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Duck with an air rifle?

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Duck with an air rifle?

Postby Judge Ali » Mon May 26, 2008 10:44 pm

Just got back from my Monday night shooting .303's at the club. I was speaking to another member who mentioned he may have permission to shoot a reservior soon and in September is going after the ducks, due to the close proximity of houses he said he was planning to just snipe them off the surface with his air rifle. A sitting duck as it where....

Anyway, another member was absolutely devastated at the mere suggestion of it and considers this unethical, he states its poor because A: You shouldnt shoot ducks with airguns and B: Its unfair to shoot at ducks unless they are in flight, sporting chance and all that.

I personally think he is wrong but this is a mature and experienced member who has been shooting before I was born and has a lot of respect in the club. Am I missing something here? Whats the general feeling? I know I have shot sitting ducks before with my air rifle and dont see any difference between that and shooting a sitting rabbit.

Would like to know your thoughts please
Cheers
Alex
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Re: Duck with an air rifle?

Postby hungryrob » Mon May 26, 2008 10:48 pm

I reckon that there's a problem with the shooting of ducks with air rifle. I don't fall into the 'sporting chance' bull. but it would be a problem at least because a sub 12ft/lbs air rifle would not have enough power to cleanly kill a duck... depending on the range but no ducks are THAT stupid unless they're tame and then that's simply wrong...

I'd also be guessing he'll shoot them regardless of the season and type....

Sounds like a complete fud to me..
Brown trout fishing and accommodation in rural Perthshire; look at http://www.laighwood.co.uk
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Re: Duck with an air rifle?

Postby Bluelungbutter » Mon May 26, 2008 10:50 pm

Not sure about the ethics of it but i'm sure your not allowed to use lead shot cartridges when shooting over waterways so i would have thought for that reason alone it would be frowned upon if not illegal to use lead airgun pellets.

May be wrong though.

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Re: Duck with an air rifle?

Postby Bluelungbutter » Mon May 26, 2008 10:52 pm

hungryrob wrote:Sounds like a complete fud to me..


Haven't heard the word fud for years. :lol: :lol:

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Re: Duck with an air rifle?

Postby Beer Hunter » Mon May 26, 2008 11:01 pm

A head shot on a duck is a very small target and getting through the body mass to the vitals is something I would not like to try.
They are tough birds even with a shotgun.

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Re: Duck with an air rifle?

Postby RichardH » Mon May 26, 2008 11:01 pm

Not sporting at all :roll:

Ducks are hard as nails (have you ever tried to kill a wounded one?) airguns just dont have the poke.

How was he proposing to retrieve the birds, does he have the necessary trained dog?

Does he understand the seasons?

Does he do anything at all to put back the birds he kills?

I'm not sure whether you can shoot airgun pellets (or even proper bullets) over wetlands either.

In short for my money he's just another cowboy with an airgun :roll:

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Re: Duck with an air rifle?

Postby Foxy » Mon May 26, 2008 11:09 pm

You can shoot over wetlands with led shot provided it over a certain diam.
The diam i am not sure of though but i expect BASC can help.
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Re: Duck with an air rifle?

Postby RichardH » Mon May 26, 2008 11:10 pm

Foxy wrote:You can shoot over wetlands with led shot provided it over a certain diam.
The diam i am not sure of though but i expect BASC can help.


We have very few wetlands in these parts :grin:
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Re: Duck with an air rifle?

Postby Judge Ali » Tue May 27, 2008 5:02 pm

Interesting - it all sounds pretty anti so far.

I must be honest - I have actually done this before myself with an air rifle from a private trout lake in Somerset and managed to roll them straight over with head shots, the owner of that lake does it fairly reguarly and has a dog to retrieve them. That was the reason I didnt really see anything wrong with what he is suggesting, but reading the points above I think I am going to have to put my hands up and do a U turn on this one!

Am glad I asked, I guess the elders at the club do know best!

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