Run-in this morning

MrCreosote

Just wondering if this is a common occurrence.

Was out for a spin this morning on the MTB up some of the local forest trails (South Tipp). Coillte run and privately owned as far a I know, with generic Coillte signs about access and responsible use etc on some of the entrances (not all). It gets plenty of use by the local cyclists who have cut new paths through the plantations.

Anyway I met two deer hunters walking along the same paths today- the first just waved but the second was pretty aggressive with saying that they had the rights for hunting and nobody else was allowed be there. He showed me one of his bullets just to show how big they were. Of course he would only shoot responsibly but there are plenty of "Trigger-happy" youngsters around etc etc etc.

I wouldn't mind- the deer numbers do need to be reduced, but what got me was the complete lack of signs on any access points (I checked), and the aggressive attitude of yer man with the big rifle slung over the shoulder.

Is this a problem around other spots??

Still it made a difference from the usual sh*t with motorists...

Lumen

Squeal piggy, squeal!

moby2101

did you hear banjo music??

petethedrummer

Don't worry, it's possible to win the TDF after being shot.

ednwireland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzae_SqbmDE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gLN3QoN-q8

doozerie

MrCreosote wrote:

Just wondering if this is a common occurrence.

I doubt it. I'm not sure how difficult it is to get a firearms license these days (30 years or so ago it wasn't very difficult to get them but it wasn't exactly easy either, I'd guess/hope that the process has become tougher since then - that was just for .22 calibre rifles, the process for higher powered rifles was, I believe, significantly more arduous) but I'd imagine those that have them don't want to risk losing them by acting like an idiot towards others. If you feel the guy was being aggressive then report him to the gardai and they may be able to trace him. It would obviously be your word against his but as the person bearing the rifle he'd likely have more explaining to do.

The suggestion that you might be accidentally shot seems like just pure scaremongering, to say the least, to me. If they were that incompetent, and/or criminal, with their guns then they'd be shooting each other regularly (I'd imagine that most of them wear camouflague of some form or another, putting them at even greater risk than a cyclist of being shot - MTB's don't blend into the background very well!).

Biopace

I was due to go on a spin in the Silvermines (Keeper) last weekend and was told not to go before 11am as the shooters have the access rights restricted up to that time.

Rew

Sounds to me like you were on private property. To shoot on Colite land you have to put up signs.

victorcarrera

Don't put reindeer antlers on your helmet this christmas.:D
And don't chat wirh Rambo's girlfriend down at the pub.:rolleyes:

Seriously.
This could be one of the reasons Coilte are so anti roaming MTB'rs.
The shooters control the deer population for them, but they would be in big trouble if they had to deal with the shooting of a recreational forest user.

It would appear that the H+SA are OK with having shooters and recreational users share the same space for the time being.

Rew

victorcarrera wrote: »

Don't put reindeer antlers on your helmet this christmas.:D
And don't chat wirh Rambo's girlfriend down at the pub.:rolleyes:

Seriously.
This could be one of the reasons Coilte are so anti roaming MTB'rs.
The shooters control the deer population for them, but they would be in big trouble if they had to deal with the shooting of a recreational forest user.

It would appear that the H+SA are OK with having shooters and recreational users share the same space for the time being.

As I said to shoot on colite land you have to put up signs on all access to it so he was on private property which doesn't require any signage.

I doubt shooting rights have any bearing on MTB on Coilte land.

C3PO

victorcarrera wrote: »

Seriously.
This could be one of the reasons Coilte are so anti roaming MTB'rs.

Why would "roaming" mountain bikers be more of a problem than walkers, runners etc?

victorcarrera

RPL1 wrote: »

Why would "roaming" mountain bikers be more of a problem than walkers, runners etc?

I did not make any such comparisons in my post.

FWIW I did read in another thread here recently on MTB permits for Coillte owned forests in Wicklow being rejected, that Colilte was quoting damage to land as one of the reasons.
Coillte currently licence a large proportion of its forest estate for the recreational hunting and shooting of wild game, deer and other quarry species, by individuals, clubs / syndicates and commercial shoot operators.

So if it ever comes to a fashion parade between MTB'rs and Shooters and the decision is not regulated by some other governing body, it is reasonable to assume that the highest bidder will win.
A time share solution is probably safer.