Rats nibbling my veg :(

Ive been shooting nearly all my life only target now days, i would shoot rats if they turned up but very rare see them since ive made the feed station that catches all food, i love animals but cant cope with rats.

 

I only feed sunflower hearts no magpies/crows come, sparrows and the odd finch and lots of goldfinch, i did have three squirrels two years ago they was causing too much damage and had to go,

My small pond has been a haven for birds watering/bathing hole busy all day long ,

Another way ive dealt with rats is with two paving slabs one laid flat and the other propped up with a stick and a long bit of string, bait the paving slab laid flat and wait for the culprit to start feeding pull the sting and it will kill the rat instant.

 

I used to shoot when i was young, but i draw a line with being shoot at and this was an organized shoot, the field they were in was at the corner of our garden (two corners together) and the centre of pond was only 150 yards away from house (the far end of garden) and a 12 bore can fire 300 yard + and what's more our neighbours had a young child there at the time (1 year old) and they were as far way as we were and that didn't stop them, people just don't think, even when i had a go at them they said they weren't firing towards the house so i said "explain this" pellets in my handhe went very q t
so after the 3rd time (and some other times when something landed in the garden but couldn't be sure) of have pellets and duck we phone the land owner and got the wife and she but a stop to it there and then

 

Are the rats eating your veg or just looking for water/moisture as it's so dry, if they're looking for moisture put out a water bowl away from your veg

 

You shouldn't be shooting on bird tables you should be shooting safely with a back stop and no chance of a ricoshade,

Have a read here Shiney this applies to the whole of England not certain areas.

Garden airgunning advice from an expert at Shooting Times
https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/guns/air-rifles/airgun-security-law-26100
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation



Yes we have got crossed purposes, i am keeping on track talking about grown adults dealing with vermin,

You are talking about young kids/adults who have no gun safety knowledge firing pellets anywhere two different circumstances keep on topic .

 

Be careful handling the pond water.

 

Your first comment was.

The law remains the same rural/urban

No its not gun laws are gun laws

Councils can advise you not to shoot and it could be a breach of council owned houses, but they cant change gun laws, if you use a gun in a proper safe way around your own garden no one can do anything,

At the end of the day common sense plays a big part if you have any doubts about what your doing stay clear shooting rabbits at 60ft with a old rifle is certainly not good practice.

 

Nicola Sturgeon banned shooting in Scotland unless you drive a big Rangerover

 

I give up , ive only had a firearms license for the past 20yrs i best refresh myself on the new area laws .