What's the point of guns? Please don't read if squeamish

[Scots_Charles_River]

Why doesn't he get a traditional 'guardiene' flock dog like the Pyrenean Mountain dog ? Much more efficient and works itself.

Nick

 

[British Red]

There are several dogs...including those kenelled outside. I suspect even the best guard dog struggles to cover hundreds of acres though.

 

[Cael Nu Mara]

Why doesn't he get a traditional 'guardiene' flock dog like the Pyrenean Mountain dog ? Much more efficient and works itself.

Nick

really, much more effective? As my farther always says when charlie dies 3 of his chums come to his funeral, but look at it from the keeper/smallholder view, to buy (another) dog, especially a specialist/rare pooch is not cheap compared to the 30p its costs for me to home-load a 70grn ballistic tipped .223 round. To be honest I dont know the practicalities of that sort of dog. So I shall shut up, however when i find a dead grouse on the moor, I know what Ill reach for


Sam

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

These dogs are automonous, they are used in the Alps and Pyrenees for exactly this purpose. They can guard huge areas.

Nick

 

[British Red]

Hmm well, unless they can distinguish between a walkers dog off the lead and a fox, and unless they can see through hills and woods and be in about 30 places at once, they aren't going to work here. I wonder how the "right to roam" brigade will feel about autonomous dogs that can see off / kill anything fox sized?

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Well they are used in france all over the place. Dogs and humans stay well away. That's why they work so well. I'm not anti gun just trying to offer a tried and tested alternative. Do some googling and you will see for yourselves. Just like Jack Russells are effective rat control. Dogs have been bred for millenia for specific duties and uses, hence all the working breeds.

Nick

 

[Cael Nu Mara]

yer... and llamas to guard sheep, but whats wrong with managing charlies, not eradication, just keeping the numbers down where they need to be kept down?



Sam

 

[British Red]

Just seen this

Red:
Can you give a brief overview of the law with regard to carrying an using an air pistol in public? Obviously their use on a permission would be clear as day but when it comes to being out in parks (got a couple of biggies around here) and the countryside at large what's the rules on carry and shooting? A few times I've seen sick birds that were quite clearly on their way out but couldn't get close enough to do anything and something like a pistol would have been really handy.

Again I'm not a lawyer, but discharging an air weapon in a public place where you do not have permission to shoot is going to get you to fall foul of any number of laws. Starting with armed trespass and working their way up from there. Its a big old no no. Evening having one uncased is going to break the law.

Red

 

[hurplegrappers]

I know this is a grim subject but it's a reality many face unexpectedly.

I thought I could dispatch an animal unconventionally but when it actually came to it neither me or my mate could not do it.. It was a long time ago mind maybe things would be different now I don't know.

We were driving along a country road and saw a fox that had obviously been run over. We were driving quite fast and went passed it thinking it was dead but my friend who was driving saw it lift it's head in his rear view mirror. Both of us agreed we couldn't just leave it there so we turned the car around and approached the poor thing.

It was a baking hot day and who knows how long it had been laying there in the sun but he/she was panting like mad. We knew what we needed to do so decided to look for a large rock and we found one but when it came to it neither of us could actually do it so decided on an alternative. I took off my t-shirt to pick it up with and we drove as fast as legally possible to the nearest vet about 10 miles away who gave it a lethal injection.

It's been many years since that incident took place but having to make such a decision still lives with me.