Shooting

It is a criminal offence to discharge a firearm over a carriageway without lawful authority or excuse if, as a result, a user of the way is injured, endangered or interrupted. A carriageway includes a restricted byway or byway open to all traffic. It is also an offence to have a firearm, together with ammunition, in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

Though there is no right to close a right of way to allow shooting to take place, shoots should always be arranged in such a way as to avoid danger or inconvenience to users of the rights of way network.

Some rights of way over land occupied by the Ministry of Defence may be closed for operational reasons. The areas affected in Hampshire are on

• Chilcomb Range (Bridleways 3 and 4 in Chilcomb and  Owslebury Bridleway 1)
• Barton Stacey (Moody Down Range – part of Footpath 2)
• Longmoor.

Red flags will be flown when the rights of way are closed
Further information on MoD closures.