pheasant traps

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misty07

Joined: 22 Jan 2010
Posts: 2223
Location: swindon wiltshire

Posted: Sat Sep 24, 11 1:15 pm Post subject:
ahh not allowed then

matt_hooks

Joined: 01 Aug 2010
Posts: 312
Location: Lambourn(ish) Berkshire

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 7:28 am Post subject:
Not allowed to trap them, but you CAN legally shoot them with an air rifle. (As long as they are in season, which they are at the moment, and given that the normal legalities, permission, safe shot etc. are in place) A head shot is a necessity, nothing else will guarantee an instant and humane kill.

Shane

Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 3467
Location: Doha. Is hot.

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 8:53 am Post subject:

Be careful: according to BASC you can shoot crows, rooks, jackdaws, magpies, jays, woodpigeon, collared doves, feral pigeons, brown rats, grey squirrels, stoats, mink and rabbits.

Regarding game birds, they specifically state:

Quote:

although there are seasons when you can legally shoot game, and some wildfowl, they are not suitable quarry for air rifles

SteveP

Joined: 23 Jan 2008
Posts: 155
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 9:06 am Post subject:
If there are pheasants about and you really want one then there is going to be a game shoot nearby. Go and volunteer as a beater for the day. You will get a brace for your trouble (and a lot of exercise). Steve

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 10:30 am Post subject:

Shane wrote:

Quote:

although there are seasons when you can legally shoot game, and some wildfowl, they are not suitable quarry for air rifles

That surely though is the BASC protecting quarry for the pleasure of its shooting members.
I know from what I've been told by a poaching acquaintance that pheasant are very easy to shoot with an air rifle, especially with a lamp at night when they are on the roost.
Probably easier than crows, rooks, jackdaws, magpies, jays, woodpigeon, collared doves & feral pigeons.
If I where to shoot one here on my own ground It might be deemed very unsporting but unlawful?
Or if unlawful to the extent the law would actually be interested in convicting?
I've got my doubts.
Of course if I do it on Lord Ponsenby Smthyes sporting estate then I'm likely to get hung.

SteveP

Joined: 23 Jan 2008
Posts: 155
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 11:54 am Post subject:

Quote:

If I where to shoot one here on my own ground It might be deemed very unsporting but unlawful?
Or if unlawful to the extent the law would actually be interested in convicting?
I've got my doubts.
Of course if I do it on Lord Ponsenby Smthyes sporting estate then I'm likely to get hung.

Ignoring the outdated stereotype of game shooters, even on your own land you will get prosecuted if you are seen breaking the other obscure game laws such as shooting at one on a Sunday. It doesn't even matter if you miss it you will have broken the law.

By all means harvest the wild game responsibly but know what you are getting into before you have to hire a lawyer to get you out of it.

Steve

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 12:02 pm Post subject:

SteveP wrote:

Quote:

So when has anyone been prosecuted?
Other than poachers have you any examples?

SteveP

Joined: 23 Jan 2008
Posts: 155
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 12:09 pm Post subject:
[/quote]So when has anyone been prosecuted? Other than poachers have you any examples?[/quote] No i don't but is that relevant to what is actually illegal?

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 1:08 pm Post subject:

SteveP wrote:

Quote:

So when has anyone been prosecuted?
Other than poachers have you any examples?

No i don't but is that relevant to what is actually illegal?

Speeding is illegal but plenty of people still do it, & get away with it even when the law intervenes.

12Bore wrote:

I don't think you're allowed to snare pheasants.....
https://www.naturenet.net/law/birds.html#kill

Snaring definitely not, but live cage traps I think you will find are legal for pheasant.
Otherwise gamekeepers wouldn't be allowed to use them to catch the seasons breeding birds.
Although most of them buy their poults from large game farms so probably outmoded now.

kirstyfern

Joined: 03 Jan 2010
Posts: 1574
Location: Great Dunmow, Essex

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 3:57 pm Post subject:

Pheasants will have been reared and released therefore are someones property so you can't just go catching them as that is poaching... Certainly we are asked to flush them back to the farm if they stray on our land, if we were caught trapping / shooting them we would lose friends very quickly, despite them being on our land.

We were told that it is illegal (unsporting, definately) to shoot a pheasant on the ground / perch, they should be flushed and shot whilst airborne, with a shotgun, not an air rifle. I wouldn't like to test the law on this.

In season I can buy pheasants from the game dealer for �1/�2 each so it isn't worth the risk.

Pigeons on the other hand are easily trapped / shot with an air rafle and are fair game - and very tasty

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46217
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 4:12 pm Post subject:
best pheasant trap is a blind corner during the morning school run a clean "headshot"is oft delivered by car bumper

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 4:30 pm Post subject:

kirstyfern wrote:

I believe that the legal position is that if they are on your land, then they are your property. Obviously it's not that neighbourly if you are doing it regularly.

They are very cheap to buy in the feather, I agree. Last year people were giving them away around here - the people who came shooting didn't actually want to *eat* them.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 11 5:23 pm Post subject:

kirstyfern wrote:

As I understand it once released no one owns them, so if they come onto your land they're fair game (whilst taking other legal matters into consideration such as game seasons etc, etc).

Quote:

Pigeons on the other hand are easily trapped / shot with an air rafle and are fair game - and very tasty

Funnily enough it's not that simple. You can only legally shoot pigeons for pest control purposes, you can't shoot them purely to eat. Once you've controlled your pest you can eat them.

Shane

Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 3467
Location: Doha. Is hot.

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 11 3:43 am Post subject:
Regardless of your opinion of BASC, they are a high-profile organisation and have a large (and diverse, believe it or not) membership. They work closely with the government and police when it comes to setting and enforcing shooting standards. For that reason alone, I personally think it's best to pay attention to their guidelines.

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 11 6:30 am Post subject:

Shane wrote:

Regardless of your opinion of BASC, they are a high-profile organisation and have a large (and diverse, believe it or not) membership. They work closely with the government and police when it comes to setting and enforcing shooting standards. For that reason alone, I personally think it's best to pay attention to their guidelines.

I have no opinions of the BASC, all I was trying to say is they aren't the law but representatives of their members.

Shane wrote:

Regarding game birds, they specifically state:

Quote:

although there are seasons when you can legally shoot game, and some wildfowl, they are not suitable quarry for air rifles

That to me doesn't say it's illegal to shoot pheasant with an air rifle,
It says they are not suitable quarry.
I would argue that because they are easier to approach than all the quarry they say you can shoot then they are suitable.

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