Another parliamentary question - Charter on Hunting

Rovi

Found this in the Dáil Debate transcript for 9 December-
http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20041209.xml&Node=H14#H14

Charter on Hunting.
20. Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the Council of Europe proposal that a European charter on hunting be drawn up as a guide, setting out common principles and good practices for hunting; and his views on such a proposal. [29214/04]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche): I am aware of the Council of Europe proposal referred to and that the European Commission is also considering the development of a charter on sustainable hunting under the birds directive. My Department is responsible for making the annual open seasons order and also for the issue of hunting licences to individual hunters under the provisions of the Wildlife Acts 1976 and 2000. Accordingly, I support any measures that would contribute to good hunting practice and encourage hunters to respect nature and approach hunting with respect for environmental and sustainability considerations.

Is this something we (shooters in general, and hunters in particular) should be concerned about?
It looks nice and benign, I suppose, but is there any danger that EU directives might bestow some sort of legitimacy on the unsavoury practice of shooting songbirds, as was ( and still is, as far as I know) practiced in some continental countries?
Didn’t the NARGC win a case some years ago preventing whatever arm of government was involved (Justice?) from issuing Firearms Certificates to non-nationals who wished to come here to shoot songbirds?
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pancakeman

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Irishglockfan

Is this something we (shooters in general, and hunters in particular) should be concerned about?
It looks nice and benign, I suppose, but is there any danger that EU directives might bestow some sort of legitimacy on the unsavoury practice of shooting songbirds, as was ( and still is, as far as I know) practiced in some continental countries?

Mostly mediterrian countries,paticulary Italy,where mass netting with fog nets,bird lime is still allowed.However dont be too quick to judge.They might consider somthing that we do unsavoury.Worst lot to hunt with in their own soil,they really get passionate about shooting and EVERYTHING[inc a few of themselves each season] gets shot.The reason the Italians shot song birds over here ,was partially our own fault.No one told them it was an unsporting thing to do,as well as being illegal in some cases].I put it down to unscrouplous shoot owners back in the eighties."Ah shure dem lads is paying well.Shure what harm if they shoot a few ol songbirds?"attitude.

What riles me is Roches statement that hunters should be aware of good hunting practises,and encourage hunters to respect nature,and to approach nature with conservation and sustainability.

WHAT EFFIN CHEEK OF THAT MAN!!!!!! How DARE HE lecture us on respecting nature and hunting?It is us hunters that spend a fortune in restocking,conservation,preserving,taxes on ammo ,guns, liscenses,etc to the tune of 14million a year to swell the govt coffers,and what do WE see from the Govt in return???? SWEET F^&K ALL. If it hadnt been for shooting and the unpaid work we put in setting up flight ponds,restocking,vermin patrols etc,there would be less than there is nowadays.We do more than any bloated politican sitting on his ass in the Dail or other nature conservation groups,[read anti shooting&hunting nature nazis] put together.
Absolutely hopping about this!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

Didn’t the NARGC win a case some years ago preventing whatever arm of government was involved (Justice?) from issuing Firearms Certificates to non-nationals who wished to come here to shoot songbirds?

Nope,it was concerning the amount of ammo that tourist shooters could import while the native shooter was limited to a certain amount.

Rovi

Irishglockfan wrote:

Mostly mediterrian countries,paticulary Italy,where mass netting with fog nets,bird lime is still allowed.However dont be too quick to judge.They might consider somthing that we do unsavoury.Worst lot to hunt with in their own soil,they really get passionate about shooting and EVERYTHING[inc a few of themselves each season] gets shot.The reason the Italians shot song birds over here ,was partially our own fault.No one told them it was an unsporting thing to do,as well as being illegal in some cases].I put it down to unscrouplous shoot owners back in the eighties."Ah shure dem lads is paying well.Shure what harm if they shoot a few ol songbirds?"attitude.

Thanks Irishglockfan, I remember the furore at the time, but the details escaped me.
As you say, there are probably plenty of things that we do here that would be considered unsavoury elsewhere. Hare coursing springs to mind for example, and ‘hunting with hounds’ are both activities that are traditional activities in this country, but are viewed as unsavoury (or worse!) by many sectors of society both here and abroad.

Irishglockfan wrote:

it was concerning the amount of ammo that tourist shooters could import while the native shooter was limited to a certain amount.

That’s grossly unfair on the hunter who’s going after ‘natives’, isn’t it?
Sorry Irishglockfan, I couldn’t resist! I’m a weak person
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Irishglockfan

‘hunting with hounds’ are both activities that are traditional activities in this country, but are viewed as unsavoury (or worse!) by many sectors of society both here and abroad.

Be careful of that defination if you are a shooter.Hunting with hounds almost lumped us in with the foxhunters.you could have been done if you went abroad with more than one dog.although you could argue that most gun dogs do not belong to the "hound" category of dogs.The hounds are a distinctive group of dogs.
BTW foxhunting as practised by Irl and the UK can be found over most of the Western World where Britan had an influence.The French hunt deer still by horse and hound[Par force].But my uncle from germany who is an avid hunter[shooting] first saw an irish hunt with all the racket,hounds,horses etc.He was totally puzzled as to how this lot ever catch the most craftiest of animals.I dont hunt by horseand hound,but I know that if they go.shooting is Next!

That’s grossly unfair on the hunter who’s going after ‘natives’, isn’t it?
Sorry Irishglockfan, I couldn’t resist! I’m a weak person ].

TOUCHE!!!

Rovi

Irishglockfan wrote:

I dont hunt by horseand hound,but I know that if they go.shooting is Next!

I absolutely agree!
I don’t hunt by horse and hound either but I know plenty of people who do, and if they have to take to the streets to defend their activity, I’ll be there with them.
I’ll be keeping my distance from the horsies though! All I know about them is that one end kicks and the other end bites, and anyone that wants to dedicate their life and money to them is welcome to them
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jaycee

one end kicks and the other end bites, and anyone that wants to dedicate their life and money to them is welcome to them

Or was that women .???