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Shooting of Birds

stephen m
05/05/2016 05:34
I was quite distraught this evening as i was sat in my garden & heard what seemed like shots.. So i went upstairs in my back bedroom only to find a neighbour shooting an air rifle into my neighbours tree at the doves & pidgeons & other birds that was around in the tree at the time. As he has no tree's in his garden & he was clearly shooting into a tree which was over his fence & about 10ft away from my garden. I had my concerns. So i called the police & reported him. As i have a pet cat that goes along the fence that i think he may also take aim at. I love seeing all the birds that come into my garden & feed them daily. Have doves, wood pidgeons, magpies, wrens, robins, blue tits etc etc. The police did not seem to concerned about it and told me that they would send someone around to speak to him! I leagaly do not know where i stand. But i do not want to see any harm come to these birds or anyone's pets! I really hope something can be done. As why shoot Birds for fun!! When they are clearly not in your garden destroying any property of yours! I have taken pics of him doing so.
  • 0 05/05/2016 07:29

    I would hate something like this happening. I don't think your neighbour is on the right side of the law by doing what he did. Here you can find the details: basc.org.uk/.../basc-air-rifle-code-of-practice. If you check under Live quarry shooting, which is what your neighbour was doing, it is clear that

    (a) He needs to have permission to use the air rifle in a neighbour's land (does he? Can you check with your neighbour?)

    (b) If there were a mixture of birds on the tree then do all these species fall within the permitted species for hunting with an air rifle? Even if the do he needs to have "the landowner’s permission" and do it (ie shoot the birds) "for one of the reasons allowed by the licence." Does he?

    (c) he surely does not comply with the reasons for shooting:

    "These reasons include:

    1. to prevent serious damage (e.g. to crops and livestock) or to prevent disease
    2. to protect and conserve flora and fauna
    3. to preserve public health or safety"

    I would follow Bob's advice and write to the commissioner, stating all the issues as indicated above (in the law) and requesting a response in writing. Add to the above that you are a nature lover and you felt personally very upset by seeing hunting from your back window as well as by the fact that you are 'forced' to hear gunshots, you feel like living in a warzone, you are concerned about what he will be shooting next as, admittedly, he has so little respect for the law as to use his riffle in an inhabited area etc etc.