On Wed, 11 May 2005 16:12:43 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The rules which might affect you are that you can not use an air rifle
within 15m of a public highway

There is no such law. You can fire a gun from the middle of a public
highway providing you have good reason, and you do not alarm or injure
anyone using it.

I forgot (or didn't know in the first place) about the "and do not
alarm or injure ..." clause. A quick web hunt showed that subject to
that it is illegal to discharge a firearm from within 50 feet of the
centre of any highway (Highways act 1980, not firearms legislation)

The bullet, shot or pellet mustn't cross your boundary unless your
neighbour permits.

The breast feathers of a pigeon can cushion pellets from a shotgun if
they hit face-on. Head-shots are favourite, so 'practice makes pigeon'.

I stand corrected on the details.

Talking of which does anyone have any suggestions on how best to cook
squirrel - I have the same problem with squirrels causing damage in my
garden!

Skin, gut and joint your squirrel. Put a couple of tablespoons of plain
flour in a big mixing-bowl. Add some sea salt, ground celery seed,
ground black pepper, marjoram or oregano and sage, and mix it in well.

Put carrots, parsnip, swede &c into a casserole and cover with water (or
stock) and bring it to the boil in the oven or in a microwave.

Meanwhile, heat some oil in a pan and fry a couple of chopped onions in
it, and garlic if you like it. When the onions are cooked, 'seal' the
squirrel flesh by putting it into the hot pan and stirring it about
until all the surface has turned a greyish white. Tip contents of pan
into bowl and mix into the flour.

Put squirrel and onions into casserole and if there is any loose oil and
flour left, take some of the liquor and mix it into a thin paste, and
add to the casserole. Mix it in well, and replace in oven at around 100°
C, or in the microwave on defrost.

Cook for an hour at least, or until meat comes off the bone.

Ta for that ... now where's that casserole dish? ;-)

JB