KEEP IT LEGAL PEOPLE

In the UK we are allowed to shoot woodpigeon all year round. We are the only country in Europe that does not have a close season for Woodpigeon. The reasons for this I will come onto later but we ought to begin with a bit of law. Stick with me here people because if you go out and shoot Woodpigeon you better know this stuff because you need to have it completely clear in your mind if you ever get asked a question. The legislation that allows us to shoot all year is called The General Licence (GL) and there is generally quite a bit of misunderstanding about it. First of all there are many general licences and are the principal tool by which wildlife managers are able to deal with problem or pest species that enjoy protection elsewhere in law. All of them are reissued every January 1^st by Natural England. (NE) The one that concerns us is GL04. You can find it HERE on NE websiteYou must read it and understand it; you don’t have to have a copy of it but the law requires you must be familiar with its terms. I will summarise but it is up to you to read it - in short if you are asked why you shot that pigeon you must state “for the prevention of serious damage to crops”. For our purposes that is the only reason you can give. Anything else and you are not abiding by the terms of the licence. “But surely Wingbar, if pigeons are perching in a tree and shitting all over my car I can nail a couple with an air rifle to put the others off – that’s OK isn’t it?” No, it’s not – not unless you are also doing it to prevent serious damage to crops.

You also have to be an ‘authorised person’ – you have to have permission to be there. If you have ever been convicted under any of the wildlife legislation then you are automatically disqualified from being an authorised person (quite rightly in my opinion and you probably wouldn’t have a shotgun certificate anyway).

Of course it does throw up some questions – ‘What about roost shooting and flightlining – you are not actually on the field protecting crops are you? And what about stubbles – the crop has gone?.' Well I would argue that preventing serious damage to crops is a year round exercise and pre-emptive, pro-active prevention is within the terms of the GL and more importantly NE agree with that position. For more information please refer to BASC HERE who negotiate the terms of the licences every year on our behalf.

"'I am afraid I am none the wiser' 

 'That may be so my Lord, but you are certainly better informed'"

 Here endeth the lesson – let us play…