fenboy Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 (edited) There has been a few threads on here in recent weeks where the poster is pleased to announce that he has shot a hare / hares in what I guess most of us know is the breeding season. Normally the excuse is they are vermin. I know in England we have a season where hares cannot be sold but do you think we should follow Scotland in having a closed season on the taking of hares ?. A sensible debate please. For you that call them vermin why ? seems that its is a northern thing, yet I would guess there are perhaps more hares in my area than anywhere else in the country, and I would say lots more than in the north otherwise it would not be a almost weekly occurance that our local paper has a piece about hare coursers being prosecuted who hail from that part of the country would it ??, yet despite there being so many around here I have never heard a farmer complaining about them or ask me to shoot them. So I will say that in my opinion , they are game not vermin and I would personally welcome a closed season on hares. Edited April 22, 2012 by fenboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallowbuck Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 (edited) I quite agree, Hares are most certainly not vermin and should be treated with the respect they deserve!However one has to be careful in calling for "Closed Seasons" etc as our friends the antis are ever watchful and would very likely try to retire another species to the protected list, robbing us of another great sporting quarry!Surely, a call to all shooters to exercise restraint would not fall on deaf ears amongst the vast majority of our fellow sportsmen and women?There are always "renegades" but I think most would join in the spirit of things? Edited April 22, 2012 by fallowbuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hezbear Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 Pre hunting ban I loved to run them with the dogs in the colder months and have always classed them as game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billywoodsman Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 I work as a groundsman on sports fields in an area that has a good population of hares,they do very little damage to the turf(maybe a small amount of grazing) so i leave them alone,unlike the rabbits that dig and scratch around I would class them as game. I do hold my hand up to taking 1 or 2 for the bbq when the breading season has finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lumpy Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 There has been a few threads on here in recent weeks where the poster is pleased to announce that he has shot a hare / hares in what I guess most of us know is the breeding season. Normally the excuse is they are vermin. I know in England we have a season where hares cannot be sold but do you think we should follow Scotland in having a closed season on the taking of hares ?. A sensible debate please. For you that call them vermin why ? seems that its is a northern thing, yet I would guess there are perhaps more hares in my area than anywhere else in the country, and I would say lots more than in the north otherwise it would not be a almost weekly occurance that our local paper has a piece about hare coursers being prosecuted who hail from that part of the country would it ??, yet despite there being so many around here I have never heard a farmer complaining about them or ask me to shoot them. So I will say that in my opinion , they are game not vermin and I would personally welcome a closed season on hares. I agree ! in my opinion they are game and certainly in my area there are not many of em, as a rule i dont shoot em any time of year purely because theres not many around me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 We used to have Hare drives now and again when landowners asked us to,but very rarely shoot them now as those same landowners are all in Stewardship schemes of one level or another,so they're left alone. You can only sell them at certain times of the year anyhow,so none are shot at all during this time by anyone I know,so speaking for myself,a closed season would make little difference really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodcock11 Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 I quite agree, Hares are most certainly not vermin and should be treated with the respect they deserve!However one has to be careful in calling for "Closed Seasons" etc as our friends the antis are ever watchful and would very likely try to retire another species to the protected list, robbing us of another great sporting quarry!Surely, a call to all shooters to exercise restraint would not fall on deaf ears amongst the vast majority of our fellow sportsmen and women?There are always "renegades" but I think most would join in the spirit of things? This is a very fair comment - no true sportsman would want to shoot a hare during the breeding season - for myself, I will never shoot another hare and have not done so for probably 18 years or so - beautiful creatures and a pleasure and privilege to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixhills 69 Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 I shoot over a number of farms and the land owners ask me to keep an eye on them and only cull injured or diseased the most i have to put to sleep have been injured by dogs some by vehicles. They are a fine animal and lovley to watch they do not seem to do much harm and unless the become a problem i feel they should be left alone. (My feelings only) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
del.gue Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 I do consider them game. I love to see them but have no problem with them being controlled. Like others on here I have made a decision not to shoot them unless specifically requested by the landowner. I think they get hammered enough by poachers and buzzards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie-fox Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 I shoot the odd one for the pot and leave the rest and have not shot one for about 5 months or so...so in my opinion I would vote for a close season... Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 like someone else said - if the list gets any attention in regard to revision it may not go the way any of us would want. If they are a problem - or cause of a problem from the people who would damage proprty or crop to get at them then a farmer can make his own mind up about dealing with the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 Whilst they most certainly are game it is only right that land managers have the freedom to control them as and when damage is being done. Damage to growing crops occurs during the spring/summer months so a closed season as such would not be beneficial to farmers and growers. The present system, on the whole seems to work, so why alter it. Incedentally Hares are ground game in law, not vermin. So you can't shoot them unless your fac says ground game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 Incedentally Hares are ground game in law, not vermin. So you can't shoot them unless your fac says ground game. You sure about that? REALLY sure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter.123 Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 I havnt shot one for a while Although my farmer has asked me too but there seems to be more about now. I thought they were classed as ground dwelling game/vermin Maybe wrong tho. IF they are ground game then yes you would need that on your fac, well I and a few others I know have anyway :hmm; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P~MX Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 This is a very fair comment - no true sportsman would want to shoot a hare during the breeding season - for myself, I will never shoot another hare and have not done so for probably 18 years or so - beautiful creatures and a pleasure and privilege to watch. I'll 2nd that woodcock, hare's need to be protected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Whilst they most certainly are game it is only right that land managers have the freedom to control them as and when damage is being done. Damage to growing crops occurs during the spring/summer months so a closed season as such would not be beneficial to farmers and growers. The present system, on the whole seems to work, so why alter it. Incedentally Hares are ground game in law, not vermin. So you can't shoot them unless your fac says ground game. And not on a Sunday either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karpman Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Shoot them only when asked and have been.asked a couple of times over the last 12 months or so. Have been asked to cull though for various reasons including crop protection and the farmer reasoning no hares no pouches coursing em which was a particular worry for him at the time, seems more around our parts now than I can ever remember fine animals for sure. Karpman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 You sure about that? REALLY sure? I am really, really sure. And not on a Sunday either! Exactly, it amazes me that some do not take the trouble do do a little research into the laws pertaining to the quarry they shoot. We so often read in threads how respect must be shown towards our quarry and yet so many don't even bother to learn which species are game and on which day of the week they may be shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds chimp Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Happy to leave them alone as its a ncie sight....but it can be hard to tell the differance between a rabbit and hare... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Happy to leave them alone as its a ncie sight....but it can be hard to tell the differance between a rabbit and hare... Should have gone to Spe....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewluke Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 i don't shoot hares at all,shooting hares during breeding seasons could leave 3-4 leverets to suffer,below is a pic of a day old leveret i rescued from infront of a mower(racecourse)last year,he's now about 10 months old, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 So a closed season is to protect against shooters? Personally never shot them during the breeding season but have shot a lot of them. The problem would be the dates of a closed season. At the moment we shoot most in Febuary after the game season odds are they would just include them with game which would be a major issue for some people. Or make them like deer and give lots of exceptions so they end up shot anyway. The best option is self regulation shoot them where they are causing problems, where they aren't enjoy watching them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 (edited) I agree that self regulation should be the best way but unfortunately some amongst us dont wish or care to do so , I think that only by making it illegal as in scotland would it stop. I dont want to give the impression I am anti hare shooting I take the odd one myself on occasion if someone asks me for one for the pot but other than that I choose not to shoot them at anytime of year. Edited April 23, 2012 by fenboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted April 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Happy to leave them alone as its a ncie sight....but it can be hard to tell the differance between a rabbit and hare... Matt I know you only have one good eye , but you really should lock the guns away if you cannot tell the difference. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarecrow243 Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 ok lets say you go to your local shoot and the land owner says i need you to shoot some hares as they are eating all my veg crops, 1 do you say sorry i cant do that and maybe lose the shooting 2 say yes i control some of them me i choose 2 as shooting ground is hard enough to get let alone keep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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