Pigeons

Clinty

Anybody having any luck shooting pigeons this time of year over crops or is it a waste of time while there still in flocks if anybody's havin any luck what decoys are you using and over what crops I've been trying over rape with magnet but they jus don't seem interested

Birdnuts

At this time of year wood pigeons are stuffing their faces with ivy berries and so are less interested in feeding over crop lands. You should have better luck decoying in a few months time when this berry crop is exhausted.

lb1981

The weather is very mild at the moment, plus there is plenty of feeding around.A good cold snap /snow will soon have them flocking and hitting the rape or cabbage .All that you do now is spend a hour setting up and standing in a ditch freezing your bollox off for a couple of shots

meathstevie

And also the simple fact that there seems to be a bumper crop of berries on the ivy ( at least around my neck of the woods ) will keep them of the fields for a while longer...

blackstairsboy

If you get a wind blowing strong you should get great shooting in the woods this time of year. Watch your woods pigeons are hanging around them all day eating ivy berries so this is a great time for early roost shooting. The finest of pigeon shooting in my opinion.

Mr.Flibble

AFAIK wood pigeon are currently out of season so you can only shoot them for justifiable crop protection.

If you can't find them &/or they aren't "interested", I doubt you've got a very plausible case for crop protection.

sonofthegun

Mr.Flibble wrote: »

AFAIK wood pigeon are currently out of season so you can only shoot them for justifiable crop protection.

If you can't find them &/or they aren't "interested", I doubt you've got a very plausible case for crop protection.

+1 mr fibble spot on if u cant find them on the crops you are shooting over there is no need for you to be shooting them this time of year
sotg

Clinty

No lads in seein birds on the rape and cabbage. I go in they feck off I set up my gear and I only draw in the odd one or two most jus keep goin and don't commit to my decoys. I've tried the magnet floaters and shells different patterns alternating differently when one setup doesn't seem to work. Now lads even if only twenty birds were feeding on it for a half an hour a day you'd see some serious damage in a week alone so how is that not a plausible case for crop protection

ethical hunter

Mr.Flibble wrote: »

AFAIK wood pigeon are currently out of season so you can only shoot them for justifiable crop protection.

If you can't find them &/or they aren't "interested", I doubt you've got a very plausible case for crop protection.

sonofthegun wrote: »

+1 mr fibble spot on if u cant find them on the crops you are shooting over there is no need for you to be shooting them this time of year
sotg

+1

ethical hunter

Clinty wrote: »

...............so how is that not a plausible case for crop protection

I think they are referring to the poster advising shooting them in woods and with decoys. If you are drawing them in using decoys it's hardly crop protection?

jarv

Im having so really good sport roost shooting at the moment. Just find a ****ty tree and get your self under it form 5-6 pm. Not huge bags but good fun. February is a good month for it.

terminator2

roost shooting......mmmmm:rolleyes:

lb1981

jarv wrote: »

Im having so really good sport roost shooting at the moment. Just find a ****ty tree and get your self under it form 5-6 pm. Not huge bags but good fun. February is a good month for it.

If you want to keep your gun and not end up with a massive fine and a record, you should stop posting comments like that on a public board, as stated before they are out of season 0n 31st of Jan ,after that can only be shot over crops at the land owners request

jarv

I am fully aware of the law, I am shooting over crops and have been asked by the farmer to shoot pigeons and crows that are hammering his grain store (feed for livestock). I am well within the law it does not matter where or where on the farm land you shoot as long as you are protecting the farmer for losing money from a major agricultural bird pest.

"shooting for specific purposes such as: preventing serious damage to crops, vegetables, fruit and foodstuffs for livestock, and for the purpose of preserving public health or public safety"

http://www.npws.ie/media/npws/publications/legaldocs/Declaration%20for%20Leinster%20Sept%202011.pdf

This is exactly the same as the general license in the UK where hundreds of shooters enjoy sport all year round protecting crops by keeping the pigeon population in check.

lb1981

jarv wrote: »

I am fully aware of the law, I am shooting over crops and have been asked by the farmer to shoot pigeons and crows that are hammering his grain store (feed for livestock). I am well within the law it does not matter where or where on the farm land you shoot as long as you are protecting the farmer for losing money from a major agricultural bird pest.

"shooting for specific purposes such as: preventing serious damage to crops, vegetables, fruit and foodstuffs for livestock, and for the purpose of preserving public health or public safety"

http://www.npws.ie/media/npws/publications/legaldocs/Declaration%20for%20Leinster%20Sept%202011.pdf

This is exactly the same as the general license in the UK where hundreds of shooters enjoy sport all year round protecting crops by keeping the pigeon population in check.

you are not permitted to roost shoot,or decoy crops at this time of year even if the pigeons are lashing it out of it,all your allowed do is shoot them as they come in .They class decoying as attracting birds on to the crop,so basically your only be allowed be a glorified banger,bollox I know,we normally have our pigeon shoot first 2 weeks of February but this year we had to bring it back to the last 2 weeks in January to keep it in season and protect our members.
The way things are ay the moment they are just looking to catch a few fellas and use them as a test case to go through the courts with,all I wad trying to do is advise you not to get caught

jarv

I understand your just trying to keep me within the law but where does it say no decoying, in the wildlife act it gives method of control as shotgun or rifle is doesn't say anything about decoys, as shooters we have to fight to keep our sport and protect farmers and not be pushed around.

lb1981

They were the guidelines given to us by the regional game council,they told us decoying was classed as attracting birds on to a crop,they told us this was the view the rangers were taking so don't leave ourselves open to anything and that they were just looking for a guinne pig to pit through the courts.As for standing up for our sport I'm all for it but this one for the game council to fight,ordinary blokes like us ,would just walk out of court penniless with no license and no one in the game council woulf give a ****

wildfowler94

lb1981 wrote: »

They were the guidelines given to us by the regional game council,they told us decoying was classed as attracting birds on to a crop,they told us this was the view the rangers were taking so don't leave ourselves open to anything and that they were just looking for a guinne pig to pit through the courts.As for standing up for our sport I'm all for it but this one for the game council to fight,ordinary blokes like us ,would just walk out of court penniless with no license and no one in the game council woulf give a ****

Thats bollox im afraid you are well within your rights to decoy pigeons on to crops at anytime of the year and it will be classed as crop protection...thats the idea of the derogation.
Pigeons are a game bird from November 1st - January 31st with the same season as pheasant and woodcock only during this time is roost shooting legal. at all other time of the year pigeons are protected and may only be shot for crop protection. this includes decoying them onto the crops.
And just to clear this up after a high profile court case about 3 years ago in which a man had his gun impounded by the Npws along with all his equipment for shooting pigeons over stubble the NARGC took on his case and won all equipment was returned and it was established that And I Quote " Shooting pigeons over stubble is indeed within the law" So lads know what the law is before doing anything other wise you run the risk of loosing your Hobby but also don't be missing out on sport by thinking it is illegal.

lb1981

wildfowler94 wrote: »

Thats bollox im afraid you are well within your rights to decoy pigeons on to crops at anytime of the year and it will be classed as crop protection...thats the idea of the derogation.
Pigeons are a game bird from November 1st - January 31st with the same season as pheasant and woodcock only during this time is roost shooting legal. at all other time of the year pigeons are protected and may only be shot for crop protection. this includes decoying them onto the crops.
And just to clear this up after a high profile court case about 3 years ago in which a man had his gun impounded by the Npws along with all his equipment for shooting pigeons over stubble the NARGC took on his case and won all equipment was returned and it was established that And I Quote " Shooting pigeons over stubble is indeed within the law" So lads know what the law is before doing anything other wise you run the risk of loosing your Hobby but also don't be missing out on sport by thinking it is illegal.

That is what we were told at a game council meeting so i am passing on what their view is and what they advised us to do ,tell you what ring up the rangers and ask them what their stance is on decoying after January ,actually ring at seperate days and i bet you you will get 3 different answers off 3 different rangers.It is not open and shut some poor ****er could loose his licence because some bollox ranger wont accept that what he is doing is perfectly legit

garyc007

wildfowler94 wrote: »

Thats bollox im afraid you are well within your rights to decoy pigeons on to crops at anytime of the year and it will be classed as crop protection...thats the idea of the derogation.
Pigeons are a game bird from November 1st - January 31st with the same season as pheasant and woodcock only during this time is roost shooting legal. at all other time of the year pigeons are protected and may only be shot for crop protection. this includes decoying them onto the crops.
And just to clear this up after a high profile court case about 3 years ago in which a man had his gun impounded by the Npws along with all his equipment for shooting pigeons over stubble the NARGC took on his case and won all equipment was returned and it was established that And I Quote " Shooting pigeons over stubble is indeed within the law" So lads know what the law is before doing anything other wise you run the risk of loosing your Hobby but also don't be missing out on sport by thinking it is illegal.

i think the farmer you are shooting them for is suppose to have a "section something" for shooting them out of season if they are damaging his crops?

Farmlife

Wheres the legal eagles to clear this up? Have permission to shoot on land near me (not specifically for crop protection) but was just shooting pigeons as they flew past, no decoying or electronic call, how am i for this?

browning 12 bore

well hey there fellas i just have to say few things
recon recon recon is so important lads even if you just sit on the edge no gun at all and just see where the flight line is and so on also never shoot down the flight line if you do find it aslo the wind is just as important if you have your decoys set up and the wind coming down the hill then the wood pigeon is not going to be bothered too much with your decoys, in relation to your magnet if there coming in well in good but if you see them veer away then there is something wrong somewhere might be magnet they do cop on after a while i had great day there back is november:D:D

wildfowler94

rgugliel wrote: »

Wheres the legal eagles to clear this up? Have permission to shoot on land near me (not specifically for crop protection) but was just shooting pigeons as they flew past, no decoying or electronic call, how am i for this?

Illegal because their not in season which runs from November 1st - January 31st
If the farmer is growing crops that the pigeons may be damaging then its legal.

wildfowler94

garyc007 wrote: »

i think the farmer you are shooting them for is suppose to have a "section something" for shooting them out of season if they are damaging his crops?

No lad thats only if deer are damaging crops out of season for pigeons its simply if their both there then shoot away.

wildfowler94

lb1981 wrote: »

That is what we were told at a game council meeting so i am passing on what their view is and what they advised us to do ,tell you what ring up the rangers and ask them what their stance is on decoying after January ,actually ring at seperate days and i bet you you will get 3 different answers off 3 different rangers.It is not open and shut some poor ****er could loose his licence because some bollox ranger wont accept that what he is doing is perfectly legit

Well I'm a committee member on my county RGC and secretary of my gun club, I'm just clearing this up rangers aren't legal experts and its the law which allows you to Decoy, If you ever experience any bother then ring the NARGC Free phone number ASAP. If your above board then you'll have no worries.

anmaorbeag

lb1981 wrote: »

That is what we were told at a game council meeting so i am passing on what their view is and what they advised us to do ,tell you what ring up the rangers and ask them what their stance is on decoying after January ,actually ring at seperate days and i bet you you will get 3 different answers off 3 different rangers.It is not open and shut some poor ****er could loose his licence because some bollox ranger wont accept that what he is doing is perfectly legit

Bollox Ranger -ouch!! If somebody loses their licence it will only be because a Judge decides so, therefore what he was doing was decided in a Court was not actually 'perfectly legit'. A Court case will be required to clarify a lot of the questions around this possibly using Case Law from around Europe etc. if it goes far enough through the Courts. Until or if that happens, a bit of common sense from both sides (pigeon shooters and rangers) wouldnt go astray.

The last case was lost on a technicality (the Declaration was not signed by the Minister) and dropped before the full case, prosecution and defence, was heard. So a bit of care would be needed when shooting pigeons outside their Open Season in my opinion.

It has to be legitimately for crop protection, not for tourist shooting or a bit of sport when the Open Seasons are closed. It would be interesting to know how many farmers ask a shooter for help controlling pigeons compared to shooters asking farmers can we shoot over your crops.

Was talking to a tillage farmer recently who told me crows do far more damage to his crops (cereals and OSR) than pigeons??

garyc007

have a look at countryside alliance irelands site lads! i think the pigeons just arent heeded as much as other birds like duck and pheasant so people arent aware they even have a season! i didnt know myself until somebody mentioned it to me

sonofthegun

i love decoying but usualy id call a hault for feb till june except when i am asked by the lads that let me shoot their lands to go and cull a few.
got word today of a mate to come down and see about 50 acres of rape he has growing there was easily well in excess of 400 birds on the crop i would consider this crop damage so i have no problem going out decoying on the crop . big numbers and observation of flight lines wind direction ect will result in big bags but all the equipment in the world wont get big numbers of birds into a crop unless they are already dedicated to feeding in that crop the ideas of the decoys is to attract already present birds into range of the guns
i agree 20 birds feeding on the crop every day will result i crop damage but going decoying in a feild with only small numbers commited to feeding there is just a waste of your time
stog

blackstairsboy

I cannot find the relative legislation but I am 99% sure it says you can shoot pigeons if they are likely to cause damage. So in that case roost shooting pigeons in February is legal as long as you can prove that they are likely to cause damage to the near by oil seed rape. Easily proven when you open a crop and it is jammed with rape.