Newly proposed hunting schedule

[dippersgirl]

Newly proposed hunting schedule:

Today, the result of a meeting between the Ministry of Interior Cyprus Hunters-new, game schedule appeared. Finalization of the Council of Ministers is expected

Accordingly, here are the new hunting days;

* 27 OCTOBER,

* 3-10-17-24 NOVEMBER,

* DECEMBER 1-8-15-22-29

* 1 and 5 JANUARY

[Deniz1]

Barbaric poor little birds.

[metin]

I feel sorry for the dogs, who get shot or abandoned........

[Deniz1]

I agree. They dont need to hunt for food just so called sport they can dress up and have a boys day out without killing anything.

[paddywack]

I feel sorry for the dogs, who get shot or abandoned........

Your average TC has no idea as to how long it takes to train a gun dog.

[sophie]

Get ready to find traumatised "hunting dogs" wandering about after having found their way down from the mountains. They will have been released from their huts, cages or chains, be totally gun shy and mostly unable and incapable of doing what is expected of them. Consequently abandoned in the mountains. I understand there are a few enlightened owners, but they are in the minority and as rare as hens teeth. We've already seen men going past our house dressed as if they are on their way to fight in Syria in full camouflage gear. With luck they'll be so hard to see they take pot shots at each other.

[kaiserphil]

They are exactly the same in Bavaria. It is an extension of the penis.

[dippersgirl]

[Deniz1]

The hospital reports being busy in the hunting season lots of foot injuries.

[muffin]

Better get our "loud hailer" ready to shout at the so called hunters who use the prohibited olive groves in Bellapais. Where are the supposed wardens who are meant to police these well used prohibited areas? Probably safely tucked up in bed having a Sunday lie in.

[Mozgor]

We live in Kayalar and I swear that there was an army of hunters on the hill just behind us!! Sounded as if they were right outside the house, a few of the neighbours, including my other half, shouted at them and they seem to have moved on, whew!

[Hippocampus]

Rambo has been out behind our house too. There is a frankolin crying its heart out, no doubt its mate has been shot, hopefully this one will stay close to the houses, not that that is a consideration to Rambo. He likes to spray our garden with shot.

The country loving Rambo is, however, most considerate. He leaves a trail of plastic cartridges, beer bottles and fag packets so that others know where the best spots are. He has also been known to rid the area of all the nasty kites, owls etc. that kill the poor little rats.

[philyesil]

Please, please no more Peregrine Falcons, Gosshawks, Short Eared Owls or any other Birds of Prey or Owls, they are not Game Birds or vermin but Protected Species.

And that means don't shoot them!

Also the Blunt Nosed Viper (Kufi) IS ALSO PROTECTED BY law.

[Owl Lady]

Sorry about the Blunt Nosed viper, my Pointer had other ideas about protecting it, after it bit her on the face. She killed it. Spent 12 days at the vet on a drip. She is waiting to be summoned for a court hearing any day now!!

[Philoz]

I wish someone would come and hunt the 500 feral pigeons that live on my roof and c**p everywhere.
I believe they are quite tasty,and not endangered at all.

[Deniz1]

In the ten years I have lived here the pigeons seem to have doubled I hate cleaning up the mess.

[dippersgirl]

I agree philoz, as we haven't got a gun and you are not allowed to use one near residential areas, I wondered if one could use a catapult.
The "ooops" and the endless cooing...gggrrrr.....
Fortunately for the pigeons, I can't aim at all well!!

[JBA]

Shooting pigeons (with gun or catapult) is pointless - more will come. Your local population is governed by food and water supplies. Similarly, plastic owls & hawks don't work even if, as recommended, you move them every week - because the pigeons soon realise there is no danger. Spikes work because they physically stop the birds from perching - but it would be hugely expensive to cover the whole roof with them and just fixing them to roof edges (as most people do) has only a limited affect.

Pigeon poo isn't just unsightly - it is serious health risk. It's not without reason that pigeons are called flying rats - they carry several diseases very dangerous to humans (http://medicinereport.com/article/4-dis ... om-pigeons )

The 3 most effective things you can do are:-

1) When not in use keep the water level in your pool as low as possible (i.e. just above the vacuum point); if they can't drink from your pool then they are less likely roost on your roof.

2) Make absolutely sure that nobody nearby is feeding them - misguided people do and they should be shot.

3) Instead of spikes try stringing fishing line (approx 50lb strain) along the roof edges. For a start it is a lot cheaper than spikes but also it unnerves the birds more because they can't see it and sudden contact with it really spooks them. It has other advantages in that it is less intrusive and also it is easier to fix than spikes. You simply need some sort of post at each end of a run and then a taut line between them 4 or so inches above the surface. Adding a spring at 1 end ensures tension in hot weather when the fishing line will expand a little. I guess if you were really comitted to a pigeon free roof then it wouldn't be a monstrous task, and certainly not expensive, to string a network of lines (say 18 inches apart) over the whole roof. Or for a flat roof you could spread standard plastic garden netting over the area.

[kaiserphil]

Little swine used to drink from our pool, then turn round and poo in it!

[Philoz]

JBA - the fishing line tip is worth a try,thanks.
I did see an owl on Amazon that was highly rated as it's head spins round in the wind!(about £15)-Though I understand what you are saying that they get used to them.
I have put spikes over all the terraces and that has worked in those areas,but now they just congregate on the apexes(is that a word?)
The spikes aren't cheap so if I stretch some fishing line as you suggest just above the apex that might work-what do you think?

[JBA]

Philoz

Apexes or Apices - either is the approved plural.

But do you mean the ridge lines or the apexes, an apex being a single point and probably the one place were a spike would be easier than the fishing line. A ridge line is the high centre line of the roof from which the rest descends. The ridge line is perfect for the fishing line because it usually isn't flat enough for spikes to be affixed.

For the posts I used cut up clear plastic clothes hangers as being the least intrusive thing I could find. Depending on design you can get 2 or 4 x 6" posts from a coat hanger. Drill a small hole through the top of the post and then a hole about 1" deep at the mounting point. Put the post in the hole and cement in place with epoxy glue (Araldite or similar). But you can use anything reasonably strong for the posts but wood is likely to perish eventually. Small diameter rebar litters building sites here and so would cost nothing - although it is very hard to drill.

[Philoz]

Thank you JBA for your advise.
Will give it a try,and hopefully a Poo free roof !