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Rabbit... Game or vermin??


cjm
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Hi All

They can be classed as both if you are caught poaching rabbits, under the law, they are classed as ground game but with the landowners permission they are classed as pests/vermin

Geordie

Is correct, rabbit is ground game but is considered a pest under which ever act ( which i can not be bothered to look up), get caught poaching though and ground game they will be ;)

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Is correct, rabbit is ground game but is considered a pest under which ever act ( which i can not be bothered to look up), get caught poaching though and ground game they will be ;)

 

:stupid:

Until the law was changed some time back (1980s?) to reflect the current situation, I would imagine that some 99% of shooters who were shooting rabbit at night, and quite legally so they thought, were in fact breaking the law. In legal terms the people empowered so to do were few and far between.

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:stupid:

Until the law was changed some time back (1980s?) to reflect the current situation, I would imagine that some 99% of shooters who were shooting rabbit at night, and quite legally so they thought, were in fact breaking the law. In legal terms the people empowered so to do were few and far between.

 

I think that lamping rabbits is still a legal muddle, I read somewhere that it is legal for the landowner and one nominated person to do it. It's widely ignored.

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There is a summary on BASC website http://www.basc.org.uk/en/codes-of-practice/lamping.cfm

 

The night shooting of rabbits and hares by tenants or occupiers of land, who are not the owners of the land, are subject to the following restrictions. These do not apply to landowners, but they should be aware of the legal restrictions on shooting hares at night:

 

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 schedule (7) amended Section 6 of the Ground Game Act and Section 50 of The Agricultural (Scotland) Act 1948, to allow night shooting of ground game under certain conditions.

 

England and Wales: it is lawful for the occupier of any land himself, or one other person authorised by him, to use firearms for the purpose of killing ground game at night if the occupier has the written authority of a person entitled to kill or take the ground game on their land e.g. holder of shooting rights. The following conditions apply:

 

1.No person should be authorised by the occupier to kill ground game except:

a) Members of his household resident on the land in his occupation

B ) Persons in his ordinary service on such land e.g. employees

c) Any other person, bona fide employed by him for reward in taking and destruction of ground game. The keeping of ground game satisfies the requirements of reward in the absence of money.

2.Every person so authorised by the occupier, on demand by any other person having a concurrent right or any person so authorised by him in writing, must produce their written authority. In default, a person would not be deemed to be an ‘authorised person’.

Under the Game Act 1831 Section 30 non-compliance with any of the above restrictions may make the person taking ground game a trespasser within the scope of poaching legislation e.g. trespass in pursuit of game. A defence that the person had permission from the occupier would not apply.

 

Scotland: the following criteria apply:

 

•It shall not be unlawful for the owner of the shooting rights on any land or any person holding those rights from him, or the occupier of any land to use a firearm for the purpose of killing ground game thereon at night

•The occupier of any land shall not use a firearm to kill ground game at night (except where he has exclusive right) unless he has obtained the written authority of the other person or one of the other persons entitled to kill ground game

•An occupier, who is entitled to use a firearm for the purpose of killing ground game, may be subject to the provision of Section 1 of the Ground Game Act 1880, which authorises one other person so to use a firearm. 'Common Law' permits a landowner to take and kill game on his land, and, subject to reservation, an agricultural tenant, as occupier, to kill ground game for crop protection.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act defines 'ground game' as hares and rabbits.

 

'Night' is defined as one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.

 

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Ive always thought rabbit shooting was vermin control etc. tho a friend is adamant its game??

 

can someone please clear this up for me??

 

Definately vermin, although considered game in South Africa. By the way, how did you manage to get 5 shotguns??

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Rabbits are most definitely classed as ground game.

 

Vermin is just a term given to an animal that is in some circumstances a pest to man. So although Rabbits are game they are to some people a pest and a nuisance and therefore referred to as vermin. For this reason many people have ground game listed on their fac.

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Rabbits are most definitely classed as ground game.

 

Vermin is just a term given to an animal that is in some circumstances a pest to man. So although Rabbits are game they are to some people a pest and a nuisance and therefore referred to as vermin. For this reason many people have ground game listed on their fac.

 

 

It is legal definitions that matter. There isn't one for vermin.

 

The "Game Act" defines what is game and it does include hares and rabbits - so rabbits are ground game.

 

But.....

 

There is all manner of later legislation which, in the case of rabbits, muddies the water a bit.

 

For example, rabbits are excluded from the definition of ground game when it comes to poaching.

 

There is no closed season for rabbit and no seasonal restriction on the sale of rabbit meat.

 

The Pest Act defines (broadly) England and Wales as a rabbit clearance area.

 

Hare coursing with dogs is illegal but not so for rabbits.

 

And so it goes on..... don't worry about it.

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