no sooner have cleared a pair of mags from an area before they are being replaced by another couple on the edge of the shoot. The crows are not so bad at the minute with all the cut fields. But it won't be long before they start hammering the pheasant feeders again. :mad:

Mallards

ace86

mallards wrote: »

Coconut and chocolate I heard

i heard that alright

pugw

mallards wrote: »

Coconut and chocolate I heard


Mallards

Birdnuts

pistonbroke wrote: »

They're definitely breeding like mad here in Roscommon. Never seen so many magpies and crows.

Same in Mayo - have trapped large numbers on my small holding there this spring, but throughout the West their appears to be massive flocks of Hoodies along with plenty of Mags.

Have discussed this issue recently with the local NPWS ranger in North Mayo and their having huge problems too on reserves by the coast set up to protect rare waders and the like. But breeding Lapwing, Dunlin numbers continue to decline as Corvid predation of eggs is rampant.

It is indeed amazing the amount of Corvids in this country compared to other countries in Europe. I know climate is a factor but the lack/low numbers of natural predators for these vermin in much of this country is definatly another factor - and this would be a particulat issue in the West:(

mauser77

heard the show that day it was about 2 weeks ago on mooney goes wild friday.It was a man from dublin that rang in to say about the amount of songbird decline in his garden and how there were so many magpies about he said there should be a cull on them which is true but sadly very very unlikey so dont go spending the cull money just yet

marlin vs

Sure the country is rife with money! why not pay to kill Mag's and crow's.:rolleyes:

Birdnuts

mauser77 wrote: »

heard the show that day it was about 2 weeks ago on mooney goes wild friday.It was a man from dublin that rang in to say about the amount of songbird decline in his garden and how there were so many magpies about he said there should be a cull on them which is true but sadly very very unlikey so dont go spending the cull money just yet

Grey squirrels should be included too - all the Dublin parks appear to be over-run with them:(

Birdnuts

marlin vs wrote: »

Sure the country is rife with money! why not pay to kill Mag's and crow's.:rolleyes:

I propose a cull of politicians/bankers which would free up some money for this purpose:D;)

BELOWaverageIQ

pistonbroke wrote: »

They're definitely breeding like mad here in Roscommon. Never seen so many magpies and crows.

You can say that again !

ssl

Birdnuts wrote: »

Grey squirrels should be included too - all the Dublin parks appear to be over-run with them:(

I counted 12 magies in one estate green in Dublin. Donno how you would tackle them in an estate..

johngalway

And who did they say would be paying for these chocolaty bounties on mags and greys? In these times, with money concerned, I'll believe it when it's in my hand.

J.R.

ssl wrote: »

I counted 12 magies in one estate green in Dublin. Donno how you would tackle them in an estate..

Our estate most days - song birds in area have been cleaned out.

Lot more there than in the photo - I just took the photo where the bulk of them were concentrated ....could be 25 - 30 magpies there most days.

J.R.

There's not a hope the government will be paying a bounty on anything with the current economic climate.


The N.A.R.G.C. could put up a prize fund to pay for prizes......e.g. €10,000 nationwide.....not a great sum in comparsion to the fees collected each year. Would also reward clubs for vermin control & help decimate corvid numbers which is beneficial to conservation.

N.A.R.G.C. count vermin numbers each year for annual vermin shoot prizes so no extra manpower needed in counting.

They could allocate prizes to winning clubs e.g.

GREYCROW

1st prize.........€3,000
2nd prize.........€1,500
3rd prize......... € 500


MAGPIE

1st prize.........€3,000
2nd prize.........€1,500
3rd prize......... € 500


That would provide a good incentive to seriously control them & winning clubs would really benefit.

Would also be a good PR exercise for hunters........RSPB and many bird watchers would have to agree that it was necessary & worthwhile........even the anti's would have to agree that it was needed (if honest) and it would highlight the need for vermin control carried out by clubs and the benefits of shooting to nature & the countryside.

Birdnuts

ssl wrote: »

I counted 12 magies in one estate green in Dublin. Donno how you would tackle them in an estate..

Trapping - I've seen it done in parks in London:)

Birdnuts

J.R. wrote: »

........RSPB and many bird watchers would have to agree that it was necessary & worthwhile.

I don't think there would be a problem in this case since Corvids are already trapped/shot at a number of BWI and RSPB reserves that are wardened by volunteers:) - Same goes for the NPWS AFAIK

kildare.17hmr

the green in my estate looks like that some days too, i often thought an air rifle out the bedroom window would make for some good shooting!!

cavan shooter

I trap greys and mags all the time i wouldnt be keen to see a national bounty as every fkr would be at it and that isnt necessarily good for us because at least most of us will consider the welfare of the birds (at least for a short time).

I f every gun club member and shooting man in the country trapped, shot or dispatched 15 mags and 15 greys it would help, there wouldnt be a problem.

I can imagine someone considering a trap and release program :eek:

ace86

As N.A.R.G.C member and gun club member myself i feel alot of people like me do alot of vermin control in the countryside to keep crows and foxes in check but in the lst 10 yrs or more especially in urban areas have got larger and it has come alot harder for people to do vermin control. a member of my club had a trap out doing crow control in aan area and twice some released the caller bird in him and he blames a city person for it on holidays in the area. I think its urban areas were the numbers are out of control and if the N.P.W.S and the N.A.R.G.C came together to start a programme of some sort to keep the numbers in check because we don't know what disease there picking up or even spreading to other species. I think the N.A.R.G.C could increase there vermin prize money to new clubs or smaller clubs coming through it would be an incentive to people to do vermin control maybe.

Traumadoc

What is the legality?
I have a large garden in Dublin, could I shoot magpies with my air rifle?

CJhaughey

I have shot several crows in the last few days, there are too many around and for every one you shoot there are another hundred.
plus some people like to encourage them because they don't understand the damage done by corvids.

johngalway

Traumadoc wrote: »

What is the legality?
I have a large garden in Dublin, could I shoot magpies with my air rifle?

http://www.npws.ie/legislationandconventions/irishlaw/eubirdsdirectivederogations/

"The Directive allows member States to make derogations from its protective measures where certain wild bird species covered by the declaration are causing damage to crops, livestock and fauna or represent a threat to public health or to air safety."

"Grey crows and magpies can still be controlled by shooting or the use of legal cage traps."

The dates on the Leinster declaration below usually roll over quarter to quarter:

http://www.npws.ie/media/npws/publications/legaldocs/Declarationfor%20Leinster.pdf

I am not sure whether air rifles are covered under "rifle" in the declaration as I'm not familiar with them. I've looked into it before but forget I'll have to go digging again on that.

Traumadoc

So threat to fauna should cover it?

johngalway

Sorry, I got distracted earlier looking up something else

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

The derogation does state "rifle".

I did find a post on here where someone contacted Des Crofton and he said it's legal to shoot them with air rifles.

Be careful about neighbours, I'm not sure if reckless discharge is defined anywhere or left to individual Gardai to "interpret". I haven't a notion what your garden is like or where it's set, so that's why I mention that.

jhcossie

anyone else have any info on this?if it will be going ahead?like the bounty that was on foxes years ago handy money was made

Eddy Hill

Birdnuts wrote: »

Same in Mayo - have trapped large numbers on my small holding there this spring, but throughout the West their appears to be massive flocks of Hoodies along with plenty of Mags.

Have discussed this issue recently with the local NPWS ranger in North Mayo and their having huge problems too on reserves by the coast set up to protect rare waders and the like. But breeding Lapwing, Dunlin numbers continue to decline as Corvid predation of eggs is rampant.

It is indeed amazing the amount of Corvids in this country compared to other countries in Europe. I know climate is a factor but the lack/low numbers of natural predators for these vermin in much of this country is definatly another factor - and this would be a particulat issue in the West:(

IOB
was the discussion you refer to above a discussion with yourself or with a work colleague ??

washman3

ssl wrote: »

I counted 12 magies in one estate green in Dublin. Donno how you would tackle them in an estate..

you can buy a steel mesh trap for trapping them. works a dream.
friend of mine made one to catch 6 at a time.
works brilliantly.

Birdnuts

Eddy Hill wrote: »

IOB
was the discussion you refer to above a discussion with yourself or with a work colleague ??

Have another read of my post - good lad:pac:

Spunk84

Seen 11 magpies sitting on our lane the other day, first time I'd seen so many together. Magpies IMO are the hardest bird to shoot, you walk into the field and there gone!

Grey squirrels are increasing as well, in the 2 fields at the back of the house in the last few months if shot 20+ and there still there.

As for crows and I'll throw in pigeons, there is a massive numbers around kildare.

Birdnuts

Spunk84 wrote: »

Seen 11 magpies sitting on our lane the other day, first time I'd seen so many together. Magpies IMO are the hardest bird to shoot, you walk into the field and there gone!

Grey squirrels are increasing as well, in the 2 fields at the back of the house in the last few months if shot 20+ and there still there.

As for crows and I'll throw in pigeons, there is a massive numbers around kildare.

Very true - the local conservancy(just over the border in Wicklow) here has trapped an increadible 300 hoodies near the lake since March. Appears they are attracted from miles around by the mussels exposed by low water levels. On my place in Mayo I've manged to shoot and trap alot of Hoodies near the coast at the same crack.