BASC is quite often ridiculous, but their guidance on shooting and explanation of what Lockdown2 means for shooting is quite clear and really very sensible (although if readers can spot exceptions to that then comment away here!).
Driven shooting is off (and the grouse shooting season ends on 9 December anyway) but rough shooting and wildfowling are both possible if you follow the rules, and one of the rules that will be challenging for shooters, and birders alike, will be the ‘don’t travel far’ exhortation.
I’ll be returning to the gamebirds victory at lunch time.
[registration_form]
We in Wales come out of Lockdown next Monday when we will have had just over a fortnight of being shoot free. In our case that means we have avoided the sound and temporary increases in Pheasants and RLPs on 7 occasions. The keepers have been busy feeding the bloody things and god knows what else. When I was out yesterday enjoying the first rain free, wind free sunshine for well over a week two keeper vehicles went up into the wood over the river and flushed all the Ravens, Wood Pigeons and Buzzards into the air with their passing. Goshawks being wiser just called in anger. No doubt it will be back to blasting 2 or 3 days a week next week, oh for a complete end of it!
An interesting divergence across the four nations now with surprisingly driven grouse shooting permitted in Scotland but not in England; no shooting at all in Wales and shooting with necessary travel in Northern Ireland. One wonders if the ban on driven grouse shooting in England is due to the opprobrium and derision that the Gov’t received previously over the issue. Equally the proponents may have decided that it may have been an ask too far to lobby for continuation. Interesting times eh?