Not to say we have a better way of doing things on this side of the pond . . . but it would seem that our system makes more sense. One only needs a hunting license to shoot species that are classified as game, and on which there is an established season, bag limit, shooting hours, etc. Otherwise, if a species is not either protected or classified as game, it can be shot by anyone whether they have a hunting license or not. I'm sure farmers who don't hunt appreciate being able to shoot pigeons without purchasing a hunting license.