Almost certainly, he's a total idiot to be shooting like that.

..and is generally the case. A minority spoil it for the majority.

From your accounts he could or could not be legally shooting, but it does sound irresponsible either way. I would expect a shooter with permission would take a little more care, than someone committing armed trespass, but on the flip side, you would think someone committing the latter in broad daylight wouldn't want to attract attention

Normally a shooter of a rifle, will need a FAC licence, which is a extra licence application, some are open to choose were they shoot (with permission) others have to prove why they need that calibre of rifle and for what and are allowed to use it just on that land in which they have permission. I have never done this, but i believe they have to have a understanding of backstops and take into account ricochets to keep the bullet within the land they are shooting on (like we do with a air rifle or shotgun)

I have been with people who have shot .22, anything larger in calibre i think is for larger game, like deer & foxes again, not something you would be walking around shooting, as i would expect they need to be stalked

Signal or not, it would have been worth calling the police when you got back or got signal if it happened how you explained  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Seeing the attraction in what other people enjoy isn't easy, there are people who cut up animals for a living, or cut open people for a living, or bury people in the ground when they have died. If butchers, surgeons or funeral directors said they enjoyed their jobs, it sounds weird, but is it?

So someone who enjoys shooting an animal in the wild to cook and eat doesn't sound weird to me. Someone who would ban that in favour of eating animals thats have been electrocuted on a production line does sound very weird to me though. 
Hung like Einstein, smart as a horse.

For future reference stooby, dial 112 instead of 999 and your phone will scan other networks for a signal as it's an emergency call. I would clas that as an emergency. Discharge of a firearm in a public place. Downright dangerous. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

a place were he (may) have had permission on, which so happens, like lots of others, to have a public footpath running along side it of through it, but people using it should have been noted

His permission might have stopped at the river, unless he had rights to shoot opposite side aswell, but that make no difference if somebody is rightfully or wrongfully walking on that particular side (not suggesting they was) Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Shiggsy - I agree! I don't have a problem with killing to eat. If they stopped mass farming of animals we'd all be at it. The mass processing of animals is horrible! However, isn't shooting ducks, grouse, deer considered a sport by some?

Doc - I really regret not making a call even when I got signal. There was a local couple who just passed us when the shot came in. They legged it and I wondered if they had made a call. I wish I had though.

npinks - that new dog of yours - gorgeous!

Anyway, didn't want to get people's backs up. I don't like guns and that's a personal opinion and I shouldn't have shared it.

On the facts as you present them it was poor shooting irrespective of quarry or calibre. A suitable backstop is essential in every situation as you can never absolutely guarantee that you will hit what you are aiming for. You should never have been exposed to danger in that way. I think you absolutely should have reported the incident - if the land is regularly stalked or vermin controlled by the same person and they don't realise there's a right of way, it could happen again. If it was armed trespass it becomes even more serious...
Gun ownership is a right and a privilege so it's up to those that own and use them to treat them with the seriousness they deserve, and in my experience 99.99999% do, but there's always room for improvement.
I'm sorry if this incident has tainted your view on those that shoot. We all have our own reasons and motivations but since I have been involved with shooting have yet to meet a gun-obsessive.

Yes game shooting is a sport, but what gets shot doesn't get thrown away, everything is eaten, it even ends up in supermarkets. The fact that it is a sport, which people pay to do, because they enjoy it, means the woods and ponds get preserved for this use instead of being seen as dead money by a landowner who can rip them out to earn money by growing crops, or building houses on thereby, preserving the countryside.

You haven't got my back up at all, but game shooting and guns have a justifiable reason for being around, hopefully you can see that now even if you don't find it particularly palatable. 
Hung like Einstein, smart as a horse.

don't feel like you have offended anyone, Stooby

Its been a good topic and raised some good points on both sides, everyone has opinions and its good that it hasn't turned in to a slanging match, but a good discussion


Thanks for the comment on Rupert, he is absolutely adorable , even at 5am when he gets up  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Hi Stooby I am glad it did not turn into a slanging match it's just that I like to hear other peoples point of view.I shoot game and pigeons crows etc for pest control for the farmers and also shoot a lot of rats now into a few thousand over the years.

Cheers lads!

Earlier this year as I was taking my dog for an early morning walk around the fields near me, someone had set up a hide on one side of a public footpath and in the fields (which had just been sown) he had about a dozen dummy wood pigeons and two mechanical things that had a dummy bird on them going round in circles making it look like the bird was flying. He was shooting across the footpath into the field. Another dog walker said they'd seen him there the week previous and when challenged, the shooter told him to off. Didn't think it was right but wasn't about to argue with a bloke with a gun so when I came off the fields I phoned the police. Said they'd be there within the hour and asked me to wait. Couldn't wait as I had to go to work but I haven't seen him since. Spoke to someone about it later and they said you could shoot across a public footpath if the owner of the land onto which you were shooting gave you permission. Seems strange to me - I bet I couldn't shoot across the road into my own front garden. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

It is legal to shoot across a footpath but not a carridge way or high way but care must be taken for other users of the foot path the guy shooting who said off does not do shooting any favours at all not all of us are like it .Ihave been shooting scince I was 10 years of age and not once have I had or been close to having an accident.At all times I am aware of my surroundings and any one in the area I am also a member of BASC who cover £10 million insurance

Hate shooters with attitudes like that, obviously people plus be telling one side of the story, but If I was approached about what I was doing civilly then same respect goes back, but some one with attitude would get a bit more curt response but not a off

Saw a video of couple of lads who were foxing and a completely nutty woman went off on one at them shouting obscenities videoing them even though she was putting herself in harms way by how she was acting, but the lads kept calm and continue with the job in hand, another video was shown of her finding a maggot covered manky dead fox, nothing to say it had been hinted and planted flowers and candle and was shedding tears on tears, obviously very pationate about stance, turned out she was a chief inspectors wife  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis