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.