Gas Gun Bird Scarers

PeterNatt

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Just wondering if you may know of any legislation that can be used to have gas gun bird scarers removed from being placed next to bridleways.

There are several types being used here. Those that explode once, those that explode up to 5 times in quick succession, those that suddenly inflate to a 10 foot high Michelin type man and then flash and explode several times and then those that fire a corded missile that then explodes and then retracts.

On one bridleway in my area there are 8 devices within about 300 yards. It is like being in the Wild West.

These devices are being increasingly used in our area of North Hertfordshire and despite having contacted the landowners concerned and explained the dangers to horse riders they have failed in most cases to move them.

So what I am looking for is any legislation that covers them. Anyone know if any of the firearms or explosives legislation covers them?

Thanks for your help. Any assistance would be appreciated as I wish to avoid any further accidents being caused by these devices.
 
God i hate these devices
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We have to pay to hack round a nature reserve and they've had the cheek to put bird scarers out. We have to time it between the bangs to go round quickly
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We did object about them but apparently they only need to be a certain distace from a road and have small notices up pointing out they are on
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Good luck
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The NFU have a Code of Practice for farmers to follow regarding bird scarers, have a look here:
Bird Scarers - NFU
It mentions the Firearms Act and has a lot of useful information. Hopefully you can have a word with the farmers in your area to try and improve the situation - they may not be aware of the problems ?
 
Oh yes these lovely new scarers are adding even more "fun" to our hacks. Not that we get to hack on a bridle path though as there are none of those anywhere near are yard
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So it's great fun when the rattly lorry with trailer on the back is passing on a single lane road and then the new scarere suddenly does it's thing nearby!
 
[ QUOTE ]
God i hate these devices
mad.gif
We have to pay to hack round a nature reserve and they've had the cheek to put bird scarers out. We have to time it between the bangs to go round quickly
mad.gif

We did object about them but apparently they only need to be a certain distace from a road and have small notices up pointing out they are on
confused.gif

Good luck
smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

You serious? They put a BIRD scarer on a Nature Reserve? Who manages it, George Bush?

I don't know much about these stupid devices, except they're supposed to point away from bridleways, which doesn't help if you pass a field in a valley, so it reverberates. I had to pass one the other week, before I moved the ponies. I was on the road, too and I think I pooed my pants more than Henry did. The air was blue!
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What really pees me off is that the birds land about 10 seconds afterwards, anyway, so the things are hardly cost effective.
 
Peter
Maybe make contact with your local NFU rep and ask them to intervene--particularly after AlextheArab kindly posted the link above--very useful thanks
NFU reps sit on our LAF and I find them very reasonable to talk to
 
Unfortunately I have a situation where the landowner/farmer concerned will not co-operate with anyone including the local NFU rep/access officers etc and what I need to know is of any laws that can be used to have these devices permanently removed from the proximity with a bridleway which no one dares to use because they have been placed all alongside it.

This is why i am interested if any laws relating to firearms cover these devices.

Any help on this one appreciated.
 
Peter, which bridleway is it, just so we don't go there!

Our land is surrounded by the damn things, from 6am to 9pm it's like living in the somme, the horses are now immune to the home ones but spook out hacking. I am a nervous wreck and would love an occasional lie it.

Our windows rattle when they go off.

If you get anywhere let me know, I'll sign any petitions you get going for N Herts.

PS do you also get the dreadful stench from the lovely 'eco friendly' compost station just down the road?
 
No escape from this in our bit of the New Forest either
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One of the nearby farms has ploughed up a lovely grassy field and in order to protect whatever has been sown there are random bangs which have been going on for the last week! We usually hack past the field but dare not at the moment as the bangs are so random and it would be dangerous for even the most laid back horse. I was driving past the field today and the thing went off and I'm sure it must be right near the road as it was very loud.
 
Thistle, one thing I DO know is that they are not supposed to go off at night, as it is a noise nuisance. You can report that to environmental health. I do pity you - the one I rode past is 3 miles away from my home, as the crow flies and it STILL sounds loud in my house!
 
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