Don't really want to say where I am located. Before shooting incidents like Hungerford or Dunblane, obtaining a Firearms Certificate around here was fairly straight forward. In days prior to those, farmers had occasionally shot persistent trespassers in their legs with a cartridge of salt (and other things) but weren't prosecuted. I mainly use .22 Bisley Magnums (are they barracuda ?) at 900fps, .25 25.4's at 910fps, or .177 8.5gn's at about 750fps from a springer for work inside buildings. Most pests are wary at short distances, so most shoot at ranges of 50-120 yards. Recognising airguns as a useful tool started around here in the 1980's, mainly with HW80's (Beeman R1), with some big bags of rabbits, starlings and corvids in places that couldn't be dealt with by shotguns to anywhere near the same effectiveness.
Land isn't a problem around here, as the family have always lived in area, had land, had horses, know farmers and estate managers, have always been involved in country pursuits of all kinds over numerous lifetimes, also know when to see things and when not to (important when, apart from weather, Government/European Union is the main enemy of farmers). Having said that, most other people who've lived in the locality all their lives also have carte blanche to shoot on most of the land. I know that people from towns and cities ask for permission, but they really don't stand a chance without a sponsor.
Have about 20,000 acres around which I can shoot at various times through the year, though concentrate on about 1,500 acres of nearby arable/livestock land interspaced with broadleaved woodland. Not all roses, as when a farmer or farm worker gets a bad back or is late back from holiday or a cow/horse is loose nearby or something suspicious is going on in local woods/fields etc etc etc etc etc etc, even if it is 3am, if I get a call then I really have to go. Have 2,500 acres I can shoot elsewhere in Britian, surrounding a military base but only go twice/thrice per Summer to bag minimum 200 rabbits a day (no kids)....using 11.5ft Ib BSA Supersport.
Not many roads, not too many houses or people about, mostly cattle, horses & trespassers, so not many safety concerns around here for airgunners. We generally stay away from the periphery where the roads are, as the "townie" "country people" seem to think that either "shooting is wrong" or anyone with a rifle is a terrorist and so phone Police.
