UK Herons - (for Kathy)

To answer your question without having to wade through all the OT traffic
polluting the thread...

Yes, herons (and almost all wild birds) are a protected species in UK. Not
only that, but it's illegal for private individuals to own any firearm
(which includes shotguns) so predators (non-human) can only be deterred by
passive means.

I, too, had my pond cleaned out by a heron. I grew up in farming country
where shotguns were part of life (for rats, rabbiting, etc). Nearly 50 years
ago, a friend aged 14 accidentally shot/killed another friend, climbing over
a stile and fell, gun in hand, whilst rabbiting.

Deterrance, not extermination, is the civilised solution. "Final" solutions
have potential for disaster.

Sincerely, Len

"Yabbadoo" wrote in message
...
To answer your question without having to wade through all the OT traffic
polluting the thread...

Yes, herons (and almost all wild birds) are a protected species in UK. Not only
that, but it's illegal for private individuals to own any firearm (which
includes shotguns) so predators (non-human) can only be deterred by passive
means.

I, too, had my pond cleaned out by a heron. I grew up in farming country where
shotguns were part of life (for rats, rabbiting, etc). Nearly 50 years ago, a
friend aged 14 accidentally shot/killed another friend, climbing over a stile
and fell, gun in hand, whilst rabbiting.

Deterrance, not extermination, is the civilised solution. "Final" solutions
have potential for disaster.

Sincerely, Len

Thank you. We seem to be sliding down a very muddy slope into a pit of barbaric
mob behavior of late.

Yabbadoo wrote Yes, herons (and almost all wild birds) are a
protected species in UK. Not
only that, but it's illegal for private individuals to own any firearm
(which includes shotguns) so predators (non-human) can only be deterred
by
passive means.

So I've got the wrong picture of the UK in my head?
I picture folks out with their shotguns and dogs hunting
game birds like all those scenes on Masterpiece Theatre?

kathy ;-)

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 13:24:27 GMT, "Yabbadoo"
wrote:

Yes, herons (and almost all wild birds) are a protected species in UK. Not
only that, but it's illegal for private individuals to own any firearm
(which includes shotguns) so predators (non-human) can only be deterred by
passive means.

You have my sympathy.

Regards,

Hal

"kathy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Yabbadoo wrote Yes, herons (and almost all wild birds) are a
protected species in UK. Not
only that, but it's illegal for private individuals to own any firearm
(which includes shotguns) so predators (non-human) can only be deterred
by
passive means.

So I've got the wrong picture of the UK in my head?
I picture folks out with their shotguns and dogs hunting
game birds like all those scenes on Masterpiece Theatre?

And saying "Jolly Good" a lot.


--
BV
Webporgmaster of iheartmypond.com
http://www.iheartmypond.com
I'll be leaning on the bus stop post.

I believe you can own a firearm in the UK. You have to keep it at a gun club
where you can go visit it.


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"Yabbadoo" wrote in message
...
| To answer your question without having to wade through all the OT traffic
| polluting the thread...
|
| Yes, herons (and almost all wild birds) are a protected species in UK. Not
| only that, but it's illegal for private individuals to own any firearm
| (which includes shotguns) so predators (non-human) can only be deterred by
| passive means.
|
| I, too, had my pond cleaned out by a heron. I grew up in farming country
| where shotguns were part of life (for rats, rabbiting, etc). Nearly 50
years
| ago, a friend aged 14 accidentally shot/killed another friend, climbing
over
| a stile and fell, gun in hand, whilst rabbiting.
|
| Deterrance, not extermination, is the civilised solution. "Final"
solutions
| have potential for disaster.
|
| Sincerely, Len
|
|

Yes, Kathy, organised "shoots" are still a pastime of the UK rich (not
unusual to pay up to £1000 a head for this "sport"). They're held
exclusively on private estates, and the "stands" (shooter's positions)
located away (and pointing away) from public roads and paths. They are not
on moors or similar tracts of public land.

My intended point is that no hand-gun or rifle can be legally owned and kept
at home. The few licences now granted require such guns to be kept in a
locked armoury at a gun club. Shotgun licenses for farmers, gamkeepers and
the like (for pest control) are now much more tightly controlled and
enforced. Possession of any unlicensed firearm is, I believe, a crime with a
mandatory jail sentence in its own right, whether or not any other crime is
committed.

I live in a little village. I can sit out in the yard overlooking the
countryside and enjoy my pond without the remotest possibility of a
"drive-by" shooting or accidental firearm discharge posing a danger, unlike
many parts of the world where gun ownership is rife and legal, as is lack of
control of the owners.

Sincerely, Len.

"Benign Vanilla" wrote in message
...

"kathy" wrote in message
oups.com...
Yabbadoo wrote Yes, herons (and almost all wild birds) are a
protected species in UK. Not
only that, but it's illegal for private individuals to own any firearm
(which includes shotguns) so predators (non-human) can only be deterred
by
passive means.

So I've got the wrong picture of the UK in my head?
I picture folks out with their shotguns and dogs hunting
game birds like all those scenes on Masterpiece Theatre?

And saying "Jolly Good" a lot.


--
BV
Webporgmaster of iheartmypond.com
http://www.iheartmypond.com
I'll be leaning on the bus stop post.

"Yabbadoo" wrote in message
news
Yes, Kathy, organised "shoots" are still a pastime of the UK rich (not
unusual to pay up to £1000 a head for this "sport"). They're held
exclusively on private estates, and the "stands" (shooter's positions)
located away (and pointing away) from public roads and paths. They are not
on moors or similar tracts of public land.
snip

Come on, come on...do you also say Jolly Good a lot?


--
BV
Webporgmaster of iheartmypond.com
http://www.iheartmypond.com
I'll be leaning on the bus stop post.

Now that you mention it.... one of my favorite authors
who lives and places his series in England had a gun
club in his book. And his name and characters are
completely escaping me.... it was even a TV series.
Gruff, big, old commander, intellectual assistant dectective,
gay patrolman (of sorts, his title is also escaping me) wife
of the assistant detective some kind of academic.they
have a little girl. Set in Yorkshire. Should have a new book out
soon...
aaarrggh, this is going to drive me nuts all day!

kathy

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 13:00:49 -0500, Benign Vanilla wrote:

Come on, come on...do you also say Jolly Good a lot?

Oh yes, rather! Quite a few 'What Ho?'s too, don't you know.
I've alway found thin wires jolly good at deterring those pesky Herons,
what, if you put them around, dash it, the whole pond area, they don't
get in the bally way of the pond what! Jolly good show too.

Tally Ho!

Graham