Hunting: A bunny treat..

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BushTucker

Settler
Feb 3, 2007
556
0
60
Weymouth
Can anyone tell me if it is still a legal practice to hunt rabbit in this country. It used to be and just wondered if any of you knew upto date law on this.

By hunting I mean catapult or humane snaire (no guns).

Cheers

Don
 

Goose

Need to contact Admin...
Aug 5, 2004
1,797
21
56
Widnes
www.mpowerservices.co.uk
Not a tabboo subject, just not a simple question to answer.
It is not illegal to hunt rabbits, with a gun or by snaring. But you do need to have landowners permission and obey firearms laws and the laws pertaining to snaring, which can be quite complex for a beginner. For example of the laws what most would consider humane snares would be illegal while less humane snares are the only ones allowed to be used! Not sure about the legal position on catapults, bows are definitely illegal.
The other thing about advice about hunting/trapping is that apart from the laws it is difficult to get started in without a mentor to help you. The laws seem to have been put in place to prevent poaching rather than animal welfare reasons, so being within the law doesn't mean being humane.
 

ady05

Forager
Jan 8, 2007
193
0
50
kings lynn, norfolk
ive been snairing for some time now and have always been informed that as long as the snares are checked every 24hrs and are made of brass thats fine :D
 

Goose

Need to contact Admin...
Aug 5, 2004
1,797
21
56
Widnes
www.mpowerservices.co.uk
ady05 said:
ive been snairing for some time now and have always been informed that as long as the snares are checked every 24hrs and are made of brass thats fine :D
There is a bit more to it, it needs to be a multi stranded snare(6 or 7 strand?) ,non locking, needs to be set to only catch prey animals(ie rabbits only, not foxes cats badgers etc), not have a mechanism( such as a springy branch and a trip) and I am definitely not an expert tyhese are just a few of the rules I have read about while researching and talking to snarers!
The check at least every 24 hours rule is a law, most snarers I have met would check, at the very least, every 12 hours!
 

ady05

Forager
Jan 8, 2007
193
0
50
kings lynn, norfolk
i believe you are right goose the ones i use are 6 strand brass snares which i use at work i am luckily enough to have a brother who is on the opposite shift to me who checks them as well, they are set along a metal fence in line with the runs if set correctly the rabbit will still be alive on aproach i have never (touch wood) had any other animal caught in these :D
 

Hunter_zero

Nomad
Jun 25, 2006
430
6
51
Wales
BushTucker said:
Can anyone tell me if it is still a legal practice to hunt rabbit in this country. It used to be and just wondered if any of you knew upto date law on this.

By hunting I mean catapult or humane snaire (no guns).

Cheers

Don

The law hasn't changed for sometime now.
Rabbits are protected by legislation, as are all wild animals.
You have to be an 'authorised' person to pursue and kill rabbits, by this I mean you must have permission from the landowner where you intend to hunt rabbits.

Catapults are legal, or I should say catapults have no legislation specifically forbidding use to kill rabbits.

Snares have plenty of legislation as do most other trapping methods.

If you live close to me, I'll get you started. Indeed if anyone on here wants to go and "shoot" a few rabbits let me know and I'll get it sorted.

This is about the best info your going to get on snares and the law;

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/snares/pdf/snares-cop.pdf

As for sling shots, well my own view is that they are not really suitable for rabbit control. You have to be VERY skilled to use them and be VERY close.
A good airgun, costing as little as £60 S/H is IMHO a lot better than a sling shot.

In my experience, you'll be hard pressed to find any landowners who will let you set snares, if you tell them your hunting rabbits with sling shots.

Just my 2'p worth.

John
 

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