No no no, YOU as an individual do NOT need a licence. We have General Licence 31 which is species specific for woodpigeon and woodpigeon alone.
So long as you have knowledge that other methods (bangers, bird scarers etc) have been used in the past & are still possibly used alongside shooting, then you are fine.
You have permission from landowners,you are there at his request to protect his crops. He knows from experience that shooting is a valuable tool to protect his livelihood.
If anyone did approach you (NE or coppers) you are purely doing it for crop protection. At no p