The governments of England, Scotland and Wales have launched a joint consultation on new proposals to restrict recreational shooting of threatened wild birds. Alongside proposals, inter alia, to ban snipe shooting in Wales (but not in England or Scotland) the consultation includes a proposal to add wood pigeons to Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which lists the species of birds which may be killed or taken outside the close season.
According to the consultation documents, the purpose of that proposal is to provide a legal framework for the recreational shooting and harvesting of wood pigeons as food, which does not currently exist. The current position is that wood pigeons can only be killed or taken under the terms of the general licences that are issued by the devolved nations on an annual basis – in England General Licence 42 issued by Natural England which permits an authorised person to kill or take certain species of wild birds to prevent serious damage. Under the proposals, wood pigeons will have a close season between 1 February and 31 August and the general licences will remain in place to enable them to be controlled within the close season subject to complying with the terms of the licence.
Readers who currently shoot in England Scotland and Wales may well have views on the proposals for some species to be protected in one country but not across the border in others and/or the possibility of having different close seasons for the same species in different countries; and those who enjoy pigeon roost shooting throughout February may also have views on the proposed close season for pigeons.
The consultation opened yesterday and closes on 17 May and, for anyone who wishes to submit a response, can be found here.
