Decoying Woodies?

[andyhawkx3]

Have you been watching Pedro's Swedish DVD's again?

Shuuuuuush

[D4V1D]

Have you been watching Pedro's Swedish DVD's again?

Shuuuuuush

You two have gone a bit off topic . I have read though the terms of the general license & it makes no reference to baiting. At BASC They have a picture of two pigeons landing in a field that has been harvested. If you were to shoot a pigeon in a this (stubble) field how could you say that you were doing it for crop protection?. The crop has already been taken away, so there is no way a pigeon could do any damage to it.

This make no sense to me & shoots a slight hole in your argument. Baiting / decoys it has the same aim, to get the pray in closer. But I can't find the law that covers the part about Baiting and it bugging me.

[andyhawkx3]

You two have gone a bit off topic . I have read though the terms of the general license & it makes no reference to baiting. At BASC They have a picture of two pigeons planning in a field that has been harvested. If you were to shoot a pigeon in a stubble how could you say that you were doing it for crop protection?. The crop has already been taken away, so there is no way a pigeon could any damage it.

This make no sense to me & shoots a slight hole in your argument.

That's a easy one, the corn or wheat was not deliberately put there by you or anyone, to entice the birds in so you can shoot them ...so why are you shooting them ..so as when the field is replanted, you don't get the pigeons/crows back again, there-for keeping down the pest bird population not wipe them out, just keep down the numbers

[andyhawkx3]

Have a read of this...
Wildlife Offences: Legal Guidance: The Crown Prosecution Service

[D4V1D]

Have a read of this...
Wildlife Offences: Legal Guidance: The Crown Prosecution Service

Thats a very large page could you please be more precise. I could see no reference to baiting. But this also got myself confused,

Section 5(1)(d) prohibits the use of a decoy to kill or take any wild bird, or any sound recording or a live bird or animal which is tethered, secured, blind, maimed or injured. Strange when decoy pigeons are sold for this very purpose.

I did find this in there,

Protection of wild birds

For the purposes of Part 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 a 'wild bird' is defined at Section 27 as "any bird of a kind, which is ordinarily resident in, or a visitor to Great Britain in a wild state but does not include poultry (Domestic fowl, geese, ducks, guinea-fowl, pigeons, quail and turkey) or, except in Sections 5 and 16, any game bird (i.e. Pheasant, Partridge, Grouse or moor game, Black or heath game or Ptarmigan). The same section also defines both "poultry" and "game bird". You may require the assistance of an expert in order to establish that the bird in question is either "ordinarily resident in" or a" visitor" to Great Britain <see section 27 WCA 1981>.


A General Licence to kill or take certain birds has been issued by MAFF (now DEFRA).
The licenCe permits the use of cage-traps (or nets or by any other method prohibited by Section 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) or to take, damage or destroy their nests of, or to take or destroy the eggs, of certain pest species.
The pest species which an "authorised person" in all counties of England may take between 1 January and 31 December 2001 are as follows:

• Crow
• Dove Collard
• Gull, Greater Black-backed
• Gull, Lesser Black-backed
• Gull, Herring
• Jackdaw
• Jay
• Magpie
• Pigeon, Feral
• Rook
• Sparrow, House
• Starling
• Wood pigeon

The license also permits shooting of the said species, providing always that the provisions of Section 5 WCA 1981 are complied with.


SECTION 5

Statutory defence; section 5(4)

It is a defence under section 5(4) WCA 1981 to show that the article was set in position for the purpose of killing or taking in the interests of public health, agriculture, or nature conservation any wild animal which could be lawfully taken by those means, and that all reasonable precautions were taken to prevent injury to wild birds. <see section 5(4) WCA 1981>.

Top of page
Prohibited Use of weapons, decoys, vehicles.

Section 5(1) (c) prohibits the use of various forms of weapons either to kill or take wild birds. These include crossbows, night-sights, automatic or semi-automatic weapons and shotguns with wide barrels. <see Section 5(1) WCA 1981>.
Section 5(1)(d) prohibits the use of a decoy to kill or take any wild bird, or any sound recording or a live bird or animal which is tethered, secured, blind, maimed or injured.
The use of any vehicle (or aircraft, hovercraft or boat - <see section 27 WCA 1981> in immediate pursuit of a wild bird; 5(1)(e).
Top of page
Causing or Permitting

Knowingly causing or permitting any such act.5 (1)(f).

[andyhawkx3]

Section 5(1)(d) prohibits the use of a decoy to kill or take any wild bird, or any sound recording or a live bird or animal which is tethered, secured, blind, maimed or injured. Strange when decoy pigeons are sold for this very purpose.


If you read it again, its about using 'live' bird decoys

[andyhawkx3]

Section 5(1)(d) prohibits the use of a decoy to kill or take any wild bird, or any sound recording or a live bird or animal which is tethered, secured, blind, maimed or injured. Strange when decoy pigeons are sold for this very purpose.


If you read it again, its about using 'live' bird decoys

having said that, not sure if you can still use these under special licence ...anybody know ...
Larsen traps, side entry larsen traps, top entry larsen traps, crow traps, magpie traps

[greg]

as this reads, it seems to include decoys,recordings and live deeks

[andyhawkx3]

as this reads, it seems to include decoys,recordings and live deeks

As I said, these laws are very complicated

[Poacher]

The W&C Act gives all birds the same protection. You cannot decoy or bait any bird. BUT The General Licence gives exemptions to that. It lists species and methods allowed and specifies who can control. The GL is amended periodically. The reaon for the GL is to allow tweaks to the W&C Act without it all having to go through Parliament every time an amendment is required.

Woodies over stubble or crops are deemed to be responsible for serious damage to crops - hence they can be controlled using all legal methods including decoying providing you can demonstrate that other methods of control - i.e. scarecrows and gas guns, are ineffective. I would suggest that if you lured wood pigeons into a crop field using a loaf of bread then the Magistrates might take a lot of convincing that they were actually looking to feed on the crop. Luring them in using decoys is different. The birds are intending to feed on the crop.

Woodies in your garden would not normally be deemed to be responsible for serious damage to crops, and luring them into your garden to be shot would also breach the second part in relation to trying other methods to deter them.

Squirrels are responsible for damage to trees and crops and also can be controlled to protect wild birds. You can bait them in order to control them anywhere that you have authority to do so.

Corvids can be controlled to protect bird species and again decoying or baiting is permitted if you have authority.

Rats and feral pigeons can be baited to preserve health and prevent the spread of diseases if you have authority. Feral pigeons are the only birds that you can legally lamp.