Pest Control And Sporting Rights, Where Do You Stand Legally?

[engraver 44]

Just got permission on a big farm which is great news, well I thought it was.

 

I was told today the farmer only rents the farm and doesnt have sporting rights, so can I still shoot the pigeons and crows??

 

I have got written permission but there is a keeper on there who goes mental if he sees anyone shooting and smashed up a gas gun last week because it was placed near a pen by the farmer.

 

Thing is the farm is getting hammered with pigeons, I just want to get on em but am I entering a war??

[tegater 789]

Get the farmer to show you the tenancy agreement, as that will show whether he can give permission or not.

If the keeper has smashed up the gas gun, then that is criminal damage whichever way you look at it. But..if he is working for the landowner, rather than a syndicate who rent the sporting rights, then he may be the one you have to approach.

 

You will get opinions on here, but the only way for sure is to check the small print!

[Matt 160]

I think the best thing to do in this situation is to make contact with the keeper and hope that he understands the situation. You are better off having good relations with him than making an enemy of him.

 

Depending on the deeds of the property, the occupier may not have the right to allow you to shoot winged vermin. The only pests that the occupier has the ultimate right to 'take' are rabbits and hares (Ground Game Act 1881).

 

Make friends, and try and get the keeper to understand that the farmer has to do something to protect his crops and that you'd rather not upset anyone.

[themightybuck 9]

I was going to say the exact same thing as Matt, try and get along with the keeper you never know he may need a hand to keep other vermin control or a hand beating etc which may get you a spot on the Cock/beaters day,

[kenj 131]

I had a similar situation on a farm/market garden that was overrun with rabbits. A friend said that the farmer was desperate to have them shot, so I met him and got permission over a couple of hundred acres. All was going well and over a few months, I systematically covered the ground and was reducing the numbers. One day I arrived to find about twenty cars parked up and on entering the land was approached by a couple of very angry "sportsmen", who informed me that this was their shoot and I was trespassing. If I got my rifle out they would call the police and do me for armed trespass. I showed them my written permission and they said it was only with the manager, theirs was with the land owner and they paid a lot of money to shoot pigeons over the land. They were not interested in the rabbits, but would not allow me to shoot them. I approached the manager, who rang the "boss", but got nowhere. So there you are, I was polite and professional, but still got chucked off.