General Chat

I'm pretty certain that someone near us is letting loose with an air gun/rifle. I found a dead jackdaw in our garden yesterday, it had hit the ground with such force that its beak was embedded in the lawn - no marks, no feathers, no sign of mauling. There's a dead pigeon outside this morning - both of these birds are regular visitors to our garden, jackdaws are currently nesting nearby. If I catch someone (and I have my suspicions who it is and they live not a million miles away) I shall wrap his 'toy' around his scrawny little neck :-((((

Does anyone know the law concerning air guns?

not totally sure but air guns use to be covered by NO law at all....give the local vet a ring they may know as there should be a air gun pellet in the birds

yes, lots of laws regarding air guns. Masses of them.

Pigeons and Jackdaws are covered by the general licence issued by DEFRA and it is not illegal to shoot them. They are classed as pests.

The laws on the use of air rifles are complex and too long to relate here. But basically you can only use them on land where you have permission and the projectile must not leave the boundary of that land.

"The laws on the use of air rifles are complex and too long to relate here. But basically you can only use them on land where you have permission and the projectile must not leave the boundary of that land."

Which really should rule out the use of them in a lot of back gardens.

I often wonder why they don't class the human as a pest. After all we're probably the most destructive species on this planet.

I have no idea Sheila but I wish I had one now cos I've just had to come in from the garden to stop me from murdering next door's yappy little dog

All of the crows, ie jackdaws, magpies, rooks, jays and hoodies etc. (unfortunately not the human ones) are regarded as pests and anyone is entitled to shoot them. Woodpigeons, rabbits and grey tree rats in particular are also vermin and incidentally make for good eating.
I seem to remember that air weapons are restricted to 12 ft/lbs of spring pressure. Although it is quite easy to incease this significantly a firearms license would be required.

I forgot to ask, are you sure it isn't a sparrowhawk doing the killing? Despite the name, Pigeon is near the top of their prefered menu. A few weeks back one took out the wood pigeons that I had been fattening up all winter in my garden with a view to a free sunday lunch.

Which really should rule out the use of them in a lot of back gardens.

Hi Cat, not necessarily......... as Eldrick says the use is ok IN the garden ,or on land on which the shooter has permission to use.... provided that its is more than 50 feet from a highway.......and the pellet, mustnt leave the boundary of this land....

having said that, and I havent heard the ACTUAL facts of the story, but
some lads were using a air rifle in a garden......ok so far? BUT it was in sight of an old peoples home. and the lads were reported and the special weapons lott came along, confiscated the rifle, and I guess that warnings were given.........
I think it depends a lot on how frightened the observers were/are.......
I should think that the kids had the S**t scared out of THEM.....
Bob

lol Bob they probably did.

I was thinking about the size of gardens around here. Thinking about it there must be some gardens that would be big enough for people to use these guns in. How far does a pellet travel if not impeded by anything???