View Full Version : Geese shooting ban in scotland:
Geese shooting when there is a ban on shooting in Scotland due to adverse weather conditions.
Obviously it doesn't apply to everyone in Caithness.
It sounded like machine gun fire coming from the Hill of Forss area this afternoon, well over a hundred shots were fired, I stopped counting after that, must have been somebody out for one for the pot !!! (BIG POT). Seriously they were either extremely poor shots, or they were shooting far more birds than is decent even for the most uncaring hunter at any time, regardless of a ban being in force. The birds are suffering one of the most severe periods of hard weather for more than 20 years, and on the first day for weeks that the fields have been clear enough of snow to for them to start feeding, they are shot to hell by trigger happy morons with no thought for wildlife at all. As for the old chestnut "I'm doing it to protect my crops", that's total rubbish and is well past it's sell by date.
I wonder what the police have to say about shooting during a ban, that's if they even care.
nirofo.
:eek:so thats what it was, could hear it down here, dogs were scared :~(
shame on the poor birds :~(
I thought there was a clay pigeon shooting place out at Forss.
Could they have been shooting clays?
Or are you sure they were shooting geese?
orkneycadian
28-Dec-10, 17:04
The birds are suffering one of the most severe periods of hard weather for more than 20 years, and on the first day for weeks that the fields have been clear enough of snow to for them to start feeding, they are shot to hell by trigger happy morons with no thought for wildlife at all.
The weather seems to have had no effect on them whatsoever. As many as ever after the snow has thawed, as there were before it came. Theres that many of them over here now (85,000) its going to take a heck of a lot of shooting to get them under control, so a lot of folk were hopeful that the weather would do the job. Alas, it seems to not be the case, and there are as many Greylag's about as ever.
Hopefully, the ban will get lifted quickly, before it causes any more harm to the tourist industry! And hopefully next time, the birdy folk will realise that there is no need to ban shooting when it snows, as the snow seems to have no effect on their numbers whatsoever.
Mystical Potato Head
28-Dec-10, 17:32
The weather seems to have had no effect on them whatsoever. As many as ever after the snow has thawed, as there were before it came. Theres that many of them over here now (85,000) its going to take a heck of a lot of shooting to get them under control, so a lot of folk were hopeful that the weather would do the job. Alas, it seems to not be the case, and there are as many Greylag's about as ever.
Hopefully, the ban will get lifted quickly, before it causes any more harm to the tourist industry! And hopefully next time, the birdy folk will realise that there is no need to ban shooting when it snows, as the snow seems to have no effect on their numbers whatsoever.
How does it affect the tourist industry? I thought most people came to Orkney to look at birds.
The weather seems to have had no effect on them whatsoever. As many as ever after the snow has thawed, as there were before it came. Theres that many of them over here now (85,000) its going to take a heck of a lot of shooting to get them under control, so a lot of folk were hopeful that the weather would do the job. Alas, it seems to not be the case, and there are as many Greylag's about as ever.
Hopefully, the ban will get lifted quickly, before it causes any more harm to the tourist industry! And hopefully next time, the birdy folk will realise that there is no need to ban shooting when it snows, as the snow seems to have no effect on their numbers whatsoever.
Typical response from an irresponsible cowboy with his own self important interest who has no thought for wildlife whatsoever. Why do you think the birds are congregating in such large numbers, don't you think that it's probably because they are looking for areas where thay can feed that are not totally covered in snow and that they've been forced in from all over the country ???
nirofo.
The weather seems to have had no effect on them whatsoever. .
Makes you think. What is the actual effect of a shooting ban when it snows? A larger number of starved birds?
Would the geese not fly away before a hundred shots were fired?
As for clay pigeons at Forss- yes there are: http://www.kaithness-clays.co.uk/about-us
The weather seems to have had no effect on them whatsoever. As many as ever after the snow has thawed, as there were before it came. Theres that many of them over here now (85,000) its going to take a heck of a lot of shooting to get them under control, so a lot of folk were hopeful that the weather would do the job. Alas, it seems to not be the case, and there are as many Greylag's about as ever.
Hopefully, the ban will get lifted quickly, before it causes any more harm to the tourist industry! And hopefully next time, the birdy folk will realise that there is no need to ban shooting when it snows, as the snow seems to have no effect on their numbers whatsoever.
I confess I know little of country ways (but I'm keen to learn).
Why do the numbers of Geese have to be controlled? Do they attack particular crops, if so what crops are in the ground just now?
What do you do with them once you've shot say 50 of them? Apart from one for the pot will a local butcher take the rest?
How does the number of Geese have an effect on the number of tourists?
Are there different rules for different spiecies of Geese?
Are you sure they were shooting geese?
Just the proximity to the new shooting range got me wondering if you heard people having fun doing target practice...on targets not geese!
100+ shots were heard by you..geese would normally disappear after a couple of shots....
orkneycadian
28-Dec-10, 18:16
The tourism is affected, as at this time of year, the only tourists of note are Italian shooting parties that come for the geese shooting. If it were not for the Italians, more of the hotels would have to shut through the winter. For some hotels, the Italians are a very welcome winter boost.
The congregation of greylag geese here is not related to a few weeks of snow here and there. Its a problem that has been getting progressively out of hand over the last half dozen years. Its become a commonly acknowledged problem, and at one point, a local "Goose management officer" was appointed!
By not dealing with them, there will be no grass left.
The actual effect of the shooting ban during snow time seems to be diddly squat, either way. For all that are being shot, compared to the overwhelmining population of 85,000 greylags, even if 100 a day were shot in the shooting season, it would still be less than the growth in numbers year on year.
I agree it was probably clays being shot at Forss. Once you have let off a few shots at the geese, you need a lot of patience before you can get the next ones in. Rapid fire as described below, is most likely clay pigeons. Pity about the false accusations aimed at (pun intended!) the shooters....
The growth in Greylag population here these last few years is totally out of control. I think even the birdy folk would agree with that.
DeHaviLand
28-Dec-10, 18:17
Come on then nirofo, Dadie mentioned that there was a clay shoot out there. So how do you know it was geese they were shooting at? In fact, you dont know at all. Once again you have just got on your high horse and decided that some irresponsible shooter was blasting away until every last bird in Caithness was dead. If you really thought they were shooting geese, you could, and should, have phoned the police! I would have! But you didnt, because they weren't. Anyway, please feel free to carry on making an arse of yourself, I rather enjoy it. Have a happy new year.
Geese shooting when there is a ban on shooting in Scotland due to adverse weather conditions.
Obviously it doesn't apply to everyone in Caithness.
It sounded like machine gun fire coming from the Hill of Forss area this afternoon, well over a hundred shots were fired, I stopped counting after that, must have been somebody out for one for the pot !!! (BIG POT). Seriously they were either extremely poor shots, or they were shooting far more birds than is decent even for the most uncaring hunter at any time, regardless of a ban being in force. The birds are suffering one of the most severe periods of hard weather for more than 20 years, and on the first day for weeks that the fields have been clear enough of snow to for them to start feeding, they are shot to hell by trigger happy morons with no thought for wildlife at all. As for the old chestnut "I'm doing it to protect my crops", that's total rubbish and is well past it's sell by date.
I wonder what the police have to say about shooting during a ban, that's if they even care.
nirofo.
orkneycadian
28-Dec-10, 18:23
From the number of goose shooting holiday websites, with some with foreign language options, its apparant that shooting geese is important to not just Orkneys tourism!
http://www.sportingsafariscotland.com/goose_shooting.html
http://www.northeastshootingbreaks.co.uk/
http://www.safariinscotland.com/html/en/goose.html
http://www.gooseshooting.co.uk/
at one point, a local "Goose management officer" was appointed!t.
Did he goose-step around Orkney?
Walter Ego
28-Dec-10, 20:42
Geese shooting when there is a ban on shooting in Scotland due to adverse weather conditions.
Obviously it doesn't apply to everyone in Caithness.
It sounded like machine gun fire coming from the Hill of Forss area this afternoon, well over a hundred shots were fired, I stopped counting after that, must have been somebody out for one for the pot !!! (BIG POT). Seriously they were either extremely poor shots, or they were shooting far more birds than is decent even for the most uncaring hunter at any time, regardless of a ban being in force. The birds are suffering one of the most severe periods of hard weather for more than 20 years, and on the first day for weeks that the fields have been clear enough of snow to for them to start feeding, they are shot to hell by trigger happy morons with no thought for wildlife at all. As for the old chestnut "I'm doing it to protect my crops", that's total rubbish and is well past it's sell by date.
I wonder what the police have to say about shooting during a ban, that's if they even care.
nirofo.
I can't decide whether you're a complete idiot or out for a wind-up.
It's rabid ill-informed posts like this that make a laughing stock out of some of the 'anti' posters on here. Whatever credibility you had has just gone right out of the window.
Firstly, you decide that it must be Geese that are the targets. Even though you have no evidence to support this.
Secondly, your knowledge of wild goose behaviour is so appalling that you believe the the geese will just hang around waiting to be shot after the first couple of rounds have been fired.
Thirdly, you've shown rank hipocrisy by tarring a group of shooters who you can't even see as 'trigger happy morons'. Perhaps you ought to put your signature on here as 'keyboard happy moron' - just to level things up a bit.[lol]
I can't decide whether you're a complete idiot or out for a wind-up.
It's rabid ill-informed posts like this that make a laughing stock out of some of the 'anti' posters on here. Whatever credibility you had has just gone right out of the window.
Firstly, you decide that it must be Geese that are the targets. Even though you have no evidence to support this.
Secondly, your knowledge of wild goose behaviour is so appalling that you believe the the geese will just hang around waiting to be shot after the first couple of rounds have been fired.
Thirdly, you've shown rank hipocrisy by tarring a group of shooters who you can't even see as 'trigger happy morons'. Perhaps you ought to put your signature on here as 'keyboard happy moron' - just to level things up a bit.[lol]
Well said, it's bad enough for responsible shooters (be it live or target shooting) without rants like these!!!!
orkneycadian
28-Dec-10, 23:53
Did he goose-step around Orkney?
Cant quite remember what the deal was, but basically, all they did was go around saying "shooo" a few times in the day. Utter waste of time.....
canadagirl
29-Dec-10, 04:48
For general info, we also have trouble with geese in Canada, and golf courses and such can hire dogs (and their owners) to come and chase them away. Springers are usually used. It just moves the birds to another place, but otherwise they ruin golf courses and soccer fields.
orkneycadian
29-Dec-10, 09:48
The 2nd ban that came in on the 24th, and runs until midnight on the 6th, gets reviewed today. Hopefully SNH will look out their windows, see no snow (but loads of geese as usual) and rescind the ban early. :Razz
Could this have been a Boxing Day Pheasant shoot held on the 28th to observe the Sabath?
Cant quite remember what the deal was, but basically, all they did was go around saying "shooo" a few times in the day. Utter waste of time.....
They wouldn't say "Boo!"
Makes you think. What is the actual effect of a shooting ban when it snows? A larger number of starved birds?
Would the geese not fly away before a hundred shots were fired?
As for clay pigeons at Forss- yes there are: http://www.kaithness-clays.co.uk/about-us
Thought so too - this has been mentioned on the Org before: http://forum.caithness.org/archive/index.php/t-121411.html
I think someone has been "shooting" their mouth off before checking the facts.
billmoseley
29-Dec-10, 16:39
my guess it was clay pigeon shooting as there were over a 100 shots but has any spared a thought for these poor clay pigeons they spend all their live in a boxed only to get one flight and blown to pieces well except when i shoot at them and they survive
Geese shooting when there is a ban on shooting in Scotland due to adverse weather conditions.
Obviously it doesn't apply to everyone in Caithness.
It sounded like machine gun fire coming from the Hill of Forss area this afternoon, well over a hundred shots were fired, I stopped counting after that, must have been somebody out for one for the pot !!! (BIG POT). Seriously they were either extremely poor shots, or they were shooting far more birds than is decent even for the most uncaring hunter at any time, regardless of a ban being in force. The birds are suffering one of the most severe periods of hard weather for more than 20 years, and on the first day for weeks that the fields have been clear enough of snow to for them to start feeding, they are shot to hell by trigger happy morons with no thought for wildlife at all. As for the old chestnut "I'm doing it to protect my crops", that's total rubbish and is well past it's sell by date.
I wonder what the police have to say about shooting during a ban, that's if they even care.
nirofo.
Hi there Nirofo
My OH shot thirty cartridges at a steel target up there this afternoon, not sure who else was shooting in the area though but he is fully licensed and above board.
orkneycadian
29-Dec-10, 19:22
Logical explanations there.
Now, wheres nirofo gone? http://www.animateit.net/data/media/august2009/th_tumbleweed.gif
DeHaviLand
29-Dec-10, 19:42
I think nirofo now knows that his very special brand of bigotry has been exposed and that he's shown himself to be the complete fool that many have suspected him to be. Now I must go find where else on the web he has spouted his bile.
DeHaviLand
10-Jan-11, 12:15
Now that the holiday season is over, I thought I'd bring this back up just to remind nirofo that there are still unanswered questions over the issue he raised. Over to you nirofo, though I suspect you will just ignore this.
Walter Ego
10-Jan-11, 12:31
Usually, zealots will never admit their rabid fact-ignorant bile is anything less than the full truth. They cannot discuss rationally when challenged with fact. Crude deflection, cries of 'bullying/victimisation' or plain ignore is the usual tactics employed in response.
So in other words, don't hold your breath.:Razz
It's sad really, there's a lot of people out there who don't agree with shooting/hunting/whatever and I'll discuss with them quite happily.
Unfortunately, their whole stance is made mockery of by ill-informed idiots who have some chip on their shoulder regarding some silly notion of 'class war' (just think how mant times you've heard those who hunt or shoot described as 'toffs':roll:) or will use tabloid style rhetoric like 'gun toting' or 'trigger happy' to discredit people who they have never met.
Usually, zealots will never admit their rabid fact-ignorant bile is anything less than the full truth. They cannot discuss rationally when challenged with fact. Crude deflection, cries of 'bullying/victimisation' or plain ignore is the usual tactics employed in response.
So in other words, don't hold your breath.:Razz
It's sad really, there's a lot of people out there who don't agree with shooting/hunting/whatever and I'll discuss with them quite happily.
Unfortunately, their whole stance is made mockery of by ill-informed idiots who have some chip on their shoulder regarding some silly notion of 'class war' (just think how mant times you've heard those who hunt or shoot described as 'toffs':roll:) or will use tabloid style rhetoric like 'gun toting' or 'trigger happy' to discredit people who they have never met.
Or psychopaths
Unfortunately, their whole stance is made mockery of by ill-informed idiots who have some chip on their shoulder regarding some silly notion of 'class war' (just think how mant times you've heard those who hunt or shoot described as 'toffs':roll:) or will use tabloid style rhetoric like 'gun toting' or 'trigger happy' to discredit people who they have never met.
Walter, you strike me a chap who is perfectly balanced, you have a chip on both shoulders,
so why can you not accept the fact that the majority of people in this country do not like any people, irrespective of their "class", killing animals for sport.
Walter Ego
10-Jan-11, 15:16
Walter, you strike me a chap who is perfectly balanced, you have a chip on both shoulders,
so why can you not accept the fact that the majority of people in this country do not like any people, irrespective of their "class", killing animals for sport.
I knew I should have put money on it.......
BTW. Can you back up your 'fact'?
Walter Ego
10-Jan-11, 15:18
Or psychopaths
Like I said, Ducati. Balanced argument......
Unless you're going to do a Fred and bang on about the definition of a psychopath, that is.
orkneycadian
10-Jan-11, 16:03
.... the fact that the majority of people in this country do not like any people, irrespective of their "class", killing animals for sport.
Except that in many cases, killing vermin is not for sport, but essential. As mentioned in another thread, SNH have been killing mink, who they believe are vermin. They apparantly had a lot of volunteers helping them, so it would appear that all of those people are not averse to killing vermin.
Anyone that buys fly-papers, flyspray, mousetraps, rat poison, has splatted a wasp against the window with a newspaper, has had their dog/cat/rabbit/themselves treated for fleas/worms/ticks, has used anti-lice shampoo on their kids has killed what they consider vermin. I'd be willing to wager that the majority of people in this country have killed some creature(s) of some sort at some point in their lives because they found it/them an unwanted pest that was in the wrong place at the wrong time and/or breeding out of control.
Geese are heading that way all over Scotland (and have been in that category for quite a few years now)
Now that the holiday season is over, I thought I'd bring this back up just to remind nirofo that there are still unanswered questions over the issue he raised. Over to you nirofo, though I suspect you will just ignore this.
I never ignore anything that involves any wildlife and it's protection, and unlike some who like to make spurious personal comments that have no bearing on the theme of the post, I am not afraid to admit it when I may have got it wrong and I may well have on this occasion. I do however emphasise may have, why, because no one has come forward to say there was definately a clay pigeon shoot taking place at Hill of Forss that day only that Kaithness Clays hold shoots in Caithness. But then their shoots are held at the old American Naval base at Forss which is miles away and in the opposite direction, in any case their web page says there would be no shoots taking place over the festive season, (http://forum.caithness.org/showthread.php?130410-KAITHNESS-CLAYS-Clay-Pigeon-Shooting). Kas says her OH fired about 30 shots at a steel target, but that was the day after and there were many more than 30 shots fired anyway. I agree it would be most unusual for Geese to stay around for very long after a salvo of shots had been fired, but when they are desperate for food they may be forced to return to the same place. I appreciate that large numbers of geese can have a serious impact on certain crops, however, there are many more humane ways of dealing with this without large scale shooting of the birds. As for being a bigot, well yes, especially when it comes to my opinion of wildlife persecution, and I think that only those with their own agenda with regards to wildlife protection would consider my views on the subject as spouting bile. And finally, yes, I am a fool, fool enough to believe that the law will eventually put an end to all wildlife persecution.
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