Pigeons - can I shoot them??
08 January 2002, 08:29 AM
#1
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We have had an influx of pigeons (normal grey trafalgar sq type, not wood ) recently and now they are crapping on the cars the roofs of houses all over the place, they are building nests in our gutters dislodging tiles getting into neighbours lofts, breeding like rabbits and all you can hear is constant cooing, spoke to the local borough enviromental officer who didnt give a **** "we dont deal with pigeons" who does "dont know", can i shoot them "sorry i cant help you goodbye", obviously local government is as bad a central government!!
So I will now take matters into my own hands as im fed up with these vermin 5hitting all over the scoob and anything else they fancy, what i need to know is am i legally entitled to discharge an air rifle on my own property, i would imagine i can if it was at a paper target but im not sure about taking out a few pigeons (20+)on my roof, obviously I would remove the corpses.
Anyone else had similar problems, my theory is if i kill a couple the others will pi55 off sharpish and never return, is this possible will a couple of contract killings scare off the entire posse??
Any ideas where I stand legally incase I get some snotty neighbour complaining, even though i'd be doing them a favour.
Thanks for any info because they are doing my head in now.
Dave
So I will now take matters into my own hands as im fed up with these vermin 5hitting all over the scoob and anything else they fancy, what i need to know is am i legally entitled to discharge an air rifle on my own property, i would imagine i can if it was at a paper target but im not sure about taking out a few pigeons (20+)on my roof, obviously I would remove the corpses.
Anyone else had similar problems, my theory is if i kill a couple the others will pi55 off sharpish and never return, is this possible will a couple of contract killings scare off the entire posse??
Any ideas where I stand legally incase I get some snotty neighbour complaining, even though i'd be doing them a favour.
Thanks for any info because they are doing my head in now.
Dave
08 January 2002, 09:05 AM
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As I understand it the winged rats are classed as vermin (along with grey squirrels, rats with good PR or rats with fancy tails) and you can shoot them. The problem come with the actual shooting rather than the target in this case. It is illegal to discharge a firearm (does this include air weapons?) within a certain distance of a public highway, you would need to check the distance but 25m rings a bell. Also the projectile has to stay on your property. If you are shooting up to your roof there is a good chance that any misses will go over the roof and onward possibly doing more damage to cars than a bit of bird ****. In my experience it is unlikely to frighten them away very quickly anyway.
If you do decide to shoot them anyway only aim for the breast and from the front, any side shot will bounce off the folded wings and the head is too small. Another consideration is the type of tile on your roof I would thionk that slate might crack being very brittle.
I think the best bet would be to wire the roof or a high powered hose to frighten them off would probably be as good as an air gun!
Statutory disclaimer!! Correct to the best of my knowledge but don't quote me
Dan
If you do decide to shoot them anyway only aim for the breast and from the front, any side shot will bounce off the folded wings and the head is too small. Another consideration is the type of tile on your roof I would thionk that slate might crack being very brittle.
I think the best bet would be to wire the roof or a high powered hose to frighten them off would probably be as good as an air gun!
Statutory disclaimer!! Correct to the best of my knowledge but don't quote me
Dan
08 January 2002, 09:36 AM
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Distance from the public highway sounds about right. Or was it 50ft (which is only about 17m)?
We used to shoot woodpigeon in our back garden. We got the neighbours' permission to shoot over theirs as well, so we had ISTR 5 gardens' range (and each garden 200ft long). You can keep quite a lot out over that distance.
Note that neighbours will expect you to collect the corpse yourself. Rotting bodies lodged in gutters by a bedroom window smell, um, fowl.
If you can't get neighbours' permission, I guarantee that the birds will all sit slightly behind the fence and annoy you.
You can try with a breast shot with decent pellets. If you want to go for the head (cleanest kill) practice putting most of your shots into a group the size of a 50p piece.
BJH
We used to shoot woodpigeon in our back garden. We got the neighbours' permission to shoot over theirs as well, so we had ISTR 5 gardens' range (and each garden 200ft long). You can keep quite a lot out over that distance.
Note that neighbours will expect you to collect the corpse yourself. Rotting bodies lodged in gutters by a bedroom window smell, um, fowl.
If you can't get neighbours' permission, I guarantee that the birds will all sit slightly behind the fence and annoy you.
You can try with a breast shot with decent pellets. If you want to go for the head (cleanest kill) practice putting most of your shots into a group the size of a 50p piece.
BJH
08 January 2002, 09:39 AM
#4
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Home office police guidelines can be found here:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/pcrg/fi...oliceguide.pdf
Re discharging a firearm in a built up area:
"It is an offence to fire a gun within 50 feet of a roadway, public footpath or bridleway if by doing so any member of the public is endangered. It is an offence to carry a loaded gun in a public place without good reason. An gun may be considered loaded even if the bullets (or pellets in thecase of air rifles) are in a detached magazine."
BTW, collared doves look like pigeons to some people, and it is NOT permitted to shoot them.
I would say that as a shooter, if I were in your position, I would not risk it.....
Oh, and as for the pigeons getting the message and clearing off....they are the stupidest bird known to man (apart from the pheasants round here that have no road sense) and you would have to shoot every single one in London before they got the message.....
I had rooks waking me up at 4am every day last spring, they are smart, but I had to shoot five out of the back bedroom window before they got the message and cleared off
BTW, I live in a rural area with only farmland round me....
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/pcrg/fi...oliceguide.pdf
Re discharging a firearm in a built up area:
"It is an offence to fire a gun within 50 feet of a roadway, public footpath or bridleway if by doing so any member of the public is endangered. It is an offence to carry a loaded gun in a public place without good reason. An gun may be considered loaded even if the bullets (or pellets in thecase of air rifles) are in a detached magazine."
BTW, collared doves look like pigeons to some people, and it is NOT permitted to shoot them.
I would say that as a shooter, if I were in your position, I would not risk it.....
Oh, and as for the pigeons getting the message and clearing off....they are the stupidest bird known to man (apart from the pheasants round here that have no road sense) and you would have to shoot every single one in London before they got the message.....
I had rooks waking me up at 4am every day last spring, they are smart, but I had to shoot five out of the back bedroom window before they got the message and cleared off
BTW, I live in a rural area with only farmland round me....
08 January 2002, 09:55 AM
#5
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Thanks for the info and links guys, i'm within the limits and will seek the OK from neighbours, im sure they would be more than happy to put an end to this nuisance.
Cheers
Dave
Cheers
Dave
08 January 2002, 11:05 AM
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interesting!
I have a problem with squirrels, they are more numerous than ever and kill the trees by stripping the bark. And they don't bother hibernating any more due to mild winters and urban food availability.
Is it legal to shoot magpies? These seem to have mushroomed in recent years and are odious creatures.
Bloody hard to hit with an air rifle too.
The 50 foot rule is not therefore absolute: note the clause "if by doing so a mameber of the public is endangered.." which allows for an argument that noone was endagered.
I have a problem with squirrels, they are more numerous than ever and kill the trees by stripping the bark. And they don't bother hibernating any more due to mild winters and urban food availability.
Is it legal to shoot magpies? These seem to have mushroomed in recent years and are odious creatures.
Bloody hard to hit with an air rifle too.
The 50 foot rule is not therefore absolute: note the clause "if by doing so a mameber of the public is endangered.." which allows for an argument that noone was endagered.
08 January 2002, 11:23 AM
#7
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zoog
ALL the corvid family (crows, rooks, magpies, jackdaws, jays) can be shot.
I have a rule in our garden - ANY creature/bird is free to come as long as they don't wake me up/don't cause any damage.
The rooks went, the tree rats are safe so far.....
(country boy, waiting for an outcry from the townies...."oh those squirrels, they are so cute", etc - BANG)
ALL the corvid family (crows, rooks, magpies, jackdaws, jays) can be shot.
I have a rule in our garden - ANY creature/bird is free to come as long as they don't wake me up/don't cause any damage.
The rooks went, the tree rats are safe so far.....
(country boy, waiting for an outcry from the townies...."oh those squirrels, they are so cute", etc - BANG
)
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08 January 2002, 11:28 AM
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It must be pointed out it is the GREY squirrel that can be taken out, the RED squirrel is very protected.
The grey is an import from America and cause massive amounts of damage.
BTW IMHO Magpies are great much better than the seagulls that have moved into my part of Herts! Actually the Magpies are doing a rather good job of doing over the gulls, organised to. I watched fascinated as four Magpies picked on one gull at a time until they all left!
Mark
The grey is an import from America and cause massive amounts of damage.
BTW IMHO Magpies are great much better than the seagulls that have moved into my part of Herts! Actually the Magpies are doing a rather good job of doing over the gulls, organised to. I watched fascinated as four Magpies picked on one gull at a time until they all left!
Mark
08 January 2002, 01:28 PM
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"Can I shoot Pigeons ?" Why yes sir, yes you can.
But it's much more fun/better challenge/might only stun them(for the townies) with a catapault
Nab him - jab him - tab him - grab him,
Stop that pigeon now!
But it's much more fun/better challenge/might only stun them(for the townies) with a catapault
Nab him - jab him - tab him - grab him,
Stop that pigeon now!
08 January 2002, 06:16 PM
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I remember a program on Discovery, some bloke walked to his garage and shot the Pigeons of the roof.
They ended up in a pie. Meant to taste quite nice.
mmmmmmmm free food.
Dave, pisses me off when you get Townies bitching about what happens in the country side. Most of the time they probably havent mooched past Hyde Park.
P. (Not exactly a country bumpkin, but not a townie, some where in between).
They ended up in a pie. Meant to taste quite nice.
mmmmmmmm free food.
Dave, pisses me off when you get Townies bitching about what happens in the country side. Most of the time they probably havent mooched past Hyde Park.
P. (Not exactly a country bumpkin, but not a townie, some where in between).
09 January 2002, 03:50 PM
#13
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The Munkii 1
Pigeons 0
poor bugger dived off the roof looped the loop and smacked into the fence, one a day should send the right signal
Sith - I couldnt put it in a pie, what about all the diseases they carry.
Animal lovers pls note this is not for sport its WAR
Pigeons 0
poor bugger dived off the roof looped the loop and smacked into the fence, one a day should send the right signal
Sith - I couldnt put it in a pie, what about all the diseases they carry.
Animal lovers pls note this is not for sport its WAR
09 January 2002, 03:57 PM
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I've an idea,
Why not link up with those who have a gripe on the other thread 'Annoying *****' and take these cats away to resolve their problem. You can then use the cats to erradicate the pigeon problem.
Thing is you get rid of the pigeon sh?t to be replaced by the cat sh?t. LOL!
Why not link up with those who have a gripe on the other thread 'Annoying *****' and take these cats away to resolve their problem. You can then use the cats to erradicate the pigeon problem.
Thing is you get rid of the pigeon sh?t to be replaced by the cat sh?t. LOL!
09 January 2002, 03:58 PM
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I've an idea,
Why not link up with those who have a gripe on the other thread 'Annoying *****' and take these cats away to resolve their problem. You can then use the cats to erradicate the pigeon problem.
Thing is you get rid of the pigeon sh?t to be replaced by the cat sh?t. LOL!
Why not link up with those who have a gripe on the other thread 'Annoying *****' and take these cats away to resolve their problem. You can then use the cats to erradicate the pigeon problem.
Thing is you get rid of the pigeon sh?t to be replaced by the cat sh?t. LOL!
09 January 2002, 06:52 PM
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Hi
try one of those plastic owls or hawks pidgeons dont come near ,think you can buy them at gun shops
ssubaru
ps if you think i am takeing p111ss just contact ferry terminals stops seagulls comeing any where near boat they all stay on far side of harbour
try one of those plastic owls or hawks pidgeons dont come near ,think you can buy them at gun shops
ssubaru
ps if you think i am takeing p111ss just contact ferry terminals stops seagulls comeing any where near boat they all stay on far side of harbour
10 January 2002, 11:43 AM
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You do pluck and then cook the pigeons, wouldn't suggest you eat them raw. Some dear old lady has been feeding the pigeons round our way, as a result we have loadsa pigeons now. Our gutters have turned into window boxes from the seeds in the ****.
P.
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