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
AIBU?
Farmer fired shots over my head, what if anything can I do?
unexpectedplaces · 16/05/2015 23:21
Ivy there are no signs anywhere as it happens, that doesn't not make me not sheep aware though and I took a considered decision re the lead. Please read the thread though for further clarification as to the other circumstances surrounding the incident though as I don't believe it was actually about the sheep.
No nesting birds, big flat green field full of grass. There is a little nature reserve a mile or so away that I always keep said dog on lead for. Hth.
Thank you Eve 
.
Plenty of dogs don't need a lead 
responsible owners who walk them once or twice a day are more likely to have dogs like that because they have a good relationship with the dog!
I would ring the police and outline the circumstances. There may well be an innocent explanation, but until you report you don't know.
Sooooo you chose to walk a dog not on a lead through a field of lambs and sheep in lambing season.
Farmers don't know your dog intimately.
Any dog can get spooked.
Some of the responses on this thread are 
OP give 101 a call. Even if you were on his driveway stealing his car he has no right to fire shots, never mind walking through an empty field with a well controlled dog at heel!
(On a side note, how did you get your dog so well trained and would your method work on infants who speed up to get away faster when called? :) )
Ivy guess you've still not read the thread then?
TheOriginalWinkly I trained my dog with a 10 metre long lead when he was a puppy, let him run as far as he could and then stand on the lead whilst reinforcing the command to stay or come.
The other point here is that since he was a few weeks old he has been surrounded by livestock, sheep, cattle, horses so he has absolutely zero interest in them. Massive difference to someone bringing a dog into the country from a town.
I kept my children on reins too 
!
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