Bird scarers warned after pellets found

Police are warning vineyard bird scarers to watch their aim after shotgun pellets were found on roofs, paddocks and even state highways near vineyards in recent days.

Shotguns are used annually around Marlborough to scare birds off the grapes as the vintage approaches.

Marlborough rural constable Beau Webster said bird scarers, who generally used a 12 gauge shotgun, should take care to shoot into vineyards rather than out of them.

"The person firing a shotgun is supposedly a [firearms] licence holder, so should be well aware of rules and regulations of firearms.

"The shotgun should be facing into the vineyard and not on the road."

Mr Webster said if anything went wrong, the person with the shotgun rather than the vineyard owner would be held accountable. Most people shot into a vineyard to scare the birds, but some people "become hunters" and started to aim at birds.

A 12-gauge shotgun could fire up to 240 metres and kill a bird at 40m.

"If you fire it up at an angle, it can go quite far," Mr Webster said.

Complaints were received about bird scarers every year, he said, but he was particularly concerned for the safety and peace of mind of cyclists in areas such as Rapaura who may be tourists and were not aware of what the shooting was for.

Other complaints were often received from people on lifestyle blocks bordering on vineyards who found pellets on their properties.

Mr Webster said no-one had been prosecuted for offences relating to bird scaring in recent years.

- The Marlborough Express

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Vanessa   #1   01:24 pm Mar 11 2010

Ive had car windows shot out and nothing was done. Vineyards get away with all sorts of bad behaviour.

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