Bird scarer petition

Wagtail

Wagtail

Horse servant
Joined
2 December 2010
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Please sign this if you think there should be official legislation to regulate the use of these noisy and sometimes dangerous contraptions. They don't even work as the birds soon get used to the regularity of their sound. Around us they are going off several times a MINUTE, not just several times an hour. They are frequently placed close to our stables and go off close to hedges and bridleways. Occasionally they even malfunction and go off all night making sleep impossible. Imagine trying to sell a country property whilst the things are going off every few seconds. The countryside here is no longer peaceful and it is getting worse. They go off from dawn to dusk all year round. So in the summer they are going off from 4 am until 10 pm.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/61172

Thanks :)
 
I have very mixed feelings about this.
We are surrounded by gas guns both at home and on the yard. The ones at home are not too near the house but only because my OH shoots on the fields surrounding us and that keeps the farmers happy.
We did a three-mile-ish hack at the weekend and passed five gas guns, all in fairly close proximity, and I am always slightly terrified that they will go off when we are close.
However, the farmers are quite accommodating and are good about allowing us to use tracks which are not public rights of way in the summer and headlands once the crops are off, empty the muck trailer and will warn us if there is a shoot on. I respect their need to protect their crops and would not feel comfortable about preventing them from doing so, even if it is not a very effective method.
We have become adept at timing the intervals for the closest ones and estimating if we've got time to pass before the next salvo. My horse has also got a lot more blase about them, jumping at the first "bang" (as do I) but bored by the third. In fact he is now more worried about the visual scarers - whirly and flappy things that they are and gets a bit het up until we are past.
I haven't found that we have them all year round here but we're certainly at the height of gas gun season right now.
I do sympathise OP but I don't think they will be banned unless there is a viable alternative or the government agrees to pay compensation for lost crops. It is not uncommon to see hundreds of pigeons or crows on a field where there is no scarer and I do sympathise with the farmers too.
 
Done.
Have you come across the firework ones yet? Like a big repeating banger with a lit fuse - the farmer next to us decided it would be a good idea to hang one of these on the other side of our hedge, the horses were absolutely frantic both from the bang and the plume of smoke that chased them across the field!
 
I come from a farming background and so I do have sympathies with the farmers. However, these guns are being used so excessively now that they have become useless. I am looking out of my window right now and there are at least ten in close proximity to us going off several times a minute. The birds are oblivious. It has absolutely ruined the peace and tranquillity of the countryside. There is a code of practice which is being ignored. I believe there should be official legislation to prevent their over use.
 
I have 2 at the back of me, theyre next to the field my horses are in, they go off about 3 times in the hour, initially the horses had a jump and a scuttle when they went off but they dont bat an eyelid now, whether schooling or hacking out past them on the track up the back of the farm. I wouldnt want them going off around me more than that really as theyre bleedin annoying
 
Wagtail said:
I come from a farming background and so I do have sympathies with the farmers. However, these guns are being used so excessively now that they have become useless. I am looking out of my window right now and there are at least ten in close proximity to us going off several times a minute. The birds are oblivious. It has absolutely ruined the peace and tranquillity of the countryside. There is a code of practice which is being ignored. I believe there should be official legislation to prevent their over use.
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Signed, I have a noise phobic dog, impossible to get him out of the van when they go off, we are surrounded by them and in the past I have even been up and out before 5 am sunday morning to walk the dogs but he still had them going off right behind a row of houses that fringed his field. They go on past dark up to about 11 pm. He has been clamped down on in the past as when he has his clay pigeon shoots going on it sounds like the middle east, NO peace at all.
 
You could approach the farmer and ask him to move it away from the stables and hedges, apparently they have to be 200 yards away from the hedgerow, side of the road and must be in full view not hidden. Hope the petition works.
 
We have the same problem with them going off at all hours. What I think is dangerous is some of the farmers place them right by the side of bridleways, if you do not know they are there are dangerous.Make me jump never mind the horse. So I will sign because they pee me off.
 
We had a tragic incident resulting in the serious injury of a horse rider and the death of the horse that was being riding.
The horse was being ridden along a bridleway which had high and thick hedges when a gas gun bird scarer which was on the other side of the hedge went off three times in succession. The horse threw the rider and then the horse galloped off down the bridleway and on to the road at the end of the bridleway were it was hit by a passing vehicle. A vet was called but sadly had to destroy the horse.
The rider of the horse was un-aware or the presence of the gas gun bird scarer because it could not be seen from the bridleway.
 
cremedemonthe said:
Just posted it on facebook too
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Thank you. :)

OWLIE185 said:
We had a tragic incident resulting in the serious injury of a horse rider and the death of the horse that was being riding.
The horse was being ridden along a bridleway which had high and thick hedges when a gas gun bird scarer which was on the other side of the hedge went off three times in succession. The horse threw the rider and then the horse galloped off down the bridleway and on to the road at the end of the bridleway were it was hit by a passing vehicle. A vet was called but sadly had to destroy the horse.
The rider of the horse was un-aware or the presence of the gas gun bird scarer because it could not be seen from the bridleway.
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That is just awful! Poor horse.
 
Telephone the local NFU office and ask why the code of practice is not being complied with. Most farmers - although not all - are members and there is a local paid NFU official to liaise with members. I agree that it is a nuisance - but what is the alternative to keep pigeons off the crops?
 
Signed. I remember riding past one near a bridleway once, with my daughter who was only about 9 at the time. I was terrified it would suddenly go off!
 
Occasionally have one local to me.

I just sneak out between bangs and turn them off….Very satisfying!

Even more fun to let all the gas out, but then that would be against the law.
 
We have loads. A particularly noisy one right on a Bridleway. And one of those ones with smoke hidden behind a hedge on a bend on a 60mph road. I was next to it when it went off and horse cantered up the road. Tbh it scared me! At least I know it's there now and can be ready! My friend fell off when the one next to the Bridleway went off and her horse panicked. Luckily neither were hurt. The birds are well used to them and ignore them!
 
I will sign and share on facebook too. Our charming local farmer puts them, and a scarecrow, right next to our arena. Causes no end of problems, it's so loud that your ears ring after each bang. I have spoken to him, but he's not interested.
 
I am arguing on Owlies thread about this but when you lot are victorious and we cease growing food in this country so you can play in the park that is your idea of the countryside where will you get your hay and straw from?
 
I'm not one for an argument but I assume those who want a ban or switch the guns off don't eat? Or are raging carnivores? Yes they scare me, yes they make my horse leap out of his skin when I'm riding occasionally but I am doing a pastime, not trying to make a living and feed the country. I agree following a code of good practice is ideal, but I won't support a ban.
 
Well the scarers are going off as usual several times a minute right outside my house and the birds are totally unconcerned.
 
I'm afraid that like barking dogs, large tractors etc, etc, horses just have to get used to bird scarers. If they are as frequent as Wagtail describes, I can't imagine that the local horses take any notice by now, if they did they would have gone into melt-down by now. And if they are next to your arena, along with a more traditional scarecrow-type thing, what a good opportunity for 'spook-busting'. Yes the farmers should adhere to the CoP and if they don't their neighbours should remind them of their responsibilities but I'm not going to sign a petition which potentially makes farming even more difficult than it already is.
 
I'm thinking of starting a petition too.

I'm getting bloody fed up of the increasing number of horse riders who think that everybody around should stop operating their businesses effectively because it interferes with their HOBBY.

Wonder how many signatures ill get? Quite a few I should think.....
 
Patterdale said:
I'm thinking of starting a petition too.

I'm getting bloody fed up of the increasing number of horse riders who think that everybody around should stop operating their businesses effectively because it interferes with their HOBBY.

Wonder how many signatures ill get? Quite a few I should think.....
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Have you read my OP? Most of it concerns things other than horses! The petition was raised by a non horsey person.
 
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