UK Catapult Laws

[BIG-TARGET]

Here in NJ, everytime they pass a law, they turn more innocent people into criminals

 

[stotRE]

Its better to beg for forgivness than to ask permission. lol

 

[BIG-TARGET]

Its better to beg for forgivness than to ask permission. lol

You got it!!!!

 

[Neiltoo]

Neiltoo, the way I read the NI act you've quoted it means "any missile which is not discharged from a firearm", while used "for the purpose of killing or taking any wild animal", as opposed to anything that fires anything from anything...otherwise a staplegun would also be included...along with plently of kids toys...bb guns, air guns etc. Danzo should be able to confirm that but I'd be suprised if that wasn't the case.
So it would be legal to carry it for target practice but not to hunt with.

Cheers,

Bam.

The way I read this which is maybe what you are saying is that you cant kill any wild animal unless you use a firearm.
Its funny but I cant find any exception that would cover a mouse trap for example !

 

[bambodoggy]

The way I read this which is maybe what you are saying is that you cant kill any wild animal unless you use a firearm.
Its funny but I cant find any exception that would cover a mouse trap for example !

Not quite, I'm saying what the law says, that you can't kill a wild animal with some types of missile (namely any that don't come out of a firearm)... remember the Act in which we are working is the wildlife act and as such is wildlife related, it isn't a public order act or firearms act or similar and so isn't dealing with what we can and can't carry in public, only with the fact that we can't use certain weapons (or traps) to kill wild animals and that those weapons we can use (firearms etc) can only be used on certain wild animals (namely those not listed in Schedule 6).

You can use a non-locking snare to catch/kill a bunny as rabbits are't listed in Schedule 6 and if it's not dead when you get there you can club it to death with a stick. You can lay poison for rats etc but the act is saying that if you do this knowing you may harm animals listed on Schedule 6 then you are guilty of an offence, whether by laying the poison near a Schedule 6 listed animals feeding ground that happens to be where you're rats are living too or by laying your snare incorrectly so that it is likely to catch a schedule 6 listed animal even though you set it out for the purpose of bagging a non schedule 6 animal. Always remember that ignorance of the law is no defence and that our law is based on reason, so in court if they find that you didn't take "reasonable" care when laying your (perfectly legal) non-locking snare and it did catch a schedule 6 listed animal by "mistake", then you are still guilty of an offence.

Mouse traps (or poison for that matter) are not missiles so I would say that in itself was the exeption.....

I've been thinking about this too and a ballbearing isn't a missile either, it's a projectile and that's different to a missle and the wording on the Act is fairly specific so you might be ok using it to hunt with after all....having said that it's still best to check with whomever to confirm before you head out with your rubber bands...

Hope that helps clarify and hasn't just made you more confused Matey...lol

 

[R-Bowskill]

And the reason why quiet means of taking game are generally banned in the UK is that they are simply too good and cheap so the peasants can get free food without the lord knowing about it. Guess which section of society makes the laws??? you got it, definately not bushcrafters.

 

[bambodoggy]

I can't remember who it was but on another bcuk thread about bow hunting somebody mentioned that part of the reason it was outlawed was that when they had the debate and vote in parliment, the MP that was due to stand and speak up for hunting with bows had nipped to the loo and missed his spot so the vote went ahead without any pros being mentioned and it got banned!!!!

I don't know how true that is but it doesn't suprise me one bit..lol

 

[Celtic Dragon]

I think the reason for bow hunting being banned is tied up with them being used for poaching the royal deer.

 

[Neiltoo]

Hope that helps clarify and hasn't just made you more confused Matey...lol

No, that makes alot of sense - I think I was reading with my blinkers on

Thanks

 

[innocent bystander]

I can't remember who it was but on another bcuk thread about bow hunting somebody mentioned that part of the reason it was outlawed was that when they had the debate and vote in parliment, the MP that was due to stand and speak up for hunting with bows had nipped to the loo and missed his spot so the vote went ahead without any pros being mentioned and it got banned!!!!

I don't know how true that is but it doesn't suprise me one bit..lol

It's semi-true, but I'm sure it wasn't about bow hunting. Damned if i can remember what it was, but it was mentioned on telly last year. Apparently the debate went on all night, and the one person in favour went for a slash just before the vote....

 

[BorderReiver]

Here in NJ, everytime they pass a law, they turn more innocent people into criminals

It's the same here BT.

 

[sourdough]

It's the same here BT.

You are right there. Border Reiver, you will be aware Scotland currently has an "Air Rifle Amnesty". Wow, I had better hand mine in then to be a good boy!

Or should I do as my conscience tells me and go to my local Dumfries Air Rifle stockist and buy a few more...before they become illegal. Yep, always go with your conscience.

Sourdough

 

[MILBRO MAN]

Hi there, i make catapults & collect catapults, and from what i can gather catapults are legal and bows are illegal, is this true? and if so what happens if i convert my catapult to shoot arrows? is this illegal or legal? please help me out folks as i find it hard to understand these laws !!!! thanks

 

[sam_acw]

The ban on hunting with bows is, in terms of British history, fairly recent - I think 19th century. It's a bit of a travesty really considering the bow is a national icon.
There's a bowhunting association http://www.britishbowhunters.co.uk/
I've seen threads on catapult hunting closed on here before but the general impression seems to be that it's not specifically prohibited therefore not illegal. I'd say that observing all the other wildlife and game rules is important - my personal belief is that catapults are humane for smaller animals as the projectile has greater energy than air rifle pellets for example. Hunting laws tend to have very little link between being humane, logical or possible - it's mostly about excluding people or stopping something that people may enjoy that others feel they shouldn't.
TBH bowhunting is illegal in most of Europe, as for slingshots I don't know. I once asked a Polish forester about laws and he jokingly told me that "the forests are big and the police live in the city"

 

[geforce83]

im not certain but i belive part of the law goes back to medievil times where only the rich and welthy could hunt the kings deer etc. bows were almost a silent weapon and therefore they made the perfect weapon to poach with. i think this where the law came from originally

 

[British Red]

Bow hunting was not banned until the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act

Section 11(1) WCA 1981 prohibits the following methods of killing or taking any wild animal:

• <snip>
• Using a bow, crossbow or explosive other than firearm ammunition to kill any wild animal.

 

[Samon]

woah.. thread revival!

so is it legal to hunt with a catty on 'public' land? providing it isn't a protected area (can public woodlands be protected?) and you are not hunting protected species..

do any of the residsent catapult hunters here have any advice on hitting the desired target?? I can hit a bean can in my garden but it feels like all the aiming is 'instinctual' than anything else.

 

[Expat]

Hi Emdiesse

Catapults are not illegal in Britain but if used or carried as a weapon they become illegal.
Danzo

If you are using it to hunt, then surely it has wondrously just transformed into
"A Weapon"...??

Whatever... I think the general consensus of opinion is that laws relating to
"Hunting" and ""Weapons" are made by people with little idea of use, or
responsibility of individuals concerned. In other words, those promoting the Nanny
State and "dumbing down" of the population at large.....

 

[Tristar777]

Hi. Dont forget if you are on public land it is an offence to hit members of the public walking there too! All in all, you are better and safer for all concerned if you get permission to be on private land and fire away from tracks that others may use. JMO

 

[Corso]

I'm wondering why it's legal to hun with a cattie, but not with a bow'n'arra..... ?
Probably some ancient by law or something, stop the peaseants uprising maybe ?

because when they drafted the act there was no archery representation....


I would also say its not 100% legal to hunt with a catty - you would have to garentee a clean kill