To not want to see somebody shooting a gun from my kitchen window?

[Staffielove23]

We back onto a field and the farmer is literally going round with his gun shooting at ‘I’ve no idea what’. Is this legal to do this so close to somebody’s house? We can see him so we are in the firing line. I mean, I know he wouldn’t intentionally shoot as us but what if he gets us while aiming for something else, I know the farm was here before us, etc but I feel slightly unnerved as my children play out in the garden in the evening times with the lighter night, and there’s loads of other fields behind this one that don’t directly back onto people’s houses.

If the OP does ring the police there’s no way she’ll come back to this thread.

Ha ha, this is an amusing post. I’ve got a legally owned 20 bore shotgun and I’m allowed to shoot vermin on our land. My son farms sheep and has never had to shoot a dog, thankfully, but our neighbours have, and they still lost several ewes and lambs to a pair of out of control pet dogs. The countryside isn’t a big dog park for your Staffie OP and, unless I read it in the paper today, I highly doubt the farmer in question was taking pot shots at your kids either 🤷🏻‍♀️

Another farmer here. We have a gentleman who comes to shoot vermin here occasionally, I can assure you they are very skilled at their job and usually do a lay of the land first to know where any houses are or any other livestock are . I think your safe, as for calling the police, your be wasting their time. I suggest you go and actually speak to the farmer and ask them instead , we’re not ogres and arnt scary we’re just people aswel . Farming is hard enough without and busy body having to make it harder

We live in a cottage on a farm
The farmer is regularly out with a shotgun, in my neighbours case dealing with rabbits (I am not convinced he needs to keep their numbers down, but they don't go to waste). Go and talk to him. Shotguns have short range as others say and he will be shooting vermin. Farmers are not another species. He or she is your neighbour now. If it worries you ask if he could do it when your children are not playing out. He will probably be happy to chat.

I wouldn't like this either OP and I grew up on a farm. I now live around a lot of large estates where they have game keepers who literally kill anything that moves. They take out everything that would keep the number of rabbits down and then wonder why they have so many rabbits. I also love how everyone calls them 'vermin' rather than wildlife. It's like the hunt killing all the foxes when foxes are the natural way of keeping the rabbits down. One of the game keepers who used to be here, his idea of a holiday was to go to Africa and shoot big game there for fun. Nice.

^This

You are being unreasonable. The farmer is perfectly entitled to use his shotgun on his land to control vermin. Just because you can hear shots being fired does not mean that you are at risk in anyway. Like others have said go and speak to him/her if you are concerned. Phoning the police is wasting their time.

It does sound a bit like you're someone who has moved to a rural area with no understanding of how rural areas operate. The realities of rural life aren't as picture perfect and pleasant as many like to believe. It's quite tedious when those who have no understanding move into such areas and start complaining and seem shocked that the countryside is a working environment for many.

Christ the Country tweeds are out in full force on this thread. Sneering at anyone who didn’t grow up in the countryside as per usual. I couldn’t bear to live in the countryside precisely because of that sort of cliquey insular “you will never belong here” attitude.

Rules on firearms are extremely tight but it would depend on what he is using, i ve not read all the thread but is this an air rifle, a shotgun or a centre fire rifle, such as a .223 etc?

Before discharging a firearm, inc an air rifle, one has to be 100% certain the area is clear and will remain so, not possible with children playing on the other side of the hedge.

I know many people with rifles and shotguns and no one would fire one of these alongside domestic garden, a report to to the local FAO will be taken extremely seriously, esp after the events in Plymouth.

I just don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect the shooter to take reasonable precautions to prevent families and their animals from getting caught in the crossfire.

What are these precautions you want OP? You haven't indicated lack of precautions and if you stay off his land you are unlikely to be 'caught in the cross fire' - makes it sound like a war torn country you are in.

I grew up in the countryside around farms and yes shooting vermin is common place as is seeing people with shotguns walking along country paths.

Want to know what else was common place? Curtesy. We all knew when someone was going to be firing weapons near houses because it was communicated.

If I saw someone wandering around firing a shotgun that close to my house and they hadn’t bothered to tell anyone what they were up to then yes I would be as concerned as op.

They do it here - shoot rabbits and probably other things in the fields around us. Usually at dusk. It doesn't bother me at all.

@SW2002 Going to the police is too much, but would you mind her coming to you for re-assurance as to what was going on? DH and I both said we wouldn't.

I get there are stupid request, a 'lets move to the countryside' city couple living near my ILs complained about the smell of slurry and said it shouldn't be allowed to spread it on nice days. Those people are ignored!

If someone was worried about seeing DH or FIL out with the gun we wouldn't mind explaining what we are doing. I'd possibly even set up at Whatsapp (where only admin could post) to let her/ anyone else who wants to know when we are going out with the gun.

I do get that we are in a different situation to you. We are no where near the village. Our land has the odd house dotted near it but mostly owned by non farmers who have lived here their whole lives. Other than that though we have no dealings with neighbours.

FFS go back to the city.

As someone has already pointed out, lambs need protection from corvids and foxes so unless you want to see some gruesome dead lambs and sheep over the fence, be very grateful he is doing his job.

Also, if your neighbour's dog is getting into a field with lambs I am not surprised he is out there with a gun! I would also be making it known that I was quite prepared to protect my own animals.

This thread has just been drama from OP though. There is no "crossfire" - it's one gun. We've had OP apparently concerned she and her family are going to be shot in her garden. Did she actually phone the police? No, maybe she did later, but for a good portion of time she instead posted on MN about how dangerous it was and how she might call the non-emergency line. We've also been told how she won't be bullied by the farmer and will retaliate by constantly reporting him - a farmer she has never spoken to and could be a lovely guy who gives OP advance warning if he's shooting in future.
If I genuinely thought someone might shoot me or a family member, I wouldn't be posting on MN, I'd be calling the police as a matter of urgency.

Absolutely mad to fall out with the farmer if you live in a village. It's absolutely not worth it. You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar OP.

OP claims she won't be bullied but from where I see it, she's the bully. Doesn't like something. Doesn't understand it. Won't listen to people trying to explain it. Wants it to stop. Will call the police rather than talk to a neighbour. Will make it stop because of how it makes her feel not because of the facts. Like one of those people complaining that ambulances parked in the residents only zone 🙄 No grasp of the bigger picture or any care that there might be something more important than her feelings.

He's probably shooting rabbits? Why don't you go and talk to him rather than complaining on the internet?

Your garden will benefit from a reduced rabbit population.

I’m rather wondering if this is a reverse.

This sort of thing is the problem with selling off farmland to developers.

I'd be astounded if he was aiming in the direction of houses, roads etc. I'd imagine he is aiming away from houses. And people. Spoken as someone who has spent a good amount of time shooting / around shotguns / rifles.

🤦‍♀️

You are the one sneering.

I'm sorry, you chose to have your children play there and you chose to be scared.

WTF. Do people now feel entitled to just rock up in a community and have the people there put in the slammer for continuing to be?

The public order act actually has a purpose, and that purpose isn't "shit on law abiding people in their own space because I can find a way to di it"

We can see him so we are in the firing line. I mean, I know he wouldn’t intentionally shoot as[sic] us
In the line but probably not in range - and as opposed to if it was a military standard gun where you would be in the line of fire and in range and unable to see the shooter.
He isn't going to spin round and reel off a few shots in your direction, and as PPs have mentioned, even if he did you are most likely way beyond the range of his gun which is likely a shotgun.

I'd hope the police have better things to do in all honesty. Practically, calk your kids in from the garden and speak to the farmer. If after that conversation you feel threatened by him using a gun then maybe time to call the police.

I very much doubt that the farmer is shooting onto your property. Anyone with an atom of common sense and who is experienced in shooting knows not to do that. I mean did you really not consider what living next to farm land would be like? What else will annoy you? The countryside is actually a working environment, not a backdrop for a film.