'Shoo before you shoot' jail warning to farmers hit by crows under new plans labelled 'ludicrous' by countryside groups



Those breaking the rules could face six months in jail or a £5,000 fine



Currently farmers only have to be 'satisfied' scaring crows wouldn't work

But soon they will have to take 'reasonable an appropriate steps' to prove it

Plans slammed by the Countryside Alliance but supported by the RSPB



Not so scared: Crows will have to be shooed away thoroughly by farmers before they can be shot

Britain’s farmers must try to shoo away birds before they can be shot for damaging crops, according to new plans from the Government’s wildlife advisers.

And anyone breaking the rules could face prosecution, with a maximum six months in jail or a £5,000 fine.

The new proposals have caused uproar, with farming and countryside groups labelling them ‘ludicrous’.

At present, if farmers have a problem with pigeons or crows eating wheat or stealing chickens’ eggs, they can decide the best option is to shoot them. They only need to be ‘satisfied’ that scaring or other measures such as netting would be ineffective or impracticable before reaching for the gun.

But officials from the Government’s wildlife advisers Natural England now want to ensure that other methods are tried before farmers shoot.

Under their proposals, it would be a legal requirement for licensed gun owners to take ‘reasonable and appropriate steps’ such as ‘scaring’ to resolve any problem before resorting to firearms.

The new rules are included in a shake-up of the General Licence, which allows licensed gun owners to kill pests such as magpies, crows and rooks.

Simon Clarke, of the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, said: ‘What are we supposed to do – go out in bright shiny clothes, waving our arms and making a lot of noise before shooting? And who is going to wander round fields checking whether every pigeon-shooter has tried to scare away the pest birds before shooting?’

The Countryside Alliance’s Tim Bonner said: ‘This is ridiculous and shows Natural England has no understanding of pigeon control or the damage pigeons can do.’

Charles Nodder, of the National Gamekeepers Organisation, added: ‘You don’t go out waving the white flag before you shoot. It’s ludicrous. We will support proposals that make sense but will oppose impractical suggestions tooth and nail.’

Blight: Farmers say crows, pigeons and other birds pose a huge risk of damage to their crops

But a Royal Society for the Protection of Birds spokesman said: ‘The licence gives landowners the right to remove individual birds that are causing a problem, but we’ve always questioned the validity of those who appear to just go out and shoot birds for the pot, which is not allowed.’

The changes are contained in a consultation process initiated by Natural England last week.

In a statement, Natural England said: ‘The requirement is that people take reasonable steps to resolve problems by means that are lawful and don’t require a licence.

‘For example, many farmers will use gas-guns or scarecrows to deter birds. However, this is often not wholly effective and lethal control will also be necessary. This is appropriate as the farmers are clearly doing everything reasonable and practicable.’