Advice on shoot not following protocol

[visa_bot]

A friend and I were riding my two horses on the road last weekend and we came upon a shoot. The beaters just on our left and the guns just to our right. There were no signs and turning back wasn’t an option. I am very lucky that my horses are great with gunfire and the shotguns going off about 30 feet away weren’t an issue. However, they did jump at the large plastic bags being shaken just to their left. This was a 60mph road and so we were scared. It ruined my ride and when I got home I cried just at the fact that fellow human beings could show such disregard for the safety of others. I also was upset at seeing the dead partridges on the road, I shouldn’t have to see that. My reason for posting is looking for advice on where to report it. The next people may not be lucky enough to have such solid horses. The BHS say if it happens on a road to report it to the authority that manages the road, but I can’t really see how the council can help. There isn’t a section on the website to report such an event. I think I know the farm that owns the land, but I don’t know any details about that particular shoot. Any advice appreciate.

 

[AmyMay]

We’re they on the road?

Were they shooting in your direction?

Were there birds in the road?

 

[visa_bot]

They were in the field to the left and right of the road, so yes they were shooting over our heads, but not actually on the road. Yes, there were partridges in the road.

 

[AmyMay]

They were in the field to the left and right of the road, so yes they were shooting over our heads, but not actually on the road. Yes, there were partridges in the road.

If they were shooting over your head, they were shooting toward the road, and that is a police matter.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Sounds terrifying.

 

[visa_bot]

Thank you, much appreciated.

 

[nagblagger]

Definitely a police matter, we have a regular shoot in the woods near to my (rented) field and if the birds fly over the horses field the people don't shoot in that direction..the birds escape.! Must have been terrifying for you. I admire your training of your horses and keeping them calm in such a situation.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Glad you got back safely. There is a shoot all around my field. The horses are well used to birds appearing in the hedges, they don't mind the guns but what they really hate is the beaters flapping plastic bags.

 

[J&S]

I think there is a rule that they must be 15 metres away from the side of a public road to let off a gun.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Sounds very similar to the shoot near me they have no regard for anyone else either I would report it to the police.

I am not surprised you got home and cried must have been really frightening I am glad you got home safely.

 

[Squeak]

I had similar happen to me on a bridleway. I met a shoot surrounding the bridleway and they saw me and kept shooting. When I looked it up they should have had lookouts further down the bridleway to stop the guns if someone appeared on the bridleway. I didn’t want to fall out with the landowner and not many other people ride there so I didn’t report it. Shooting over a road is even worse than a bridleway so I would agree with the others and report it.

 

[rextherobber]

I had similar happen to me on a bridleway. I met a shoot surrounding the bridleway and they saw me and kept shooting. When I looked it up they should have had lookouts further down the bridleway to stop the guns if someone appeared on the bridleway. I didn’t want to fall out with the landowner and not many other people ride there so I didn’t report it. Shooting over a road is even worse than a bridleway so I would agree with the others and report it.

This happened to me, many years,ago, when I was a child out with my pony. The lookout stopped the shoot until I was well clear of the area. But this,was 50 years ago when people didn't have the " @$%* you" attitude of today.
OP, that must have been terrifying, definitely report it, to both the police and the relevant society (Field Sports?) As you say, the next person may well not have such super horses.

 

[Clodagh]

I don’t think there is a set distance from a road for a shotgun (but willing to be corrected) but certainly that is appalling behaviour from the shoot. You must not cause a nuisance to highway users while shooting.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Do report this incident to the police, you were placed in danger while on a public highway. The rules around shooting are far too lax, but weak though they are, they were wilfully breached by the shoot you encountered.

You might want to copy in the governing body for shooting, whatever it is, but your priority is to report it to the police. Don't get fobbed off.

https://www.sportingshooter.co.uk/s...e-law-on-shooting-shotguns-near-roads-6312224

Shooting a shotgun within 50 feet of a highway is not prohibited in England and Wales, but an offence is committed if, as the result of firing a shotgun, someone is injured or placed in danger. This could easily be the result of a shot charge over the head of a walker or cyclist, pellets dropping on a vehicle or striking it, a horse and rider alarmed by the sound of a shot or, in the worst scenario, a passer-by hit by pellets.

 

[scruffyponies]

Sounds like the beaters on your left were driving the birds over towards the guns on your right, who were firing away from the road as the birds go over. This is a standard set up. Sorry, but if the drive has already started, they cannot stop (and probably can't hear you because of ear protection).

It's usual to have a spotter and stop drives if they see a hazard (e.g. riders) approaching on the road, but only BEFORE the shooting starts.

I have sympathy, having been in the same situation with a ride of children, but the shoot didn't do anything wrong.
You should be extremely proud of your horses. Many would kill for such steadiness.

 

[MissTyc]

The police take this very seriously, if they know who to talk to (they can probably figure it out).
It happened to two young girls on ponies near our yard. A 16yo and her 12yo sister, both very competent and thankfully on very safe ponies. They called the police there and then and said they were being "shot at" as they had no idea what was going on. The police, knowing the area, thankfully DID know what was going on, so no major incident was declared, but the police car turned up within minutes. I don't know how things ended, but I've not heard of any shooting in the area since so I imagine there was a robust response. I think the farmer landowner wasn't too impressed either as we're generally all on good terms around here.

 

[I'm Dun]

Sounds like the beaters on your left were driving the birds over towards the guns on your right, who were firing away from the road as the birds go over. This is a standard set up. Sorry, but if the drive has already started, they cannot stop (and probably can't hear you because of ear protection).

It's usual to have a spotter and stop drives if they see a hazard (e.g. riders) approaching on the road, but only BEFORE the shooting starts.

I have sympathy, having been in the same situation with a ride of children, but the shoot didn't do anything wrong.
You should be extremely proud of your horses. Many would kill for such steadiness.

Of course they can stop. If its such an issue then they shouldnt be chasing the birds across the road in the first place.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Sounds like the beaters on your left were driving the birds over towards the guns on your right, who were firing away from the road as the birds go over. This is a standard set up. Sorry, but if the drive has already started, they cannot stop (and probably can't hear you because of ear protection).

It's usual to have a spotter and stop drives if they see a hazard (e.g. riders) approaching on the road, but only BEFORE the shooting starts.

I have sympathy, having been in the same situation with a ride of children, but the shoot didn't do anything wrong.
You should be extremely proud of your horses. Many would kill for such steadiness.

Why can't they stop shooting thats ridiculous it's more like they really don't want to so don't, I have had them shoot on my perimeter before now no pre warning as a neighbour my horses were going berserk, birds falling in my field the noise was horrendous the dog hid under the bed.

All I asked of the shoot is they just let me know what days they shoot so I can keep my horses in, never ever have they let me know and I am a neighbour of the farmer who runs it it's just bloody rude and inconsiderate.

 

[ihatework]

Sounds like the beaters on your left were driving the birds over towards the guns on your right, who were firing away from the road as the birds go over. This is a standard set up. Sorry, but if the drive has already started, they cannot stop (and probably can't hear you because of ear protection).

It's usual to have a spotter and stop drives if they see a hazard (e.g. riders) approaching on the road, but only BEFORE the shooting starts.

I have sympathy, having been in the same situation with a ride of children, but the shoot didn't do anything wrong.
You should be extremely proud of your horses. Many would kill for such steadiness.

Not the case on the shoots I go on. Spotters radio through to the beating line who immediately stop. Thus not flushing birds up (although you may get the odd one fly irrespective).
The only issue you may have is if you have a gun with ears on positioned where they can’t see the halt.

It’s difficult to say what went on in OPs case as it is very unlikely guns were shooting over the road (that’s a massive no no), but obviously beating/flagging continued which really shouldn’t have.

I’d ask around locally and find out whose shoot it was. Depending on their response to you then I’d either involve the police or not.

 

[HeresHoping]

I doubt very much they were shooting over the road. If there was a hedge between you and the beating line, they probably didn't see you. Ordinarily, we'd stop if we saw a dangerous situation, and radio through to the lead gun(s) to hold the shoot and we'd hold the line. These days we don't' have a '%^&$£ you' attitude... our sport is in enough danger as it is so if anything, we try to adhere to the rules as best we can.

I am sorry this happened to you. Most big estates will, unfortunately, have land either side of a road. It's worth asking the estate for a schedule and then you could avoid those areas when hacking. The good news is that we'll stop shooting in a few weeks. 31st January.

 

[scruffyponies]

When it happened to us, vegetation made it impossible for beaters to see us until we were right on them, by which time birds were flying and guns (facing away with ear protection) could never have known to stop. Each situation is different, but my point is that the arrangement of the shoot described is entirely normal, so as to not shoot over the road. It is one of the hazards of riding in the countryside that you will occasionally have to ride past gunfire / crop scarers / tractors.

 

[visa_bot]

I have done a lot of research on this and the guns need to be 50ft from the centre of the road. Unfortunately, I don't really know how far this is by eye, they may have been just on that but seemed closer. So I know that they weren't doing anything wrong in their location, but all guidance, including their own body the BASC state that they should have spotters, and stop to allow horses safe passage before restarting. They should also have signs. There was no issue with visibility, there were no hedges etc they could see us quite clearly. The majority of the 20 or so guns did stop and allow us to pass through, but as the beaters didn't stop, and birds were still flying, some obviously just couldn't let the opportunity pass.

I am eternally grateful for my amazing horses, but I run a livery yard, and I am pretty sure that no other horses in my yard would have reacted quite so calmly. And I can absolutely say that they were shooting over the road, but according to the guidance this is to be avoided rather than not allowed, as they should endeavour to pick up all the birds, and I'm not sure you would really want to send your dog out onto a 60mph road. The freshly shot partridges are testament to that.

I'm not sure I understand why it matters whose shoot it was. I am surrounded by very rich landowners (although this one wasn't actually the ones I am aware of), but surely the rules are there for everybody?

 

[scruffyponies]

I should add that our entire ride was put to a gallop, since the 5yo on the shetland never stood a chance, and the other ponies followed. I held my (rearing) pony for a minute or so, then followed to pick up the pieces. All this must have been quite startling for the organisers of the shoot, so we went back to let them know we were still alive... and came home with a brace of pheasant over the saddle.

 

[visa_bot]

Sorry also forgot to say, that because I spoke loudly and said "this is not allowed", one of the beaters gave me verbal and said something like "oh yes, she's so sure about that..." so again, absolutely no doubt that both the guns and beaters knew we were there.

 

[cauda equina]

Two dead birds worth bugger all sounds poor recompense for potentially causing a serious accident

I should add that our entire ride was put to a gallop, since the 5yo on the shetland never stood a chance, and the other ponies followed. I held my (rearing) pony for a minute or so, then followed to pick up the pieces. All this must have been quite startling for the organisers of the shoot, so we went back to let them know we were still alive... and came home with a brace of pheasant over the saddle.

 

[scruffyponies]

Two dead birds worth bugger all sounds poor recompense for potentially causing a serious accident

They were shooting on private land, away from a road, and we were riding on a public road. Could just as easily have been caused by a tractor or whatever. They were not at fault, and it was a good humoured and appropriate response.

Horses cause accidents too... would you like us banned from roads and paths, or blamed for any outcome by those who don't understand or enjoy our activities?

 

[twiggy2]

Sounds like the beaters on your left were driving the birds over towards the guns on your right, who were firing away from the road as the birds go over. This is a standard set up. Sorry, but if the drive has already started, they cannot stop (and probably can't hear you because of ear protection).

It's usual to have a spotter and stop drives if they see a hazard (e.g. riders) approaching on the road, but only BEFORE the shooting starts.

I have sympathy, having been in the same situation with a ride of children, but the shoot didn't do anything wrong.
You should be extremely proud of your horses. Many would kill for such steadiness.

A shoot can always stop, they may not be able yo stop birds flying but guns can stop shooting and surely birds would not be landing o the road if birds were being shit as they flew away from it?

Of course they can stop. If its such an issue then they shouldnt be chasing the birds across the road in the first place.

Exactly

 

[Ratface]

Utterly disgraceful behaviour. I'm so sorry that you've had to experience that.
Such behaviour, together with the increasingly dangerous driving round our country lanes is the reason why I and my traffic/gun/stock proof old horse no longer hack out.
A plague on all their houses!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I have contacted the police about a shoot who were shooting directly over the livery yard I was at-they took it very seriously and it never happened again, so I’d not hesitate to do it in the circumstances you describe OP.

 

[cauda equina]

There is a lot of annoyance voiced on here about the disruption caused by hunting
Discharging weapons for fun should be taken just as seriously, if not more so imo