Over the last 3-4 weeks we’ve heard several sustained periods of what sounds like shotguns being fired locally. There are no ranges nearby and neither are there any shoots going on. We reckon its a teenage whose been given a “present” and is out impressing his mates somewhere in the woods/fields, especially now school’s out.

No way of telling what direction it’s coming from. Surrounded by fields, woods, a few farms and not many houses.

Anything we can do to investigate as it really doesn’t sound good?

Sounds like a bird scarer to me.

Yes they are.

Never happened in these parts before though Flashy. Just doesn’t feel right IYKWIM.

Is it waking tarquin up ?

Part of living in the countryside im afraid.

Once you own and license a shotgun you can fire away randomly to your heart’s content.

And I see you’re surrounded by fields, farms and woods. That’s exactly where people do it.

I’d guess a bird scarer…

Was cucling down in Alton the other day when one went off. Scared the bejesus out of me!

You live in a rural area and are surprised to hear shotgun fire? I have heard it in every rural location I have lived .Probably farm boys lamping for bunnies

We both grew up in the country so are not averse to what happens in these parts. But like I said, we’ve never heard it like this before. I reckon 100 shots have been fired since midday alone.

Someone rich then. That sounds like a private shoot of some description

Clay pidgeon practising?

I have a friend with a license who often takes us out for a shoot/lamping.

Landowner’s permission and that? If the landowner heard it going on without having given consent, wouln’t they take action? And, with luck, someone will comment about how close to a right-of-way it’s allowed.

oooh….lamping for bunnies. What you do in the winter at night, when you aren’t out riding.

Bird Scarer + 1 probably.

Otherwise, someone expending a lot of powder and lead. As said before, if they have a licence and permission to shoot on the land they can bang away to their heart’s content or until they run out of money.

Maybe Big Vern has escaped the city, and is hiding out for his last stand. Have there been any cries of ‘you’ll never take me alive coppa!’

sounds like a private shoot of some description

Yes, probably the most likely scenario methinks.

private shoot

bang away to their heart’s content

Fnaar, fnaar.

someone will comment about how close to a right-of-way it’s allowed.

Judging by the fact one of our neighbors stands with his back to the major A road shooting clays into his field, I’d say pretty close.

private shoot?
you must be townies then, most country dwellers will be aware of the seasons for game, it could be a bird scarer, people pigeon shooting or clays and as for ‘pretty close’ i think its 45yds from the queens highway but it’s a while since i have perused the firearms act.

someone will comment about how close to a right-of-way it’s allowed.

Ok, I’ll bite – from BASC :

In England and Wales it is an offence without lawful authority or reasonable excuse to discharge any firearm within fifty feet of the centre of a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway, and in consequence a user of the carriageway is injured, interrupted or endangered. [Section 161(2) of the Highways Act 1980 as amended]. It is important to remember that the discharge of a firearm is not prohibited in itself. It must also be proved that there was an injury, or that someone’s passage was interrupted or interfered with e.g. they have been forced to make a detour.

For the purposes of Section 161 (2) of the Highways Act 1980 (as amended), a ‘highway’ is restricted to a public right of way for the passage of vehicles and does not include footpaths, cycle tracks or bridleways. Therefore the fifty feet rule described above does not apply to rights of ways that cross private lands e.g. footpaths.

Come on fellas – it’s not a bird scarer – these things are called craw bangers. Craw banging deviants is what’s causing your problems.

Its my land rover on over run 😉

Clay pidgeon practising?

There’s a farm near me where you regularly see a couple of guys shooting clay pidgeons on a Sunday afternoon. Couple of shots every two minutes. I thought it was a bit wild at first (it’s not even that rural), until I seen what was going on.

you must be townies then

Nope, very much a country boy. Perhaps I should have clarified as a private clay shoot. Used to operate the traps for a big estate where I grew up.

Firing randomly would be bad, could end up shooting themselves.
Down with random shooting I say.

Clay pidgeon practising?

Whatever next? China patois rehearsals?

No railways nearby?

Odds on its someone shooting pigeons… Bit of red currant jelly and some lardons – nomnomnom 🙂

Whatever next? China Porcelain patois rehearsals?

“You live in a rural area and are surprised to hear shotgun fire? I have heard it in every rural location I have lived.”

Hear random shooting a lot. Everyones packing in somerset, and everyones mums. It’s normal.

Cornetto anyone?

Possibly someone with one of these:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_o3YsUVAyQ&sns=em[/video]
UTS15 twin magazine semi-auto shotgun: perfect for when zombies attack. Fourteen rounds in the mags and one in the chamber. 😀
http://world.guns.ru/shotgun/tr/shotgun-utas-uts-15-e.html

Life is good.

The ultimate anti zombie weapon I reckon.

Pah!

commercial clay pigeon shoot are subject to planning law so if it carries on and is a nuisance you can pursue it thru planning or if you think its ok you can go join in and contribute tosome bastard making a lot of noise and generating a lot of extra traffic to make some money