Shooting Birds with a rifle.

1shot16

I have been told by the gun shop owner you cannot shoot birds with a rifle then i heard you can if they r on the ground and other stuff like dat can any1 clear dat up for me!

juice1304

You can shoot vermin with a rifle if protecting crops they must be on the ground, Never EVER shoot a rifle in the air or into a tree or at anything without a proper backstop or you will end up killing someone. It is illegal to shoot protected birds and game birds.

Cass

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

+1.


NO game bird (Duck, Pheasant, etc) can be shot with a rifle. No fully protected bird (Raven, songbirds, etc) can be shot at all, and definitely not with a rifle.

Other birds (not falling under either of the categories above) can be shot.


As juice said, be mindful of your backstop, and NEVER, NEVER, fire into the air. Ever.

Cass

Here is a list of birds, and seasons.

1shot16

Cass wrote: »

As juice said, be mindful of your backstop, and NEVER, NEVER, fire into the air. Ever.

How about a 12ft pound air rifle firing the pellet up in a tree at a 70 degree angle with 100yards of empty field at the back?Pellet will lose enrgy and just drop out of the sky?

gavindublin

Just on the game birds.

What's the reasoning on those in particular does anymore know??

1shot16

gavindublin wrote: »

Just on the game birds.

What's the reasoning on those in particular does anymore know??

Id say it just too easy to shoot game birds with a rifle than a shotgun as a u could hit a game bird a few hundred yards with a center fire rifle and the game birds would be wiped out thats just my guess

Cass

1shot16 wrote: »

How about a 12ft pound air rifle firing the pellet up in a tree at a 70 degree angle with 100yards of empty field at the back?Pellet will lose enrgy and just drop out of the sky?

No.

That's a personal opinion, but here is why. A .22lr (not an air rifle i know but the same principle) is not necessarily a lethal firearm at long ranges. However if you fired the bullet directly into the air, and it fell under gravity it can still do harm. Same with the pellet from an air rifle. Regardless of the range the falling pellet, if it struck someone or something, may still do damage, harm, injury to the person/thing it hits.

So the safest, and best practice is to avoid this possibility by showing good shooting practices, and not doing it.

gavindublin wrote: »

What's the reasoning on those in particular does anymore know??

First, and foremost it's illegal under section 33 of the 1976 Wildlife act.

Secondly it's about fairnes, and respect of the quarry. Imagine lads shooting at pheasants, etc with .308 rifles (just using it as an example). It means no matter the range someone can reach them. The object is to hunt the animal/bird not snipe them from afar. If a bird gets away then you loose, and you should be content with the act that you may spend days out and about and never fire a shot. It will and does happen.

Thirdly for effect. A shotgun shot is very effective at short ranges, and will hit the bird with multiple projectiles. An air rifle or other smaller caliber (.17hmr, .22, etc) may strike a bird, but only with one projectile, and due to the low mass of the bird might cause injury, and not kill instantly. Now while no gun/ammo can guarantee perfect shot time after time you use the firearm/round which best suits the type of hunting you are doing.

1shot16

Cass wrote: »

No.

That's a personal opinion.

If you wanted to be scientific you could find the terminal velocity of the pellet and calculate if it will injury someone or something.

A 9 grain .177 pellets around 100fps falling and thats might be like a berry falling on your head

Id be more more carefully with a real .17hmr .22 etc and not attempt shots like that!

extremetaz

You need to know where you bullet is going to stop 1shot, that's all there is too it.

If you don't know where the bullet is going to stop, or you don't know that where it's going to stop is safe, then you don't take the shot.

It's that simple.

1shot16

extremetaz wrote: »

You need to know where you bullet is going to stop 1shot, that's all there is too it.

If you don't know where the bullet is going to stop, or you don't know that where it's going to stop is safe, then you don't take the shot.

It's that simple.

The pellet would be going into a good 100-150 yards empty field and how can i know that there is a pefect view to see!

Cass

1shot16 wrote: »

If you wanted to be scientific ......................

Not being smart, but no. I'll safe over scientific all day.

1shot16 wrote: »

The pellet would be going into a good 100-150 yards empty field and how can i know that there is a pefect view to see!

Look, no one is saying what you can and cannot do. It;s your call, and we are not the Gardaí.

All we are saying is be careful. If there is any doubt, any whatsoever, then don't take the shot. Think before you shot because you cannot recall the bullet when it's left the rifle.

hedzball

Backstop.

Thats all there is to it.

I shoot my 223 into trees the whole time but down in deep valleys/coastal areas where I have back drops 3-600 yards off clear line of sight..

Why take the chance you know?.

Always think of the miss.

Andy Magic

Why would you shoot a bird?

hedzball

Andy Magic wrote: »

Why would you shoot a bird?

Food, Vermin control, Sport...

1shot16

Andy Magic wrote: »

Why would you shoot a bird?

I.... *speachless*

extremetaz

1shot16 wrote: »

The pellet would be going into a good 100-150 yards empty field and how can i know that there is a pefect view to see!

If you're satisfied that the bullet isn't going to hit anything other than your target, or dirt, then as was said, it's your call - the important thing is that, as hedz has said, you must *ALWAYS* be aware of where a miss is going to go (and in the case of higher energies, a potential through-n-through). After that it's a judgement call.

Andy Magic wrote: »

Why would you shoot a bird?

Sounds like somebody just wandered onto the wrong forum (although to be entirely fair - this should 'prolly be in hunting at this stage).

recipio

1shot16 wrote: »

I.... *speachless*

I prefer to take them out on a date.