Farmer fired shots over my head, what if anything can I do?

[unexpectedplaces]

Can I ask if anyone knows if this is illegal or not in relation to a right of way across a farmers' land?

To explain what happened and give context. I was walking my dog through a field full of sheep and lambs, dog was at my heel the whole time (no issue whatsoever with the livestock) and we were then away from the sheep and heading for a kissing gate which is where the right of way footpath leads. It crosses a small field and ends up in a village, you can also veer to the left of the kissing gate and continue through the same field ending up at the same point near the village.

I elected to take the left hand path which is about 2 feet away from the official path but divided by a hedge because the small field with the footpath was full of sheep and lambs resting by the gate - I didn't want to disturb them.

I was walking into the sunlight so couldn't see properly but could just about make out a figure a short distance away, a shot was fired into the air followed by 3 more as I walked the length of the hedge. I was really quite worried and hurried through the gate at the end whereupon the shots stopped.

I believe that the gun was either a rifle or a shotgun as the report was pretty loud.

I appreciate that I was off the official footpath strictly speaking but was doing so for purely altruistic reasons (of course he didn't know that).

Should I take this further or was the farmer within his rights? I wish he had just approached me and I could have explained what I was doing and why. The whole incident was pretty unnerving if I'm honest.

Have spoken to a couple of locals who say that the farmer is well known for getting irate about people walking off the right of way.

Any advice please gratefully received

Is this a bit of a stealth boast about how well trained your dog is?

I will definitely report him to the local community police, thank you everyone for clarifying things in my mind. He is well into his '70's, the thought of someone with possibly failing eyesight and a short temper with a gun at his disposal is quite frightening.

Oh the irony that I went the 'wrong' way to avoid disturbing the other livestock.

I grew up in a village, that had a right off way right across the middle of a field, that had bullocks in for part of the year. It also had the best slopes around for cardboard sledging and snow sledging.

The farmers house backed up onto the field. If you strayed off the path or if we were sledging, he'd be out and fire his gun in the air to frighten us off. My friends and I would run off squealing. Then get told off by our parents for playing in the field or straying off the path.

Some parents moaned that he shouldn't be shooting the gun in the air but nothing changed.

Thinking back that farmer must of been bloody pissed off having to keep a look out for stupid kids that were playing in a field full of bullocks

My dog is pretty well trained Hakluyt yes. What a funny thing to claim a stealth boast about. I've lived in the country all my life and have had several dogs, always well trained.

He does like to chase a squirrel though on occasion.

Farmers cannot shoot digs unless they are actually chasing or worrying the sheep .
However the law is dogs on a fixed lead of no more than 2 metres when on a public right of way amongst sheep .

Did you actually see the farmer properly with the gun? You said you could just make out a figure?

How do you know it was him who fired the shots?

How do you know it wasn't someone else shooting pigeons or rabbits nearby?

Even if it was him you how do you know he was aiming anywhere near you? He could have been firing in the opposite direction at some vermin.

Did you actually see that the figure you couldn't see properly because of the sun being in your eyes was the farmer?

If it was, what did he do afterwards?

could just about make out a figure a short distance away,

Before ringing the Polivce, p0lease think about what the exact circumstances were.

You could not identify the person with the gun, it could have been anyone, poachers are often armed.

Whoever fired the shots into the air could have been shooting at pigeons and never even noticed you were there.

Whoever fired the shots was NOT firing over the public footpath where the public are allowed to be.

Please be responsible when you are on farmland.

1. Stick to the designated public paths.
2. If you have a dog with you on the designated path across farmland, keep it on a lead at all times.

I don't private but as I explained up thread the shooting began as I veered off the right of way and stopped as soon as I was back on track. Could be a complete coincidence but does seem strange.

The community police officer may be met with roars of laughter for all I know if they go and see him if he was just clay pigeon shooting or some such. I would be most pleased with that outcome quite honestly as it was rather unnerving.

I honestly couldn't say hand on heart that it was me he was firing with regard to. I have said a couple of times that he was quite possibly shooting at rats/rabbits but it does seem strange that it coincided with where I was walking and the length of time that it took me.

I became more worried when a local friend told me who the field belonged to and how they had a reputation for getting very angry over rights of way.

I wish they had just been rabbit shooting tbh.

I don't have a dog and I don't live in the country but even I know that its madness to take a dog off lead during lambing . From what you have written OP you took the dog all the way through a field of sheep and lambs , went off the right of way and ,when spotted by the farmer ,he let off a few shots.

This doesnt excuse the farmer at all. If he had a problem a shouted warning would have probably done the trick. Unless he did shout and you didnt hear him? ( wearing earphones?)In which case a shot or several might have seemed the quickest way to protect his flock.

Next time Op stick to the path and keep the dog on a lead.

Oh and yes - do let the local police know .

I wasn't wearing earphones, it was a beautiful still evening, the sheep were well behind me all snoozing in the late evening sunshine. No warning shouts.

Dog is exceptionally well trained (sorry Halykutbut he just is) I totally accept that he should be on a lead just in case he has a mad moment in future. I will do that.

(2)For the purposes of this Act worrying livestock means—
(a)attacking livestock, or
(b)chasing livestock in such a way as may reasonably be expected to cause injury or suffering to the livestock or, in the case of females, abortion, or loss of or diminution in their produce.
[F1or
(c)being at large (that is to say not on a lead or otherwise under close control) in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep]
www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/1-2/28

Your dog was not on a leash, and you were trespassing in a field full of lambs. I also very much doubt shots were fired over your head, I imagine it is far more likely it was discharged into the air.

Dog was under close control though, very close.

To be precise the nature of the field where the lambs were was the footpath so I wasn't trespassing in a field full of sheep, that's were the official right of way is, the bit that I deviated from was empty and was to avoid the next field which was full of resting ewes. I was trying to be considerate (I appreciate that he didn't and couldn't know this). If he had halloed to me we could have had a chat, I could have explained and all this could have been averted.

That's how I read it too Charley he's so on my heel I end up tripping over him half the time.

You would struggle to prove close control if dog was not on a leash.
As soon as you left the right of way you were trespassing.

all I know is if I was a farmer I would be raging if someone jaunted across my land with an off lead dog. what were you thinking?! you may know your dog's usual temperament but you can't guarantee it wasn't going to bolt after lambs

I agree ItsAllGoingToBeFine you are right of course, but shots?

No I can't guarantee that at all I agree.

I don't think it was about the sheep though esp given what local friend has since told me over rights of way. I'd eat my hat if he was raging over the sheep tbh.

He wasn't shooting the OP. He might have been trying to bag hoodies, the latter being a nightmare round lambs. It's his field.

But unless he knows you, it was thoughtless if you to walk through a field with lambs and your dog not on a lead. Ok, you know your dog but he doesn't. Moreover others with less well trained dogs than yours might use you as an example.

Sorry, but I come from a farming community and the criminal stupidity of people assuming that a field is a place to play not a place of work with livestock drives me mad. I know that's not you, OP, but actually at this time of year I sympathise with footpaths being closed.

The OP veered from the path in order not to disturb sheep and lambs resting on the path!