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Shooting rabbits on a sunday???


belly47
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Just been browsing around whilst watching the cricket, and came across this on the gov.uk website regarding shooting rabbits on a sunday.

 

It appears to be an error.

 

Other animals

There are no hunting seasons for other animals.

You can hunt some small animals, such as hares, rabbits and foxes, all year round. But you can’t shoot hares or rabbits (game animals) on Sundays or Christmas Day in most of the UK.

 

https://www.gov.uk/hunting/what-you-can-hunt-and-when

 

 

I have just phoned BASC and informed them of this and spoke to a rather nice sounding lady who was grateful of the heads up, she said they will pass the details of this error on to the relevant government department to rectify.

 

From what she said they often have these discrepencies and need to correct the powers that be.

Edited by belly47
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Looks like the whole thing was written by a child.

 

Another couple of mistakes................

You can use dogs for:

  • stalking and flushing out - but only to control pests, eg hares, and only if they’re shot as soon as possible afterwards

You can’t ever use:

  • bows or crossbows
  • nets to capture birds
  • vehicles to chase animals
  • explosives (other than the legal ammunition for a firearm)
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Looks like the whole thing was written by a child.

 

Another couple of mistakes................

You can use dogs for:

  • stalking and flushing out - but only to control pests, eg hares, and only if they’re shot as soon as possible afterwards

You can’t ever use:

  • bows or crossbows
  • nets to capture birds
  • vehicles to chase animals
  • explosives (other than the legal ammunition for a firearm)

 

the lady at BASC said they do their best to keep on top of these errors, but feel free to let them know anything you find.

 

im pretty sure she will review the whole webpage

Edited by belly47
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Rabbits in the early last century were driven to a team of guns on many estates. Much like a pheasant drive only rabbit.

That old law quoted has game in brackets, so shooting them as an organised driven day as per pheasants is illegal on a Sunday.

Pest control, pot hunting is not prohibited.

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Rabbits in the early last century were driven to a team of guns on many estates. Much like a pheasant drive only rabbit.

That old law quoted has game in brackets, so shooting them as an organised driven day as per pheasants is illegal on a Sunday.

Pest control, pot hunting is not prohibited.

Rabbits are only legally defined as game if they are taken without consent (poaching). There is no law stopping you flushing rabbits to guns on a Sunday.

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When I applied for my second S1 shotgun ( a semi-automatic ) my stated 'good reason' was the control of rabbits bolted by ferrets. It was turned down.

When I enquired why I was told that semi-automatic shotguns should not be used for shooting rabbits, which was news to me. My FEO told me, 'we're aware everyone does it but strictly speaking it's a no no'.

Licensing then told me to re-apply but put my good reason as 'shooting avian species under the terms and conditions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981'. It was granted.

Go figure.

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News to me, too!

I know you're not supposed to shoot hares or other game with a self-loader, but as I read the regs, bunnies are fine, as they classed as vermin. I would query that with BASC.

A normal semi-auto is fine but they don't seemed to have liked the 'good reason' for S1 as rabbits being bolted.

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Rabbits to the land owner or someone acting on his behalf are vermin, and can be taken on a Sunday.

 

To anyone without authority rabbits are game, and game can not be taken on a Sunday.

As a poacher the game laws are more efficient for securing a conviction...

Edited by Paul223
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Prior to the Boundary changes that took place in 1974, some Counties, especially in Wales, were 'No Shooting on Sundays' Counties. I know because I used to shoot in Montgomery and the village Bobby once had words about our shooting on Sundays. It is possible some of the old Bye- Laws have still not been changed.

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Rabbits to the land owner or someone acting on his behalf are vermin, and can be taken on a Sunday.

 

To anyone without authority rabbits are game, and game can not be taken on a Sunday.

As a poacher the game laws are more efficient for securing a conviction...

Unless you're in Scotland.

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Rabbits are only legally defined as game if they are taken without consent (poaching). There is no law stopping you flushing rabbits to guns on a Sunday.

Not sure on that one but I wonder if you realise just how many were shot on a day 100 years ago! 500plus!

I don't think it was just an anti poaching law.

 

Shooting game on a Sunday may also be a Sabbath thing and estate staff protection laws! Things are a lot different to 100years ago!

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When I applied for my second S1 shotgun ( a semi-automatic ) my stated 'good reason' was the control of rabbits bolted by ferrets. It was turned down.

When I enquired why I was told that semi-automatic shotguns should not be used for shooting rabbits, which was news to me. My FEO told me, 'we're aware everyone does it but strictly speaking it's a no no'.

Licensing then told me to re-apply but put my good reason as 'shooting avian species under the terms and conditions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981'. It was granted.

Go figure.

 

I would suggest he's talking out of his hat. They may not like S1 shotguns and ACPO issued a reccomended condition stating avian pests, but there is nothing unlawful in using one on rabbits.

Mine was, until I sold it last year, simply down as "vermin".

To my knowledge the only thing you cant use a S1 auto on is birds and the get out clause on the GL permits their use on birds authorised on the GL.

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My old head keeper used to organise driven rabbit days until not that many years ago and I remember one of the last ones I was involved with we shot around 250 head. All these days were held on Sundays as it was easier to get people as there was less chance of them being in work. My first statement regarding the definition of rabbit as game is 100% correct and I know that as it was part of my keeper training many years ago to know laws regarding poaching game etc.

 

(with reference to post #16)

Edited by r1steele
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Rabbits are only legally defined as game if they are taken without consent (poaching). There is no law stopping you flushing rabbits to guns on a Sunday.

They are Ground Game, along with hares, subject to their own act and only those stipulated in the act may kill them. As you say, there is nothing in that act that prohibits shooting them on Sunday.

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I would suggest he's talking out of his hat. They may not like S1 shotguns and ACPO issued a reccomended condition stating avian pests, but there is nothing unlawful in using one on rabbits.

Mine was, until I sold it last year, simply down as "vermin".

To my knowledge the only thing you cant use a S1 auto on is birds and the get out clause on the GL permits their use on birds authorised on the GL.

Could well be, I have no idea. Whether they like S1 shotguns or not it was they who told me how to word my application in order to grant the application.

 

Edited: Spelling.

Edited by Scully
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My old head keeper used to organise driven rabbit days until not that many years ago and I remember one of the last ones I was involved with we shot around 250 head. All these days were held on Sundays as it was easier to get people as there was less chance of them being in work. My first statement regarding the definition of rabbit as game is 100% correct and I know that as it was part of my keeper training many years ago to know laws regarding poaching game etc.

 

(with reference to post #16)

Thanks for clearing that up, I stand corrected.

 

U.

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