Jump to content

Pheasant catching law?


Dazv
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi guys hope your all well, I question for you guys I have a freind that is planning on catching pheasants with the old poaching trick with a sticky paper cone that gets caught in its head. He has permission to take pheasants on the land and I told him I’m sure that method must be illegal. Can anyone shed any light on this and even better if it turns out to be illegal any links to proof would be really helpful. Thanks for your time much appreciated

darren  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it is in season and it is not deemed as "cruelty" that per se it is lawful as long as the person who gives him that permission has the authority to offer the right to kill game. If that person who gives that permission doesn't then it is illegal.

Remember occupancy of land (even ownership) does not always have with it the sporting rights.

As to the use of "sticky paper" that IMHO would be deemed as cruel. Finally an over zealous rural crime officer may start looking up the law on bird liming. So I'd say your friend is possibly putting himself in a sticky situation even if he does has lawful permission to take game on the land.

Edited by enfieldspares
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty certain it would be illegal. You are causing the bird to basically be wandering around blind, unable to defend itself or escape from any predators. Such a course of action is, by default, 'animal cruelty' and thus a criminal offence.

I'm sure there is no specified criminal offence of maiming a wild creature by ripping a leg off it, but it would obviously be a blatant an act of cruelty, and thus covered by the law.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The mind boggles.

Just out of curiosity, what do you does your mate want to catch them for?  You could be getting a very mixed bag of less productive, older birds and a mixture of strains, which isn't ideal for breeding.

For eating, it kind of makes sense.

I've got a very successful catcher made from several Heras panels, top-netted, with one of these one-way fox grids built in to the bottom of a panel:

53032747_foxgrid.jpg.ef63aff01c94bce0b273e021ae57474f.jpg

It's baited outside by spreading straw with wheat scattered in to it, and inside it has a poultry feeder full of wheat and a drinker.

It's absolutely necessary to provide water inside the catcher, and a very good idea to provide food too.  If you're using a big enough arrangement like Heras panels you can leave some in there and they'll attract more.

I have a little pile of branches in mine too so they can hop up on something to roost.

Don't do anything that knackers up shooting for the rest of us :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cone trick works. Simple and easy an very effective once mastered. We used to make them and do it a lot as kids, and catch up some folks escaped birds. Got really good at it. Practiced on chickens and no more stressful than the wild birds i see retraped week after week in mist nets on some sites in the name of science. Some of them rare birds during migration breeding season and hard times to. That's ok though ain't it? If done right, in right place, approached and picked up right birds will sit and stay nice and calm as will most critters when there eyes are covered. Last time i did it was to move some problem peacocks. Little more tricky but job done over two days. No cage, no nets, no chasing, no fuss. Just little bit of fieldcraft and common sense.            NB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...