Hammergun
member
Reged: 23/06/2008
Posts: 12
|
|
My in-laws have a .75 Acre garden, which I sometimes shoot my air rifle in. My question is - given a safe backstop and that no pellet leaves the property - and that I am a SGC holder, can I shoot a 9mm garden gun there? This is really a hypothetical question, as I think the noise would cause complaint, but I'd like to know the rules.......
|
Alastair_Balmain
stranger
Reged: 18/08/2006
Posts: 93
|
|
Hi Hammergun,
Firstly I would point out that I'm not a specialist, but as I understand it, technically with their permission (assuming they own the sporting rights to the .75 acre) you would be entitled to shoot within the confines of your in-laws garden.
Evidently the key consideration would be safety and in this case you would have to assure yourself quite carefully that there is sufficient backstop for any shot and that any shot discharged will return to earth safely — given the confines of the garden, that would need to be well thought through.
Secondly, I would say that there is also the consideration of shooting on or near the highway — it is an offence to discharge a a firearm within 50ft of a highway if in consequence a user of the highway is injured, interrupted or endangered.
As you said, the noise nuisance may preclude the activity anyway, in which case you would invariably find that your airgun is perhaps better suited to the situation.
What are you intending to shoot? I assume the purpose would be pest control of some form?
Does anyone else have a view or experience of shooting in a relatively enclosed area which they would like to share?
Alastair.
--------------------
Alastair Balmain, Deputy editor, Shooting Times
|
Hammergun
member
Reged: 23/06/2008
Posts: 12
|
|
Thanks Alastair - much appreciated, that's what I had thought. It was (mostly) a hypothetical question, but I suppose rats/squirrels would be the only legitimate quarry. I wonder - might protecting the mother-in-laws' vegetable plot from the pigeon hordes count as 'crop protection'? 
My Hushpower .410 might be a bit much....
|
Alastair_Balmain
stranger
Reged: 18/08/2006
Posts: 93
|
|
Simple answer to that one - The open general licence WML 05 allows the lethal control of woodpigeons for the purpose of "preventing serious damage to livestock, food for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters".
Your mother-in-law's peas would most certainly qualify.
--------------------
Alastair Balmain, Deputy editor, Shooting Times
|
LordScotchCorner
member
Reged: 15/07/2008
Posts: 2
|
|
I had exactly this problem last year when I let fly at a fox with a 12 bore. Exactly as per Alastairs comments ref. distance from the centre of the road etc. Only problem was that my new neighbours (new to the country) were police officers who I suspect quietly reported me to the firearms dept. I was called in to explain and explain I did, I keep livestock, expensive to replace, safe backdrop, nobody on the road, more than 50m from the centre of the highway etc, didn't use the quieter .22 for fear of ricochet etc. all done with BASC advice. Basc were marvellous. What the firearms officer explained (absolutely not a threat of course  ) was that if I persisted to blast vermin late at night they may take steps to rescind my certificate on the grounds that this constituted irresponsible use. Basc were yet more brilliant, and I wrote to the head of the firearms dept asking for an explanation and reassurance/confirmation that I had done no wrong and that no black marks were registered against me, and that my letter remain on file next to the complaint from my neighbour. I did receive a letter. BASC paid for their subscription ten times over that day. I have a little shrine next to my gun cabinet with a picture of Mike Eveleigh in it. I light a candle every time I go out with the bazooka. On a serious note ref the remark on potential action along the lines of irresponsible use, Basc reckoned on the information I had provided that if I ended up in court, I would have a very good case. Never wise to fly too close to the sun though! I have found humane traps cause less fuss, just dread having to let an enraged moggy out. now let's see if I get a snap inspection!
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
